Matthew chapter 10 is packed full of lessons about discipleship, Apostleship, and authority. Right after Jesus declares that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, Matthew names the twelve Apostles (in pairs of two), and Jesus commissions them. It’s worth noting here, because we see a new term (Apostle) used when describing Jesus' disciples, that a disciple is a student, learning from a teacher (Rabbi), but an Apostle is someone sent with authority, a delegate. As all delegates, Apostles don't rely on their own power or authority, but rely on the authority granted to them by their sender. This dynamic cuts to the heart of all authority on this earth, because ALL is delegated. There is only One who possessed inherent, absolute authority, and that is God himself.
Jesus then gives his Apostles a clear, specific mission: preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (v. 7). He instructs them to rely on the provision of those they serve but warns against using the gospel as a means to gain wealth. The worker is worthy of support, but this isn't an empire building mission, it's a kingdom building mission.
This task is not going to be easy. Jesus doesn’t shy away from the reality of hardship. He warns them in no uncertain terms, they are to anticipate difficulty and therefore it's essential for them to be "shrewd as serpents" yet "innocent as doves" (v. 16). Kingdom work requires a follower of Jesus to be wise enough to avoid danger, but harmless enough to resist bringing force to oppose the enemy. This kingdom doesn't spread by force, it spreads by the gospel message.
The chapter wraps up by Jesus stressing the divisive nature of the gospel. It's not because Jesus desires division, after all, He is the "prince of peace", but when a soul has been regenerated, it's now spiritually united with all other believers and is spiritually set apart from those who reject Jesus. This means following Him may set you apart from people in your own family. But take heart, because Jesus sees your effort and your work for His sake, and is preparing a place for you, complete with eternal rewards.