Bible Study Lesson from Matthew 10:1-16
In these passages from Matthew, we will learn the names of the twelve disciples and what Christ commissioned the 12 to do.
I guess you could say this was the first Christian mission.
Contemplate the many mission fields and opportunities we have to tell people about Christ at home and abroad.
One focus He gave the disciples is about freely giving.
Names of Jesus’ 12 Disciples
Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him. – Matthew 10:1-4 NASB
Jesus Sends Out The Twelve Disciples – “Freely Give”
In this Bible study lesson we learn who the 12 disciples were. We also learn about the spirit of giving which Christ commanded of them.
First, let’s list the names of the twelve disciples (Don’t worry, I had to “copy and paste” to get them all).
Names of the Original 12 Disciples
- Simon Peter
- Andrew
- James – son of Zebedee
- John
- Philip
- Bartholomew
- Thomas
- Matthew
- James – son of Alphaeus
- Thaddaeus
- Simon the Zealot
- Judas Iscariot
The Spirit of Giving
And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. Matthew 10:7-8 NASB
This is the statement that stays in my mind from these passages.
Why Only the Jews?
We can mull over why Christ sent his disciples only to the Jews and not to the gentiles or Samaritans.
One answer may be that God chose the Jews to tell the rest of the world about Christ and his kingdom.
They spread the word throughout the Roman empire.
“As You Are Going”
The salvation message is meant for all people to hear.
The kingdom of God mentioned here is being built as we read this. It is placed in the hearts and minds of believers.
What Has God Given to You?
Now, back to the “freely give ..” statement made by Jesus.
This is a lesson for us. God has given us so much – including His only Son sent to die on the cross, and so we should give back to others by contributing our time, knowledge and possessions.
The Most Important Gift of All
[easyazon_image align=”left” height=”160″ identifier=”B008NQR5LA” locale=”US” src=”https://makingchristknown.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/51XXvRCoPlL.SL160.jpg” tag=”bobpardphot-20″ width=”107″]The most important thing we can “freely give” is the story of how Christ changed our lives. And, how He can change the lives of others. This is the greatest gift we can offer to our fellow people.
We can’t all be missionaries in foreign lands but there is an untapped mission field in our town. There are mission opportunities on the block where we live and the place we work.
This reading is dedicated to possibilities.
Love In Christ
– Bob
To find out how to receive the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to look at how to accept Christ and establish a relationship with him. If you need more information an excellent idea is to visit a local church and speak with the pastor.