Jesus' Mission Brief

VBS and VBX is tomorrow through Friday. We are going all in right here in our community to reach out to young families to share the love of Christ. We will have hundreds of children and volunteers gracing our campuses each morning. And when VBS and VBX get going around here, guess what?

You know it’s summer.

Summer at CityRise is a time where we intentionally advance the gospel of Jesus. Summer at CityRise is a time for VBS, VBX, Kids and Youth Camp, and mission trips all over the world.

Summer at CityRise is a time where children come to know Jesus Christ.

Did you know that statistics tell us that if a child doesn’t come to faith by their 13th birthday, they most likely never will come to faith in Christ?

So much of their worldview is already formed by their 13th birthday. And that’s why it is so important to realize that we have been given a mission to reach the next generation and to reach the nations.

As we come to our next installment in the gospel of Matthew, we are going to see Jesus give a mission brief to his disciples and send them out on their first mission trip.

In the military, there are 4 types of military briefings…Information briefing – to inform…Decision briefing is to obtain a decision…Mission briefing is to define the mission…and Staff Briefing, which brings together combined staff for coordinated or unified effort.

This portion we are studying today is the Mission Briefing, where Jesus is defining the mission. I think the timing couldn’t be better.

Here is our outline today as we look at this portion.

Mission Briefing
1.The Team
2.The Task
3.The Truth

That’s how we will walk through this together.

Let’s look at Matthew 10:1-4 together as we begin to understand how Jesus would build His kingdom.

I.The Team

Every significant endeavor will involve a team.

Now, recall, last week, Matthew, the gospel writer, describes Jesus going throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.

He has been healing their diseases and their afflictions.

Then, as we looked at last week, you see in verse 36, Jesus’ assessment of the crowd.

Matthew 9:36
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

To have compassion, is to be moved at the gut level…to feel at the inner level, pain, so as to get involved.

As Jesus feels this, what does he say to his disciples?

Matthew 9:37-38
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Jesus sees need all around him. And he serves these people in need. He models to His disciples what He is going to give them to do, but before he enlists them or gives them their marching orders, he calls them to pray.

And the specific prayer is that God would raise up the harvester for the harvest. It’s a prayer that God would build a team!

At the end of this service today, I am going to ask you to come forward and kneel before our Lord and pray that He raise up workers for the harvest for this summer.

All of this is the context of that happens next.

Now, let’s look at verses 1-4.

Matthew 10:1-4
1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

This is a summation of who will be involved and what they will be doing.

Notice two things:

First, what they are doing, is exactly what they saw Jesus doing. They observed him preaching and teaching and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and then healing their diseases (Mt. 9:35).

Then he commissions them.

Now, in Mark’s gospel, we have the corresponding story, the way that Mark tells it.

Mark 3:13-15
13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons.

Notice in this version of the story, Mark says, “he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.”

So, there are two things here that are a bit different than Matthew’s story.

•First, they are tasked to not only cast out demons and heal disease, but to also preach.

Remember, God uses preaching to move hearts, as faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

•Second, they are named apostles. The term apostle, means sent one. We see this inferred in Matthew, but specifically in Mark.

So, the first tier of Team Jesus was those sent to proclaim the kingdom as he was proclaiming the kingdom.

The second thing that I want you to see about the team is what we see in verses 2-4 in Matthew 10.

Matthew 10:2-4
The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

As you read this, don’t just skate by it. Note those who have some descriptor attached to their name:
•Simon, who is called Peter
•James the Son of Zebedee and John his brother
•Matthew the Tax Collector
•Simon the Zealot
•Judas Iscariot, who would betray him.

These descriptors speak to a testimony…something specific about each one. Many of these descriptors take us back to a story about these men – like Simon, who is called Peter.

•Do you remember that story? Simon, the fisherman, was bold and often spoke before he thought. When Jesus changed his name to Peter, it was after he answered the question from Jesus, “And who do you say that I am?”

oSimon proclaimed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

What a moment that must have been! Yes, Simon, you get it! Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you.

Another one here is the author of this gospel, Matthew the tax collector.

•When Matthew says this of himself, what is he saying?

I think he is saying, “I lived a very different life. I betrayed my fellow Jew. I aligned with Rome. I stole from my fellow Jews and pay tribute to Rome, our occupier and oppressor. I was a very wicked person.”

Some of you won’t get involved with ministry because you feel like your past has defined you. You appreciate the grace you have received, but you don’t believe that God can use you. But the truth is, if you are going to be on his team, you have to have a testimony!

•What’s your testimony?
•What’s your story?
•Are you comfortable being known as the person who used to be something very different than you are now?

Notice also that Judas Iscariot is named, and there is also a descriptor put on his name.

What does it say here?

Matthew 10:4
Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Judas was on the team, but his story is one of unfaithfulness.

As Matthew writes his gospel, he is looking back at the story that he got to live. But I am sure that there was a time that he thought, “There is no way that Judas won’t be on this team – he embodies the kingdom!”

Your future is still unwritten. Will it be one of faithfulness, or will you walk away from your commitment to Jesus, your covenant with your spouse, and your faithfulness to His church?

Friends, you will see this in section three of this message, but the enemy will come against you in one of two ways.

