Are You In Or Out Series

Matthew 10: 32-42

Are You In Or Out

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. 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.’ 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. 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.”

We are going to do a few things a little different today then we normally do. As you know I like to scan all the Gospels to see if any other writer covered the same event in which we are focusing on. Well in today’s study pieces of our Scripture are scattered in the other Gospels. So, I want us all to see where they appear and what they say. First of all let’s take a look at what Luke wrote;

Luke 12: 8 – 9, “8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”

Luke 12: 49 – 53, “49 “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! 51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Luke 14, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

The apostle Matthew personally observed our Lord’s teachings. He was the first one to write down what he saw and heard. Luke around 15 years after Matthew’s Gospel penned, after investigating and interviewing eyewitnesses, his version. So, let us see what information Luke could refer to in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 10:34-39, 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.’ 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.”

We cannot leave off Mark where he wrote this;

Mark 9, “41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

How do you perceive these differences? Are they in anyway unsettling to you? Well, the way I look at these variances in how they are presented in the different Gospels point out how Amazing our Wonderful Holy Spirit Is. He carefully intertwines His truth is unique ways proving it wasn’t four guys or other religious planners who got together and got their stories all in order. If that was the case then you would see all four in almost perfect harmony. Our Precious Holy Spirit Is not the author of confusion. Scripture does not conflict with other Scripture.