Matthew 10 Pt.1 – Real Apostles By The Dozen!

We only looked at Matt.10:1-4 at Jesus’ commissioning of The Twelve Apostles. I think that a big mistake is made when people open up their Bible and see bits that they like and think to themselves, “Oh, that sounds good, I think I’ll have that!” Well, they might read Matt.10:1 and think to themselves, “Jesus gave us power and authority over all the devils and over all sickness and all disease. I claim that too!” I would like to ask those same people if they see their name listed in the following verses, which is a very specific list. This text is a commissioning, but it is not The Great Commission, which you won’t find until Matt.28:18-20. Therefore, not one of us qualify. Even the Apostle Paul would not have qualified. When Judas betrayed the Lord (Matt.10:4), and took his own life, the early church met together and discussed how they would have to replace Judas with someone who met the conditions set out (See Acts 1:12-26). They chose Mattias to replace Judas. When James was likely beheaded, in Acts 12:1-2, there was never any suggestion  that he needed to be replaced. And amongst the Early Church Fathers, i.e., those who were disciples of The Twelve Apostles, there was never one that claimed to be an Apostle or to be even in the same category as The Twelve, or an Apostle like Paul.

However today we do have people claiming to be Apostles and Prophets, of the same calibre as The Twelve or like Paul. They base this assumption on Eph.4:11-13 and Eph.2:19-22, saying that Jesus has set Apostles and Prophets in the church for all time! They also want to be in authority over churches and individuals, claiming often to have received extra-Biblical revelation from God.

The Churches on the whole have a problem with this, since The Foundations have already been laid, and don’t need to be relaid. And if we want a solid word from and Apostle or Prophet, all we would have to do is go and open our Bibles and read it properly!

Also, the Churches in general are quick to point out the errors of Mormonism, with its extra Books (BOM, D&C, POGP), and The Seventh-Day Adventists, with their “Apostolic” writings of Ellen G. White, and The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah’s Witnesses) with their Governing Body, who produce tons of “Fresh Revelation” through their Awake and Watch Tower publications. But why are we so slow to point out the errors of those within the Charismatic and Pentecostal circles who produce tons of so-called revelations on a daily scale?
If we were to write down everything they “receive from God” on their walk through the park, or on so-called ‘Day Trips to Heaven’, there would be no room to receive the amount of books that could be written. And yet it all means nothing!  All we need to do is go to 2 Tim.3:16-17 to see that the God-Breathed Word is sufficient to make us complete, lacking nothing, equipped for every good work!

To watch the whole service, with a few small bits edited to cut down the length, just click on this link

Michael Robson