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“If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.” Matthew 10:13
When Jesus sent out His twelve apostles, He told them to inquire about those who were worthy (receptive to the Gospel) and to stay with those households (Matthew 10:11-12). Then He told them to let their peace come upon those families.
The Greek word for peace here means “by implication prosperity, peace, quietness, rest.” The disciples were to seek such peace as they entered a house (Luke 10:5), praying with the occupants, offering instruction, and when they left, leaving a spoken blessing behind. Ultimately, they were seeking to offer peace between those who were receptive and God Himself, through the death of Christ on the cross. But their hosts got a healthy dose of the practical implications of the faith by interacting with the disciples in their homes.
Offering a place for strangers to stay was the custom in the first century, but not so much today, so how can you apply this teaching? You can still inquire about people’s receptivity to the Gospel by taking to them in supermarkets, baseball games, and over the backyard fence. And you can also meet receptive people in public places like coffee shops. You might even get invited into their homes to speak peace over their families.
When Jesus sent out His twelve apostles, He told them to inquire about those who were worthy (receptive to the Gospel) and to stay with those households (Matthew 10:11-12). Then He told them to let their peace come upon those families.
The Greek word for peace here means “by implication prosperity, peace, quietness, rest.” The disciples were to seek such peace as they entered a house (Luke 10:5), praying with the occupants, offering instruction, and when they left, leaving a spoken blessing behind. Ultimately, they were seeking to offer peace between those who were receptive and God Himself, through the death of Christ on the cross. But their hosts got a healthy dose of the practical implications of the faith by interacting with the disciples in their homes.
Offering a place for strangers to stay was the custom in the first century, but not so much today, so how can you apply this teaching? You can still inquire about people’s receptivity to the Gospel by taking to them in supermarkets, baseball games, and over the backyard fence. And you can also meet receptive people in public places like coffee shops. You might even get invited into their homes to speak peace over their families.
