King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025
Chapters: Mathew 10,14
Message: Matthew: Jesus Ordains Disciples
Hello My Friend,
As we continue in the reading of the Gospels, we learn that through our faith in Christ there is nothing to fear. We also learn that Jesus gives power to all His disciples to preach the Gospel to the lost, and salvation is as simple as by faith, crying out, “Jesus, Save me!”, [Romans 10:8-12 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.]
Matthew, gives his account of when Jesus ordained and sent twelve of His disciples out into the neighboring cities to peach the Gospel, Each disciple is called out and given these incredible healing powers to assist them in leading people to Christ, including Judas Iscariot.
[Matthew 10:1-6 And 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. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 5 These twelve 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: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.]
So, why did Jesus give Judas this amazing ability fully knowing that he would be the one to betray Him? It is like giving a reprobate the amazing talent of healing by becoming a doctor. Perhaps somewhere down the line they will come to realize that everything comes from God. I suspect though that since Judah did not really believe that Jesus is the Christ that he took much credit for anything that he was able to do with this opportunity. Pride will keep even the most talented person from acknowledging that God is the source for all their good, [Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.]
Why did Jesus tell the disciples to only go to the Jews? First of all, unless they were in Jerusalem, Jesus was not yet known to the Gentiles (heathen) nations, so if they started preaching the Gospel to them then it would have been a waste of time. The second and most important is that Jesus needed to go to the Jews first as they would reject Him and then that would open the door for the Gentile nations, [Psalms 118:22-23 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23 This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.]
Now, the Gospel that the disciples were sent out to preach was a little different than the one that we preach today because at that time Jesus had not yet been crucified as the Scriptures foretold. However, they were given specific instructions on how they were to preach.
[Matthew 10:7-11,14 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.]
You see, they really were not given special powers, they were given the Holy Spirit power, in which they were able to perform some of the same miracles that Jesus had done. It is said that Matthew who’s testimony was aimed at the Jews, recorded this phrase, [The kingdom of heaven is at hand.] thirty-one times. I imagine that since he was so adamant about it that those who did believe that Jesus is the Christ understood what he was talking about. Well, that reference can be found here, [Daniel 7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.]
Now, we do have a while before this takes place, but it had to start first with Christ’s passion. Notice what Jesus said, [freely ye have received, freely give], since we who are given salvation freely by our faith in Him, we are to freely give the Gospel to those who are not saved. Now, keep in mind that neither the disciples nor do we have the ability to save anyone, God is the one who saves them, we are just the messengers and not everyone is going to receive is either. Jesus, tells the disciples that while they are given these Holy Spirit powers, not everyone is going to accept them.
[Matthew 10:16-20 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.]
This does not seem like great incentives to go out into the world, preaching the Gospel, and living our lives through Him, but in the end we will be glad that we did. Jesus, goes on to explain why the world hates us.
[Matthew 10:22-26 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? 26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.]
Jesus, is not going to return until the very last soul to receive Him gets saved. Anyone who receives Him as their Saviour actually become joint-heirs with Him, and therefore of His household, [Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.]
Did you know that those who stick it out and continue to walk in their faith and Christ will be honored by the Almighty God Himself, who by the way is their Father also. God, has great respect for those who do not live in fear of what man can do to them, but rather in the fear of God.
[Matthew 10:28-33 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.]
Just think about that, the world goes through such elaborate expenses in their attempt to keep an animal, insect, or even a tree from going extinct and yet they are so quick to end the life of a baby that is growing in the womb. This is why Jesus warns is that we are going to make enemies, even family.
[Matthew 10:34-40 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.]
My goodness, is it not true that family causes more division than anythiing? My mother does not get along with my husband at all, and while I love my husband dearly, he and I do not see eye to eye on serving God. I want to be involved in my church and be faithful to the ministry I started well before he existed in my life, but he wants my every waking hour to serve him only, even if he is asleep. While Jesus is not in any way telling us that we need to ignore our parents or family, they really are our biggest deterrents from doing what God calls us to do with those talents we have, [Galatians 5:7-10 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.]
I am aware that God gives women a little bit of grace when it comes to their dedication to Him in regards to getting married and having a husband to tend to. Nevertheless, He does give them the ability to be the virtuous woman described in the Proverbs that is written for them, but it certainly can only be done in the power of the Holy Spirit, [Romans 8:10-14 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.]
Wow! Saved or not, if we live for our flesh we are going to die a miserable death because the flesh is never satisfied. Trust me, I have been struggling with this for a few years now. I will be honest and say that I spent a good portion of the night begging God to forgive me for being so weak in my flesh and asking Him to prove me, with the help to be more accountable in serving Him and not my flesh. We cannot expect God to go above and beyond (even though He does more than enough) what we have need of if we are not willing to go above what we are expected, [Matthew 5:41-42 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.]
