Matthew 11:1-6

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1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. 2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" 4 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." ~ Matthew 11:1-6

Today, we transition into Matthew 11 where the Lord Jesus had just concluded instruction for His disciples about how we go deeper in our walk with Him. After the training of the disciples on discipleship, the Lord Jesus departed. Very subtly here we are given a very important insight into the ways of God. Very often our Lord allows us to be drawn into the darkest of moments so that we may see Him most vividly. With the departure of the Lord after discipling the twelve, He went further away from John who was in prison. This is quite the metaphor and given John the Baptist's status at the time, it reveals that God very often works in our lives through the most unexpected and the most unwanted means.

In v.1-3 of today's passage we read, "1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. 2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?'"

After the Lord Jesus finished commanding the disciples, He departed. Given our fallen state, we struggle with being told what to do. We struggle when our understanding of God's will is insufficient. Oh, we are okay with His will when it is producing the type of blessing that is pleasant but when the blessings that appear to be curses come, we struggle. This is why humility is so important. Augustine once said, "Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance."  It is very wise of us to approach each day with the resolve to know and welcome the will of God for us no matter what it might be. 

We all understand believing doubt or doubting belief. We believe but often we discover that our faith is weak due to our lurking doubts. Amazingly this is exactly where John the Baptist was in today's passage. This one whom the Lord Jesus identified as the greatest prophet of all, we discover struggling with doubt. John had questions that his theology could not answer. Like John, most do not understand the important role that doubt plays with the development of our faith in the Lord. Doubt is different than unbelief.

I find it quite comforting that the Bible makes a clear distinction between doubt and unbelief. Doubt says, "I struggle to believe" while unbelief says, "I will not believe." Doubt is honest while unbelief is obstinate. Doubt looks for light while unbelief is content with darkness. We should not be surprised by this question of John the Baptist. The faith of John is seen in the fact that he sent his disciples some eighty miles to where the Lord Jesus was ministering. If the greatest man who ever lived had doubts, then maybe it's understandable that we have some doubts as well. And, I am finding that doubt is the shadow cast by faith.

Our doubts come from our inability to deal with the unwanted circumstances that we face, especially when we think we deserve better. Like John the Baptist, our doubts come when we have been faithful and we think we have checked all the right boxes, only to find ourselves in the unexpected. When we think God has not delivered on His promises as we thought He should, we struggle with our faith in Him. It is not bad to wrestle with doubt, as long as it does not become our finishing point. John's problem wasn't his doubt, though, it was his lack of understanding the revelation God had given him to that point in his life. 

In v.4-6 of today's passage we read, "4 Jesus answered and said to them, 'Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.'"

No sooner had John's disciples uttered John's question did the Lord Jesus respond by performing many miracles right before their eyes. Like John the Baptist, we wrestle with understanding God's ways and that is ok. We must not let our poor theology and our wrong expectations of God cause us to stumble in our pursuit of Him. John the Baptist was soon beheaded before the Lord Jesus died and rose from the dead. He never heard much of what the Lord taught and he never saw His greatest powers on display. And when he died, his disciples came to tell the Lord Jesus because He was John's Messiah. Not all of John's questions were answered before he was murdered. The kingdom, however, has not been thwarted. According to God's timetable things are going just as planned. Even though it's not yet in its final form, the kingdom is still in place and you and I are in it. And yet, we still struggle strategically with our doubts. It is through such that our understanding of God and His ways are being developed.

Today's passage ends with, "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." The Greek word translated "offended" here is the word from which we get our English word "scandal." The Lord Jesus promises a blessing for those who are not knocked off the path of following Him as He brings about His will in our lives. He didn’t come to forgive our sins so that we could keep committing them. No, the Lord Jesus came to forgive our sins and to free us from the power of sin. He didn’t come to make us feel good about ourselves; He came to offer us a personal and an intimate relationship with Him through which He is changing us from the inside out. He didn’t come to rescue us from every unpleasant thing we face. No, He came to give us eternal life and to raise us from the dead, so that our growing relationship with Him might herald His goodness to others. And, I am finding that when I follow God's will for my life, I will see how yesterday's trials prepared me for today's challenges and tomorrow's blessings.

Matthew 10:40-42

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40 He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 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. 42 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. ~ Matthew 10:40-42

Today, we conclude our study of Matthew 10, the lengthiest description given in the gospels of what it looks like to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must be careful that discipleship is not to be confused with becoming a member of the family of God. There is only one thing that gets any of us into heaven and that is our faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross to garner the forgiveness of our sin. Once in the family of God, we all experience quite a difference of experiences with God resulting in His discipleship of us. The key to genuine discipleship is to be so utterly consumed with the cause that we have no thought for our own life.

