Sent without Fear

Good morning church family!

I am excited to be back with all of you

If you are a guest, My name is Stefan and I am the pastor of preaching here at Harvest.

Let’s go ahead and take out our Bibles and open to Matthew chapter 10

And we are continuing to march through chapter 10 of Matthew’s gospel in which Jesus sends his disciples out on his mission to spread the good news of the kingdom of heaven

And last week we saw that Jesus is sending us into a hostile world in which we will face dangers and trials and persecution, but he is not sending us into that hostility on our own, but he supplies the help that we need to endure it as we live faithfully on his mission

But I am not ignorant to the fact that as we talk about being sent in the hostility, it is all too easy for the emotion that we experience to be fear

I think that all of us at one time or another, and maybe even right now as we look at the way that the world is and how things seem to be changing around the globe…

I think that all of us know what it feels like to be afraid to follow Jesus

To be afraid to publicly align yourself with him

To be afraid of how your faith is going to impact your relationships, Or your workplace

And when we are confronted with the fact that the world is hostile toward the gospel because it was first hostile toward Jesus…

The fear that we feel often causes us to compromise and to change how we act and how we talk so that it’s easier to blend in

Or it causes us to shrink back in shame and silence because we’re embarrassed

Or it causes us to worry because so much is out of our control

Something so simple as inviting our neighbors to church causes us to hesitate

“You know, it would probably be better if I didn’t…”

And if any of those describe you…

And what you need when you feel that fear is the words of Jesus, in Matt. 10:24-33, in which he tells us how as his disciples, we are “Sent without fear”

So that is the title of this morning’s message

We have seen how Jesus sends us into hostility, but he also sends us into that hostility without fear

And his words are going to be the antidote to fear in our lives as we follow him as a church in 2025

So need to give these words our full attention

A quick note before we get into the text

Now, if you are using an ESV Bible, there is a section heading before v. 26

So you might be wondering why are we starting in v. 24 when the section heading comes before v. 26?

In verse 26, you see that word “So…”

That is a logical connection in Greek - meaning, versus 24 and 25 are logically connected to verse 26 and beyond

So even though there is a heading between those verses, Jesus linked them together, so we are preaching them together

Make sense?

Okay, let’s read in to v. 24-33

Matthew 10:24–33 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. “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.”

These are God’s words for us as his people - May we have ears to hear them and hearts to obey them

Big Idea: Jesus sends us without fear, confident in God’s sovereign care [6:00]

The sovereignty of God means He has absolute authority over everything that happens.

He is not surprised by anything - He is in complete control of every possible detail.

In the words of R.C. Sproul

“There is not a single rogue molecule in all of the universe, so have every guarantee that every one of God’s promises will come to pass.”

So what does that mean for us?

It means that when we live according to His Word, we can be confident that His care for us is never uncertain and His purposes for us are never frustrated.

Too often, we think God wants to care for us but can’t when life goes wrong, as if He’s reacting to things He never saw coming.

But that’s not the God of the Bible.

The God of Scripture is never surprised, never reacting… He is always sovereignly reigning over every circumstance

And so as his people, living in 2025, we can be sent by Jesus without fear

Because if nothing is outside of God’s control, then nothing can stop God’s care for us.

We can face whatever may come with confidence, knowing that even these circumstances—whatever you’re living in right now—are part of His perfect plan.

And so you and I can follow Jesus without fear, confident in God’s sovereign care

[Bridge Question] What does it look like for God to care for us in his sovereignty so that we can follow Jesus on his mission without fear?

Jesus is going to tell us 4 ways that we can be confident in God’s sovereignty and it will mean 4 things that we do not need to fear.

Jesus sends us…

In his likeness, without compromise (24–25) [9:00]

When you and I face opposition, the temptation is to compromise

To change how we are living or how we are speaking to fit the expectations around us so that we don’t stand out.

But Jesus begins by telling his disciples that the plan is for them to stand out in the same way that he did

Matthew 10:24–25 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master…”

This is the biblical idea of being in someone’s likeness

In the Old testament, to be in the “likeness of another” is for it to be obvious that you belong to that person

Like looking at a child and saying, “It is obvious that he is your son… or that she is your daughter”

In the same way, Jesus is saying, “I am sending you to look like me, live like me, talk like me… so it will be obvious that you belong to me.”

And when it is obvious that you belong to Jesus, it will result in being treated like Jesus…

Matt. 10:25b - “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul [another word for Satan], how much more will they malign those of his household.”

