Powerful Peace
(8-7-05)
Mat.10:11-16
How powerful is your peace? In the verses before the reading for today Jesus commissioned the 12 disciples to go out into the cities of Judea proclaiming that the Kingdom of heaven was near. Included in the sending was the bestowing of authority to do as they had been seeing Him do, heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, cure leprosy and more. The greatest authority He gave them was the power of peace.
In Luke 9:51-56 at some point after this giving of authority and their being sent a city of Samaria refused the messengers at which point James and John asked if they should call down fire from heaven and destroy. I often wondered what gave them the idea that that was possible for them to do; now I understand. Jesus had given them the power of peace.
In Reading Luke’s account of the sending we gain the whole picture. (its like Luke gave us the light version) (Luke 9:1-6) When we read the same account in Matthew we see a little larger picture. (Mat.11:11-16) The results of or the effect of shaking the dust off the shoes in testimony against them is given with a very vivid picture – Sodom and Gomorrah.
So what is in this story for you and I? How powerful is our peace? First a word or two of caution. Desiring destruction and the finality that it brings with it is a very drastic measure for any person to make. When James and John asked to call for fire Jesus strongly rebuked them. Why? They had not been sent to the Samaritans and their cities therefore it would not have been just to destroy them for their refusal of the message. Which brings us to point number one. Being sent as an empowered representative of the Kingdom of God and understanding the limitations of that sending are important.
Jesus sent the 12 out to the 12 tribes of Israel only. The expectation of Israel was ‘the Messiah was coming’ to refuse Him was consequential. The world at large, the nations, were not being judged by that expectation. The commission of the Church now ‘you go into all the world’ but the worlds expectation and responsibility to it are deemed different.
There is still power in the giving of your peace
When you are drawn by the Spirit to proclaim the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus to giving your peace towards them is still vital. Because of the Spirit that dwells in you and to whom that Spirit identifies you your peace communicates something very vital and powerful. As an Ambassador you carry the power to forgive or pardon sin. Your peace is the ‘white flag’ that two conflicting parties can meet under for discussion. (2Cor.5:20, 10:2-5; Gal.5:17; Jn.7:7, 15:18f)
As an Ambassador of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus and of Jesus Himself and the grace for which He died you are sent for salvations sake. You are sent to offer life to the those who are dead in their sins and transgressions. (see Philippians 2:12-16, Eph.2:12) Remember that God does not want any to perish. He desires that everyone would come to repentance and live. (2Pet.3:9) As a Child of God your desire should also be for the lost to escape their fate.
A word of warning – it is wrong for our heart to desire the message to fail in its power to redeem just as wrong as it would be to do acts of kindness to an enemy just to heap burning coals on their heads. You do not know what plans God may have for the vilest of sinners.