In v.40 of today's passage we read, "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."

When we remind others about the fact that we are all broken and in need of the Savior, they will be positioned to make a decision whether the Lord Jesus is their Savior or not. Due to the blindness that was hoist upon us so long ago in the Garden of Eden, there will always be tension when we share the bad news about how our sinfulness and how it has separated us from God. It is at this point that we must be poised to share the good news that at the cross the Lord Jesus bridged the gap between the us and the Holy God. Not everyone will refuse the message. There will be those who choose to believe in the greatest message to ever enter the human ear. And, when they believe in the Lord Jesus they will believe in the Father. This is known in Math class as the transitive property. 

When the world receives us and the gospel, we can call that "A." Then, when those who receive us and the gospel enter into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, we can call that "B." Then, when those who enter into a relationship with the Lord also receive the Father, we can call that "C." In the end this means A = C. This transitive property, theologically, means the Lord Jesus is the only way to be blessed by the Father who sent Him. It means whoever receives the Lord's message delivered by His disciple will believe in the Lord Jesus alone for salvation. 

In John 14:6 we read, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

In v.41 of today's passage we read, "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."

The prophet is the one who has the task to deliver the message from God to man. The prophet who has been called and sent by God has been acknowledged by God as righteous. Throughout the Bible the basis of our righteousness before God has always been faith in the God of the Bible. The proclamation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ either alienates or it reunites. Those who are reunited to God through believing in the Lord Jesus as their Savior are the rewards into eternity for those who were humble enough and brave enough to share the gospel with the lost.

As disciples of the Lord Jesus we play a role in the ultimate destiny of our hearers. We cannot believe for them but when we are faithful to share the gospel with people, they are given the opportunity to respond in belief in the Lord Jesus. Since the just penalty for our sin is infinite and eternal, only the infinite and eternal God could pay the penalty created by our sin. But God, in His divine nature, could not die. So, God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ. God took on human flesh so that He could sacrifice Himself on our behalf. And, the criteria for forgiveness of our sin is to believe that what the Lord Jesus did on the cross was sufficient for our salvation.

In v.42 of today's passage we read, "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."

The "whoever" here means there are no limits to God's promise of salvation. The words "little ones" describes the insignificant. The words "cold water" highlights the smallest deed of kindness. People do not care about what we believe until they know that we truly care. Even when we do the most insignificant for the most insignificant the attentiveness of God is triggered to the point of reward for all involved.  

In Romans 8:18 we read, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

There is that word again, "worthy." The worth of anything comes from God. And, the greatest value having ever been issued was issued at the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. He valued us so much that He laid down His life for us. When we find our security in the person and the worth of the Lord Jesus, our motivation for choosing to walk in God's way is changed from selfishness to selflessness. We obey Him because we love Him. And, it is His love that has trained us to love Him in return. This is the greatest reward because in this is freedom which is the ability to do what we were created to do.

Matthew 10:37-39

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37 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. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. ~ Matthew 10:37-39

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 10 where the Lord Jesus Christ is informing His disciples about the cost of following Him. It is a high cost to be a follower of the Lord Jesus. It is an even higher cost to be a follower who is passionately seeking to live for Him. For sure, the benefits and the blessings are very much worth the price. No man earns his way into heaven, but as followers of Christ, when we walk with Him daily we will discover the true value of all things given by God.

In v.37 of today's passage we read, "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."

The Greek word translated "worthy" pictures a set of ancient scales consisting of two pans hanging from a balance beam. To measure out one pound of wheat, one would have to put a one pound weight on one pan and then a pound of wheat onto the other pan until the two pans hung level.The Lord Jesus desires for us that we love Him more than anything else in this world because everything else happens out of our relationship with Him. He makes life balanced for the believer. Our ability to love anyone is measured by His love for us and our understanding of His love for us. As the center spokes on a bicycle tire holds the tire together, so our relationship with our Creator enables us to relate to Him and others as we ought. 

The Lord Jesus urges us to love Him most even above our family members. When we were born-again, the Holy Spirit came to live within our spirit enabling us the ability to grow in our ability to love. The more complete our understanding of the love of God the more we will understand how His grace has valued us. Once we come to understand that God's love for us has become the ultimate game-changer, the more we will love Him and others. The Lord Jesus did not mean that we earn our favor with Him through loving Him most. He compels us to become more intimate with His love which is most extravagant and real. When we have been immersed in His love for us, our value system changes. If loving Christ is worth anything, it is worth everything. Our love for anyone is predicated upon our understanding of God's love for us. We love Him and them because He loved us first.

