Choose A Side (Matthew 10:34-11:1)

Choose Your Side

*Today we will complete Jesus’ instruction to the 12 apostles as he is sending them out.

*The reason he is sending them out comes from what Jesus saw as the condition of the people as he walked through the villages.

English Standard Version (Chapter 9)

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

His disciples, that he called together . were going to be the first of the laborers to be sent out into the harvest.

First: A Short Mission To the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 10:1-15)

Second: A Long Term Mission to the ends of the earth (Matthew 10:16-23)

*Last week Jesus told them to not fear those who would come against them for what they are saying. He said ...

English Standard Version Chapter 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.

In other words, man can hurt or even kill the body, but their soul, who they have given to God…man cannot hurt it. So if we are going to fear, or worry about someone, we should worry about leaving this life with giving out soul, our very existence over to Jesus. Because in the end, our body does not matter…the eternal existance our our soul is what matters.

36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

The soul is what matters. Paul told the church in Corinth..

English Standard Version Chapter 4

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

and Jesus also told them to remember…when you face persecution… you will do one of two things.... acknowledge or deny. And whatever you chose to do in that moment, he will do the same.

English Standard Version Chapter 10

32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

You will either acknowledge that you know him, acknowledge that he is your Savior and Lord…and if so he will acknowldge you before God. But if you deny, if under the threat of persecution, you deny him…he will deny you.

So as we set out to finish Jesus’ words to these he is sending out, lets remember that as his followers, he is sending us out as well.

Let’s pick-up in Matthew 10:34

English Standard Version Chapter 10

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 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. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 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. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

A few weeks ago, Abiola asked me a question about verse 34:

English Standard Version Chapter 10

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

He asked what does this mean? And it seems to be a strange verse when you first look at it. Why would Jesus be coming with a sword? I though Jesus was all about love. I thought Jesus told us to love our neighbor as much as we loves ourselves (Mark 12:31)? Yes Jesus is about love. Even God, out of love, sent his own Son to die for us (John 3:16). So why would Jesus himself, tell the disciples that he didn’t come to bring peace to the earth, but bring a sword?

The sword here is not an instrument of death, but rather an instrument of dividing. A dividing of those who will receive him and those who will not. Those who will accept what he has done on the cross, and those who will turn away.

Many Jesus people who were looking for the Messiah, were look for a Messiah that would bring peace to the Jewish nation. The were looking for a King of their own people to take over the Romans who were ruling them in their own land. Jesus did not come did not come down from heaven to bring peace to the world, he came to gather those were his.

So this sword isn’t an instrument of fighting off their enemies, but it was a sword separate those who would reject him and those who would follow him.