The Apostles Chosen, Called, and Commissioned

Q: What does the Bible say about the calling of the apostles?

The Bible teaches that the apostles were chosen, called, and commissioned by Jesus to declare the kingdom of heaven. According to Matthew 10:1-15, Jesus directly called his 12 disciples, empowering them to cast out unclean spirits and heal sicknesses. This passage serves as a foundational ordination message, showing how God chose men who were first disciples before becoming messengers of the Gospel. It establishes the authority of the apostles and emphasizes the work they were called to undertake, which was to heal the sick and declare that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Their commissioning underscores the importance of being called by Christ to participate in the ministry of grace.

Q: Why is the distinction of the apostolic office important for Christians?

The distinction of the apostolic office is vital as it underscores that this office has ceased, emphasizing the sufficiency of Scripture. The apostolic office is significant because, as stated in the sermon, it has long ceased to exist following the death of the last apostle, likely John. In this context, there are no modern apostles or priests, only the believer priesthood. This distinction is crucial for Christians to understand that the authority of the church and the preaching of the Gospel today must align with the full revelation of Scripture. The permanence of the Gospel through Scripture reflects the complete work of Christ, making further prophetic revelations unnecessary. Believers are called to rely on God's Word rather than seeking new messengers or revelations.

Q: How do we know God's calling for ministry is true?

We know God's calling for ministry is true because He equips those He calls, providing the necessary power and abilities. The truth of God's calling for ministry is affirmed in Matthew 10:1, where it is demonstrated that when Christ calls individuals, He also equips them with the power needed for their tasks. God does not leave His messengers without support; He grants them the ability to preach and fulfill their ministry roles. As seen with the apostles, their work and authority were validated by their ability to perform signs and wonders, which confirmed their role as Christ's messengers. In our current context, this means that those serving in ministry must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of Scripture to affirm their calling.

Q: What is the significance of the 'kingdom of heaven' in preaching?

The 'kingdom of heaven' signifies God's sovereignty and salvation through Christ, which is central to the Gospel message. The phrase 'kingdom of heaven' is significant because it encapsulates the message that God's salvation has come through Jesus Christ. As outlined in Matthew 10:7, the apostles were instructed to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, emphasizing the immediacy and urgency of God's offer of grace. This message reflects God's sovereignty and His desire to gather His elect from all nations. The preaching of God's kingdom is not merely an invitation; it is a declaration of Christ’s authority and the fulfillment of God's promises, urging individuals to respond in faith and repentance.

Q: Why are miracles performed by the apostles significant?

Miracles performed by the apostles affirmed their message and Christ's authority as the Messiah. The miracles performed by the apostles were significant for several reasons. Firstly, they served as signs confirming that Jesus Christ was indeed the Messiah and endorsed the apostles as His true messengers. As mentioned in Hebrews 2:3-4, God bore witness to their message through these signs and wonders, reinforcing the credibility of the Gospel they preached. Moreover, the nature of these miracles illustrated the redemptive purpose of Christ, who came to heal and restore. While we no longer seek signs today, as we have the complete Word of God, these miracles underscore the transformative power of the Gospel and the deep compassion of Christ towards those suffering.

In the last verse, our Lord Jesus urged his disciples to pray that the Lord God would send forth laborers into his harvest to gather in his harvest. Now in chapter 10, the Lord demonstrates that he is indeed the Lord of the harvest by sending forth his laborers into his field to reap his harvest. Now this 10th chapter of Matthew is a portion of Holy Scripture that are always to be read with peculiar solemnity.

In these 42 verses, we are given the first ordination message that was preached in the New Testament era. The preacher is Jesus Christ himself. Those who were set apart here for the gospel ministry were the first apostles, or the only apostles, the first twelve disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now the solemn charge that's given in these verses is a charge given not just to these apostles, but a charge given to all who preach the gospel of God's free grace. It is just as much a charge to me or to any other man who preaches the gospel as it was to Peter, James, and John. Tonight we will read verses one through 15, and as we read these 15 verses, each of you ought to be particularly interested in what's said here, because what's said here affects every believer. It ought to determine the course of ministry for every local church, and it ought also to determine the course of ministry and the method of ministry for every gospel preacher. Here we see the apostles chosen, called, and commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's read together.