In v.38 of today's passage we read, "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me."

Taking up our cross must be preceded by us being defined by the fact that the Lord Jesus took the cross up first. Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us. It was our sin that put the Lord Jesus up on the cross. He went to the cross to redeem us from our sin. To take up our cross means that we die to ourselves. This only happens on the heels of understanding how intense and committed His love is for us. When we do this we demonstrate that we have a proper understanding or a worthy knowledge of His love for us. And, this makes sense since there will come many times when we will have to make the choice to love Him more than someone or something else. When we put Him first everything else falls into its proper or worthy place. When we do not put Him first, we tend to hold on too tightly to those things or people that we cherish the most. It is like the toothpaste tube, the more we squeeze, the less we will have. In God's economy we win by losing.

In v.39 of today's passage we read, "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."

This verse appears contradictory, but it's the cornerstone of Christian discipleship. We all live with this continuous fear that God’s love has limits. We all find ourselves having to be convinced that His love for us cannot be diluted by our sinfulness. But, it makes so much sense that when we lose our lives in light of our pursuit of Him, we find it. And, when we lose our lives we will find out what our lives were meant to be. This, I am sure is what motivated Jim Elliot to say, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."  That means that when we forsake everything in our life to be defined by Him, He will make sure that we find what we were created to be and do. 

The Lord Jesus Christ created us; we will never know why He made us until we stop obeying ourselves and we start obeying Him. This is eternal life, this is the life of love, to lay down our life and put our Creator and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ first in our lives. When we keep our life by living for the self life, we will not know real life. Seeking gain, as defined by this world, ultimately leads to emptiness. Conversely, surrendering oneself to the will of the Lord Jesus, even at the cost of personal comfort and sacrifice, brings about a fulfillment that surpasses all earthly desires. This has a beauty to it, the beauty of losing because it can create an empty place in our lives for God to fill with something new. And, this is where real life is lived.

Matthew 10:34-36

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34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 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; 36 and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.  ~ Matthew 10:34-36

Today, we return to our study of what it looks like to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although the word "discipleship" never appears in the Bible, the Lord Jesus before He ascended to the Father after His resurrection told His followers to "make disciples." A Christian disciple is someone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. And, as a result of this, God grants them a personal relationship with Himself. To foster our relationship Him, God has given the believer His Holy Spirit to assist us in our relationship with Himself. The process involved whereby the believer is being trained to think in concert with God's definitions comes the closest to describing discipleship. Discipleship will always involve danger because as we are doing all that is involved with it, we will infringe upon the domain of darkness. It was Theodore Roosevelt who once said, “There has never yet been a man who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering.”

In v.34 of today's passage we read, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword."

The One referenced to in the Scriptures as "the Prince of Peace" makes what seems to be a contradictory statement here. This is the One of whom the angels said at His birth that He would bring peace on earth, goodwill toward men. A careful study of all of the Bible renders the conviction that the Messiah would bring peace between God and believing man. But, for the time being, it makes sense that the Messiah and His Gospel would bring division between those who believe and those who do not. At the end of the narrative we are assured that one day the Lord Jesus will bring peace to all who will come to know Him as Savior. 

It was not that the Lord Jesus intended to create disharmony between family members, especially since He came primarily to make peace between us and God. So, even though His was and is a ministry of peace, one effect of His ministry would be conflict between those who believe in Him and those who do not. When the Lord Jesus said, "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword," He spoke primarily about the effect of His ministry, not the purpose of His ministry. The effect of His ministry is that it will divide, it will cut to the heart of all things because this world is at odds with His kingdom and His truth. In Hebrews 4:12 we read, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." There will always be incongruity between the truth and the lie and the Word of God makes that very clear.

In v.35-36 of today's passage we read, "35 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; 36 and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household."

The Lord Jesus was in the midst of sending His disciples out into the world to spread the gospel as He uttered these words. He reminded them why persecution would later come to them. Of course, He in the previous section had told them to have no fear of those who would not believe their message. The disciple of the Lord Jesus is not intimidated by nor is he afraid of the world. When the world is hostile, when the world is persecuting, when the world moves against us, when the world ostracizes us and alienates us, we will not be afraid, because we have committed ourselves to the Lord. Even though the disciple of the Lord Jesus will at times suffer greatly because of persecution, the Lord reminded him to fear not. The disciple of the Lord Jesus is instructed to proclaim the gospel of His Kingdom from the housetops. To the degree that we will be opposed by this world, we are encouraged by the Lord to remain faithful to the proclamation of His timeless message of forgiveness and grace.

