When Jesus sent out the Twelve, He gave them a message and a mission based on Israel’s covenants. This was not the gospel of grace that Paul would later share. Instead, it was the gospel of the kingdom, announcing that Israel’s promised King had come and the kingdom was near.
Good morning. Today’s verses are Matthew 10:5–7: “These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: ‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
These words are direct.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
And they reveal something essential about Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Jesus Sent the Twelve With a Kingdom Message
Jesus did not send the Twelve to the world.
He did not send them to the Gentiles.
He did not send them with the gospel of grace.
He sent them:
• to Israel
• with Israel’s promises
• preaching Israel’s kingdom
• confirming Israel’s covenants
Their message was simple:
“The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
This was the Gospel of the Kingdom, the good news that the King was here, and the earthly Kingdom promised to David was being offered to Israel.
This message was:
• prophetic
• covenantal
• national
• earthly
• rooted in Israel’s Scriptures
It was not the message of the cross.
It was not the revelation of the mystery.
It was not the gospel of grace.
Why This Never Sat Right With Me
For years, I tried to apply the Gospels directly to my Christian life.
I tried to obey Kingdom instructions that were never written to me.
I tried to make sense of Jesus’ commands alongside Paul’s letters, but I couldn’t.
I felt the tension.
I felt the weight.
I felt the confusion.
The Law language of the Gospels…
The strictness of Peter, James, and John…
The conditional forgiveness…
The kingdom requirements…
The call to endure to the end…
None of it aligned with Paul’s message of grace, assurance, and freedom.
It wasn’t that I rejected Jesus’ teaching — far from it.
It was that Law and grace cannot mix.
Trying to blend them only creates fear, striving, and insecurity.
Too many pastors use the Law to pressure believers, making them feel guilty about service, attendance, or performance.
But the Law was never given to the Body of Christ.
And the kingdom gospel was never our commission.
Seeing this distinction didn’t make me proud.
It made me rest.
What This Passage Shows Us
Matthew 10 shows us:
• who the message was for → Israel
• what the message was → the kingdom
• why it mattered → the King was present
• how it was confirmed → signs and miracles
This was not our gospel.
This was not our commission.
This was not our program.
And that’s good news, because God’s grace to us is just as real and meaningful as His kingdom promise to Israel.
When we see the difference between the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of grace, we stop trying to live under instructions that were never written to us. We stop striving. We stop fearing. We stop mixing covenants. We stop trying to earn what Christ has already given.
And we begin to rest in the message revealed to Paul — the gospel that saves us, secures us, and sets us free.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 10:5–7.
Meditation:
Thank God that His Word has order, His plan has structure, and His grace has no conditions. Reflect on the beauty of Jesus’ kingdom ministry to Israel — and the even greater beauty of the gospel of grace revealed to Paul.
Reflection Question:
How does understanding the gospel of the kingdom help you value the gospel of grace more deeply and rest more fully in what Christ has already done?