And when he had called unto him his 12 disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now, the names of the 12 apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, the publican, James, the son of Alphaeus, and Lebeus, whose surname was Thaddeus, Simon, the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These 12, Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying, go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And as you go, preach saying, that is don't just go preach, but go preach this. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor script for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves, for the workman is worthy of his meat.

And into whatsoever city or town you shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy, that is, who here worships God. And there abide till you go thin. And when you come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it be not worthy, then let your peace return to you.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

The apostolic office as we know it in the official sense of the word apostle or apostolic has long ago ceased to be. There are no apostles today. I want you to understand that and understand it clearly because there are numerous religious groups that seek to establish or re-establish offices that have long, long ago ceased to be. There's no such thing as a priesthood today except the believer priesthood and the priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ, our priesthood in him. There is no such thing today as a prophetic office in the church. There's no need for prophets in our day, in the strict sense of the word of a prophet being one who foretells things that are to come to pass by divine inspiration. And there are no apostles in our day and age.

The apostles ceased to be with the last of the apostles, with the calling of the apostle Paul, and with the death of the last apostle, which probably was the apostle John. But the word apostle, like the word angel, simply means messenger. And in that sense, all God's servants are apostles. We are messengers of God, men who are called and commissioned of God to proclaim the message of salvation by God's free grace through Jesus Christ the Lord. So in that sense, All of God's servants are apostles, they are messengers, God's ambassadors, ambassadors from heaven who've come to declare to you the terms of peace in the kingdom of heaven from God Almighty.

Now as we look at these 15 verses, I want to call your attention to five things specifically and clearly set before us in these verses. First, these twelve men who were called to be Christ's apostles, his messengers, were first his disciples. Look at verse one. When he had called unto him his twelve disciples. The word disciple means follower. These men were his disciples before they were his messengers. They were his disciples before they were his preachers. They were his disciples before they were his apostles. He made them disciples in order to make them to be fishers of men, but they were disciples before they were fishers of men.

Now, it should go without saying, but I realize that more people than just the one sitting here in front of me tonight are going to hear this message. Some will hear it by tape, some over television, and so it needs to be said publicly. Though it seems ridiculous that we should have to say so. We're living in days when people who claim to worship God and claim to serve him, deliberately, not by deception, but deliberately twist and abuse the scriptures, ignoring the word of God altogether. And so it must be said that these messengers of Christ, all of them were men.

There wasn't a woman among them. There wasn't a woman among them. No woman has ever been called of God to preach the gospel, but preacher. I know sister so-and-so, she's so sweet and so sincere and she's always served the Lord. Why shouldn't she preach? Because God said for her not to. That's why. And there's no getting around that. The scriptures are abundantly clear.

Women are to learn in silence. They are never to usurp authority over a man. Women are to keep silent in the churches. It is forbidden that a woman should teach a man. Those things are forbidden in the scriptures. Now, I know folks say, well, that offends me. And some dear ladies get upset. Some men as well.

When a fellow wrote a review of my book, In the local paper here, the one on the church, he said this fellow's got no place for women in the church. Well, that's not what I said. No place for women in the pulpit is what I said. No place for women in the gospel ministry is what I said. No place for women at being deacons or pastors or elders or teachers of men in the congregation of the Lord. But if that offends, I'm sorry, I'd rather offend you than offend God.

So that's the way it's going to be. It's just going to be that way. It's going to be that way from now on. So that in this place, we're not going to have any meetings together and consider the possibility of ordaining women to be preachers, or ordaining women to be deacons, or ordaining women and sending them out to be missionaries. Well, enough of that. Let's look at the text. No man.

No man. is fit for the work of the gospel ministry who has not experienced God's saving grace. That's the point of verse one. When he had called unto him his twelve disciples, Now we cannot know the hearts of men, and therefore we must deal with men on the basis of their professed faith in Christ. But none are to be put into the gospel ministry who are not professed followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. They must be men of proven faithfulness, that is men who have demonstrated themselves to be faithful, not a novice, not a novice.

