Who Am I? The Gospel According to Matthew

The Gospel According to Matthew

Matthew 10:16-23

Introduction:  Good morning class.  I am writing from Florida, where Chris and I are to celebrate our 26th wedding anniversary.  We have spent most of our time with our two girls.  Anna has been moving so we have walked up and down the stairs to her 2nd story apartment.  After starting work early on our anniversary and working all day long we got in our car and headed to our hotel.  We were laughing about our creaking and aching bodies- comparing pains, when I saw an email from my parents telling me that my grandfather had died.  We knew and hoped it would be soon, but it still isn't easy.  As we drove I picked some pictures from my facebook of my grandparents, and posted on facebook about my grandfathers death. 

So many of you have written such kind words to us.  So many have been praying for us and I am so thankful.  

What does this all have to do with this weeks lesson, well almost everything.  This week we are continuing in Matthew 10, where Jesus is giving his instructions to His disciples.  What He is calling them to is quite radical, scary, even a little crazy.  I can not think of a better man and woman to illustrate a modern day version of these disciples than my grandparents.  They were also asked to go and they went.  They were asked to serve and they did.  They were ask to leave everything behind and they did.  They were asked to go before Kings and Queens and witness and they did.  They were put in situations that were difficult, challenging, and a bit crazy and yet they did it all, for one purpose or for one person.  Jesus Christ.

This morning I would love for the class to first go around the table and share the most adventuresome thing you have ever done.  It may be traveling to somewhere exotic or just marrying your spouse...lol. Share with the class something you have done in your life that was adventuresome, or scary, or a bit crazy.  How did it turn out for you? 

So in this passage Jesus is continuing to give them instruction.... 

READ:  Matthew 16-20

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Verse 16 says that Jesus is sending them out like sheep among the wolves.  How well would sheep survive among the wolves?

Can you imagine hearing this from Jesus and saying, yea OK... lets go?  

Several times in this class when we are talking about being loving or seeing the bright side of things, turning the other cheek etc.  Someone speaks up and shares that we need to be strong, tough, etc.  Well Jesus here is saying they must be both!

How do we be both shrewd and innocent?

What would that practically look like?

If you are serving your community or giving bible studies, should you be both shrewd and innocent?

Be on your guard... you will be flogged...

How does this apply to us today?

Who is doing the flogging?

When was the last time you were flogged in church?  (You don't need to answer this one out loud..)

A few weeks ago I was in a different church, and the preacher was saying somethings that I found hurtful and offensive, but not unexpected.  What I wasn't prepared for was the applause and the almost jeering that came from the congregation.  You must understand that what was being said, many of you may have applauded at too.  It wasn't something that would be unexpected in an SDA church, but because of family members,  because of "life" I have a different perspective, a different view.  So the applause and the "preach it pastor" and the "Amens", and the "Yes! Yes!" were like a flogging of words.  I even noticed that I had bent way forward in my posture, looking at my feet.  Not wanting to look at anyone.  So I just started praying. 

I am sure that there are times for all of us when things are said in church or in our homes, or with are friends that hurt deeply. 

When was the last time you were flogged in church?

Is the warning helpful?  

Verse 19-20 are my favorite verses!  I love them, have been taught these verses since childhood.  I have always believed that Jesus will always give us the words to say or the strength to be silent.  Reading this passage again, I am impressed with the idea that it will be Him speaking through us. He spoke this to men who had seen people who were being used by demons to speak.  Can you imagine the possible fear at hearing that God would use you to speak?  

What comfort though.  For these fishermen, these men who were not known for their intelligence, going before Kings, must have been terrifying.  So knowing that the Spirit of God would use them must have been such a comfort!

Do you have an experience when Jesus clearly gave you the words to say?

READ: Matthew 10:21-23

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

If you had to summarize these three verses, how would you do that?

There is nothing more important than me! (JESUS)

I told you at the start of this class that my grandfather had everything to do with this class.  My grandparents were great adventurers.  My grandfather went before Kings, and was the private physician for Emperor Haile Selassie's wife while serving in Ethiopia.

I couldn't read this without once again being reminded of his great courage, all in an effort to 
spread the word of Jesus. I want to challenge each of us this week to be willing to be a Christian 
with great courage.  Remember that doesn't just mean having courage with strangers or the 
ungodly but having courage in our own church. 

Will you today be willing to step forward for Christ!  Will you be willing to take floggings, or
loose out on relationships, for him?