I used to run for our college varsity track team and I can recall the many months of training we would undergo just to compete in a division race. Two hours running before the sun is up and two hours more before the sun goes down. It was grueling. Our coach would pound us with circuit training, endurance exercises and the like; and I don't think I would have endured it if not for the love of the sport.
We suffered during training, sacrificed time and denied ourselves of many things to focus on our sport. I was personally motivated to pursue it because I was passionate about it. I loved my teammates and I also got a pretty good scholarship. Our coach was a lady and she really knew how to train us, how to make us better athletes. But it all came with a cost -- sacrifice, sufferings, self-denial -- all of them combined to reap a reward.
And in our passage this week, Jesus Christ acts as a divine coach to His apostolic-athletes as He explains to them the real cost of following Him. The cost of following Christ will involve suffering and sacrifice. It will involve love and compassion for others. It will entail persecution and opposition from others. It will demand self-denial and humility -- all of these combined -- but the reward is eternal and permanent. Thank you, Jesus!
The cost of following Christ is the all-embracing blanket in our passage this week and we will unpack it in two divisions: Surrendering to Christ, that is Matthew Chapter 9, verse 35 through Chapter 10, verse 15. That's our first division. And our second division is Living for Christ, Matthew Chapter 10, verses 16 to 42. Now are you excited to dive deep with me now? All right. Please open your Bible or your Bible app to Matthew Chapter 9, verse 35 to 38. Let's read these remaining verses of Chapter 9:
"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field'."
Now at this point in time, Jesus has traveled extensively, fully involved, intentionally reaching out, healing, teaching and proclaiming; and along with Him were His team of disciples. He was with them at the helm -- captain, coach, champion. They all looked up to Him. And I imagine Jesus surrounded by His disciples looking out into the throngs of people. He can see through their heart. He feels for them and knows their dire condition. As the pocket of people grew into a multitude, He knew it was time for a team huddle. It was time for a game plan to reach everyone.
Jesus was waiting for this moment. He was prepared for this. His game plan was serious as it involved the future of many lives. The first part of His game plan was to talk to them about what it takes to continue following Him. There was a cost involved -- the cost of following Jesus. In fact before He even speaks, His actions already demonstrated to His team the most important component of following Christ. It involved the heart -- a heart filled with love and compassion -- and He demonstrated it because it was imperative that they saw it firsthand. Jesus demonstrated love and compassion for people. These two are inseparable. Jesus demonstrated love and compassion and His team saw it. They witnessed it and they were the first recipients of it.
And then He speaks. He tells His disciples to pray. Prayer was an integral part of following Christ. He told them to ask God for more teammates. He was very specific in fact. He told them to ask the "Lord of the harvest", meaning God owned the field. It was His harvest. All they needed was God's help for more teammates to reap the harvest. They needed to depend on God Who is the author of life, the owner of the whole world; and communing with God through prayer was exactly what Jesus was training His team to do here.
And then in Chapter 10, verse 1, Jesus moves on to the next part of His game plan -- equipping. He needed to equip His team with the same skill set that He had. In verse 1, "Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness." Right here in this verse is a supernatural skill transfer because Jesus simply gave it to them. He gave them divine authority. No need for months or years of training. Nope. It was supernatural authority passed on to His team.
Then verse 2 to 4 is sort of a roll call, if you may, of His team. But what I want to highlight here is that this is the first time they are called apostles; not disciples anymore. The authority passed on to His disciples elevated them a notch higher than just being followers or disciples. From follower to crusaders. Apostles. His team of apostle-athletes were diverse. They came from different backgrounds, upbringing, education and credentials. They were handpicked for the mission ahead.
And now it's game time, time to send them out. And as I mentioned earlier, Jesus was ready for this moment. This game plan was well thought of and it came with specific instructions detailed in verses 5 through 15. Jesus would specifically tell them the who, what, where, and I think even the why of the whole mission. He starts off with who -- who are the people they are to reach. In verse 6, they are to seek out the lost sheep of Israel -- the Israelites.