The most difficult people in the world to share our faith in the Lord Jesus with is our unbelieving family members. When one family member enters into a personal relationship with the Lord and another doesn't, there will always be tension because the two will see and live life differently. It was Martin Luther who once said, "If our Gospel were received in peace, it wouldn't be the true Gospel." Back in October of 1981 when I first believed in the Lord Jesus as my Savior, I was so anxious to see my family members right with the Lord that I turned them off from Him. Sadly, shortly after that, the Lord made it clear to me that He would be able to do the necessary work in their hearts only if I were to get out of His way. So, at the end of the day, it is the Lord who draws people unto Himself and we mustn't ever believe that we were the ones who did this work. We must remember that the Lord has chosen to include us in on what He is doing in this world. And yes, sometimes we must get out of His way.

Matthew 10:32-33

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32 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. ~ Matthew 10:32-33

Today, we continue our study of Matthew 10 where the Lord Jesus Christ is teaching His disciples about being a disciple. In this chapter we are given the summation of the greatest single section on discipleship in all of the Bible. It sums up everything the Lord wants us to know on the subject. Generally speaking the Lord Jesus said that discipleship involves an identification with Him. In today's chapter the Lord Jesus highlights the characteristics of His disciples: They know the message, they are growing at trusting the Lord more than themselves, and they are learning to fear God more than man.

In v.32 of today's passage we read, "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven."

When we look to best understand this verse we must remember that the Lord Jesus was instructing His disciples about discipleship, not justification. He warned them that men would persecute and possibly even kill them. Yet, they were not to be afraid because, as believers who have been guaranteed heaven, they were bound for heaven no matter what pain they might experience here on this earth. The word "confesses" means "to own up to what is true" or "to say what is true" or "to agree with God." True discipleship comes only to those who own up to God the Father's definition of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Frances Chan once said, "Making disciples is all about seeing people transformed by the power of God’s Word. If you want to see that happen in others, you need to be experiencing such transformation yourself."

Now, when the Lord Jesus said that He would confess before the Father those who confessed Him and deny before the Father those who denied Him, He meant simply that. At the place where disciples are to be judged, the Judgment Seat of Christ, He will praise or confess before the Father those who consistently by their words and deeds confessed Him before men. However, disciples who failed to confess Him before men by their words and deeds will find that they will lack the rewards that they otherwise would enjoy in heaven. 

In v.33 of today's passage we read, "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."

It was Hudson Taylor who once said, "The Great Commission is not an option to be considered. It is a command to be obeyed." The Great Commission is a command for all believers in Christ to obey. But, since when has our obedience to God ever earned or maintain God's favor of us? No, it was at the cross of the Lord Jesus that our favor with God was procured. To think that we have to add to Christ's work on the cross for our justification before God is simply not biblical. Discipleship which happens in concert with our sanctification is different than our justification. While justification gets us into heaven, sanctification gets heaven into us now.

In 2 Timothy 2:11-13 we read, "11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself."

Again, we must interpret any passage by its context. These verses are found in an epistle which includes instructions for believers in Christ. The privilege of ruling with Christ in heaven is not guaranteed for every believer. If we endure in confessing Christ in our words and deeds, we will reign with Him. If we deny Him by our words and deeds, He will deny us that privilege of reigning with Him. The context of 2 Timothy 2:12 makes it clear that the Lord Jesus will deny faithless disciples to rule with Him in heaven. So, if we deny Christ by our words and deeds, He will deny us the opportunity to reign with Him. Confessing Christ may lead to persecution and loss now, but ultimately it leads to blessings and gain forever.

I close with a pertinent quote by Brennan Manning who said, "What makes authentic disciples is not visions, ecstasies, biblical mastery of chapter and verse, or spectacular success in the ministry, but a capacity for faithfulness. Buffeted by the fickle winds of failure, battered by their own unruly emotions, and bruised by rejection and ridicule, authentic disciples may have stumbled and frequently fallen, endured lapses and relapses, gotten handcuffed to the fleshpots and wandered into a far country. Yet, they kept coming back to Jesus."

Matthew 10:27-31

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27 Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 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. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. ~ Matthew 10:27-30

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 10 where the Lord Jesus continues to instruct His disciples on being disciples. Discipleship is a life-long process whereby the believer in Christ  becomes more Christ-like. In today's passage the Lord Jesus continues to address the issue of fear in the life of the believer. The Bible mentions two types of fear. The first is reverential awe of God and is obviously beneficial to us. The second causes us to run from God and is a detriment and is to be overcome. 

