Sly Serpents, Gentle Doves: Balancing Wisdom and Innocence

Reading from God’s Word:

Matthew 10:16–22 CSB

16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. 17 Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts and flog you in their synagogues. 18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour, 20 because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you. 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Introduction

It is my pleasure to be with you today and be a participant in this lectureship series.

I was on the schedule for 2022, but had to back out at the last minute because of a heart issue.

That all worked out thankfully, and I’m so thankful to be in your presence this morning and honored to speak on an amazing passage here in Matthew’s gospel.

As you know, Matthew 10 begins with the limited commission.

We get a full listing of the 12 apostles — and then Jesus sends them out to teach and preach.

They were told:

10.7: Proclaim the kingdom has come near.

Matthew 10:7 CSB

7 As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

10.8: Heal the sick; raise the dead; cleanse lepers; and drive out demons.

Matthew 10:8 CSB

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

10.9-10: Take no provisions - depending on those who will help them.

Matthew 10:9–10 CSB

9 Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts. 10 Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the worker is worthy of his food.

10.11-15: some would listen and be receptive; others would not. For those who would not, they are told to move on and not be upset by the rejection.

Matthew 10:14–15 CSB

14 If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

If v. 6-15 are the specific instructions for the 12, then the next section in 10.16-22 is how the world will react to them — and how they will react to the world.

10.17 - some of their opposition will come from organized religion.

Matthew 10:18 CSB

18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.

The majority of Jesus’ problems came from religious people.

Mark 6:2–3 CSB

2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things?” they said. “What is this wisdom that has been given to him, and how are these miracles performed by his hands? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” So they were offended by him.

The same issues confronted the apostles in their ministry - their greatest opposition came from the religious establishment.

And it has been this way throughout history as those who hold to their traditions and teachings higher than the truth of Jesus Christ.

10.18 - some of their opposition came from oppressive rulers.

Matthew 10:18 CSB

18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.

One day - they would have to face hostile government leaders - many of who would subject them to intense persecution.

In our town time, I believe the tide is quickly turning, or has turned, from a spirit of toleration of Christianity — to one that is moving, for now, to censor and ridicule to Christianity. One day it could be into outright persecution.

10.21 - Maybe the most difficult opposition would come from their family, who would turn on them because of their devotion to the Lord.

Matthew 10:21 CSB

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.

There may be some gathered here this morning who have experienced this, as there are family members who have rejected you for serving the Lord.

I personally know what this pain is like - although I’m very sure some have had it much worse than me.

Many who are unsaved have little tolerance for the Lord.

Today

There is so much here to discuss. Not nearly enough time to go through the whole passage.

And that’s OK, because in this lecture, I have been asked to focus on verse 16.

What does Jesus mean here?

When he says he is sending the disciples as sheep among wolves, that would have really sparked the attention of the disciples.

Why?

Understanding that will unlock the understanding of what he says next:

Be as shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

Today, we’ll dive into this passage and seek to understand it’s power for then … and ultimately for today…

We’ll talk about what Jesus means when he says he is sending us out as sheep among wolves.

What He means by being sly as serpents and harmless as doves.

Briefly consider points of application for us.

Sheep Among Wolves

before we can get into how to react to the situation to which Jesus calls us, we must first understand who we are and those who stand against us.

The Shepherd Sends His Sheep

It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep.

The behavior of sheep and human beings is very similar.

In his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Phillip Keller says,

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 1. “The Lord Is My Shepherd”

Our mass mind (or mob instincts), our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 1. “The Lord Is My Shepherd”

Sheep do not “just take care of themselves,” as some might suppose. They require, more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (1. “The Lord Is My Shepherd”)

despite these adverse characteristics Christ chooses us, buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own, and delights in caring for us.

He literally lays Himself out for us continually. He is ever interceding for us; He is ever guiding us by His gracious Spirit; He is ever working on our behalf to ensure that we will benefit from His care.

When Keller says they require endless attention and meticulous care, Keller goes on to say:

Sheep need to be protected from poisonous weeds.

They are vulnerable to weather, parasites, disease, and insects.

They are completely defenseless, with no weapons at all, and the only thing they can do is run — but they aren’t built for speed — all they have are big fat bodies and four toothpicks for legs.

And this is why they are so vulnerable to wolves and other wild animals. Keller says where he lived wild dogs were known to have killed almost 300 sheep in one night.

he says:

John MacArthur Sermon Archive Sheep among Wolves, Part 1

“Yet despite the damage, despite the dead sheep, despite the injuries and fear instilled in the flock, I never once actually saw a predator on my range, so cunning and so skillful were their raids, they defy description.”