I recognize that that there are exceptions. One notable exception was the Apostle Paul. God saved him and God sent him out immediately preaching the gospel. God took him immediately out into the desert and he stayed there and learned and he came out preaching the gospel. That's an exception.

But generally, generally, In the New Testament, the admonition and the teaching of the New Testament, the example and the instruction of the New Testament, is that no one is to be ordained to a place of prominent leadership in the Church of God who has not proven himself faithful in the things of God.

Now, that can't be stressed sufficiently. men without experience they may be young in age or they may be old men but a novice is one without experience and when he's when he's given a place of leadership when he's given a voice so that others listen to him and others are are called upon to hear what he says he's quickly lifted up with pride and is subject to the snare of the devil so paul says don't lay hands suddenly upon anybody give it a little while give it a little time see if he demonstrates himself to be a faithful man.

And they who would be teachers of others must first be learners. No man is apt to teach. No man is able to teach others who has not first learned the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Learn them, learn them. Every now and then you run across folks who seem to have tremendous knowledge of everything, and they never learn anything. They never keep their mouth shut long enough to learn anything. And so they get a little knowledge and they run with it and do more harm than they can possibly do good.

I talked to a young man just the other day, he called, long distance from across the country, and he was obviously a young man, finally he told me his age, but he was asking questions about Arguing about this thing and arguing about the other thing, and trying to get folks to come to see these things. I said, now wait a minute. I said, now you need to sit down and shut up and find somebody to listen to who knows something about the Word of God. Because you can do some damage.

But this book is not a basketball, this is the sword of the Spirit. And you don't turn kids loose with a sword. Now you let them bounce the ball around all you want to, they might knock something over, but they're not going to kill anybody with it. This is the sword of the Spirit.

It's got a cutting edge on both sides. And only a man who is taught of the Spirit and understands the gravity of what he's dealing with is capable of instructing folks in the Word of God. These men were twelve. The Lord chose twelve apostles. That number is significant.

The number 12 suggests a reference to the 12 sons of Jacob, to the 12 tribes of Israel, because the church of God is the Israel of God. These 12 apostles are the 12 stars, which is the church's crown in Revelation 12 verse 1. They are the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21, typified by the twelve precious stones in Aaron's breastplate, and the twelve loaves on the table of showbread, and the twelve wells of water at Elam. These shall judge the nations sitting upon the twelve thrones of Israel, for these are the Israel of God, the church of God. Now notice also the inspired listing of names. I thought this was interesting and instructive for me.

There are some names in the list of the apostles of whom we know nothing or very little more than their names. Here we see Bartholomew and Simon the Canaanite. Anybody know who Bartholomew was? Anybody know anything Bartholomew did? Anybody familiar with Bartholomew's preaching? No books recorded, no written works left behind. Nobody knows where Bartholomew ministered or where he traveled, but he was God's apostle. He was God's messenger in his age.

Simon the Canaanite, Simon from Cana. Anybody know anything else about him except that he was Simon from Cana? No. What's the significance, Don? The significance is this. Some of God's servants become men of fame and renown and minister in great places in the eyes of men. So the men look at it and say, boy, look at that. Look at what he's done. C.H. Spurgeon comes to mind.

He preached in his day to 5,000 people in a packed house every Sunday morning, on average. 5,000 more Sunday night. That's 10,000 people a Sunday he preached to, year in, year out, year in, year out. God graciously used him and his writings and spread the gospel literally around the world through that man whom he raised up in England in the middle 1800s.

There were other faithful men laboring with Mr. Spurgeon in his day of whom you can find subtle indications, but they labored in little nooks and crannies here and there in the alleys and in the countryside and nobody knows their name, but they were co-laborers with Mr. Spurgeon.

And it didn't matter to them or to him who served where. Do you understand that? Here is Bartholomew, and here is Simon of Canaan, standing side by side in the apostleship with Peter, James, and John. And it doesn't matter who serves where. They're serving the master. That's all. That's all. Would to God we could learn to serve in such a manner.

