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Lenten Devotional: Images of Faith ~ The Twelve

By: Steve Negley

Posted: March 16, 2021

Category: Daily Devotional

Location: The Chapel

During the season of Lent, we will be looking around the church and sharing images, photos, paintings, and other items that help us to focus more closely on God. Let us prepare our hearts to worship…

10 Then Jesus[a] summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;[b] Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’[c] Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers,[d] cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Matthew 10:1-15

Prayer

God, let me picture myself at the Table, as I too have been named a follower of Jesus. Help me to share the good news. Help me to cure loneliness in our world. Help me to be a person who shares a glimpse of the kingdom with the people I meet. Help me to live my life as a disciple of my Lord and Savior, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.