The instruction Jesus gave the apostles in the beginning was to go to the lost sheep of Israel because according God’s plan, Israel will be the first to receive the good news. However, we need to realize that the instructions are meant for the twelve Apostles being sent out not for all Christians. Despite that we can still learn from this first mission.
耶稣最初给众使徒的指示是要他们到以色列家迷失的羊群当中，因为这是神的计划。以色列将会是第一个收到好消息的人。但是，我们需要意识到这指示不是为了所有基督徒设的，而是给首任被差遣的十二使徒。尽管如此，我们仍然可以从这个首任使命中学习功课。
- Clear Message 明确的信息 (10:5-7)
Many fail to understand and receive the gospel because they have not presented accurately and clearly. The central message of the kingdom is the message about Jesus the King and God’s sovereign provision for man’s salvation.
很多人之所以无法理解和接受福音，是因为他们听到的信息不够清晰。王国的主要信息就是耶稣是王，以及神救赎罪人的主权和大能。
- Confirming Credential 使徒的凭据 (10:7-11)
Jesus gave confirming signs for His own ministry, and now He gives the twelve Apostles the authority to do the same. These include “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons” (10:8). Furthermore the ministers of God are to be supported by God’s people, because “the worker is worthy of his support” (10:10).
耶稣为自己的事工给予了明确的迹象，而祂如今也给予十二使徒同样的权柄行事。这包括“使病人痊愈，使死人复活，使麻风病人洁净，把鬼魔赶出去”的能力（10:8）。另外，神的事工应由神的子民支持，因为“工人配得自己的食物”（10:10）。
- Concentrate on those who are the receptive 关注愿顺服的人 (10:12-15)
God calls His servants to present the gospel to all but focus only on those who are receptive. God’s mandate is that we should not to spend undue time on those who persist in rejecting the gospel.
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- The twelve Apostles are instructed to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” (4:17) the same message Jesus preached when He started His early ministry. Do we preach the gospel of repentance or gospel of wealth, health and prosperity? Is the message in evangelism clear?
耶稣指示十二使徒宣讲的消息是：“你们应当悔改，因为天国近了”（4:17）；这也是耶稣最初展开事工时所传讲的。我们所传的是悔改的福音，还是致富、健康的福音？我们传福音的信息是否清晰呢？
- Jesus gave the twelve apostles the authoritative to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons. These are signs of apostles (2 Cor. 12:12). So do we have apostles today?
耶稣给予十二使徒“使病人痊愈，使死人复活，使麻风病人洁净，把鬼魔赶出去”的权柄。这都是使徒的标志（林后12:12）。所以，我们今日还有使徒吗？
- Jesus said, “If anyone will not receive or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet (10:14). When Israelites return from a Gentile land, they would shake off their feet. To shake the dust off their feet means to treat the people like Gentiles-whom most Jews considered to be out of God’s reach.
耶稣说：“如果有人不接受你们，也不听你们的话语，你们离开那家那城的时候，要把脚上的尘土跺掉”（10:14）。当以色列人从外邦人的土地返回时，他们会跺自己的脚，把脚上的尘土跺掉。因此“要把脚上的尘土跺掉”之意，是将拒绝福音的人视为当代的外邦人一样，被犹太人普遍认为是与神隔绝的人。