I hope these readings help you understand the seriousness of the life of a shepherd - he was the one who had to defend his sheep from these things.

Now let’s look at our verse again:

Matthew 10:16 (CSB)

16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves.

Notice, he is not sending them out with the fear that the wolves will soon come, he is sending them out among wolves that have already arrived.

Now… that’s a compelling message to people getting started in ministry…

But you have to respect Jesus’ honesty here.

He is sending them out to be among vicious, destructive, and deadly wolves - graphically illustrating the helplessness and fearfulness of confronting a Christ-rejecting, God-hating world with the message of the kingdom.

And maybe this is why he starts out the verse with the word “look,” or “behold,” as used in some of the other translations.

This is not what we’d think at first.

This is amazing what he says.

You would think Jesus would say, “I’m sending you out as a wolf among sheep - so go forth and tear everyone up for the gospel.”

The point here is not that he’s sending us out to get devoured … the point is he is sending us out with the understanding that the resources aren’t in us. They’re in Him.

And if you connect this with what Jesus says in John 10, where we read about the Good shepherd giving his life for the sheep, we learn that He will defend us.

He is with us all the way - so we must learn to trust Him.

When he called people into service, Jesus never held back.

He was brutally honest and tells those who serve Him it will not be easy.

Many will not believe you or want to hear what you say.

You know this is just not the world wins adherents to a cause.

The world will offer people comfort, ease, advancement, and fulfillment.

Jesus, in turn offers his followers hardship and death.

In 1849 after the seige of Rome, the Italian statesman Garibaldi proclaimed to those who followed him:

The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 The King’s Honesty to His Messengers (Matthew 10:16–22 Contd)

Soldiers, all our efforts against superior forces have been unavailing. I have nothing to offer you but hunger and thirst, hardship and death; but I call on all who love their country to join with me’—and they came in their hundreds.

Similarly, our Lord offers blood, sweat, tears, hunger, thirst, and even death. He never sends anyone out without telling them the truth.

May the church learn again that we will never attract people to an easy way — it is the call of faith, the call of something bigger than ourselves, that ultimately speaks to people’s hearts.

If we are definitive with our faith, there will always be a price to pay.

You cannot confront a God-hating world without a reaction.

If we want to grow spiritually, numerically, we need to have the faith to get out of our buildings so the world will come to know who we are.

God is not calling us to hold up in our little groups and not engage the world.

He wants us to be out there in the middle of things … interacting with those who need him most…

And as we do… we need to be…

Shrewd as Serpents and Innocent as Doves

So we do know from other passages that we have the constant attention and protection of Jesus as we do his work, but this does not mean we should move about unconcerned.

We will face certain and serious trouble in or work for Him.

And when those times come we must do our very best to be vigilant and aware.

So we are to be:

Shrewd as Serpents

Matthew 10:16 (CSB)

16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.

“wary as serpents” NASB / “wise as serpents” ESV / “clever as snakes” NCV.

The Egyptians regarded serpents as wise.

They were seen as shrewd, cunning, and cautious.

Snakes have a reputation for self-preservation and mostly are known for getting out of the way when trouble happens.

The idea here is to move with careful thought when confronted with difficult situations.

Yes, we are sheep, but we do not have to be naive.

We walk with a sense of cautiousness.

Colossians 4:5 (CSB)

5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.

We are to be wise in dealing with the wolves of the world around us & those in the church who may disagree with us.

Luke 20:22–23 CSB

22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23 But detecting their craftiness, he said to them,

What did Jesus NOT say:

Caesar is a wretched, corrupt, immoral, vile sinner damed to eternity in hell.

Instead:

Luke 20:24–26 CSB

24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” “Caesar’s,” they said. 25 “Well then,” he told them, “give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 They were not able to catch him in what he said in public, and being amazed at his answer, they became silent.

Jesus does not compromise.

But he employs wisdom by not saying as much as he could have and create unnecessary problems.

So we have to slow down & think.

Look for ways to best handle confrontations or conflict.

We don’t purposely go in to make trouble.

There is no need in going around unnecessarily provoking our opponents.

It is not wise to be inflammatory.

We must learn to say the right thing at the right time, not lose sight of our own propriety or appropriateness, and always look for the most effective way of accomplishing the mission.

We are not to be helpless or gullible simpletons.

Instead we are called upon to be sensible or prudent.

Our cunning is not to be directed at harming those who stand against us — but to our own survival and commendation of the gospel.

We need, as R.T. France has said, “the cunning of snakes without the venom.”