Then He tells them what to do. That's in verse 7. They had to do two things -- proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is near and to exercise their divine authority. Now let's pause a bit to talk about what Jesus meant by "The kingdom of heaven is near." This message is the good news that God is accessible. He is not as far away as what some people think He is.
Throughout history, man lived a life that is separated from God. But Jesus knows that there is an emptiness in man's hearts -- like sheep without a shepherd. People long for something more than this world can offer and that is the kingdom of God. Jesus knew that people are suffering from sin and its consequences, suffering from the burden of guilt; and the good news of Jesus is the solution. This message had to be proclaimed.
Now Jesus also told them that they were to exercise their divine authority -- to heal the sick, raise the dead and drive out demons; and I can imagine His apostles were really excited. I mean perhaps they couldn't wait to go! They couldn't wait to perform. Right? They couldn't wait to do what Jesus had been doing.
In verse 9, you are not going to earn anything from this mission. No silver or gold or copper. In fact, do not bring anything extra with you -- not your favorite shirt or running shoes or even your equipment. Jesus tells them "for the worker is worth his keep"; basically telling them to completely depend on God for their provisions. And I guess maybe some of His apostles were already thinking, "Wait, wait, wait. Can you say that again, Lord? Um, no money, no extra clothing and now no assurance of provision?"
The apostles were probably having some doubts. Perhaps that wasn't how they perceived the cost of following Christ. They didn't know that it would require complete and utter surrender. Surrendering all creature comforts for the gospel, surrendering their decisions for the sake of compassion, surrendering their will to God for the sake of love for the multitude. It wasn't going to be easy. It would require sacrifice and humility, love and compassion.
And I wonder is God prompting you to do something that seems difficult to do. Perhaps spending an extra hour or two listening to a friend or colleague open up with their challenges at home or in the office. Or maybe helping out your church or community organize and run a food donation program that will probably take tons of your time and even resources. Or some extra effort teaching senior citizens how to navigate through Zoom or Google meet so they can speak to their children who are in a different country.
Now Jesus continues in verse 11 through 15. They are to stay in a stranger's house, not in an inn or a 5-Star hotel. They are to bless their temporary residence and move on; and if they are rejected, they should "Dust off their feet and leave," meaning they are to walk away with a clear conscience. And then in verse 15, Jesus reveals to them what the future holds for those who will reject Him. He says, "Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town."
In Genesis Chapter 18, it talks about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah where burning sulfur wiped out the inhabitants of this town because of their detestable acts. And in this verse, Jesus was telling His apostles that burning sulfur is more bearable than the sufferings that those who will reject the good news will experience. And I think Jesus was really drilling into them the importance of the mission. He was telling them the why of the mission. It all goes back to the most important step of following Christ -- love and compassion. And if they didn't love the people and had no compassion for the lost, these people would end up in a far more terrible place than Sodom and Gomorrah.
Jesus Himself handpicked these twelve apostles, not because they were the cream of the crop, top brass, valedictorians. They weren't showbiz personalities or influential politicians or businessmen. They weren't the most bemedaled athletes of their time. No, they were regular people living ordinary lives who had normal jobs. They were set apart not because of their background, upbringing or credentials. They were picked because they were willing to surrender to Christ and take on the cost to follow Him. This brings us to our first principle: Followers of Christ are empowered to advance His kingdom.
Principle: Followers of Christ are empowered to advance His kingdom.
Jesus knows what it takes to lead. He demonstrated it by showing love and compassion for people. And as the multitude grew, it was time to set His game plan in motion. Jesus equipped His apostles with the divine skill set they needed for the mission, and He empowered them with specific instructions to advance His kingdom, to proclaim the good news.
As you hear this message, is there anyone you know who needs to hear the good news? Someone carrying a burden of guilt or someone who seems lost and is living an empty life? Will you take some time in the next few days to talk to this person and share God's message? As a loving leader, Jesus was not going to leave them wandering in the dark. He was going to be with them till His death and resurrection. So how does knowing that Jesus empowers His followers give you the courage to obey Him?