In v.27 of today's passage we read, "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops."

The Lord Jesus had been teaching His disciples secretly about His kingdom which is light to the darkness of this world. Spiritual darkness describes the state of a person whose sin has not been atoned for and who lacks a personal relationship with God. Most people live in rebellion to God without even knowing it. Fortunate for us the darkness of separation from God is overcome through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 1:4-5 we read, "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

Then the Lord Jesus told His disciples to take His teachings to the whole world and proclaim them from the housetops. In that day, the roofs of the peoples houses were the place to make announcements. And, the announcements made from the rooftops of the houses have always been the best. The message we are to share with the people is life-giving. The message rescues people from eternal death and separation from God. Once made alive to God, it is normal and natural for the believer to deeply desire to see the lost enter into a personal relationship with God. This is due to the fact that God is giving to us His heart for the lost.

In v.28 of today's passage we read, "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."

It is the fear of the rejection by man that strangles effective evangelism most. Self-preservation is the biggest culprit here. For those who live in the light of eternity, sharing the truths of the Bible is natural. This is the second of three "fear nots" that the Lord uttered to His disciples that day. In these statements the Lord underscored the fact that if we fear God, we will not fear man or anything else. Having a proper understanding of God is what enables the believer to battle our fears. A proper reverence of God will lead us into the darkest places in this world to share the truth of God's Word with whomever will listen. And, why should we fear those yet in the darkness when all they can do is to kill our bodies and not our souls. We all know that we will live on into eternity. And, when we are in eternity God will give us new glorified bodies.

In v.29-31of today's passage we read, "29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."

The Lord used the copper coin to illustrate the seeming insignificance of a sparrow. Just two copper coins added up to a Greek "penny." About sixty-four Greek pennies made up a denarius, or a day's wage for a laborer. In light of God's care for the smallest of His creation, the Lord Jesus used the third of the three "fear not" statements. This time the Lord used this phrase in the context of what seems to be insignificant animal life. Nothing happens in the most insignificant parts of this life that God does not know or care about it. In fact, He knows the very strands of hair on our heads. His point is that we have nothing to fear, especially in light of the fact that God is aware of even our most difficult moments and we can trust Him with it all. Not only does God see the sparrow when it falls, but the sparrow would not fall to the ground apart from the His will. It’s not as if the sparrows fall at random from the trees and God takes note when it happens. The sparrows fall because God willed them to fall, and if He didn’t, the sparrows would never fall to the ground. This means God cares about us much more than the sparrows and He meets their every need. 

After all is said and done, in a given moment we see only bits and pieces of God’s plan for our lives. Sometimes those bits and pieces don’t make much sense to us. We lack the ability to see how each piece fits together. I find it helpful to be very aware of where to begin in my thinking regarding these things. If we start with the things that frighten us, we will find it hard to reason back to God. We must always start with what we know to be true about God. Even then, we have a difficult time making sense out of our fears. It was John Nelson Darby who once said, "That which is darkness to my intellect has become light to my soul."  When we realize that whatever has happened to us has come through the sieve of His will for us, we can rest assured that it will render a good result for us. What we must do is to keep our eyes on Him and to be patient with Him and to trust Him through it all. 

Matthew 10:24-26

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24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 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! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. ~ Matthew 10:24-26

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 10 where the Lord Jesus was preparing His disciples for their first ministry opportunity. Every believer in the Lord Jesus is called by the Lord Jesus to "make disciples." As the Lord Jesus sent the very first disciples out to make disciples, He was making of them disciples. Disciple-making is a relational activity. When a rabbi called disciples to himself, he was calling them to follow his way of living closely. 

The Lord Jesus called the disciples to follow Him, to do life together with Him. Later, after the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven, Peter and John were brought before the religious leaders and teachers for trial. When the leaders saw the courage of Peter and John, realizing they were unschooled, ordinary men, the leaders were astonished and recognized that Peter and John had been with the Lord Jesus. This is the key to being a disciple of the Lord Jesus, that is to do life with Him as the Disciple-Maker.

In v.24 of today's passage we read, "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master."

The word "disciple" means learner which morphs into becoming a disciple-maker. But, being a disciple of the Lord Jesus means much more than leading people into a personal relationship with Him. That is not the end of our commission; that is merely the beginning. Disciples of the Lord Jesus have been called into a relationship with Him that is so profound that it reproduces itself in others. The Lord Jesus is the Disciple-Maker and as we find our faith in Him, He gives us the courage to conquer our fears because He is and will always be greater than our fears.

