You know it’s kind of funny how the memory works. Stuff that you might think is long gone . . . if not gone, at least packed away somewhere in storage. And then, you come across something . . . a smell, a song, a sound, a place . . . and that something acts as a trigger . . . a key that unlocks that storage unit . . . and what you may have thought you had forgotten, floods back as vivid memory. Sometimes these can be not so good . . . and sometimes, oh, they can be such delight! Such is the case for me this morning as I read 6 words . . . “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matt. 10:8)

I started to exercise my “mustard seed of faith” in the God at the end of 1977 and over the course of the first few months of 1978, God, in His grace, led me out of a spiritual stupor into marvelous light. In His wonderful provision, He led this guy who wanted nothing to do with church people, even after he was saved, to a small church of authentic believers. By the summer of 1978 I started to discover that God hadn’t taken away my song (I had played and sang in a dance band), but that He had replaced it with a new song . . . with many new songs actually . . . one of which was a “praise and worship chorus” (as we used to call them) written in 1972 (38 years ago . . . unreal!) entitled, “Freely, Freely.”

“God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name; I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name; And in Jesus’ name I come to you; To share His love as He told me to. All power is given in Jesus’ name; In earth and heaven in Jesus’ name; And in Jesus’ name I come to you; To share His power as He told me to. He said, ‘Freely, freely, you have received, Freely, freely give; Go in My name, and because you believe, Others will know that I live.'”

And as I read those words in Matthew 10 . . . and recalled that chorus . . . it took me back to that time when I was just starting to get my legs underneath me as I sought to walk the Christian walk. Back to a “college and career” group that proved foundational for what has been, by God’s grace, over 30 years of seeking the kingdom . . . figuring out the pilgrim pathway . . . learning to be led by the Spirit. But more than being a very cool trigger to waves of nostalgia and fond, fond memories, these 6 words in Matthew’s gospel become a wonderful principle to guide the believer in their walk.

The specific context was the disciples first “solo mission”. Jesus gave them power (Matt. 10:1) to cast out demons and heal the sick and told them to go to the lost sheep of Israel (10:6) preaching that the kingdom of heaven was at hand (10:7). They were to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (10:6)

Hold nothing back, Jesus said. They hadn’t earned the power . . . they didn’t earn the Spirit’s enabling upon them . . . their “gifting” wasn’t dependent upon their capability . . . Jesus freely gave . . . they had freely received . . . now they were to freely give . . . and bless as many as extensively as possible.

That word “freely” isn’t really common in the New Testament. Found only 9 times, it comes from a root word that means “gift” . . . probably not too surprising. Paul writes to the Romans of “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). John the Revelator records the word spoken to Him by the risen King of Heaven, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts” (Rev. 21:6) and also writes “. . . let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).

Oh, how freely we, as believers have received. Not that the walk has always been easy or enjoyable, but that we have tasted of the very water of heaven . . . born again into newness of life and meaning and hope . . . blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing, blessed beyond comprehension . . . freely given the spirit of adoption wherein we can snuggle up on the very lap of God and own Him as a Abba Father . . . given promises beyond number . . . given strength for the day beyond what we ever thought we’d need or could possess. So, having feely received, how can we not freely give?

Oh, that we would embrace such a life principle . . . freely received . . . freely give. That we would be givers. Givers of our time . . . our tithes . . . our talents. Givers of the grace we have so freely been given . . . cutting others slack . . . pouring out “unmerited favor” in abundance. Givers of the gospel . . . ready to share that word in season . . . always living the gospel in lives consecrated to our King and freely giving that “silent witness.” Freely, freely, you have received . . . freely, freely, give. Yes Lord! . . . by Your grace . . . for Your glory, amen!