Jesus is referring back to Matthew chapter 9 when he cast out demons and the religious leader said “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

They saw the Son of God and called him Satan…

Jesus is saying: When you are in my likeness, when it is obvious that you belong to me, it will result in people saying the same kinds of things that they said about me.

Now, how does this give us confidence?

Consider this: God’s will for your life is not comfort or popularity…

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5 that God’s will for your life is your sanctification

Meaning, God’s will for your life is that you would look more and more like Jesus

This means that when you and I face the opposition that comes from looking more like Jesus, that very opposition is part of God’s will for you and me

What we encounter on the mission is part of the mission - And God’s sovereign care is with us through all of it

And how we respond to what we encounter, speaks volumes of the Gospel we represent

Now, this should cause us to pause for a moment and ask ourselves:

Do I care enough about what other people say that I live for their approval rather than Jesus approval?

Do I shy away from saying the truth because I’m worried about what they might think and what they might say about me?

When we are tempted to compromise…

when we are tempted to change how we live or how we speak because of how the world will react…

it is because have stopped believing that God will care for us in the face of opposition

But when we trust in God’s sovereign care for us, we can confidently pursue Christ’s likeness

We can confidently live for him and grow in him, regardless of what people might say or think.

And because Jesus is the one sending us out to live like him and speak like him and look like him, you and I need not fear what the world will say

Church family, it is better to have the world think poorly of you because you look like Jesus

Than to have the world think well of you because you look nothing like him.

Jesus is sending us in his likeness, he is sending us to look and live like him as we go on his mission, so we need not compromise out of fear, but we can trust in God’s sovereign care.

So that is the first way we can be confident in God’s care…

The second

Jesus sends us…

In his truth, without shame (26-27) [15:00]

When we are confronted with how the Kingdom of God clashes with the kingdom of the world…

When we are living in the contrast between the will of God and the values of culture…

It is easy to shrink back in embarrassment…

But look at how Jesus says we should respond:

Matthew 10:26 “So have no fear of them…

“Them” is referring to the people who hate you because of Jesus in v. 22 and the people who speak poorly about you because you follow Jesus, in v. 25

Jesus is putting it all together together here and saying, “Though people hate you, and try to kill you, and malign you… Don’t be afraid of them.”

“Don’t change for them, out of shame.”

Why?

Matthew 10:26 “… for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.”

You know why you ultimately need not fear anything about what others say or think?

Because the truth will come out.

There will come a day when every false accusation against Christ and His people will be exposed for what it is — a lie.

It is so tempting to think that we have to defend ourselves against every false word that the world speaks

We are called “bigots” because we stand for God’s design for marriage and gender

We are called “anti-women” because we stand for the right of a baby to live.

And when we forget about the sovereignty of God, we will think that it is our job to confront every malicious word…

Our responsibility is not to manage the world’s opinions of us, but to faithfully declare the truth about Christ.

I think that we often spend much more energy trying to defend against the claims of the world, rather than simply declaring the truth of God

But when we are confident in God’s sovereign care, we will simply declare the truth, and trust God with the outcome.

Matthew 10:27 “What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.”

Remember back in v. 22-23 from last week, Jesus’ followers will face persecution and death for the message of the Gospel

Yet here, he is telling them to declare the message confidently…

Why?

Because the message is the mission

Being comfortable is not the mission

Being popular is not the mission

The truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the mission

And so while it might result in being uncomfortable and unpopular, the message of the Gospel is what the world needs

And so we must not shrink back in shame and embarrassment

We can instead be confident because of God’s sovereignty.

And if you need a reason to be confident in the message of the Gospel, listen to Paul’s words from Romans 1:16

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Notice Paul doesn’t say the gospel points us to the power of God — he says the gospel is the power of God.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

The truth that though you and I are sinful and deserving of God’s condemnation and wrath

God sent Jesus Christ to live in your place, die in your place, and rise form the dead so that you could be forgiven of your sins, given his perfect righteousness, and receive eternal life

That message is the very power of God to people to himself, brings life to dead hearts, and transforms lives.

So we don’t fear the words of people…

We go in the truth of the Gospel, trusting in the powerful word of God

And he is sovereign over his word going out

So we need not fear shame, but we can be confident in the truth.

Third way we can be confident in God’s sovereign care…

Jesus sends us…

In his security, without worry (28-31) [21:00]

Something that I believe every Christian should do regularly is read Christian biography.