The best learning is observed learning because more is caught than is taught. Since God had equipped His disciples with His Word and the Holy Spirit, it is a must that we assume the posture of the servant. This is part of the reason the Lord Jesus brought in the word "servant" here which literally means slave. The disciple must lose sight of his own will in order to be embraced by the will of the Master. The disciple has been set free from sin and made a willing servant who gladly serves the Lord over self.

In v.25 of today's passage we read, "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!"

The Jewish religious leaders had previously accused the Lord Jesus of doing miracles by the power of Beelzebub which was another name for Satan. Beelzebub literally means “lord of the house.” Israel was meant to be God’s house, with God ruling over them, but they relinquished God's rule when they went the way of Satan in the Garden of Eden. The point the Lord Jesus was making was this: persecution will come to those who resemble their Master, the Lord Jesus. The world hates the Lord Jesus and therefore anyone else that is truly reflective of Him.  The disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ can be confident. We do not need to fear the future regardless of the strength and intensity of any persecution that may come upon us because God has given us eternity. There is no cause for us to worry about our Savior’s love, for God is personally and intimately involved with us. His love for us is infinite in keeping with His own character.

In v.26 of today's passage we read, "Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known."

The persecutors of the Lord Jesus watched Him do good but they refused to acknowledge Him as good. Instead, they acknowledged Him as the arch enemy of God. They totally misunderstood the Lord Jesus and His ministry. As such they resisted Him to the greatest degree! The Lord Jesus said, "Do not fear them." Certainly, the Lord Jesus’ admonition to not fear is not limited to the Pharisees. It certainly applies to everyone who would resist God's truth as it is presented.  Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ will be misunderstood in this world. The fact is that we will be hated by world because it is not aligned with the Lord. 

This is the first of three times in the greater context here that the Lord Jesus reminded the disciples to not fear. He said this because God will clarify everything in the end. At the end of time, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will be included on His side which will triumph over evil. He will overcome that which has caused us fear. He will do this by the truth. At the end of time, people will see how sinful and wicked they were to resist the Lord Jesus. And, just as He will be vindicated by the truth, so also will we be vindicated. In that day, God will set all records straight. The truth that we have been telling people for years will be demonstrated to be true and it will endure.

Matthew 10:21-23

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21 Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ~ Matthew 10:21-23

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 10 where the Lord Jesus is instructing His disciples before He sent them out two by two for the first time into the surrounding towns in Galilee. Many times in the Bible, prophetic words have double application. Today's passage is just that. The description in today's passage applied immediately to the disciples, but these words also apply to believers at the end of times we know it. The main idea is that the disciple keeps his eyes on the Lord. It is only through knowing the purposes of the Lord for our trials are we able to endure them best.

In v.21 of today's passage we read, "Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death."

In Matthew 10:5-15 we learned of the authority of the Lord Jesus over sickness, death and demon-possession. In Matthew 10:16-23 the tables are turned. Here, we learn of the persecution and even martyrdom that awaits the disciple of the Lord Jesus. This type of severe persecution has come to pass many times over the centuries. As indicated in this passage, Christians have been handed over and even put to death by their own family members. The history of the church is written in the blood of the martyrs. Almost all of the disciples were martyred for their faith. One didn't because he didn't see the resurrection coming. After the resurrection of the Lord Jesus the disciples were changed and emboldened because they had not one doubt that the Lord Jesus had risen.

In v.22 of today's passage we read, "And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."

History informs us that each of the original disciples sent out by the Lord Jesus was persecuted and jailed but not during this first trip. Later on they were killed for bearing His name. Still, the Lord Jesus said that those of them who endure to the end will be saved. He did not mean that they would escape death at the hands of the persecutors. He meant that by enduring all the way to the end of their lives in faithfulness to His calling, they would immediately enter into their salvation in His kingdom.

People see the Lord Jesus as dangerous because He threatens the safety of their sin. Yes, it is hard to believe but people garner a certain amount of comfort from their sin. Our loving Shepherd, the Lord Jesus has given us boundaries to protect us from sin and from our lack of wisdom. In the face of real danger, God's warnings are motivated by His love for us. God warns us because He knows both the true depths of sin’s destruction and the true heights of His mercy. He knows the threats that exist and He wants to protect us from the destruction of sin in our lives.

The Lord Jesus speaks to us with warnings of perfect love. He warned His disciples because naming the fear is the first step to being freed from it. John reminds us that it is the love of God that casts out our fear. His love, although sometimes frightening, gives us freedom from our fears. Even though we have been imprisoned by fear, God's love frees us from its shackles by convincing us that His definitions of life are best for us. As believers in Christ, we have the life of God living in us. But, if we aren't being defined by His life, we will be defined by that which brings with it unhealthy fear. There is a healthy side of fear. The type of fear that causes God to be bigger in our lives is healthy. But, God's love has to be made perfect to us and it is made more perfect in us as we give ourselves to His definition of things. When we obey Him, we will know that we are being defined by Him. The more we know His love for us, the more we will have a more mature and correct understanding of His love for us.