Yes, God is preaching to the choir right here, and I need to prove Him by disciplining myself a little more and getting back to serving Him like He wants me to. None of this by the way has anything to do with keeping our salvation and everything to do with showing Christ to the lost and dead world. Now, when the fame of Jesus spread abroad, it was more than John, the Baptist asking if He were the Christ, others were trying to figure out who He is, including Herod, the tetrarch. In fact, we learn the sad fate of what happened to John the Baptist.
[Matthew 14:1-6,8-9 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 2 And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. 3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. 4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. 8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger. 9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.]
Herod, feared John, his conscience, never letting go of what he did to an innocent man. Of course, he was way off in his theory, but is proof that the conscience plays a huge part in ones own self convictions, which is why whenever an innocent life has been taken the one responsible will be forever haunted by something that reminds them of what they did, and will always be looking over their shoulders, [Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.]
Now, when the disciples heard what happened to John, they received his body, buried it, then went and told Jesus what happened. Although He already knew, saddened by the news, He got into a ship, but multitudes followed Him by foot.
[Matthew 14:12-17 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. 13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. 14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. 15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. 16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.]
I can just imagine the looks on their faces when they told Him that there were only five loaves of bread, like the size biscuits and two fish, like the size of sardines. Nevertheless, they did what He asked only to discover that they had more than enough food to feed five thousand men, not including the women and children with them.
[Matthew 14:18-22 He said, Bring them hither to me. 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. 22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.]
Jesus, did not just tell the disciples to get into the ship, He commanded them to, and sent the multitudes away too. Do you see why God does not give everyone everything they ask for and all at the same time? While He is certainly able to do that, he wants us to live by faith rather than sight. Jesus said it this way, [Luke 17:7-10 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? 8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. 10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.]
If we always do things for God with the intent that He will give us everything we need and desire, then we are doing it for the wrong reason. Serving God is more than Him giving us everything to please our flesh, it is about developing a relationship with Him that is eternal, not carnal, [1 Corinthians 9:13-14 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.]
When people accept and respect our faith in Christ, they are accepting Him, but when they reject us they are actually rejecting Him. And yet, we are to still love and have compassion on them. We must realize that even when Jesus does seem to be away from us, that is when He is watching over us. Even though Jesus was alone praying He was still watching over them, all the while the ship they were in was in distress as the water was pretty rough. It had been around four or five o’clock in the morning when Jesus sees them struggling and just starts walking on the water toward them.
[Matthew 14:25-30 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.]
I find that it is usually in the middle of the night when I realize that Jesus is with me, which is why I spend most of my time with Him during the night watch. If I wait until my husband gets up my time with God is gone for the day, but when the night is calm and the house is quiet, that is when I have my best time with God, which makes the rest of my day better. Whether it is in the early morning, afternoon, or even in the evening, we all need that alone time with our Father in heaven so that we might recollect ourselves, [Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.]
Of course, the disciples were scared to death as they see this person walking toward them, but they actually thought it was a ghost until Jesus spoke out. Peter, being a little more bolder than the others seeks proof that it is Jesus, but Jesus was also going to prove him as well and allows him to walk out onto the water. Notice that it was when Peter took his eyes off Jesus that he noticed the crashing waves and began to sink. However, those three simple words was all Jesus needed to hear, [Lord, save me.]
[Matthew 14:31-36 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. 34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; 36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.]
This is what Jesus actually does to every sincere person who comes to Him with the knowledge of the Gospel, He takes hold of their hand and never lets them go, [John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.].
However, even though Jesus caught Peter, that did not stop Him from upbraiding him for his lack of faith, and the same applies to we who are saved as well. More often then we care to admit, we start sinking in the circumstances that we are in because we take our eyes off Jesus. I am guilty of this and have been sinking for a while even though Jesus is holding on to my hand. The walk that Jesus leads us down is not always calm, in fact, it comes with lots of waves, sometimes tidal waves, but He is with us each step we take, and He will see us through as long as we look at Him, [Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, We do not always know where our present steps take us, but we do know they lead to heaven if we received You as our Saviour. We truly are like sheep among the wolves, we may be lead to cold, dark mountains, deep valleys, or crashing waves, but ultimately You are right there with us and never let go. Lord, You have chosen us, and commanded us to go out into the world and preach the Gospel. Lead us and guide us, fill us with Your power and words that we might be a walking, talking light that shines that Gospel on all we pass by. Give us rest, peace, and joy as we serve You, let us not live in fear, but in the strength that only comes through Your Spirit inside of us. In pray this in Your name Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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