August 1, 2021
Morning Service

We are continuing our study of the writing of Matthew and we have been attempting to place ourselves as the 13^th apostle walking alongside the others following Jesus.  He is teaching us how to become fishers of men by His words which are made powerful by His actions.  We have seen some amazing thing along our way; the lame to walk, the blind to see, the storms calmed upon His word, and even the dead raised to life.  At the beginning of chapter 10 Jesus becomes very transparent with those He has chosen to follow about what lies ahead of them.  He empowered them to be able to heal the sick and cast out demons and directed them to go first to the children of Israel with their message of salvation.  They were to trust the Holy Spirit not only to provide their needs along the way but also to bring the desired results from them obediently sharing the truth with those they encounter.  So far so good, but here is where Jesus becomes very real with them.

Mat 10:16-25 "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.  (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.  (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!

            Jesus is being transparent with us.  He is not calling us to a life of “health, wealth, and happiness” but to life of following Him wherever He leads which includes some very difficult paths.  He plainly tells us that persecution will come through physical abuse, family troubles, and that we will be hated by others not because of who we are, but because Who it is we are following.  Wisely Jesus did not stop this discourse at this point; He sees the way we are looking back at Him with eyes wide open and our heads now spinning with the knowledge of trouble ahead.  He speaks to us with a confidence that is contagious and tells us “Don’t be afraid.”

 

Mat 10:26-33 Therefore, do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.  (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.  (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.

            Paul told the Roman church in Chapter 8; “If God is for us who can be against us?” Jesus’ reassurance to us is this; “I know you, I value you and I will be there for you.  Let my presence chase away your fear.”  He reveals to us the presence of God in our lives in saying that not even a sparrow dies that falls outside His control.  How much more does He value us than a sparrow?  He tells us that the hairs on our head are numbered; He is present in our lives at all times.  Think about that for a moment and realize what that means.  Every thought, every heartache, and every joy we experience He is right there with us in that moment.  “Don’t be afraid I am here” He reminds us always.  Do you feel Him that close to you?  Do you realize He knows you better than you even know yourself and loves you anyway?  In choosing to follow Him we do NOT become exempt from trouble, but accept them as a part of His calling.  We choose His presence over our circumstances; following faithfully even when we do not understand.  He uses the trials to refine us as fire refines gold, burning off the impurities to make us more like Him.  In being obedient to Him and confessing our faith to others, He promises to claim us as His own to His Father.  The opposite is also true that is deny Him or simply refuse to confess Him, He will also deny us.  The choice is ours.  Jesus now returns to His discourse on the challenges that lie ahead summarizing very well.

 

  Mat 10:34-39 "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.' (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.

            Jesus is being extremely transparent to those He has called to follow Him.  He did not come to bring a utopia with promising all who followed “health, wealth and happiness.”  He prophesies in choosing to follow Him will cause contentions even with those who are closest to us; our family.  Jesus is asking each one of us to put Him first in our lives even above our own family (Read verse 37) The next two verses really sum up what He is trying to tell us here.  (Read verse 38-39).  What does He mean by taking up our cross and following after Him?  Following Jesus comes with a cost; a responsibility.  We are not in any way “earning” our salvation, but we are displaying our love and commitment to Him through denying ourselves, surrendering to Him in obedience.  It of course could point to the future where Jesus Himself carried His cross to Golgotha.  In carrying His cross, He was displaying that He was giving up His life for the purpose of fulfilling God’s will.  When He asks us to carry our cross it is for the same reason.  To take up our cross and follow Christ means to live in such a devoted abandonment to Him that even death itself is not too high a price to pay. To carry my cross means I daily choose to follow Him pursuing His will and not mine no matter the cost.  To find true life I must be willing to lose it.  He asks me to surrender all to Him and faithfully follow.  Think of the price Jesus was asking these men to make for Him.  They left everything; family, careers, and homes to follow.  The cost of following, discipleship, can be high but the rewards are great.

 

Mat 10:40-42 "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."

            Jesus promises that He will reward us for our obedience; He will bless our efforts to serve and follow.  Even a giving a glass of water will be rewarded.  We are called to follow and leave the rest to Him.

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for sharing the truth with us about following Your Son.  Please grant us the love, faith, courage, and endurance to carry our cross every single day.

 

Jesus is speaking very openly of what the cost is for following Him.  I encourage each of you this week to sit down in front of your spiritual mirror and examine yourself to see if you are being faithful to carry your cross.  Attitude is everything and we can’t carry it in a dutiful manner or as if it is a burden.  It is a joy to give up ourselves for something bigger.  We are carrying our cross, doing our part, for a kingdom not made with hands.  One that will be a utopia without sin, pain, tears, or separation.  This world, this time, is not heaven but it is coming!  Keep your eyes fixed upon the One we are following and He will lead us there.  What a day that will be!