Peter is mentioned almost always at the head of the list of the apostles. He's mentioned first because he is both the first of the disciples, the first one named who was called to the Lord, and he rose among the disciples to be their leader and their chief spokesman. And so they acknowledged him as being the first one among them. And Matthew here, now when others speak of Matthew and name him among the apostles, they just call him Matthew. But when Matthew speaks of himself, notice where Matthew puts his name.

He puts his name right in the middle of the thing. Right in the middle of the thing. Almost to deliberately obscure himself. Oh, that's the proper spirit. We want to promote ourselves. We want folks to know our name. We want to keep my name out in front. Oh, God give me grace to keep my name hidden. That ought to be our attitude. Let us decrease and Christ alone be increased.

And when Matthew refers to himself, he doesn't just refer to himself as Matthew. Matthew refers to himself unlike any of the other apostles referred to him. He calls himself Matthew the Publican. As if to acknowledge His deep, deep, deep debt to the free grace of God. He says, I am Matthew, the publican. When God called me, when Christ found me, when the Spirit quickened me, I was sitting at the receipt of customs, a publican. And that's all I am, a publican. Just a sinner, saved by grace. Don't ever forget, don't ever forget that. Don't ever grow above that. Here I am. A sinner saved by grace, nothing more.

Secondly, these twelve men were called and commissioned by Christ to do a tremendous, tremendous work. Look at verse one. When he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out. and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Verse seven. As ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Now, before I try to explain those verses to you, there is something that must be dealt with. I must not casually omit the fact that one of these twelve was a devil. The scripture never hides the fact that Judas Iscariot was a devil. The scriptures declare that Judas, this devil, was among the original 12 and does so prominently. And we must never forget that fact. This is prominently displayed in the New Testament in order to teach us that our faith must never be pinned to the sleeve of a man.

Did you hear that? Don't pin your faith to my sleeve. Don't do it. Don't believe anything because Don Fortner teaches it. Don't do anything because Don Fortner says do it. Don't pin your faith to my sleeve. Our Lord put Judas among the twelve to teach us we're not to trust preachers as though they were holy priests, but we're to trust him of whom the preacher is just a messenger.

Now follow God's servants by all means. Reverence them. as their God servants. Give honor to those to whom honor is due. See that you highly esteem them in love for their work's sake, but don't pin your faith on their sleeves. I call on you by Biestas, just like Paul did. Folks, you ought to follow me as I follow Christ. Follow me, but only as I follow him. Only as I follow him. And you must cease to follow me if I cease to follow him. This is the indication here of Judas Iscariot.

You see, not all preachers are believers. Even those men who preach the truth in letter are not necessarily genuine Christians. Don't consider that just because a man's a preacher or even because he's a preacher of the gospel of God's free grace, he must sure enough be a believer. I've known too many who weren't. You have too. I've known too many who weren't. So when I heard him preach in power, I expect Peter could say that about Judas. I heard him preach like I never heard a boy he could preach. I expect John could say that about Judas. Judas was one of the prominent disciples. He was the treasurer of the church, and when the disciples suspected everybody, nobody suspected Judas. Nobody. Nobody. Well, Don, what do you say?

Follow preachers only as they follow Christ, and understand that the validity of the gospel is not determined by the man who preaches it. If it should come to pass, oh God forbid that it should, but if it should come to pass that this man proves to be totally contrary to the gospel I preach to you, that shouldn't have any effect at all on your belief in the gospel. The message is found here. You understand what I'm saying? We believe what God reveals. And understand this too. The fact that one preacher is a devil is no indication that all preachers are devils.

Brother Mahan one time was visiting some folks down in Tennessee, sitting in their home. For some reason, the lady of the house had Henry in for supper. Henry, the guest preacher. And the lady's husband had no regard for the gospel, just had no interest at all in the gospel. But Henry's a little quick on his feet, and he came in and sat down. He was left in the living room alone with this fellow, and he was a pilot, airline pilot. And Henry was made aware of that beforehand. The man walked in, he sat down, He said, well, if there's one thing I can't stand, it's a preacher. And he said, I know what you mean, if there's one thing I can't stand, it's a pilot.