Jesus set the example for His disciples and soon, He would give them instructions to go in pairs because what it would cost to follow Christ is also in pairs -- love and compassion, humility and self-denial, surrender and dependence on God., good coaches train well. Good parents prepare their children for the real world beyond the comfort of their home. A good general prepares his troops.
Jesus was preparing His apostles for a mission that changes the destinies of people. It was of utmost importance. And in our next division, Living for Christ, He will reveal to them what to expect, what is outside the door. He had to tell them what to expect because He loved them. So let's continue in Chapter 10 from verse 16.
"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves." This is just the first part of the verse and I would like to pause here a bit because at this point, I was thinking that this mission requires Navy seals, a Delta force kind of mindset and training; more wolves among sheep metaphor. But no, Jesus was actually telling His apostles that they were the sheep and not the wolves. Now let me ask you this: Who wants to be a sheep facing a wolf? Truth be told, I would rather be the wolf. We live in a world filled with aspirations of dominance, control and knowing more than the next person; a world that teaches people how to be a predator else end up as prey.
Wolf among sheep. Why did Jesus say this popular metaphor?
Because a sheep is completely dependent on their shepherd. A sheep knows his master's voice. A sheep obeys completely and wholeheartedly. So we are right back to dependence on God for protection and provision. The apostles had to know this truth, that they would be like sheep among wolves.
And then the second part of the same verse, Jesus shares some divine strategies. Jesus says, "Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." What a powerful combination -- the wisdom of the serpent and the harmlessness of the dove. Jesus was telling them to be clever enough not to be exposed to danger while being unoffending and kind.
The apostles were counting the cost of following Christ. It keeps on adding up. Surrender, sacrifice, and now sheep. But Jesus was not done yet. In verses 16 to 20, He tells them to be ready for they will be arrested and beaten because they are His followers. By this time, His apostles were probably leaning in to make sure they are hearing it correctly. "Did Jesus just say we will be arrested and beaten up? Oh, my!" Perhaps some of them were thinking if they were up for it.
Jesus continues to expound that persecution is part of the cost of following Christ because it will be one of the ways that they will be brought in front of leaders where they would be able to share the gospel to governors and kings. Not just one governor and king, but many governors and many kings and -- get this -- to the Gentiles as well. And to the Gentiles. Wow! Isn't this amazing?
Jesus right here in verse 18 was already thinking about you and me; and since the Bible was written before we were all born, Jesus already had you in mind. He knows your name. Jesus knows you and your future. Speaking of the future, Jesus was already telling His disciples what was to come, and the Book of Acts details what the apostles went through. Verse 20 tells us exactly what would take place when His apostles would be arrested -- that He would be with them through the Holy Spirit. That the words they will utter will not be theirs but it will be from Jesus. How amazing is that!
Talk about being empowered by Christ. Jesus was not going to leave them hanging. They would not be forsaken. He was going to be with them through the Holy Spirit. Isn't that encouraging? The apostles needed to hear this because what Jesus was going to tell them next took the cost of following Him to another level. He tells them in verse 21 that persecution would also come from those close to them, that bitter persecution would take place among families; their brother and even their father.
This is a reality that takes place on a daily basis even in our world today. Siblings divided over faith, parents shutting down any discussion about religion in the dinner table or worse, forcing a worldview contrary to the faith. Another painful reality is that sometimes Christians pay the ultimate price in faith to Jesus. Studies show that Christians are the most persecuted group in the world and over 90,000 Christians are martyred every year.
Jesus was openly transparent to His apostles. He wasn't sugarcoating any of this. Jesus told them that they would be hated in verse 22, and the website Open Doors USA reported two years ago that about one out of nine Christians experience high levels of persecution for their choice to follow Christ. Were the hearts of the apostles palpitating as they heard these words from Jesus? Quite possibly. And then He tells them in the same verse, "But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."
