Matthew 10:5-6

“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.’”

This was Jesus’ command to the twelve as He sent them out: “go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He was clear that in the beginning, they do not go to the Gentiles and this strange set of instructions have two clear implications. The first is that we need to start ministry close to home. If we want to impact lives indeed, let’s not start by reaching for the most difficult and the most culturally different. Look close to you. There are sinners close by needing the gospel. There are needy souls around you. Even if you sense a call to go to the ends of the earth, what have you done about the sinners in your Jerusalem? Nobody qualifies to go to the “Gentiles Beyond” if they’ve not practiced ministry in their Jerusalem. Start close by. Start with your family, your neighborhood, and your colleagues.

The second implication is the acceptance that there are sinners within the sheepfold. Jesus called this set of lost people, “sheep.” In His other teachings, Jesus usually used sheep to illustrate ”people of God;” so there are God’s people who are lost. It’s important to understand this, and therefore we must also look inward towards the lost sheep in the house. Within the church are sinners needing attention. We should not see this as a bad thing but as an opportunity to utilize. We must not allow them to feel comfortable as sinners in the House of God. We must challenge the sin while we love them as a people.

“Father, help me always see the needs of those around me and not just those afar of on the mission field. Help me see that You, O Lord, are also concerned about the sinners in Your house. Keep me engaged with the needs around me and not just those out there.”