1.He will entice you – He will tempt you to lead you astray. In essence, Your Me gets bigger than the We!
2.He will attack you – And you aren’t training and aren’t building faithful rhythms into your life, and you will fall away.

As we move on from the idea of the team, and begin to look at the task:
•Is your Me bigger than your We?  
•Are you being enticed away from faithfulness to Jesus?
•Are you building spiritual disciplines to strengthen you against the enemy’s attack?

Let’s look at this second part of our time together today…the task!

Mission Briefing
1.The Team
2.The Task

II.The Task

Let’s read from verse 5 to verse 15.

Matthew 10:5-15
5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

L. A. Barbieri gives us three key things about the task here of this mission.

•First, the message the 12 Apostles were to give concerning the kingdom (v. 7) was identical to John the Baptist’s message (3:1) and Jesus’ message (4:17).

BARBIERI SAYS…“…Jesus told them to limit their proclamation to the nation Israel. In fact He specifically told them not to go to the Gentiles or to the Samaritans…The apostles were to go only to the lost sheep of Israel (cf. 15:24) because the kingdom message was for God’s covenant people. She needed to accept her King, who had arrived. If she did the nations would then be blessed through her (Gen. 12:3; Isa. 60:3).”

•Second, the apostles’ message, like their Lord’s, would be authenticated by miracles (Matt. 10:8; cf. 9:35).

Now, as you read the Bible, especially in the gospels and the book of Acts, you see all sorts of stories of miraculous healing.

I’m not here to stop and take the time to look at the theological viewpoints of miracles, nor discuss the views of the Charismatics versus the Cessationists  who believe all of that stopped in the first century (though my own testimony is that God healed me as a child).

The point is never the miracles. The point of all of these is to validate the message, the messenger, and to serve the people who were afflicted. It was to USHER in a NEW AGE that would USHER in a NEW COVENANT.

•The Third thing Barbieri helps us see is that on this mission, the team was put in a place of dependence for their basic needs.

Barbieri states, “They were not to make elaborate provisions for their travel, thus avoiding the impression they were engaged in a business enterprise. As the apostles ministered, they in turn were to be ministered to by their recipients. In every town or village they were to find a worthy person … and stay with that individual.”  

How easy it would be to get a Messiah-Complex if one day you are given the abilities to be this amazing orator and can heal people!

Being sent, in a position of dependence ensures humility in the heart of the sent one.

This week at VBS and VBX, as well as this summer, on our Mission Trips, yes, we will have all that we need, but we will also find ourselves in positions where we need things like:
•Strength
•Favor
•Protection
•Other aspects of Provision

Our Lord has a way to make sure his servants remain in a posture of service. That’s the call for you who will serve the king and his kingdom in these coming weeks.

Let’s look at this last one.

Mission Briefing
1.The Team
2.The Task
3.The Truth

III.The Truth

Now, as we prepare to read verses 16-23, let me just say that Jesus has a way of speaking the truth. If you aren’t careful, these words might just keep you on the sidelines. But don’t stay on the sidelines. Be activated. Be on the team, know the task, and walk in the truth.

Matthew 10:16-23
16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

Wow, Jesus has a way of really rattling our cage, doesn’t he?

I want you to notice the shift that has just happened. Jesus isn’t just speaking to his 12 Apostles now. No, he has just looked through the corridor of history and declared to us that the message of Jesus will be challenged, refuted, and those who carry his name will also be persecuted.

WARREN WIERSBE SAYS “It is not unusual for Bible writers to leap from one period to another without warning. Here Jesus looks down through history and sees those who will be His witnesses during the Tribulation period.”

There is a sending we have received, where we are sent as sheep in the midst of wolves.
You who are in the marketplace understand this. They say, “It’s dog eat dog!”

But this is more intense. It’s actually Wolf trying to eat Sheep.

Notice the tenor of it:
•The sent one is arrested and put before courts and even beaten by authorities.
•The sent one must appear before magistrates, kings, or governors.
•Brother betrays brother.
•Fathers betray their children.
•Children rise against parents.
•And notice these words, “…and you will be hated by all for my sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Some of these things are already happening today. In our culture, especially outside the Bible belt, there is a hatred of Christianity.

Just last week, a number of anti-Christian protestors were arrested in Seattle as they sought to assault Christians who had gathered publicly to worship the Lord.

One of our own members has had a family member held captive in a closed Muslim country, and only recently released from that imprisonment after President Trump came into office.

There are testimonies from people we reach whose families disown them because of their embrace of the gospel.

And if there is anything that we can bank on, it is this. This will intensify the closer we get to the return of Jesus Christ.

That is not meant to scare you, it is meant to inform you. It’s meant to challenge you to be dressed in the battle.

But notice what it says, in the midst of that persecution:

Matthew 10:19-20
19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

What are we to know, if we encounter this type of persecution?

First, we don’t have to be anxious or fearful.
Second, we will be given what we need in those hours.
Third, God the Holy Spirit is with us and will speak through us.

Our task is to be faithful to the end.

 
This blog is based on the message shared by Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Patterson on Sunday, June 8,, 2025 from our CityRise Church West U Baptist campus. Check out the full message below!