Body
TRUSTING JESUS. It's about a year before Calvary. Jesus has healed thousands and thousands over the past two years. He's also cast out demons from many people and raised some from death back to life. He's taught multitudes about eternal, spiritual truth and proven Himself to be the Messiah. Through it all, Jesus has been training His twelve disciples for their future ministry as Apostles and early church leaders. Now, it's time to put them to the test. After Jesus called the twelve to Himself, He gave them multiple commands: 'And as you go, PREACH, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.''HEAL the sick, CLEANSE the lepers, RAISE the dead, CAST OUT demons' (Matt 10:78). Can you imagine their shock hearing that they would raise the dead? These were normal, everyday guys. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen. Matthew was a tax collector. Yet Jesus was calling on them to trust Him for this power. Jesus also told them, 'Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food' (vv. 9-10). Again, Jesus is asking them to trust Him utterly. In short, Jesus says, 'I'll provide your every need - food, shelter, safety, direction, power, and even the words to speak.' That's amazing! However, what's even more impressive is that it takes place a year later. Jesus will die in a matter of hours. Shortly after the Last Supper with these men, as they're still gathered together, Jesus asks them, 'When I sent you without a money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?' And the disciples answered, 'Nothing' (Luke 22:35). Jesus' point: 'As you trusted Me then, so you can trust Me after I soon return to My eternal glory.' As true Christians in 2024, we, too, struggle with trusting Him at times. When we do, we must remember that 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever' (Heb. 13:8).