The Apostles’ First Mission Trip (Matthew 9:35-11:1; Mark 6:6-13; Luke 9:1-6)

What does it really mean to follow Jesus? As the twelve apostles go on their first mission trip, Jesus prepares them for hardship, persecution, and rejection. He tells them to expect a cross—not a crown—and to depend entirely on God’s provision. In this powerful study of Matthew 9:35–11:1, Mark 6:6–13, and Luke 9:1–6, discover timeless truths for every disciple: trust God, speak boldly, and serve with no guarantee of recognition. It’s a challenging call—but one that leads to eternal reward.

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Transcript

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For some time now, Jesus has been teaching his disciples in what amounts to a classroom setting. Well, now it's time to put them into the laboratory, so to speak, and to test the principles and truths

From Classroom To Harvest Field

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they've been learning. Actually, it's more like sending them out to experience the ministry for themselves, what we might call today a missions trip. Well, according to Matthew chapter 9 here, they've been close on his heels. They've been watching and learning. Verse 35 says here, Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. His teaching has been accompanied by miraculous healings, and of course that is attesting to the authenticity of his role as Messiah and the authority of his message as Messiah. Now we've seen his compassion for the crowds. Verse 36 describes them here as being like a flock of sheep wandering around without a shepherd. The Lord also sees them here as a as a ripe field unto harvest. In fact, he reminds the disciples to pray for additional laborers to go out into those fields of the world and bring in that harvest. Now, as we come to chapter ten, studying chronologically the life of Christ through the gospels, we're told here in verse one that Jesus gives his disciples authority over unclean

Authority Given To The Twelve

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spirits and to heal every disease and every affliction. Now their power is going to mimic the Lord's power. It's going to validate that they are in fact true representatives of the Messiah. Now, after listening to twelve disciples, verse five tells us that these twelve Jesus sent out. Maybe it's some other country, maybe it's stateside. If you've been sent out by your local church, I'm sure you were impacted by that missions trip. It changed your thinking. Going overseas, I know for me, changed my vision of the world, increased my desire to see people saved from every tongue, tribe, and nation. Well, you'll know as well, it gave your life new perspective, didn't it? I've had the privilege of traveling to preach in many different countries, and I've always come away deeply impacted by the sincerity of the believers and the growth of Christ's church. And it's been a good reminder to me that my life has no greater purpose than being invested out there in the harvest field of the world. Well, this missionary trip for these disciples is going to deepen their understanding of the calling they've been given as well as their mission. Now, if we go over to Mark chapter six and verse seven, we find out that Jesus is sending them out two by two. You know, the Old Testament required two witnesses, and sending

Why Israel First And What To Preach

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them out in pairs is validating their testimony. It's also going to encourage one another as they travel together. Now here in Matthew 10, Jesus tells them in verse 6 to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. They're to proclaim them the gospel message to the nation of Israel. In verse 7 says, Tell them the kingdom of heaven is at hand. In other words, their king has arrived. Their Messiah is in the land of Israel. And to prove it, they're going to perform signs, the signs of the Messiah, healing, exorcism, raising the dead. So they aren't just being sent out there to put on a show. In fact, Jesus tells them not to receive any money during this mission's trip. The Lord also tells them they aren't to carry along a suitcase with any extra clothing. They probably don't

Travel Light And Handle Rejection

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even have a toothbrush along with them as well. They are to depend entirely upon the Lord to provide every basic need through those who believe their message and offer them hospitality. Now, if some village rejects their message, Jesus says here in verse 14, to go out there in the street and shake off the dust from their feet. This was a symbolic act, and it's going to indicate the disciples are separating themselves from that town. They're not even going to have the dust of that town clinging to them because of that town or village's unbelief. Now, in verses 16 to 25, Jesus gives some warnings for his messengers. His words here seem to look beyond their short mission trip all the way to the future ministry

Sheep Among Wolves And Courtrooms

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that we have, in fact, beyond us, even to the end times when believers face great hardship and persecution. Now, as Jesus, he's getting these early disciples ready, he's getting them ready to pair up and move out. He's very realistic with them. He tells them not to expect standing ovations along the way. He says here in verse 16, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. So be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. He warns them here of being arrested and beaten and even put to death. And let me tell you, whenever I took a mission trip, I never had anybody tell me I might be beaten or imprisoned or even killed. If they'd told me that, I'm not sure I'd have signed up and got on the airplane. Imagine the impact of the Lord's words here. And they will ring true, by the way, throughout church history. Now Jesus also adds words of encouragement for those who are arrested and brought into some courtroom to defend themselves. He says here in verse nineteen, 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, for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Now with that, here at verse twenty six, Jesus begins to offer words of encouragement for all true disciples, and that includes us today. He reminds his disciples that

God Rules Even Under Persecution

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God's Spirit is ultimately in control of everything. It might look like the enemies of the gospel are in charge, but behind them, even their persecution of the church, God is seated on his throne, and there's going to come a day when his followers will be vindicated by the truth of their message, and their persecutors are going to be judged. But we're to expect trouble along the way, Jesus says here in verse thirty-four, I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. Now we might have peace in our hearts,

The Cost Of Discipleship

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but that doesn't rule out pain in our lives at the hands of unbelievers. Look, Satan isn't just going to sit around while Jesus builds his church. The truth is following Jesus isn't an easy task. Signing up for discipleship demands that we that we give him first place in our lives, even above those that we love most in this life. It means taking up a cross, that is, expecting death, as it were, following Jesus, Jesus says here in verse 38. All that's involved. You know, that's taking up your cross, that's like somebody today taking up the electric chair, or Jesus asking us to take up the hangman's noose and carry it around. Why? The cross was an instrument of cruel death that was very familiar in Jesus' day. So he's saying that as you go into the harvest fields of the world, don't expect a crown of gold, expect a cross of wood. Don't expect appreciation, expect persecution. This is quite a pep talk, isn't it? I wonder how many of us would sign up for this kind of mission trip after this kind of preparation. The Lord isn't hiding reality here. This isn't a sales pitch from Jesus to get as many people as he can to sign up. This is the reality of Christian service. He's told them what they need to know. Now it's time for them to put it into practice. Over in Luke chapter 9 and verse 6, we're simply told they departed and went through the villages preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. So the disciples' mission is going to be unique. They're announcing first to the Jewish people of the coming of their Messiah. They're validating that message with healing. And let me tell you, I've never validated my message

Signs That Confirm The Messiah

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by healing people in my audience or having to heal anybody, and that's good news because I can't. See, this was the authenticating sign of the apostolic community that they were in fact representing the Messiah, that they were empowered to do what only God can do to prove the truth of their message. And in doing so, they're preparing the way for what we call this new dispensation of the church age, when the church will be created. And that, by the way, is just around the corner. But even though their signs and wonders mission was unique and temporary for that period of time as they authenticated their message, there are some lessons we can learn for today. For starters, we're to deliver the message without any guarantee that people are going to appreciate it. We're not to expect applause. In fact, we're not to serve the Lord for money, but to trust

Serve Without Applause Or Greed

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him to provide money, provision through his people. And along the way, we should expect to carry a cross, not wear a crown. See, the day for crowning the disciples of Christ, oh, that's going to happen. But it's a day still out there in the future when Jesus returns. And in the meantime, let's sign up for the mission trip. Let's sign up to go along. The Lord has prepared everything for us ahead of time. Let's deliver to our world today the gospel of our coming King. Well, if that's all for today, a beloved, until next time, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.