These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.  Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.  As you go, preach this message:  ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.  Freely you have received, freely give.'”

When Jesus sent out the 12, He sent them with authority.  He commissioned them to be generous, to give freely.  According to the book of Corinthians, we are Christ’s ambassadors to this world –   ambassadors of grace, mercy and love –   representatives of Christ’s kingdom.  We also did not pay for what we have received.  We are ambassadors who can give freely without cost and with no fear of exhausting our supply.

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’  For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

No need to call the righteous,(those who are saved through the blood of Jesus) they are already” good to go”.  Useless to call the self-righteous, because they THINK they are good to go, and don’t need  a saviour.  But the sinner?  Jesus calls out to the sinner, offering freedom from sin, peace in this world when it seems impossible, and eternal love, beauty and peace after this life is over.

This chapter is filled with requests – will you heal me?  Will you heal my servant?  Can I follow you?  Lord, please save us from danger!  Don’t you care?

These are great reminders: we can ask God for ANYTHING.  Then……..we wait.  We wait for Him to answer acccording to His will for our lives.

Don’t be afraid to ask!

Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves.  For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you (use to) deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.

Reading this should create in us the desire to call upon grace in every relationship and situation.  When I think of the times I have been quick to criticize someone or judge their actions, I would not want to be treated that way, or judged by that measure.

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6)

For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Relying on self may work for a short time, but soon we will exhaust ourselves.    Trusting God for our needs, and our hopes, inreases our faith.  When WE do it, it is “control”.  We are controlling rhe circumstances.  When we trust God to do, to provide, to answer – it is putting our lives in the hands of Our Heavenly Father.  What better place is there?

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not ome to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Jesus is saying, “I have come to complete the ministry of the Gospel”.  The promise to Abraham- fulfilled.  The promises to Moses and the Israelite nation – complete.  The promises in the book of Isaiah for Messiah, Wonderful counselor, Prince of Peace – I AM HE.

Those who are hoping for something else, looking for someone else to be their hope and salvation, are looking into empty space.

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God tell these stones to become bread.”  Jesus answered, “It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

The Creator and sustainer of all things certainly has the power to re-create that which He has made – stones to bread, rocks into children of Abraham(Chapter 3:9)  Even though he is hungry, food is not the important thing at this time. Exhibiting his power is not the important thing.  Instead, He shines the light on the importance of knowing God’s Word, and keeping it,  even in times of temptation,.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.  At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “this is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Notice the presence of the Holy Trinity at the baptism of Jesus.  Jesus is present in baptism, The Holy Spirit descending to light on him, and God the Father’s voice: “This is my Son…”  Amazing.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?  We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

History tells us these foreigners came from a distant land because they have been studying the prophecies and the stars and they know the star of the King has appeared.  It was a costly journey – caravans, servants, food, maps – all to come to see the King of the Jews and to worship him. It was probably a journey of two years from the time they first saw the star and made the commitment of life and money, until they arrived with gifts for the King.

Ironically, it is Jesus’ gift to us through salvation that opens the way so that we may come to worship.