I said, what do you mean? Just because you've got one rotten one doesn't mean they're all rotten. Just because you've got one devil in the pulpit doesn't mean they're all devils. So don't treat all preachers on the basis of one bad one, nor all of any other people on the basis of one bad one. And I didn't acknowledge that.

Our text here describes a tremendous work. which God's servants are called to perform. The purpose of the gospel ministry is the healing of men's souls. Our Lord gave these men power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease, to raise the dead, to cleanse the lepers, to heal the sick. Now the design of the gospel was and is to conquer the world, the flesh, and the devil. Christ gave these men the power that is described in these verses over men's bodies and over the powers of hell to show that Jesus Christ has come to destroy the power of Satan and to destroy the works of the devil. He came to destroy the works of the devil. That's what John said in 1 John 3 and verse 5. The Lord Jesus gave them power to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease to show that none are beyond the reach of God's omnipotent grace because the blood of Jesus Christ effectually cleanses us from all our sins.

Now Moses, when he performed miracles, Moses, who represents the law, you remember what his miracles did? They always destroy it. The object of Moses' miracles was judgment. That was the object of his miracles. Always judgment. Even when he smoked the rock out of which came the living water, the smiting of that rock by the rod of Moses was an act of judgment.

Demonstrating that Christ himself must be smitten under the law for us. But when the gospel comes, and the Lord Jesus sends out preachers of grace, these miracles performed by these apostles were all wrought for comfort, edification, and life, portraying the power of the gospel. Now, these miracles did several things. First, they were an affirmation that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and that these men are his messengers.

Turn to Hebrews chapter two. Hebrews, the second chapter. The apostle is writing to the Hebrews, urging us never to revert back to Judaism, urging them never to revert back to it, urging us never to revert back to any form of works religion. And he says in verse three, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?

God also bearing them witness with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his will. So that the confirmation that these men are indeed messengers of the Christ the Messiah were these miracles that God enabled them to perform. Now, now that we have the full revelation of God, now that we have the whole volume of Holy Scripture, We don't have any need for signs and wonders and miracles. Have no need for it.

The apostle Peter, speaking of this book, made reference to that time when Peter, James, and John were on the Mount of Transfiguration, and they saw and heard Moses and Elijah speaking to the transfigured Christ. Ooh, what a revelation. And you know what he said about it? He said, we are no sure what a prophecy. We got the word of God. the word of God, so that the word of God takes precedence over any supernatural thing you see, or any supernatural thing you experience, or any astounding thing you imagine you have experienced or know. You mean preacher? I'm supposed to subject even my thoughts and my experiences to the word of God?

Absolutely. Absolutely. What does the book say? That's all that matters. But I, what does the book say? That's all that matters. We have that which is perfect, so that which was in part has been done away. Now those who pretend to work miracles, and I say pretend, and I don't care if you take this up to the faith tabernacle or whatever they call that circus up there behind Jerry's, And you take it and give it to the preacher. I don't care. I read their silly article in paper.

Some man's supposed to have gone to heaven and come back. They're going to talk to you about what God told him now. He asked the Lord to let him come back to the earth. Can you imagine that? Nonsense. Foolishness. Those who pretend to work miracles. Those who pretend to speak in tongues. Those who pretend to have a word from God are saying this.

Christ is not enough, you need something else. The book of God is not enough, you need another word from God. Salvation by grace is not enough, you need something else. The gospel is not enough, you've got to have something besides that. Now, understand this too. Whatever the work to which God calls a person is, God will equip him He'll give him the power, the ability, the opportunity and the means to do that work. Look at verse 1 again. He called unto him his disciples, and he gave them power. He gave them power. Christ never called anybody to do anything for him. without giving them the power to do it.

