Why Are We to Prepare Ourselves for Persecution?
Matthew 10:16-42
In verses sixteen - eighteen:
The resistance of the Pharisees would resemble assaulting wolves. The only expectation that the disciples have is to seek their Shepherd for assurance. We might even confront comparable aggression. Like the disciples, we are not to be sheeplike in our mentality but rather logical and judicious. We are not to be artless pawns nor are we to collusive. We should find a harmony among reasonability and straightforwardness to achieve God's work.
Later on, the disciples encountered these difficulties (Acts 5:40, 12:1-3), from without (government, courts), yet additionally from the inside (family, companions, Matthew 10:21). Living for God frequently welcomes the possibility of distress, yet with it comes the valuable chance to tell the Good News of salvation. In the midst of mistreatment, we can be sure on the grounds that Jesus has “overcome the world” (John 16:33), and the people who persevere to the end will be “saved” (Matthew 10:22).
In verses nineteen - twenty:
Jesus let the disciples know that when they are captured for teaching the Gospel, they should not stress over what to say because God's Spirit would talk through them. This guarantee was satisfied in Acts 4:8-14 and Luke 12:11-12. Some erroneously figure this implies that we do not need to plan to announce the Gospel, since God will deal with everything. Notwithstanding, Scripture instructs that we are to make ready, helpful articulations (Colossians 4:6). Jesus is not advising us to quit getting ready yet to quit stressing.
In verses twenty-one - twenty-five:
Persevering to the end is not a method for being saved yet the proof that you are truly dedicated to Jesus. Steadiness is not a way to acquire salvation, however the side-effect of a genuinely devout life.
Christ cautioned them against hasty self-sacrifice. They were to leave before the abuse became too immense. We have a lot of work to do and many individuals to reach. Our work will not be done until Christ returns. In addition, solely after He returns will the entire world see what His identity is (Matthew 24:14).
Beelzebub (Lucifer) was otherwise called the master of the flies and the ruler of the demons. The Pharisees blamed Jesus for utilizing Beelzebub's ability to cast demons out of people (Matthew 12:24). Doing good is on occasion referred to as an act of evil. On the off chance that Jesus, who is impressive, was called evil, His devotees can expect comparable allegations coordinated at them. Nevertheless, the individuals who get through will be justified (Matthew 10:22).
In verses twenty-six - twenty-eight:
We are told not to fear what we may or may not see. What God tells us in our private time in prayer, we are told to speak it during the light and on the housetops. To put it in another way, no matter where we are or where we go, we are to proclaim God’s Word in whatever means possible.
In addition, we are told not to fear those that may cause us physical death for they cannot touch our eternal soul. However, we are to fear the Lord, who has the power to destroy the body and the soul. (Luke 12:1-9; Isaiah 8:13; Jeremiah 1:8; Hebrews 10:31)
In verses twenty-nine - thirty-one:
Jesus said that God knew about all that happens even to sparrows, and we are definitely more important to Him than they are. We are significant to such an extent that God sent His only Son to die for us (John 3:16). Since He puts such worth on us, we really never dread any private dangers or troublesome preliminaries. These cannot shake God's affection or oust His Spirit from inside us.
Yet, this does not imply that God will remove our difficulties as a whole (Matthew 10:16). The genuine basic analysis is the way something holds up under the wear and tear, and the maltreatment of our daily existence. The individuals who support Christ despite their difficulties will have enduring worth and will obtain incredible rewards (Matthew 5:11-12).
In verses thirty-two - thirty-three:
These two verses should be easy to understand. If we proclaim Christ to humanity, Christ will proclaim us to God the Father. This is referring to the judgment seat. We cannot, in all honesty, proclaim Christ to man if we do not know Him personally as our Lord and Savior. This also goes in the other direction. If we deny knowing Christ to humanity, He will also deny knowing us to Father God. (Luke 12:8; Romans 10:9; Revelation 3:5; Luke 9:36; 2 Timothy 2:12)
In verses thirty-four - thirty-seven:
Jesus did not come to bring the sort of harmony that gleams over profound contrasts only for the sake of shallow concordance. Struggle and conflict will emerge between the people who decide to follow Christ and the individuals who do not. However, we can anticipate the day when all contention will be settled (Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 5:9; John 14:27).
Christian responsibility might isolate companions, friends, and family. In saying this, Jesus was not empowering noncompliance to parents or struggle at home. Yet rather, He was showing that His presence requires a choice. Since some will follow Him and some will not, contention will definitely emerge. As we take up our cross and follow Him, our various qualities, ethics, objectives, and purposes will separate us from others. However, we should not disregard our family but recall that our obligation to God is much more significant than they are. God ought to be our primary goal.
Christ calls us to a higher mission than to track down solace and quietness in this life. The love of family is a law of God, however even this affection can be self-serving and blamed so as not to serve God or go about His responsibilities.
In verses thirty-eight - forty-two:
To pick up our cross and follow Jesus implies being ready to openly relate to Him, face resistance and opposition, and prepare for languishing and demise for His purpose. Verse thirty-nine is a positive and negative assertion of a similar truth. Gripping to this life might make us relinquish the best from Christ in this world and in the following. The more we love this life's prizes (leisure, power, notoriety, monetary security), the more we find how void they truly are. Thusly, the most effective way to appreciate life is to slacken our ravenous handle on natural prizes to be allowed to follow Christ. In doing as such, we will acquire timeless life and start immediately to encounter the advantages of following Him.
The amount we love God can be estimated by how well we treat others. Jesus' instance of giving some water to a parched youngster is a decent model of unselfish help. Children typically cannot or will not reciprocate. God sees each good deed that we do or do not do as though He were the one getting it. Is there something unselfish that we can perform for another person today? Albeit no other person might see us do it, but God will take note.
