Peter Barnes | Matthew 10:1-4
SERMON NOTES
EMPOWERING THE TWELVE APOSTLES
Genesis 49:1-28; Matthew 10:1-16
– Jesus’ message in Matt.5-7; Jesus’ miracles in Matt.8-9; and Jesus’ mission in Matt.10-12
1. The apostles represent the Messiah.
– 10:1; the signs of an apostle (2 Cor.12:12) are to repeat what Jesus did (e.g. Matt.8:16; 9:35; 8:28-32; 9:24-25; note Eph.2:20)
– 12 apostles as there were 12 patriarchs (note Matt.19:28; Rev.11:16; 21:14)
2. The Church is a diverse body.
– 10:2-4; Calvin writes of ‘men of obscurity and of no repute’; four at least were fishermen, and one was a tax collector
– nicknames and double names were common; how did Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector get on?
– like William Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson cooperating against slavery. Both were Christians but Wilberforce rejected the French Revolution while Clarkson favoured it.
3. The visible Church can include traitors.
– 10:4; see John 12:4-6; Christ deliberately chose Judas (John 6:70-71)