Courage, Confidence, Conflict and Cost

Reading

Matthew 10:24-39

Introduction

We're continuing with the Lord's instructions to his twelve disciples as he prepared them for short- and long-term mission.  It's a challenging passage but we must take it seriously, not least because these are words that Jesus spoke, and if we don't hear what he has to say we might have a wrong impression of what it means to be his followers.

The twelve were being sent on the same mission as Jesus; he told them, '… proclaim this message: "The kingdom of heaven has come near."'  The mission of the church has been the same ever since, and by our very existence as disciples of Jesus, we proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is still near.

In the preceding verses, Jesus has told his disciples they were going out as sheep among wolves; they'll be opposed by religious and secular authorities, they'll be hated and persecuted on account of Jesus;  they shouldn't expect any better treatment than he gets.  The opposition called him the Prince of Demons, the disciples can expect to hear worse!

It's not the kind of pep-talk you might expect when you're being sent out with good news!  More like a commanding officer, on the night before a crucial battle, telling his troops, "Some of you will not be coming back..."

In our free nation, it may seem that being a Christian is all sweetness and light.  Jesus wanted the twelve to understand that wouldn't be the case, and down the centuries, believers have lived under terrible persecutions.  There are signs of Christians being marginalised even in our land today.  We've no guarantee it won't get worse!

Courage to Confront (26-28)

Jesus wants his disciples to have Courage to Confront the obstacles ahead of them. 

He's not afraid of his enemies, and he wants them to overcome their fears too.  There will be casualties, but the battle will be won, the truth will prevail, and they must proclaim the truth courageously.

Some will oppose them, but Jesus says in effect, "Seriously, what's the worst they can do?  They can end your physical life but they can't touch your eternal destiny!"

Do we really believe that?  Does it inspire us to be courageous in the face of confrontation?

Confidence in the One who Cares (28-31)

Jesus wants his disciples to have Confidence in the One who Cares.

He reminds them that, unlike the opposition, God does have power to destroy the soul as well as the body.  (Just for clarity, you do not have a soul, you are a soul; your soul is you.)  But he also reminds them that God is their Father, and they are in his unfailing care. 

Sparrows were the cheapest thing sold in the market as food for the poor.  Even though people thought sparrows pretty worthless, Jesus tells us that God cares about them.  So how much more does he care for you?  You're worth much more to your Father in heaven than a whole flock of sparrows!  He's intimately concerned with the minutest details of your life: even the hairs on your head are numbered (not literally of course—don't get your magnifying glass out!).

Now, we have to remember that the sparrows still fell!  God's intimate care doesn't mean we're immune to persecution or oppression, or even death!  But, come what may, we can't be robbed of our eternal destiny!

Do we have confidence in the One who cares for us?

Conversion amid Conflict (32-36)

Jesus tells them they will be Conversions amid the Conflict.

Some who hear the message will welcome it.  Others won't.  Jesus tells us there's a difference between those who openly acknowledge him and those who don't.  Those who acknowledge him before others will come to share in the eternal destiny that Christ has for us.  But I think it has benefit for our relationship with God in this life too!

When I became a Christian, it was easy to tell Christian schoolfriends what I'd done.  When the challenge came to tell some who weren't Christians, and I did it, even though they thought I was nuts, my faith blossomed!  It was even more difficult telling my parents, but what a difference it made to me when I did, even though they told me just what they thought about it!

This illustrates what Jesus said: 'Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. … A man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

But hold on a minute!  When Jesus was born, didn't the angel say, 'Peace on earth'?  Isn't Jesus the Prince of Peace?

God's means of making peace was truly on earth.  When we turn from our old, rebellious, sinful ways, and put our trust in Jesus for redemption and reconciliation with God, he becomes our Prince of Peace.  But from the world's perspective, we've taken sides with the enemy!

Our lives challenge the way of life of others, however graciously we express our faith.  In a sense, when I became a Christian, it's as though I rejected the way my parents brought me up, and they didn't like that.  We had good relationships when I was older and they realised I wasn't going through a phase.  But they never really got it.  There was still a division there.

My experiences are trivial.  Think of the Muslim who converts to Christ.  Blasphemy!  Worthy of death!  Think of Christians in communist lands, who were no threat to the regime, law-abiding people whose crime was to acknowledge a higher authority.  Worthy of imprisonment, torture, execution!

The church in China grew like wildfire.  Even though there was conflict, there were innumerable conversions as a result of the courage of the Lord's people.

Counting the Cost (36-39)

Jesus tells his disciples that for those who turn to him there's a Cost to be Counted. 

He must be the most important person in our lives, and following him the most important thing.

Doesn't the Bible tell us to honour our parents?  Yes, but we must love Jesus more.

Doesn't the Bible teach us to take great care of our children?  Yes, but we must love Jesus more.

If we don't, he says we're not worthy of him.

He talks about taking up the cross.  The disciples would have known what he meant; the Romans didn't crucify people in private.  Jesus says, count yourselves dead; go out and die.  Do that and you'll live forever.  Choose not to, and you'll lose everything.

Closing Comments

This has not been an easy passage to preach on.  You may think the Lord's words here the most discouraging words he uttered.  But we can't just pick out the nice bits and ignore the rest.

We learn that if we call Jesus Lord, then he has first claim on our lives.  We must be willing to bear his reproach.

We also learn about the Father's love, how precious we are to him, and our eternal security.  And, yes, be encouraged by those things: that's why he told the twelve disciples about them. 

Because of these things, let's be bold for Jesus.  If God is for us, who can be against us?