When you read Christian biography, you are confronted with the same truth over and over and over again

When Christians are convinced of the sovereignty of God, they will do incredible things for the mission of God

We do not read of Christians throughout the centuries who are super-heros of the faith that we could never be anything like

No, what we actually find is that those giants of the faith throughout the ages are far more like you and me than we ever imagined

And what is most impressive about their lives is not what great people they were

But that they were confident in the greatness of God, and so they lived their lives trusting in God’s sovereign care.

And the truth about God that has motivated more confident missions in the world has been God’s sovereignty

When you are convinced of God’s sovereignty over your own life, you will do bold things for his mission and his glory, knowing that nothing will happen to you that is outside of his will.

Instead, you and I are secure and don’t have to worry.

Look at v. 28

Matthew 10:28 “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.”

Jesus is pressing on where we are prone to feel the most safe…

Do you feel the most safe when people speak well of you?

Or do you feel the most safe because you are right with God?

This is really the question of security:

Am I secure based on what people think?

Or am I secure based on what God says?

Jesus is warning his disciples, and us today:

Take care that you not base your security on people

And in so doing… neglect your security before God.

And the reason is found in the contrast that he gives:

People can only harm you physically… But God has your physical and spiritual destiny in his hands

And his point is that if you and I fear people more than God, it ultimately reveals that people, not God, have our allegiance and our devotion

Meaning that we have chosen comfort in this life at the expense of our eternal security

And it is a foolish trade to embrace comfort with the world at the expense of your soul.

Hell is real… and it is eternal

And those who trade security with God for comfort in this world will endure God’s wrath in hell.

But by God’s grace he extends the offer of true, eternal security in him through Jesus

And so we can have confidence in God’s sovereign care, knowing that it is eternally secure

And not only is it an eternal security, is is a personal security…

Look at what Jesus says…

Matthew 10:29–31 “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 are the cheapest form of food (worth next to nothing)

Hair is the most insignificant part of your body (it falls out, it goes grey - Losing hair changes next to nothing)

Jesus is arguing from the lesser to the greater

God is sovereign over the life and death of the most insignificant of living creatures…

And you are made in his image, the most valuable of all living creatures…

So you can know that he will care for you.”

And if even the hairs of your head are numbered… Then rest assured that your days are numbered as well.

No one has the authority to change even the number of hairs on your head except God… Therefore no one has the authority to change the number of your days except God.

The truth is that God cares for us sovereignly, eternally, and personally

And because of God’s sovereign care, no human being can do anything beyond what God has already decreed by his will.

I mentioned earlier that it is the knowledge of the sovereignty of God that compelled so many Christians throughout the ages to live radical lives on mission for Jesus

And I want to tell you part of the story of one of those Christians… And we will, like Paul Harvey, tell the rest of the story next week

His name was Josed Tson and he was a pastor in Romania during communism’s reign there

He was arrested for preaching the gospel and was imprisoned for 14 years

One fellow prisoner described some of the torture that Christians received in Romania as follows:

“I have seen Christians in Communist prisons with fifty pounds of chains on their feet, tortured with red-hot iron pokers, in whose throats spoonfuls of salt had been forced, being kept afterward from water; starving, whipped, suffering from cold—and praying with fervor for their captors…”

Tson was regularly subject to these tortures during his 14 years in prison…

At one point he was being interrogated and beaten by 6 prison guards and he said to one of them:

“What is taking place here is not an encounter between you and me. This is an encounter between my God and me. . . . My God is teaching me a lesson [through you]. I do not know what it is. Maybe he wants to teach me several lessons. I only know, sirs, that you will do to me only what God wants you to do—and you will not go one inch further—because you are only an instrument of my God.”

That is what confidence in God’s sovereign care looks like

And do not believe for one second that Josef had something that you and I do not…

He had confidence in God’s sovereignty… and you and I can have the same.

…Knowing that no person can go one inch further than God allows, so we do not fear people… but we are devoted to a Sovereign Lord who sends us without fear.

This is why in Acts 4, When the first Christians were threatened and told to never preach in the name of Jesus again, their prayer to God began with “sovereign Lord”

Because they knew that nothing happens outside of the sovereign authority and will of God

And so the place they went to when they were threatened was to the throne of the sovereign Lord

Rather into the opinions of powerless people

Trust God with your security and you will have nothing to worry about.

