[Day 167]
Matthew 10.7-8
As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons. You have received free of charge, give free of charge
Jesus sends out the 12 disciples with clear instructions. But before He does so, He “gives them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.” (10.1).
Someone once said that power is like a huge juggernaut cruising along a road. Authority is like a tiny policewoman stepping out in front of the lorry and raising her hand to stop it. There are many terrifying demons and unclean spirits out in the world. There are many terrifying sicknesses and diseases too that at times seem to trundle their way through families, congregations, communities, nations. But however terrifying they can sometimes seem, Jesus gives His disciples authority over them all.
There are no exceptions. Jesus doesn’t say, “Oh, except for cancer, because that’s really nasty, and you can’t deal with that.” Or “But forget about schizophrenia because it’s too complicated.” No, there are no exceptions – Jesus gives them authority over every disease and sickness and over every unclean spirit.
Once they have been given authority, Jesus sends His disciples out to proclaim the kingdom of heaven has come near. God’s kingdom is near and is indeed breaking through when freedom from spiritual and physical oppression comes. Or rather, God’s kingdom is breaking through and therefore His freedom comes.
How about Jesus’ followers today? By Jesus and through the Holy Spirit we too have been commissioned to continue proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven is near. And we too can be sure that as we do so, evidence of God’s power and authority at work will break out too. And that it will be a great reminder to us that this is how God intended creation to be and that as creation becomes God’s intention, then He alone is glorified both now and into eternity.
What is God saying?
I believe that God is saying:
God can work despite us. Yet God also chooses to work in and through us. What a privilege!