In v.23 of today's passage we read, "When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

Persecution sometimes serves us by convincing us to not waste our time at a particular place. The Lord Jesus implored the disciples to move on to the next city. We are admonished in the same way, to move on to the next person because time is of the essence. The disciples struggled with this information because they were convinced that the Lord Jesus was there to usher in His kingdom permanently. They didn't understand that at least two thousand years would pass before the end of this world would come. They didn't know about the second coming spoken of in Zechariah 12 where Israel will recognize Him as the one whom they crucified.

When the Lord Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the donkey the people waved palm branches because they expected Him to usher in His kingdom into this world. With it, they along with the disciples, expected the overthrow of the Roman government. But, it didn't happen that way. These first century seekers didn't understand that through the cross God's kingdom would be ushered in by addressing the sin that separated fallen man from God. They didn't know that His first coming was about making atonement for sin. This was the point of all of those passover lambs down through the centuries. Yet, it was in no way what they expected. 

When the Lord Jesus captured our heart, we were equipped to recognize His work in our lives. It isn't a guarantee that we will understand what He is doing in our lives. Even though the disciples struggled to understand all these things, with the coming of the Holy Spirit who makes the believer alive to God, they were enabled to adjust to the plan that God had for their lives. We are no different. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives that enables us to eventually understand God's plan for our lives. And, our ultimate calling is to bring glory to this One who laid aside His glory to redeem us back to God so that we could bask in His shared glory.

Matthew 10:16-20

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16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. ~ Matthew 10:16-20

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 10 where the Lord Jesus was preparing His twelve disciples for their first missionary venture. The Lord Jesus explained to them how they were to present the Gospel to their hearers. He also explained to them how to respond when they rejected their message. The best words we can ever give to others are the very words of God. In Hebrews 4:12 we read, "For whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are." Today's passage underscores what has always been most important to the Triune God which is relationship with Him and others.

In v.16-18 of today's passage we read, "16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles."

Today's passage begins with the word "Behold" which is always used of the Lord to let His hearers know that what He is about to say is worthy of their greatest attention. The important message was that He was sending out the twelve as if they were sheep among wolves. The Lord likened His disciples to sheep which are perhaps the most clueless animals of all. As a result, sheep are utterly helpless and they cannot defend themselves at all. The only defense they have is to run and sheep are not built for speed. 

Now, wolves are the greatest enemy of the sheep. As a result, the number one task of the shepherd is to defend his sheep. The danger to the sheep at the hands of the wolf was very common in biblical days. And the Lord sent the disciples out as sheep in the midst of wolves. This, I am sure, was not the most thrilling call to the ministry for the disciples. Yes, they would have great and awesome powers but the Lord Jesus reminded them that they were going to be in the greatest of danger.

The danger that awaits any believer is a very useful tool to remind us all that our paramount pursuit is intimacy with the Lord. And, there is nothing more useful at pushing us most closely to the Lord than trials. If we let them, trials will convince us to be more and more dependent upon the Lord. And, as we seek Him more ardently, we will grow in great intimacy with the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. 

When we think about the stories from the Bible of people God used most, we think of them because they endured such hardship. God entrusted Job, Joseph, Daniel, Moses, David, Isaiah, Paul, and many others with major trials. We remember them because they faced the most horrific of trials. Had they never faced a major trial, we probably would not know their names. 

The wolves, on the other hand, are those who look to persecute the believer. This warning from the Lord wasn't immediately realized by the disciples because they didn’t experience any persecution till after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. After His resurrection, the disciples were called before Governors and Kings and were treated most poorly for the sake of the Lord Jesus. When we remember that anything we do for the glory of the Lord will last on into eternity, we will be poised to endure hardships while on this earth.

In v.19-20 of today's passage we read, "19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."

The Lord Jesus guarantees all who are serious about sharing the Gospel with others that we will be treated badly by some of them. And, if God can control the vast complexities of the universe, we can trust Him with whatever happens in our lives. There are days that we have been known to worry that God isn’t good. By worrying, our actions say to God and everyone around us that He doesn’t have our best in mind. This has been the malady of everyone who has ever believed in the God of the Bible. Then add in the fact that He just guaranteed persecution, it is natural for us to struggle with the whole idea of trusting Him. 

