Fearless Loyalty To Christ

Secular -

Historical/Cultural Context -

This Gospel is written by Matthew, also known as Levi who was a former tax collector. It was most likely written between AD 50-60. Matthew left everything behind to follow Jesus. Matthew wrote primarily to Jewish believers—people who knew the Old Testament well. Matthew had one goal: to prove that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the King of Kings, and the fulfillment of God’s promises. Connecting the Old Testament prophecies to the life of Christ, proving that every word God spoke was coming true in Jesus. The key themes of the Gospel include Jesus as King, The Kingdom of Heaven, Fulfillment of Prophecy and discipleship.

Biblical Text -

Matthew 10:24–42 NKJV

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - In Persecution & Trials We Must Remain Loyal, Always Confessing Him.

Life Point- Persecution Is Normal

Exegetical -

Matthew 10:24–26 BSB

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.

Homiletical -

In this section Jesus is reminding them about something very fundamental. Because a disciple is not above his teacher or slave above his master, if Jesus is persecuted and dragged before the courts, like he will be soon, then surely the followers of Jesus will have to endure much more persecution.

He brings to their remembrance Matthew 9:34 where they said He drove out demons by the prince of demons, which is beelzebub. Which by the way, translates to lord of the flies.

He says to not be afraid in tho situations. I don’t know about you but I get nervous when I get pulled over by a cop, much less brought into a judge who is going to persecute me for my belief in Jesus. But Jesus, as we learned last week, says don’t be afraid because The Spirit will give us what we need to say in that very hour.

What does Jesus mean when He says it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and a servant like his master?

It means that the message of the Gospel, The Kingdom of Heaven cuts so to the core of the unsaved that some will lash out and will persecute the followers.

This whole portion tells us that persecution is normal for the believer in Christ. It can be subtle or overt. As time has gone on, persecution of the Christian here in the United States is becoming more and more overt. I look for the day when they start closing churches down.

This kind of thing is already happened in the United Kingdom. Did you know that if you are 50-75ft away from an abortion clinic and you are praying silently that the police there will arrest you. You’re not even allowed to pray in public! How ridiculous is that!

Illustration -

In 1990, a Christian student in Bangladesh was brutally attacked by a mob for refusing to convert to Islam. Despite the violence and threats, he stood firm in his faith, stating that he could not abandon the love of Christ for fear of man. His story highlights the bravery found in faith and the serious challenges many face today, enduring persecution for their beliefs. It serves as a call to remain steadfast in our own faith, regardless of the outside pressures we may encounter.

Life Point - We Must Confess Him

Exegetical -

Matthew 10:26–33 BSB

So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.

Homiletical -

What is going on here? Well when Jesus reveals a scriptural truth you are supposed to share it with others. When the Spirit quickens you to a truth found in scripture you share it with others. By it they may be blessed.

Have you ever been reading a familiar passage and then all of a sudden it jumps out at you and you just seem to get it? I mean really get it, deep down in your bones get it. That is the quickening of the Holy Spirit. God revealing truth to you.

But Pastor, if I proclaim the scriptures doesn’t that mean people will see me as weird or get arrested or killed? Yes, Yes it does. But Jesus says do it anyway. He says not to fear those who can kill your body, but fear God who can cast your soul into hell. There is no such thing as a secret service Christian. Even though I joked about one last week.

Jesus reminds us about the sparrows. That they are insignificant, but God has a plan even for them and he knows even the hairs on your head. Although with me being bald He doesn’t have much to count on my head.

He says don’t be afraid of what they can do you are worth more than many sparrows. You are precious in the site of God. You were created in His image. You are the Imago Dei, which is the Latin term we use that means in the image of God.

So because of all of this. The proclaiming, the not shrinking back in persecution and the fact you are precious to God, He says you must confess Him before men and He will confess you before the Father when your time on this earth is done.

Now Jesus knew exactly what He was saying. He knew this talk could get people in trouble. Confessing Jesus as Lord could mean a death sentence, either by the Jews through stoning or by the Romans because you didn’t confess Caesar as Lord. Caesar was worshipped as a god during this time.

However, if you shrink back and you don’t confess Him before men He will not confess you before the Father in heaven.

I call these people the religious elite. They have a form of Godliness, but they aren’t Christians. They deny the power of the Gospel. Their life just doesn’t bare the fruit of salvation. They are like a fig tree which looks like it is in bloom but on inspections there are no figs.

2 Timothy 3:5–7 NKJV

having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

These people keep learning intellectually but they don’t have the knowledge of Jesus beyond intellectual knowledge. The message doesn’t resonate deep down in their bones, as I like to say. For them Christianity is not a relationship but a religion and a list of DOs and Don’ts.

But Jesus wants relationship not religiosity.

Illustration -

During the Roman Empire, many Christians faced persecution for their faith, including the martyrdom of Polycarp, a prominent Christian leader. When commanded to renounce Christ or face death, Polycarp famously replied, 'Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He never did me any wrong; how can I blaspheme my King who saved me?' He was murdered after saying this.

Life Point - We Must Remain Loyal

Exegetical -

Matthew 10:34–42 BSB

Do not assume 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 turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; and anyone who does not take up 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. He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Homiletical -

Now pastor, I thought Jesus came to bring peace. Yes, He did. Between you and God, not necessarily between you and others. The Gospel, indeed the entire word of God can bring conviction, which people don’t like and they like their darkness and want to remain in their darkness.

Did you know that if a Muslim converts to Christianity there are several outcomes that could happen.

1) They could be turned out of the family and shunned.

2) They could be beat up and told to return to Islam.

3) They could be murdered by their own parents.

Women especially face this as they are seen as way less than a man.

Did you know that some staunch atheists if their family converts to Christianity it will actually cause a rift amongst them.

There is a story about Ted Turner, the guy who made TNT, TBS. Multi-Millionaire. One of his wives became a Christian and he divorced her.

This is real talk guys. I know of people who became Christians and their in-laws said they had joined a cult. Not a cult, just a church.

If we are swayed in our relationship with Christ because of familial bonds then we aren’t worthy of Him.

He even says if you’re not willing to take a torture device, the cross, which means your death for Him, then you aren’t worthy of Him.

What does it mean when Jesus says if you find your life you will lose it and if you lose your life for Him you will save it?

It simply means if you try to preserve your life be denying Christ then when eternity comes for you, you will not find everlasting life but be cast into Hell.

However if you die a martyrs death, you will find life in Him in eternity.

Jesus says that if someone honors you, they will receive a reward for that. If you do acts of charity and love for others, especially children then your reward will not be taken away.

Now why would he say the children?

Because children weren’t even seen as important to society. They were lower than second-class citizens when it came to societal rights in the Roman Empire.

But you see when you have compassion on those that the world has cast away, Jesus is pleased.

Folks we need to go after those that the church has cast aside. Those that the world has cast away and invite them to the feast.

Luke 14:16–24 NKJV

Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”

Life Principle– In Persecution & Trials We Must Remain Loyal, Always Confessing Him.

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