Our paragraph topic is: (Instructions to the Twelve) Part 3.
Now after Christ has given his disciples instructions on what they are to tell the people and the miracles they are to perform, he tells them about their appearance. Christ instructs his disciples to not carry a wallet. He tells them that they are not to keep gold or silver or money in their girdles. They are to not take two tunics, or sandals. They are to go barefoot into the villages and towns. They are not to take a staff to lean upon, to indicate some degree of prestige of being a prophet. He tells them, "The laborer deserves his living."
The disciples of Christ are to become laborers. They are to perform honest work amongst the people. They are to deserve, through the contributions of the people, their daily bread. They are to be dependent upon the people for their clothing, for their shelter, for their food. They are to perform miracles by casting out demons, healing the sick, raising the dead, and cleansing the lepers. Through these acts the love of God in the people will provide for them. Through these acts the spirit of love will open the hearts of the people and give them shelter. Through these acts the charity of the people will feed them. They will be taken care of through the love of the Holy Spirit.
The instructions that Christ gives to his disciples are the principles by which he has lived. He has told us that "The foxes have dens, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Christ had no home to sleep in, no roof over his head, no bed to lay in. Yet he slept on this earth. He was fed. He had clothes to wear and sandals for his feet. He worked for the living that he received. His work was honest. His work was pure. His work was without deceit or trickery. He did not want. Yet he did not own. The love of the people that he ministered to provided for him. His heavenly father knew his needs and sent the people to take care of them. These are the principles that he wants his disciples to possess and to live by. An honest days work for an honest living. These are the principles that he instructs his disciples to practice on their journey into the villages and towns to preach the good news.
We work today in the industries of the world. For our labor we are paid a salary, a compensation, bonuses, perks, etc. In this society it is OK to lie, to steal, to cheat to get paid. We are encouraged to do anything to get ahead, to make more money, to live the good life. We get angry when we see others getting ahead when we are left behind. We search for ways to get more than we deserve without doing the labor that deserves the pay. We want more than what we receive based on our individual labors. Our passions tell us that we deserve more than what we receive based upon the work that we perform.
Christ tells us that the laborers in his employ deserve their living by the honest work that they perform. They are shepherds. They lead the flock. They work to bring the flock to pasture and to protect them from the hungry wolves that would kill them and scatter them. They deserve their living by the sweat of their brow. Will you deserve your living by the honest works that you perform as a laborer for Christ?
Now after Christ has given his disciples instructions on what they are to tell the people and the miracles they are to perform, he tells them about their appearance. Christ instructs his disciples to not carry a wallet. He tells them that they are not to keep gold or silver or money in their girdles. They are to not take two tunics, or sandals. They are to go barefoot into the villages and towns. They are not to take a staff to lean upon, to indicate some degree of prestige of being a prophet. He tells them, "The laborer deserves his living."
The disciples of Christ are to become laborers. They are to perform honest work amongst the people. They are to deserve, through the contributions of the people, their daily bread. They are to be dependent upon the people for their clothing, for their shelter, for their food. They are to perform miracles by casting out demons, healing the sick, raising the dead, and cleansing the lepers. Through these acts the love of God in the people will provide for them. Through these acts the spirit of love will open the hearts of the people and give them shelter. Through these acts the charity of the people will feed them. They will be taken care of through the love of the Holy Spirit.
The instructions that Christ gives to his disciples are the principles by which he has lived. He has told us that "The foxes have dens, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Christ had no home to sleep in, no roof over his head, no bed to lay in. Yet he slept on this earth. He was fed. He had clothes to wear and sandals for his feet. He worked for the living that he received. His work was honest. His work was pure. His work was without deceit or trickery. He did not want. Yet he did not own. The love of the people that he ministered to provided for him. His heavenly father knew his needs and sent the people to take care of them. These are the principles that he wants his disciples to possess and to live by. An honest days work for an honest living. These are the principles that he instructs his disciples to practice on their journey into the villages and towns to preach the good news.
We work today in the industries of the world. For our labor we are paid a salary, a compensation, bonuses, perks, etc. In this society it is OK to lie, to steal, to cheat to get paid. We are encouraged to do anything to get ahead, to make more money, to live the good life. We get angry when we see others getting ahead when we are left behind. We search for ways to get more than we deserve without doing the labor that deserves the pay. We want more than what we receive based on our individual labors. Our passions tell us that we deserve more than what we receive based upon the work that we perform.
Christ tells us that the laborers in his employ deserve their living by the honest work that they perform. They are shepherds. They lead the flock. They work to bring the flock to pasture and to protect them from the hungry wolves that would kill them and scatter them. They deserve their living by the sweat of their brow. Will you deserve your living by the honest works that you perform as a laborer for Christ?