Jesus motivates His athletes. Stand firm, He says, endure, persevere. Keep your eyes on the finish line. And I can imagine the apostles looking at each other and nodding. They must have been thinking, "Let's keep our eyes on the finish line." Then Jesus gives them some advice in verse 23. He tells them to flee when persecuted in one place, basically advising them not to court martyrdom. This is in line with His earlier advice to them to be clever and unoffending.
Now the second part of this verse is one of the most difficult statements of Jesus to explain, and most scholars agree that Jesus is clearly communicating that the persecution of His followers will serve the purpose of moving them from place-to-place, spreading the gospel far and wide. Then in verse 24 and 25, Jesus tells them that they would not be treated any better than He was treated. His enemies called Him Beelzebub or prince of Satan, and so the apostles are to expect to be called the same.
And then in verse 26, like the perfect coach that He is, He senses an atmosphere of fear surrounding the apostles. And so He tells them, "Do not be afraid of the enemy. Do not be afraid of the other team because everything will be made known." That their honorable sacrifice would be made known, for God will reveal all and justify His followers. "Do not be afraid, speak out," Jesus tells them. "The good news is for everyone and not for a secret few. Proclaim the good news to all. Do not be afraid." Jesus repeats this phrase in verse 28 because the enemy can think they have won, but the victory is found in the everlasting resting place of the soul.
And I imagine the apostles standing up and cheering on Jesus, perhaps even clapping their hands. But Jesus is not done yet. He dives deeper to explain how valuable they were to Him. He says in verse 29 to 31, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." This is the third time Jesus says, "Don't be afraid." Jesus is diving deep into their hearts and wraps it with the message, "Don't be afraid. I care for you. Our Father in heaven knows you by name. He knows the number of hairs on your head." He knows our needs more than we do. I mean, we don't even know how many hair strands we have, but He does.
Don't you agree with me that as Christians, we oftentimes forget this --that God cares, that He knows what we are going through? May this serve as a reminder especially when we choose the righteous path and are met with disdain from our friends or colleagues at work. When we choose to follow the teachings of Christ despite opposition, He takes care of us and He also acknowledges us in heaven.
That's right. When we confess Christ and demonstrate our Christianity in public, Jesus acknowledges us before God in heaven. That's what He says in verse 32 and 33. There is no such thing as a secret Christian. Our lives should reflect the faith that we carry. As the most forgiven people in the world, we should also be the most forgiving. As the most loved people in the world, we should also be the most loving.
Jesus is not quite done yet with His speech. His honesty breaks through barriers and notions to ensure that His apostles knew the truth. In verse 34, He breaks one of their assumptions. He tells them, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." And I can imagine some of the disciples probably thinking aloud, "What? Say that again, Jesus.
Aren't you the Prince of Peace?"
In their minds, they were thinking about political peace, peace from infighting. But Jesus did not come to bring peace to the earth. He came to bring peace that is far greater than their own definition. He came to bring peace between man and God. That is His life mission and it will require His death and resurrection to accomplish it. Jesus is the only way, the only truth and the only life, and no one goes to the Father except through Jesus.
And the truth is people don't like that. Man's rebellious nature is first against God. Then there are those who believe that there are several ways to God or several routes to heaven. In fact, many believe that all gods are the same, and so Jesus was absolutely correct when He said that the good news He proclaims will not be accepted by all and it will cause divisiveness -- a sword separating believers from unbelievers; worldly from godly.
After Jesus cleared their assumptions about peace, He continues on in verse 35 and 36 with a hard truth that most people, including Christians, do not like to hear. "For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law -- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household." Jesus boldly tells them the hard truth, and I'm imagining the disciples losing count of the cost of following Christ. In fact, it's stacked up so high that now even the reality of divisiveness within the people they love most -- their fathers, their mother; I mean parents who brought them up with love and tender care -- must have been an overwhelming truth. "Really, Jesus? My dad? My mom? My children? They can turn into my enemies? I hope you didn't have to say all of these, Jesus."
But I have no right to sanitize Scripture. This is a hard truth that many find difficult to swallow. My dad is a Hindu believer and I was raised in a household of differing religious beliefs. As I began my walk with Christ, God revealed to me many truths that I hold dear to my heart so every time I would speak to my dad about the Bible and Jesus, we would always -- and I mean always -- end up arguing. Sometimes even with raised voices. So when I read this verse, I completely understood what Jesus meant.