In his approval, without hesitation (32-33) [28:00]

Look at v. 32 with me

Matthew 10:32 “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven”

Those words “acknowledge” and “Deny” are terms of public testimony

To acknowledge is to say publicly that you are with Jesus

To deny is to say publicly that you reject him

There is a principal that is clearly unpacked by Jesus here:

Whoever’s approval you desire most will determine what you say and how you live.

And whoever’s approval you desire most, is the approval you will receive.

If I long for the approval of people, I will shape my words and my life around what pleases them, and their approval is all I will receive.

If I long for the approval of Christ, I will shape my words and my life around what pleases Him, and his approval is what I will receive.

And how silly it would be to value the approval of people over the approval of Christ.

But that is so often what we do, isn’t it?

Because in our lives we become so short-sighted and so easily pleased with temporary and insignificant things.

But when we trust in the sovereignty of God, we can know since we are secure in Christ, we can also be confident in Christ, even if it means that we lose the approval of people

Instead, we can rest in the approval of Christ.

And his approval is not like how people give their approval…

As if approval is dependent on performance

“If you get it right, then you will have my approval.”

No - Look at what Jesus says is necessary for him to give approval to you before God the father

That you acknowledge him

That you align yourself with him

Now, why is that all that is required?

Because Jesus Christ lived the perfect righteous life that you and I couldn’t live…

His righteous obedience earned the eternal favor of God

And when you and I follow Jesus by faith, not only our our sins forgiven but that perfect righteousness of Jesus is transferred to our account

So we stand before God’s throne, clothed in the very righteous perfection of Jesus Christ

So the approval has already been earned by him… And to receive it you need only to depend on Jesus for what only he can provide

And when you and I recognize what Jesus provides for us [eternal approval before the throne of God] then the approval of people in this short time of this life pales in comparison

And so when people ask if you follow Jesus…

When people expect you to go along with whatever is popular in culture

When people demand that you deny Jesus so that you can be accepted by the masses…

We won’t hesitate

We will acknowledge him

And God’s sovereign care for us gives us the confidence to continue to acknowledge him

Because I know he will acknowledge me, I will continue to acknowledge him

People can malign me - Jesus accepts me

People can oppose me - Jesus embraces me

People can attack me - Jesus protects me

People can physically kill me - Jesus eternally saves me

And so we can say with the Apostle Paul in Romans 8

Romans 8:31–32 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

The is confidence in the sovereign care and eternal approval of God through Jesus Christ.

But Jesus words here are also a warning…

Matthew 10:33 “but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

If the world is so important to me that I am willing to stay silent about Jesus, then there is a very real possibility that I don’t actually belong to him

Jesus words here are a diagnostic for the legitimacy of my faith

Do I claim Jesus when it benefits me, but I am silent when it doesn’t?

Do I align myself with Christ when it is easy, but I distance myself from him when it is hard?

Then the reality is that I am not actually following him, but only using him for my own ends…

If that is you, let Jesus words be a warning to you: a faith that is seen as merely a beneficial add-on for this life is not actually faith

If that is you, do as Peter did when he denied Jesus 3 times before Jesus was crucified…

Lament your denial of Christ

Repent of your false faith

And embrace Jesus as your Lord

And you too will receive the approval and acceptance of God

[Conclusion] 35:00

“If God is sovereign, what is the point of being a part of his mission? If he is sovereign, he doesn’t need us”

It is true that God does not need us

Since the beginning, he has chosen to advance his mission in the world through his people

And so in God’s kindness he allows us to participate what he is doing

And because he is sovereign over all, we can have confidence as we participate in his mission

We can pray fervently, knowing that God will do what his word says

We can give sacrificially, knowing God will use it to advance his mission locally and globally

We can go boldly, knowing God will accomplish his purposes and knowing no man or woman can stop what God is doing

If God is sovereign, what is the point of living for his mission?

It is the whole point - It gives us confidence so that we can go without fear.

Sent…

In his likeness

In his truth

In his security

And in his approval

And because of God’s sovereign care,

So we need not fear…

Compromise

Shame

Worry

Or hesitation

May we be at church that seeks to live for the mission of Jesus, unfazed by however the world might respond, because we are confident in God’s sovereign care.

Amen. [40:00]

[COMMUNION]

Remember

Bread and Juice - Means of Grace

Don’t mock the cross

Instructions [GLUTEN FREE]