Whatever that involves. If that involves needing ability to preach, if that involves needing transportation to get there, if that involves folks listening to, God gives power where Christ sends his call. Always. Always. And God's messengers like these 12 apostles are sent of God into the world to preach the gospel of his sovereign saving grace in Jesus Christ the Lord. Look at verse 7. And as you go, preach saying. It doesn't just say go preach. It says go preach saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Now what does that mean? God's messengers have one message to declare. All of them. All of them.

We have been sent of God to preach Jesus Christ and him crucified, to preach the kingdom of heaven is at hand. That's what John the Baptist preached. That's what our Lord Jesus preached. That's what his apostles preached. That's what we're to preach. That is, we're to declare that Jesus Christ is the king. that he has brought in and established the kingdom of heaven. He has established God's salvation. That's what the kingdom of heaven is. You can't see it, you can't enter into it unless you're born of God. And we're to declare that God's salvation, the kingdom of heaven, is at hand. That is, it's right here, right in front of you. Turn to Psalm 85. Psalm 85. I believe it's verse nine where I want to start. Yeah, Psalm 85, 9.

Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him. That glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the Lord our God shall give that which is good, and our land shall yield her in grace. He's talking about the kingdom of heaven.

It's at hand. It's at hand. Now I want you to listen carefully. Give me your attention here. Please give me your attention. I've said this so many times. Folks don't pay attention, they don't listen. It doesn't matter. It does not matter what Satan gets you off on. It doesn't matter.

As long as he gets you off the preaching of Christ crucified, he's won the day. Grace Church, remember that. Don Fortner, remember that. But every preacher who hears these words, remember that. Some preachers get off on a tangent of prophecy. And it doesn't matter how true and accurate their prophetic interpretations are, if that becomes the theme of ministry, folks get excited about it. I guarantee you, you'll hear them talking about it from one end of the country to the other. Buzzwords going around. From one end of the country to the other. Boy, I've never heard folks respond to anything like they responded to that. That doesn't mean God's in it. That doesn't mean God's in it. Folks get off on counseling and teaching about the home and marriage and all those things. Lindsay's bringing some excellent, needed instruction on the home.

Somebody says, we need more of this. Oh, no. No, we need just a little bit of it. Just a little bit of it now and then. And the reason is this, because folks love to talk about those things. Folks love to, oh, just, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I hear folks talk about it all the time. They'll talk about those things. People will get excited, Lindsay, and talk about things you've been teaching when the very same people will never have a word to say about grace and righteousness and redemption. Talk about the shed blood of Christ and Christ dying on the cross. But talk about how good a husband you ought to be.

Boy, that's it. That's it. We need that. The fact is, what people need is Christ the Lord. And they need a little instruction guiding their steps, just as you're doing. Guiding their steps in the way. Do you understand that? People get off and build ministries on the church.

And people talk about baptism. Man, they'll argue about what kind of water y'all use, whether y'all be in a tank, or whether y'all be out in the river, or whether y'all be over in River Jordan. They'll argue about the Lord's Supper. They'll argue about church membership. They'll argue about everything under the sun, because folks love to talk about things. But the message God sends to preach is the kingdom of heaven at hand.

Are you in it? Are you submitting to the king? Do you trust the son of God? Have you been born into this kingdom? That's the issue. That's the issue. Go and preach. Kingdom of heaven is right here, right now. You better get in it. Pray God puts you in it by his grace. People come along, they preach up morality. And man, you can get folks to join the anti-abortion pickets, get out there and march against them. Get them to shut down the porno shops, march against them. And I'm all in favor of shutting all of it down. But that's not the issue. That's just not the issue. The issue is Jesus Christ and him crucified.

That's what God sent his servants to preach. Now thirdly, God's servants are sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Look at verse 5. These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the city of the Samaritans enter ye not, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Let me gloss over that quickly. And I recognize that those two verses must be interpreted literally.

Our Lord sent his disciples first to preach to the Jews. And the Jews having rejected the gospel, he sent them into the outermost parts of the world to preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth in his baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. But whether preaching to Jews or to Gentiles, we are sent of God to seek out the lost sheep of the house of Israel, God's elect.

