Have no Fear

Order of Service

Welcome

Hymn - TAKE MY LIFE (850) - FRANCES R HAVERGAL 1836-79

Psalm Reading

Psalm 72:18–19 ESV

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!

Prayer

Teen Talk

Hymn - FOR THE CAUSE (1265) - STUART TOWNEND, KEITH & KRISTYN GETTY

Notices

Prayer Meeting - 7:30pm

Friday 7pm - Online

Sunday Morning 11am & 6pm

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Main Prayer

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Hymn - FAITH IS NOT MERELY THE SONGS THAT WE SING (1168) - Martin E Leckebusch

Sermon Search

Reading

Matthew 10:26–42 ESV

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by

Sermon

Persecution Will Come

Wise as Serpents & Innocent as Doves

Beware (people, friends, relatives, children/parents will hand you over for execution)

Fearless Proclamation of the Good News

Your enemies cannot prevent your public vindication nor their own public exposure

Matthew 10:26–27 ESV

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

Attacks and accusations can often be shrouded in mystery

evil finds its home in the shadows & darkness

Nothing is hidden from God

All good and evil will be revealed

Ecclesiastes 12:14 ESV

For God will bring every deed into judgement, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

We are given a clear proclamation of the Gospel, and clarity over how it must be presented

Proclamation with boldness and without fear

Alongside being wise in our approach

And alert to evil of the hearts of the listeners

“What I tell you in the dark, say in the light”

“What you hear whispered (in secret), proclaim on the housetops”

They cannot kill your soul, only your body

Matthew 10:28 ESV

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Threats of death surely cause anyone to think about what they say

“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul”

Soul (or Spirit) refers to invisible attributes

Mankind

Satan

“Fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell”

God

Believers are given assurance of everlasting life, as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven

None can take you from the hand and protection of God

It is foolish to reject God or turn away from him.

They cannot undo neither the Father’s will nor his loving care

Matthew 10:29–31 ESV

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Sparrows were a delicacy

They were cheap and plentiful

Jesus tells them that not even a sparrow dies without God being both aware of it and being within His Will/plan

God even knows the number of hairs on your head

If God is interested in the well being of even this insignificant creature

How the more important you that love Him

Psalm 91:14–16 ESV

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

1 John 4:19 ESV

We love because he first loved us.

“I will confess those who confess me, and deny those who deny me”

Matthew 10:32–33 ESV

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven..

We have an advocate making intercession for us...

1 John 2:1 ESV

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Jesus identifies with us and speaks on our behalf

For those who acknowledge Jesus before men

Jesus acknowledges us before his Father in heaven

Those who deny Jesus before men

Jesus will deny us before his Father in Heaven

“Do not think I have come to bring peace to the earth”

Matthew 10:34–35 ESV

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

The Messiah was foretold to be the Prince of Peace

Jesus makes this statement to shock the hearer and make them think

He is the “Prince of Peace”

Many seem to think of Jesus promoting a theology of one who sits around a camp fire singing “Kum ba ya” (come by here)

Peace is seen through righteousness

Righteousness is seen through a process of cleanliness

A change in the heart of believers brings an awareness in others of their failure before God

A separation from this world, and not longer conforming to it

The world hates God, and it hates those who turn away from them to Him

By definition the purification of His people brings about division between them and the world

Enemies within your own household

Matthew 10:36 ESV

And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.

Micah Prophesy

Micah 7:6 ESV

for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.

First Murder: Cain & Able

Genesis 4:8 ESV

Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Paul in 1 Cor 7:12-16 deals with the challenge of the challenges of those converted, and dealing with an unbelieving husband/wife.

Enmity between Families

Matthew 10:37 ESV

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

To belong to Christ is a privilege so inestimable that no other relationship can replace it.

Acts 5:29 ESV

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Those who refuse this supreme loyalty to Jesus are “not worthy” of him

Not deserving of belonging to Him and being honoured by Him

Take up your Cross

Matthew 10:38 ESV

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Taking up a cross

symbol of willing to endure pain, shame and persecution for Jesus’ sake and in His Cause (The Gospel)

Common Misuse:

Must not deprive Christ’s suffering of its unique value and significance

Not to be use in reference with general afflictions of this earthly life

1 Peter 2:21 ESV

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Professing Christ until Death itself

Matthew 10:39 ESV

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

That persecution will even be as far as death itself

Jesus’ affirms that faithfulness to him even to the point of death, have a greater promise of eternal life

Denial may save your life, but you will lose your eternal soul

Ambassadors of God

Matthew 10:40 ESV

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

Jesus shows that those who God sends as His Messengers and are His Representatives

Jesus will later teach his parables: the land owner, his son and his servants

Rejecting God’s messengers is rejection of God

Willing Acceptance of His messengers is a willing acceptance of God

Reward for Acceptance

Matthew 10:41 ESV

The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

Not only do they go with His Authority

They are sharing the proclamation of salvation, and those who accept what they hear will receive the reward proclaimed

Prophet is one who declares God’s Word

Righteous Person is one who devotes his life to true religion

Assurance

Matthew 10:42 ESV

And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

Even though Jesus’ disciples are effectively a nobody, insignificant in fame and fortune

Event the smallest and most insignificant gift, a cup of cold water

Where the motive is to show their love for God, they will not lose their reward

Summary

Confidence in the:

proclamation of the Gospel

promise of the Gospel

reward of the Gospel

Hymn - I CANNOT TELL (508) - William Y Fullerton 1857-1932

Closing Prayer

Doxology