The truth of the gospel hurts hardened hearts. It pierces through polytheism, cuts through humanism and debunks many philosophies, and that is why it creates divisiveness. As we live for Christ, we leave our old lives behind while others stay in theirs. We choose our words while unbelievers speak the same language. Believers manifest the fruit of the Spirit which unbelievers stay the same. Renewed minds versus fixed minds, and new habits versus old habits.
Divisions will be amplified as we follow Christ.
The apostles understood what Jesus was explaining to them. The sword of Jesus cuts through relationships. It cuts deep down to the heart of the matter -- love. And Jesus says this in verse 37: "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." "Wait, are you serous, Jesus? I should love you more else I am unworthy?"
Now this time, I think Jesus got the complete attention of His apostles, some perhaps with jaws dropping. This is tough to hear. He's telling us to love Him more. Honestly, I never completely understood this verse until my wife was trying to explain it; that loving God allows her to be a better wife, a loving wife, a loving daughter, a better mother. If we love our parents or children more than Jesus, this can lead to idolatry. We must first admit that we are all flawed. I have let my wife down many times, but since she loves God more than she loves me, she knows where to draw strength from. Jesus, the epitome of love, is teaching us that we can only understand what real love is when we love Him more.
And then in verse 38, Jesus adds another cost of following Christ. He tells His apostles to carry their cross. They understood the cross and what it represented. In Rome, it was a symbol of humiliation. It takes tons of humility to accept being humiliated for what you stand for. Right? It's not in man's DNA to be humble. No, we want our opinions to be heard and actions to be recognized. What Jesus is asking here is complete surrender and self-denial to live for God; to live for Him. Denying oneself never comes easy, but it trains us to fix our eyes on Jesus.
I think for a brief moment, Jesus was looking into His own future and could see the cross in the distance. In one to two years after this talk, He would literally carry a physical cross to Gethsemane and willfully give up His life for all mankind. We cannot count the cost of following Christ without including what it cost Him to save us.
Picking up your cross is willfully following and obeying Christ. It's a choice to follow Him and this choice is even more magnified in the next verse, verse 13, where Jesus tells them that whoever is hung up on life on earth will eventually lose it. But those who surrender their life to Him will obtain life everlasting. If you choose to build your life in the now, you will lose it. But if you build your life in Christ, for Christ, then eternity with Him awaits.
Finally, Jesus wraps up His speech in verse 40 to 42. He tells
them that any act of kindness extended to them by anyone, regardless of how big or small it is, stretches out to Christ Himself and they will be rewarded. And this brings us to our final principle: Following Christ poses temporary sufferings but brings permanent rewards. Principle: Following Christ poses temporary sufferings but brings permanent rewards.
Picking up your cross is denying oneself for His sake. The cost of doing so is accompanied with discrimination, division; and for some, even death. However, the reward far outweighs any cost. Following Christ is living the gospel.
In the family, it is praying for your spouse, your kids, teaching
God's Word even though it may drain you of your energy or eats up your "me" time during the weekend. At work, it is upholding integrity and truth and honesty, even if it may cost you a promotion or even your job or business contacts or contracts and projects. In our community or church, it is freely giving your time, energy and resources to serve.
Where in your life right now is Jesus asking you to carry your cross? Where is He asking you to endure or sacrifice? To spend more time in fellowship with or to pray for, even when you are beat up and tired? And how does knowing that Jesus Himself secures your destiny motivate you to persevere and not give up on people, despite persecution or discrimination?
Now maybe what's running through your head right now is why would I want to follow Christ? Why did the apostles decide to press on despite the cost of following the Messiah? Why is the cost so high? Because the rewards are limitless. In II Corinthians Chapter 4, verse 17 and 18, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
What are we choosing to build our lives around right now? Jesus is calling us to fix our eyes on Him. For when we do, we will find everything.