That's the object of our ministry. That's it. I want, if God will let us, I want us to be used of God to seek out his sheep. And I want us to do it however he'll let us do it. However he'll let us do it. If he's pleased to gather some here, I'll be tickled to death. If he's pleased to gather them across the water, that's all right. I just want him to use us to seek out his sheep for the glory of his name and be content to seek out his sheep. Seek out his sheep. When we find those sheep, we've got good news for them.

We tell them redemption's accomplished. Forgiveness has been purchased as a legal right by the blood of Christ. Salvation's finished! Jesus Christ has done it all. And his sheep will hear it. They'll hear it. They'll respond to it. Enter into the city. Find out if there's anybody there that worships God. And if there is, stay there and talk to them. And if they won't receive you, just walk your feet. What on earth does that mean? Oh, I don't care about you. No, that's not what it means. That's not what it means. That means you're insignificant insofar as the whole plan and purpose is concerned. We're seeking the Lord's sheep and you're not going to hinder anything. You're not going to stand in the way of anything.

Though the Jews believe not, though the Gentiles believe not, God's faithfulness stands sure, and God will call his sheep. We're sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and they will hear the shepherd's voice. Now, fourthly, those who preach the gospel are to live by the gospel. Read verses 8 through 10 with me. Let me make just two or three statements. heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses, nor script for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet stains, for the workman is worthy of his meat. The workman is worthy of his hire. God's servants are not greedy Covetous, self-serving men who seek to enrich themselves.

They are not. They're not. My wife and I own exactly the same thing today we own. We came here 15 years ago. Nothing. And God help me if I stay here 500 years, it's going to be the same. Because I'm not seeking anything. Every now and then I turn over here and read this. God says for me not to provide those things for myself. And I'm not going to do it. Not going to do it. What about your wife? What about the future? God's been taking care of our future pretty good all these years. I'll look for him to do it from now on. Secondly, I want you to understand that gospel preachers are not hirelings. Not hirelings. Freely you have received. Freely give.

I get calls and letters frequently from folks who don't know me. And they ask, what will it take for you to come down here, visit with us? Just a few of us, I don't care. We're just going to meet four or five of us in the house, I don't care. That's insignificant. Well, I don't know whether we take care of your needs or not. Don't embarrass me by saying that. My needs are taken care of. God's servants aren't seeking to serve themselves. They are seeking to enrich themselves. I invited a fellow. It's happened to me twice in all the years I've been pastoring. I've invited fellows to come preach. We take care of their needs the best we can.

Nobody's ever come here yet and gone away at his own expenses because of your generosity. But I'd get a response back once in a while, a fellow would say, well, you know, I need you to take care of my airplane. And I'd write him back very politely, and I said, we'll take care of it next time. We'll take care of your airplane, but if you've got to seek it, I'm not interested in you coming.

I don't care who you are or what you preach. God's servants come freely and preach freely. They've received grace freely. They proclaim grace freely. And yet those who preach the gospel are to live by the gospel. The preacher is not to provide anything for himself.

Look what it says here. Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses. No need to carry a wallet. Nor script for your journey. As if you've got to have money to get back home. Neither two coats, neither extra shoes, is what it's saying, nor your stays. Don't provide anything for yourself, nothing.

For the workman is worthy of his hire, worthy of his meat. And God's servants are not to beg. Not only are they not to labor at secular employment to provide for themselves, they're not to go from house to house begging. Luke records the same thing and he adds the words, what Matthew left out, Luke supplies from our Savior's lips. He said don't go from house to house, don't go from house to house.

I had Of course, adults are getting placed, they're embarrassed to do it. Now they send children out begging. They send kids out, help us build our Sunday school wing. Help us do this, help us do that. Had some little child called me the other day, wondering if I'd help them build their church building.

And I said, honey, I hope you'll tell your mother and daddy exactly what I'm telling you. Go tell them not to let you call anybody else, but to give, and God will honor you. Just give, and God will honor it, and you do the giving. God's service, begging. Can you imagine Paul going somewhere begging? The Lord's called me to go down to Corinth to preach, but I can't go, and they should give me some money. Well, that's nonsense. If God called me to go to Corinth, I'll go to Corinth.

