Have the Correct Focus
Matthew 10:26-31
* Karl Wallenda was the patriarch of the Great Flying Wallendas. Their tightrope walking & aerialists feats amazed huge crowds for years. In his book “Why leaders can’t lead”, Warren Bennis writes; “I was struck with Karl’s capacity for concentration on the intention, the task, and the decision. After Karl fell to His death in San Juan (73), his wife said that for the first time since she had know him, he had been concentrating on falling, instead of the tightrope. He personally supervised the attachment of the guide wire, which he had never done before.
* This would suggest that he lost his focus on what should have been his main focal point, which was walking on the wire and replaced that.
* The difference between success & failure, life & death, is the directioin we are looking & what we are focused on. TEXT
1. Focus on Truth – Verse 26 is a reminder that God’s truth always wins out. There is a huge difference in “Man’s Truth” and “God’s Truth.” We see this played out in our culture in many ways. The truth debate begins as simply as with a discussion about the 10 Commandments. God’s word is never a ‘suggestion’, it is truth; yet, our culture has chosen to marginalize this Decalogue. Next we can approach the mystery of the gospel – which is not only secret to this culture but foolishness to many. Jesus is reminding us that all of God’s truth, whether doctrinal or personal, will be revealed that day. Revelation 20:11-14 gives us reason to stand with God’s truth. (Read) Hebrews 4:12 is a familiar verse about God’s word which we celebrate, quote, and more, but verse 13 is a sobering verse (Read). The Bible is laced with texts which speak a strong word of reminder about what Jesus is saying here. (Heb 13:17, I Peter 4:5, Romans 14:12) But what sobers me is the picture which is painted for us in Revelation 1:9-16. The part of His caricature which jumps out at me every time I read this is; ‘eyes like a fiery flame.’ It is with those eyes that He can see me to my core (and you to your core), it is with those eyes that He sees into the heart, and it is with those eyes that He knows us better than we know ourselves. The very reason that nothing covered and hidden will remain so is because Jesus sees, knows, and speaks all truth. In our Matthew text, is it any wonder that the words of Jesus are placed where they are? Jesus gives this teaching on the heels of a strong warning that, as believers, we will be persecuted (Matthew 10:16-25) The footnote on this text, is that one day, Jesus will make all things known because His truth will always win out and Satan’s Secrets will lose out.
2. Focus on Testimony – Jesus has just taught that His truth will be exposed, secrets on earth will be uncovered, and that “Man’s truth” will be laid bare; and He continues to say, “What I tell you in the dark” – which mankind may perceive as a secret – will be shouted on the mountain top. Think about the implications of what Jesus is saying. He speaks to us in our quiet times, our prayers, our struggles, as well as our times of victory; and as a general rule, His voice seems to come in that still small voice which no one else can hear, but as a Child of God, we can’t miss – we are His.
* It is these things that He gives us in private that He expects us to proclaim from the roof tops. Peter demonstrates in Acts 3 what Jesus is conveying here when He says, “I don’t have any money to give, but I give you something better than money.” Most of us will say, “I cannot heal any one from being lame” and while you may be correct in the physical realm, consider this; if you have Jesus in your heart, then you have something better to give than money, and you may be a part of the process which heals the lameness of a soul. Jesus simply gives us the word that what HE SAYS to US in the darkness and in a whisper is worthy to be spoken in the light and on the housetop.
* In John 3 we read the story of Jesus and Nicodemus. After Nicodemus asks, “Can a man enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” Jesus laid for the truth of the gospel and hammered home the message in verse 11 by saying, “I assure you: We speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (Read) gives us great reason to speak what the Lord tells us in our heart. Might I suggest that NOT ‘speaking up for Christ’ is indeed one of the great sins of the modern day, Americanized church. It seems that many have read the call to go and tell, but have relegated that command to only ‘professional Christians”, that is, the clergy. But Peter is not writing only to the church leaders when he writes in 1 Peter 3:15, “But set apart the Messiah as Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” Here are the issues; first is this; that Christ is Lord of your heart. Christ only becomes Lord AFTER He becomes Savior. The heart which has never been changed by the power of God is a heart where Christ cannot be the Lord. It is a heart that is dark with sin, controlled by the enemy, and is still deceitful above all things. It is a heart which cannot be trusted. In simple terms, this heart is one which has not been touched by God. And not touched by God is a heart given to sin. And sin is punished by death, both physical and spiritual.
* One day the Holy Spirit of God begins to deal with you and make you aware of your sin problem and your need for forgiveness. At that point, you sense, feel, and know that you need a Savior and Jesus is there ready to offer you Salvation. In the moment you receive Him, your heart is transformed & now ready for Him to be Lord. Now you are ready to give a defense for the Hope that is in you. Your hope does not come from your own working, but through the workings of God’s Holy Spirit to transform you. At this point, you can also give a reason. That reason is Jesus. It’s Jesus who died so you don’t have to. Jesus all the daylong!
* Focus on correctly handling ‘secrets’ and how to speak.
3. Focus on Trust – This is the trust that we place in God which brings us security. Security is a huge issue today. People want to feel safe and secure. Nothing is as devastating as the feeling of insecurity. Can you imagine being in the earthquake which preceded the Tsunami? What would it have been like to feel the ground which you thought would so firm move like a ride in a horse drawn wagon with no shock absorber? Honestly, it would seem your world was falling apart. In verse 28 Jesus gives to us the right standard, yardstick, or benchmark to check out our security. He says, “Don’t fear people who can take your physical life, rather fear the one who is able to destroy your body & soul in hell.” Is it fair to say that most of us tend to protect our lives, our families, and our stuff at all cost? In fact, the tendency is to worry more about our kids playing ability than their praying ability. We are more concerned about their position on the team than their position in the King. A kid gets cut or is not allowed to play in the game and parents are ‘in the face’ of the coach, while a kid who does not participate in the group might be a sign they don’t want to be there, so the parent ceases to push them. It’s amazing to me that we place so much emphasis on sports things which are so temporary and leave, to be an extra-curricular activity, the spiritual things which are eternal. Even though Jesus said “fear not those (or that) which can kill the body and not the soul.” How much do we fear the things which can destroy our soul?
* Faith - This should demand our attention every day.
* Others – In the midst of his earthly struggle, Jesus never lost this focus.
* Caring – This is the examination part of focus- what do I care about?
* Uphold – This mean honoring 1 Thessalonians 5:17 by praying constantly.
* Savior – If you don’t have Him, then you don’t know Him. He deserves it.