Harmless as Doves

Matthew 10:16 (CSB)

16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.

Why the Imagery of a Dove?

In the ancient world, the dove was seen as chaste, faithful, gentle, and without guile.

A number of Christian virtues became associated with it.

Doves were always seen as prey, rather than a predator, and were mostly seen as vulnerable creatures.

So, what’s the point here?

We Must be as Innocent As Doves

We conduct ourselves to a high standard.

The word “innocent” is only used here & two other places in the NT. Let’s look at those other passages and I think we’ll quickly come to an understanding of what Jesus is referring to here:

Romans 16:19 (CSB)

19 The report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.

Philippians 2:15 (CSB)

15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world,

So, maintaining purity and consistency with the gospel as we engage with others is the principle here.

Following it is essential.

Let’s look at another passage that is closely related:

Romans 12:17–21 (CSB)

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.

18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.

20 But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.

21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

Being true to the word doesn't require, and should never include, being abrasive, course, inconsiderate, blatant, or blunt.

What’s In This For Us?

Do We Understand the Cost of Discipleship?

In serving as messengers of the gospel, we must recognize the reality of opposition and hardship that Jesus openly described to His followers.

There will be times where that hardship and difficulty will come from our own.

And we must not let this stop us from reaching out to people and loving them as God does.

But we must not be shocked when we are criticized.

People will misunderstand, misrepresent, and criticize.

At times we may even be shunned/rejected.

The way is often hard and lonely.

Sometimes it may be tempting to think that physical suffering might be easier to handle than all the emotional and mental anguish.

Consider Paul’s life:

1 Corinthians 4:9 CSB

9 For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people.

1 Corinthians 4:11–13 CSB

11 Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; 12 we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the scum of the earth, like everyone’s garbage.

Now this is tough.

Look back a v. 9:

1 Corinthians 4:9 (CSB)

9 For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people.

Spectacle:

At the end of a parade in a Roman triumph were the captives, tied together, being led to their death inside the arena.

Again, see the emotional toll… like men condemned to die…

Our journey is not one of comfort and ease, but of sacrifice and resilience.

The church today must embrace this honesty and be willing to pay the price for definitive faith.

We need leaders who will be bold and courageous and stand in faith.

We are living in perilous times.

As a nation and society.

And, as a brotherhood.

Many congregations are a shell of what they once were.

Local churches are closing their doors.

How many will have shut down a generation from now?

If we are going to turn the tide, we must have leaders who will stand in the gap, challenge the status quo, and be willing to pay the price.

And some of that will involve the promotion of unity — and working together with others — and laying aside some of our disagreements for the sake of winning souls — and even for our very survival as a movement in the United States.

Some are not interested in this and are satisfied with things remaining the same.

They’ll mark, label, and shame you.

it doesn’t matter - because what is important is the mission.

Listen to Peter’s words:

1 Peter 4:12–16 (CSB)

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you.

13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed.

14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

15 Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler.

16 But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.

This is the kind of courageous faith with which we must act.

Recognize Your Vulnerability and Dependence on God:

When Jesus tells us we have been sent out as sheep among wolves this highlights our inherent vulnerability and the dangers we face in a world that is becoming more & more hostile to the message of Christ.

This vulnerability is not a cause for fear but a reminder that our strength and resources come from God, not from ourselves.

We must trust in the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep and depend on His guidance and intercession.

Balancing Wisdom and Innocence in Our Approach:

Jesus' instruction to be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves provides a framework for our conduct in the world.

We are called to navigate challenges with wisdom, discerning the most effective ways to fulfill our mission without compromising the gospel's integrity.

At the same time, we are to maintain the purity and gentleness of doves, ensuring that our interactions reflect Christian virtues and do not contribute to conflict or harm.

This balance requires a thoughtful approach to ministry, where we are neither naïve nor aggressive, but wise and blameless as we represent Christ to others.

As We Close…

So how are we doing?

How are we conducting ourselves on social media?

It’s an election year again.

Will you be as wise as a serpent & harmless as a dove?

The wrecklessness some people conducted themselves with in 2020 was shameful and did lasting harm to relationships in & out of the church.

We must do better.

How are we doing in working together with our brethren?

Moving from a spirit of love, demonstrating the compassion of Christ, and casting off factionalism?

How are we doing in getting the message of Christ out of our buildings?

Not the message of republican or democrats … but Christ…

Not the message that communicates how much we dislike those in the world… but Christ…

How much is the world hearing about hope? And the help of God & his people through the journey of life?

Those are all questions we must answer.

Let’s not shirk the mission … but go forward in faith…wise as serpents and harmless as doves.