Monday, June 13, 2011

Matthew 10: Part II - Jesus Sends Out the Twelve (NIV)

Summary:

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
Verses 21-42

Brothers will betray brothers to their death.  Fathers will betray their children.  Children will rebel against their parents to their death.  Everyone will hate you because of Him.  He who stands firm to the end will be saved.

When you are persecuted, flee to another place.  You won't finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

No student is above his teacher and no servant is above his master.  It is enough for them to be alike.  If the head of the house is Beelzebub, how much more will its members be like him!

Do not fear them, for everything will be brought to light and all secrets will be proclaimed.

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."  (Verse 28)

Two sparrows are worth one penny.  None of them fall to the ground apart from the will of God.  The hairs of your head are numbered.  Do not fear because you are worth more than many sparrows.

Jesus will acknowledge before God those that acknowledge Him before men.  He will disown those that disown Him.

Jesus came to bring a sword, not peace.  He came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  A man's enemies will be the members of his own household.  Anyone that loves their parents or children more than God is unworthy of Him.  Those that don't take their cross and follow Him are also unworthy.  Those who find their lives will lose it.  Those that lose their lives for Him will find it.

Those that receive us receive Him.  Those that receive Him receive the One who sent Him.  Those that receive prophets because they are prophets will receive a prophet's reward.  Those that receive a righteous man because he is such will receive a righteous man's reward.  If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to His little ones because they are His disciples, He tells us the truth, he will not lose his reward.

Lori's Thoughts:

Next to God, our sinful nature is completely exposed and we are ashamed.  Some people reach for the light.  Others turn their backs on the light and continue on in their sin.  Why?  Because it's hard to give up comfort for physical and spiritual exercise.  We think it's impossible to live without money or sex or whatever it is we hold onto other than God.  I thought I'd always desire sex and marriage.  This was the most difficult thing to bring under submission to God.  If it is His will for me to be single and celibate for the rest of my life, then so be it.  Is my soul worth losing for instant mediocre pleasure?

This is why people will hate us; they don't want to give up their sinful ways.  Sometimes these people are our own family members.  My hope is that they will catch a glimpse of God and eventually realize that sin only destroys, then ask for salvation from sin, which is instant.  However, removing sin from your life is a longer and more painful process.  And, you will be persecuted for it.  But, nothing compares to knowing that God is on your side.  He is greater than anything that any human or any evil spirit can conjure up against you.  He will never leave you or forsake you.  Remember, He loves you as you are and loves you enough to not leave you that way.

When persecuted, we must flee.  I'm not sure what this means, but we will not get to all the Israelite cities before Christ's return.

We become like those we serve.  If you look at someone's master, you will see their servants with his traits.  For example, we know that people and their dogs start to look alike.  Husbands and wives also start to look and behave alike.  We pick up on the characteristics of those we spend the most time with.  So it is with God.  We grow into His likeness, not so we may surpass Him, but so we will become better servants and spread His love to others, making disciples out of them.

God sees every thing.  Every evil and righteous thing.  He is the Ultimate Judge.  So, we should not fear physical death or pain, but rather the wrath of God.  If we are His, we have nothing to fear.  He knows the tiniest details about us.  That's how much He cares for us - intricately.  And we are worth something to Him.  The way we love our children or our pets helps us get an idea for how much He loves us.  He loves us enough to destroy that which damages and destroys His children.

So, will you let people know that He is your Savior and Master?  Or will you avoid being rejected by disowning Him?  What you do in this life echoes in eternity (compliments of "Gladiator").

Jesus did not bring a feel good gospel.  He never said choose me and everything will be easy.  Choosing Him is to choose the narrow and more difficult path.  But, it leads to an eternity with Him in the magnificent city that He's preparing for us.

God wants us to love all others.  However, we must be willing to give them up according to His will.  He will do whatever it takes to help us make it home, even remove from us what we could potentially place before Him.  Submit everything you care for to God.  He can better manage them for you.  Nothing should take His place in your life.  This is what it means to take up your cross.  We must be willing to lose everything, even our lives, if God wills it.  Sometimes a death helps give others a wake-up  call and they turn to God.  Thank God for that!  All I want is to be with those I love and those that may or may not love me to experience Him and spend eternity being whole.

Those that let go of the reins of their lives here will receive life there.

If we accept God's people because they are His, we will be rewarded.  This means that we must view everyone as His children and love them as such.  Even the difficult ones.  How do we love them?  By helping them through this painful life and leading them to heaven, where there is no more suffering or pain.

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