God will take care of it, one way or the other. God's ambassadors. don't grovel before men, they're God's ambassadors. Those who benefit from the gospel are to maintain God's servants, those who preach the gospel, in an honorable way. That just makes good sense. I commend you for your generosity to me. You men and women have met my every need in the 15 years we've been together. I'm not scolding you, I'm commending you. And at the same time I'm instructing you, I tell you plainly, any man who preaches the gospel of God's grace is worthy of your proper honorable support.

Those who labor to minister to you spiritual things are worthy that you should take your carnal things and see to it that their carnal needs are met so that they don't have to concern themselves with supplying needs for their families. I say that not only with regard to your pastor, I say that with regard to pastors you'll never meet who faithfully preach the gospel. I say that with regard to missionaries you may never meet who faithfully preach the gospel of God's grace. Make it your business to the best of your ability to see to it that God's servants lack for nothing.

I commend you for having done it. I urge you to do so even more so. We support missionaries to the best of our ability. We support pastors, pastors of other churches, where they and their congregations are doing what they can, but between them, the pastor and the congregation, the pastor and his family are doing without, the congregation is doing without, but between them, they can't make ends meet. We'll try to make up the gap. We'll try to make up the difference.

And it's proper that we should do so. It's not a matter of, well, let them take care of theirs and we'll take care of ours. Oh, no, no, don't be that selfish. That's the way of the world. We'll take care of ours and we'll take care of theirs too, as much as we're able to. That's what we ought to do.

Now, one last thing. It's a very dangerous thing to despise and reject the gospel of God's free grace in Jesus Christ, the Lord. Our Lord Jesus is speaking here, and he says to his disciples, into whatsoever city or town you shall enter, verse 11, inquire who yet is worthy, and there abide till you go thence. That is, just go and stay right there with those folks. That requires two things.

That requires that you live on what they're able to provide for you, and that requires that they be hospitable and generous to you. And when you come into a house, salute it. That is, you greet those folks in the name of God, in the name of Christ, as God's servants. And if the house be worthy, that is, if these folks worship God, they believe your message, let your peace come upon it. But if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. No need to get upset, no need to get angry, let your peace return to you.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Now look at this. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that city. You see, a man doesn't have to be a murderer, an adulterer, a fornicator, a drunkard, or a dopehead to ruin his soul and go to hell. All you have to do is go on hearing without believing, listening without repenting, coming to church without coming to Christ and you'll soon find yourself in hell. It's all it takes. It's all it takes. We will be judged according to the light God's given us. We'll have to give an account for the privileges we now enjoy. Oh, what a privilege is ours to hear the gospel of God's free grace salvation in Christ.

If any neglect it, despise it, and turn from it, they shall never escape and shall never turn from the wrath of God. Now with those things in mind, I want you to read two texts of scripture with me. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. In verse 12.

We beseech you, brethren, know them that labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake, and be at peace among yourselves. And I give you this word, particularly in the light of the fact that I'm planning to go Friday and Saturday to preach to folks up in Indiana. Finally, brethren, pray for us. that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, even as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. For all men have not faith. Pray for us, not for me only, for any man who preaches the gospel of God's grace. Call them to mind, call them by name as you bow before the throne of God's grace and seek that the word of God may have recourse and bring forth fruit wherever it's preached. Amen.

The Apostles Chosen, Called, and Commissioned

What does the Bible say about the calling of the apostles?

Why is the distinction of the apostolic office important for Christians?

How do we know God's calling for ministry is true?

What is the significance of the 'kingdom of heaven' in preaching?

Why are miracles performed by the apostles significant?

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The Apostles Chosen, Called, and Commissioned

What does the Bible say about the calling of the apostles?

Why is the distinction of the apostolic office important for Christians?

How do we know God's calling for ministry is true?

What is the significance of the 'kingdom of heaven' in preaching?

Why are miracles performed by the apostles significant?

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About Don Fortner

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