In the final analysis, the Lord reminded the disciples to not worry about what to say to their persecutors because He would give them the message they would need at that time. It is most difficult when we are desiring to be used of the Lord to help others see the truth of the Gospel. Sometimes we speak too quickly and sometimes we must be patient before we speak.

Recently, I was in a Bible Study with a man who said, "All religions lead us to the same God." I wanted to come out of my shoes but I modulated my emotions. I quickly asked the Lord to give me the words to speak to this man who has yet to see the light of the Gospel. At that point the Lord gave me the words. I then said to the man, "What is love?" He stumbled for a few words. I then reminded him that the greatest definition of love was uttered through the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ when He said, "There is no greater love than that you lay down your life for your friends." The Lord Jesus definitely did that when He bridged the gap created by our sin between us and God. He did that on the cross of Calvary. Then I reminded that no religious leader has ever laid down his life for his friends. The Lord Jesus is the only one to ever to lay down His life for His friends. That must make a difference in our understanding regarding who is the author of love. The Lord Jesus is the only one to lay down His life for His friends. He did it because had He not we would be damned forever. 

Matthew 10:11-15

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11 Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city! ~ Matthew 10:11-15

Today, we continue our study of Matthew 10 where the Lord Jesus was giving to His twelve disciples instructions for their first mission trip without Him. He sent them out in pairs with the goal of giving witness to the coming of the kingdom of God. Here the Lord Jesus, for the first time, sent His disciples out to do ministry. In order to be most effective, they were to give the profile of an effective witness, they were to share the gospel, they were to show the people compassion and they were to trust the Lord to meet their needs. To make the disciples most effective, the Lord Jesus gave each of them the power to heal the sick, to cleanse the lepers, to raise the dead, and to cast out demons. 

In v.11-13 of today's passage we read, "11 Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you."

Hospitality was huge in biblical days. A traveler back then, didn't have to look for a hotel when he arrived in a town. It was the responsibility of the town to show hospitality and to give what was necessary for those who were traveling. A stranger was always invited into the people's homes for a night of two. In those days traveling preachers wanted to stay just long enough to get money out of a family and then go to the next place. They kept moving to the next house, collecting more money from everybody. 

The Lord Jesus countered that practice by telling His disciples to look for faith in the people with whom they conversed. It is our faith in the work accomplished at the cross of Christ that makes any of us worthy before the Lord. If the people were amiable to the Gospel, the disciples were to lodge with them if they invited them in. The disciples were to remain at one house and to lodge there the whole time they were in that city. They were to start there and they were to leave for their next destination from there. 

When the disciples went out, they went out with the gospel message informing the people that their sin could be forgiven. And, whoever believed in the Lord Jesus would not be separated from God for eternity. Their message was a message about God's forgiveness and His free gift to them of His salvation. It also included telling the people to repent or to change their mind about salvation, that it was a free gift for those who had long tried to earn God's favor. This enabled them to enter into that which God had in mind all along, a personal relationship with Him.

In v.14 of today's passage we read, "And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet."

The practice of shaking the dust off of one's feet was a rabbinical practice. The rabbis when they would travel to Gentile land and reenter the land of Israel, they would do this, they would shake the dust off their feet publicly so as to say, every particle of dust from this heathen area, we're leaving off of our bodies because they believed that even the Gentile dust would defile them. Their idea of shaking the dust off was to reveal their disapproval of the paganism of that place. 

If the people didn't receive the disciples, it was due to their lack of positive response to their message that the Lord Jesus was their promised Messiah of the Old Testament. When this was the case, the disciples were to "shake off the dust from their feet" meaning if the people refused God's free gift of salvation, the disciples were to move on from that area. To shake the dust off one's feet was a testimony against the disbelief of the people. This was quite different than the religious leaders practice.

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" 

Just as it didn’t turn out very good for Sodom and Gomorrah, so it will not for anyone else who rejects the free gift of forgiveness of sin through Christ. Since there is the truth, there must be an answer to that which threatens the truth and that threat is called sin. At the heart of sin is self-reliance. Due to the self reliance of the people who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah, fire and brimstone rained down on them. Sadly, there is no trace of either of those cities today. God delivered absolute and total devastating and eternal judgement upon them both. And, it will be worst for the people who lived in Galilee who rejected the truth of the Gospel because they were exposed more to truth than the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. You see, at the end of the day what will determine our eternity is how we responded to the truth. It is only by the truth of the Gospel that anyone has hope beyond this fallen world. Believing in the One who said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" is the only ticket to spending eternity in the blissfulness of heaven.