Matthew 10:16-23
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Introduction
Introduction
Jesus is talking to the twelve apostles, these are some of His followers whom He has hand chosen to go out into the world with His authority and His power, to make the Gospel known.
Last week we heard
Jesus instructing them to use this power and authority to heal, deliver, and even bring back to life.
He also told them that they have nothing to worry about, He will provide everything they need in body and soul.
That there will be villages and households that receive them, and others that don’t. And after being rejected, the apostles are to move on to the next place.
Our big takeaway was that we are not apostles, we do not have abilities to that degree, but that we are rather like the worthy households that support those whom Jesus sends into the harvest field, pastors, missionaries, and church workers.
So now that Jesus has communicated the task, He gives them guidance on how to navigate the world they are to witness to. Because it will be difficult and dangerous.
Text
Text
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
How would you like that warning? Guess what, I am sending you with my power on authority and with my great mission. But the people you are going to see, they will be like wolves, looking to rip you apart and devour you, they won’t hesitate given the chance!
So that’s looking pretty bleak. And as much as I’d love to say Jesus doesn’t mean this, He does. And this is exactly what these apostles will experience for the rest of their lives.
So Jesus tells them to be smart! be on the lookout, be wise as serpents, with great care and caution, lest they get you and kill you.
But on the other hand, be as innocent as doves. Not meaning blameless, but rather naive, almost foolish. because these same wolves, these are the ones that need the Gospel.
So Jesus’ command is very conflicting to those who hear it. How are they supposed to innocently approach people while also trying to avoid being killed by them?
Jesus not only tells them why, but also given them confidence as they go!
Ad as we go, we remember that this guidance is for the apostles.
Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.
Theses apostles need to be wise as serpents so they can predict ad elude the plans of men to persecute them.
Persecution: Mistreatment of a person or group on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, race, religion, or beliefs.
These men are the jewish leaders. They will reject Jesus and they will reject His disciples. They will use whatever resource they have to thwart the mission. They will pull them before the roman governors like they did Jesus, and will have to speak their faith out loud.
So as we progress in the story of Matthew, we are now beginning to see more and more that being a follower of Jesus is not safe. It is not comfortable. It is the opposite.
Jesus does not call us to a life of wealth or earthly safety, but He calls us to risk everything, even our lives for the mission.
And for these twelve, Jesus is not prepping them for a possibility, He is not saying “if”. He is preparing them for when it will happen.
This prediction sound horrible. They are going to be tortured and lose their lives. How in the middle of all that are they supposed to stay focused? What if they lose their courage? How will they remain strong enough to endure that?
Jesus provides a comfort:
When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
God will not only place these apostles in this situation, but He will send His Holy Spirit to speak through them during such a stressful, horrible time.
So the mission will be accomplished. the gospel will be spoken, even in the midst of persecution.
so notice that the comfort is not that God will make sure they live, it’s that God’s word will be preached.
Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Even besides the jewish leaders and roman governors, there will be opposition. Jesus is not talking about the possibility, but laying out for them what ministry in the first century will be like.
Because of me, for my sake, because you believe in me and proclaim my name, even your families, your children will turn you in to be executed. Because the people of this world, of this age of darkness, will reject me, they will also reject the ones I send.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
Comfort: but the one who endures will be saved
romans says that not even death can separate us from the love of God. Jesu is asking them to die.
and this rejection will lead to persecution.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
so first, and this is a relief, Jesus is not telling them to seek out persecution. He does not want them to die for the sake of dying.
They need to be innocent as doves, approaching all people with the gospel, but wise as serpents, being able to detect when the danger is enough for them to move on to the next town.
That way the gospel is shared, but it can still be shared with more. The goal of a missionary is to share the gospel with as may people as they can. not make an idol out of being put to death.
Besides, there are a lot of towns to get to. So many that the disciples will barely get to all of them in their lifetime.
Application
Application
These apostles are being sent on a one way trip to preach the Gospel. They are being sent into their own death. And most of the apostles were persecuted ad put to death in horrific ways. And while this might seem horrible and uncaring of Jesus, it isn’t
First, Jesus is with them. His presence, His power, His authority is upon them as they live out this mission. So they are called, equipped, strengthened, and encouraged every step of the way. Even in the worst of situations.
Second, Jesus gives them the assurance, that everyone who loses their live got His sake will receive true life for eternity.
Third, Jesus isn’t sending these apostles to die because He hates them. But Because He loves the world they are sent to. Jesus died for the people of this world, sacrificing himself so that all could be saved. And As His christian people, He calls His followers to lay their lives down as well.
Like last week, even though this scripture is spoken to the apostles, there is still a lot we can learn and apply to our own lives.
First, persecution is real and still happening. It may not be happening to us, but around the world, there are places and cultures that will kill you for being a christian and preaching the Gospel.
At any point in time, many people are. Either their governments, or people of another religion, or someone else are on the lookout for missionaries, underground churches, or individuals who share their faith.
But the gospel still needs to be preached. And the people who persecute Christians are the people who need to hear it most!
that’s why we need to support our missionaries and pray for the persecuted church. It is so easy to forget, but our brothers and sisters on the front lines are suffering. so we pray for their safety, for their persecution to end, and for the holy spirit to give them courage and speak through them in times of danger.
When I was an RA in college, I had a younger resident who wanted to be a missionary. and after a semester, he decided to drop out and become one. And now, for years, He is in the middle east sharing the gospel, praying for them, learning the language, ad guess what. It’s working! I get email updates about people being healed, people believing, people coming to them! And so innocent as doves, they went into the mission field, as workers in the harvest. But they still have to be wise as serpents. They switch letters around and use codes in their emails, they make sure they don’t get too much attention, and they are cautious in what they say at what time and in what place. Because they are in danger, and the people who come to believe are now in danger. real danger. not danger of being outcast, or losing their Jobs, but they were there when Isis was beheading Christians.
So they continue to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Knowing with full confidence that this is the most important thing to do with their lives, and that the reward of people coming to faith, the reward of eternal life, is much greater than the price they are asked to pay, even their very lives.
personal risk
Now take that situation and compare it to our lives. I comparison, we are not persecuted, tortured, displaced, or put to death because of our faith. The worst that usually happens is that people judge us, or don’t like us, or say mean things to us. And yet, crazy enough, even that is enough for most of us to hold back out witness and preaching.
If there is a chance the world will reject us, we think twice about being open with our faith.
We wouldn’t want to lose our job, we wouldn’t want to be seen as lame or stuck up, or too religious, we wouldn’t want people to shame us on social media. whatever it is.
But these apostles, and christians around the world, take this call from Jesus to go gives their lives for the mission, and they gladly do so. privileged to be part of it, so convinced of it’s power that they are ready to die for it.
And when they are persecuted, they even rejoice!
Acts 5:40-42
and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
So now we have a chance to examine ourself and ask, what do I value more? my own life, my comfort, my wealth, my job, acceptance by the world, or the new life and purpose I have in Jesus?
Reading
Reading
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
Confession
Confession