Matthew 10:24-33
Confessing the King
Read
Matt. 10:32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
Matt. 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
Pray
Intro
√ Confessing the King
In our study last week Jesus told the disciples to be careful as they went out to share the Message of the Kingdom.
But, they were not to be afraid! So, in our study this morning we find Jesus encouraging the apostle to…
“Fear not!”
…repeated in verses 26, 28 and 31.
Specially, Jesus tells the apostles (and us) that we are not to be afraid to confess Him or His Message before men, whether it’s…
The Jews ~ vs. 17
The Gentiles ~ vs. 18
Our family ~ vs. 21
The whole earth ~ vs. 22
Rather, Jesus tells His companions that they are to be faithful servants who boldly proclaim the Message of the King regardless of the threats of Men.
Ap. Public confession
Publicly confessing Jesus as Lord is one evidence of a true conversion experience. Paul wrote…
Rom. 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Yet, many find themselves hesitant to share their faith and love for Jesus with others because they’re afraid of…
What others might think
What their family and friends might say or do
Be rejected by others
Suffer persecution
In this section of Jesus’ counsel (instruction), He provides us with some strong incentive to be a faithful witness for Him.
Don’t be afraid of slander (vs. 24-26)
Matt. 10:24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
Matt. 10:25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!
Matt. 10:26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
√ Don’t be afraid of slander
The first fear that Jesus deals with is the fear of slander.
Slander is defined as…
“The act of saying something false or malicious that damages somebody’s reputation. A false & malicious statement that damages somebody’s reputation.”
Ex. Slander could ruin a career ~ my experience at Varian
In this instance the slander that Jesus warns the disciples of is the accusation by the Jewish leaders that their power and authority comes from the Devil.
That is, as they go out to do the work of the Kingdom, healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons…
…they will find that some people will falsely attribute the source of the their power to Satan.
Jesus encourages them not to be afraid of that kind of accusation because…
They’re in good company
One day the Truth will one be told
1) Good company
Jesus tells the boys they can expect this kind of accusation because the enemies of the Kingdom had first slandered Him!
“If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!” ~ vs. 25
Beelzebub means…
“Lord of the flies”
…and was used in that time as a title of the Devil.
We find in Matthew, Mark and Luke the record of the religious leaders making this accusation against Jesus…
Mark 3:22 And the
scribes who came down from
Therefore, Jesus says that since the enemies of the Kingdom slander the Master of the house (Jesus) in this way…
…then you can be sure that they’ll make the same accusation against the servants (the apostles).
The comfort to the disciples (and us) is that it’s better to be slandered with Jesus, then to be well thought of by those who are liars!
Ap. We need a new attitude in life
Rather than be fearful of the false accusations of Men, we ought to count it an honor and a privilege to suffer with the King!
That’s what the apostles did!
Acts 5:41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
We need this new attitude in life by which we esteem the companionship of Jesus of greater value than the friendship of the World.
2) Truth will be told
The second reason that Jesus told His companions that they ought not to fear the slander of Men is that ultimately the truth will be known.
“Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.” ~ vs. 26
Isn’t that why slanderous accusations have any power at all?
The fear is that others will believe the accusations against us?
That was my fear when confronted with a false accusation at my new job.
That fear is wiped away when we grasp what Jesus said here…
…that a day is coming in which the truth will be revealed before everyone!
Ex. That Day
Paul speaks of it in his letter to the Roman church…
Rom. 2:16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
The point is that at the Great White Throne judgment the Lord will reveal before all of Creation…
Every person that’s ever lived
Every angel in heaven
Every demon in hell
…the false motives of our accusers, and the true source of our power and authority is God, not Satan!
In that Day, when it really counts, the servants of the King will be vindicated before all of Creation!
So, don’t fear false accusations they won’t be believed forever, and God knows the truth!
Ap. We need a new attitude in life
What we need to keep at the forefront of our thinking is that it really doesn’t matter what people say or think about us because…
God knows the truth!
Secondly, we can trust God to take care of our reputation if we’ll take care of our integrity.
So, let’s not fear what people in the world might falsely accuse us of saying or doing.
Don’t be afraid of death (vs. 27-31)
Matt. 10:27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.
Matt. 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matt. 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
Matt. 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Matt. 10:31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
√ Don’t be afraid of death
The second fear that Jesus deals with is physical harm and death.
That’s a bit more serious than the emotional trauma that slander brings!
In fact, we’ve been wired to avoid harm and situations that lead to death!
Ex. Present company excluded J
My friends who are self-proclaimed Rednecks tell me that the most common epitaph on a Redneck’s tombstone are the last words they yelled…
“Watch this!”
But, the rest of us have a very healthy sense of what is dangerous that keeps us at a safe distance from things or activities that will hurt us.
So, how can we conquer our natural fear of death so that we can be faithful witnesses of our King?
Jesus tells us we don’t need to be afraid of death…
Because Man can’t really hurt us
Because God will take care of us
Check it out!
1) Because Man can’t really hurt us
Jesus said…
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” ~ vs. 28
Jesus reminds the disciples that they are more than just a temporal physical being, they are an eternal soul!
As such, it is important that they make choices in life in view of the eternal consequences.
Jesus points out that while Men can certainly inflict physical pain, and physical death…
…they can’t touch the soul nor determine where a person will spend eternity.
But, God can!
God has the power and authority to destroy both the body and the soul by placing a person in hell.
So, from a purely logical point of view it makes sense to be more concerned with pleasing God than pleasing people!
Ex. Heroes of the Faith
Peter and John before the Counsel…
“Judge for yourselves whether we ought to obey God or Man” ~ Acts 5:29
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego…
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” ~ Dan. 3:16-18
These men were no different than you and me! If we’ll trust in the Lord He will grant us that same boldness through the Holy Spirit as He gave these men of faith.
2) Because God will take care of us
The second point the Lord makes regarding the fear of death is that we really don’t need to worry about what people might threaten to do…
…because they can’t touch us unless the Father allows it!
In verses 29-31 the Lord’s illustration of the sparrows and our hair is meant to remind us that nothing happens in the universe without God’s notice.
His will ~
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.” ~ vs. 29
Jesus’ point is that all day, every day, little birds die and fall to the ground completely unnoticed by the world.
Yet, the Father not only notices, it happens according to His will!
That is, God the Father is the Master Conductor of life. He set’s the boundaries of our life and that of every living creature.
The implication in our life is that no one can touch us, no one can harm us, no one can kill us…
…outside of the Father’s will!
Ex. The Two Witnessess in Rev. 11
Not even the Devil himself can hurt them until they have completed the assignment that God gave them.
Even after they are killed, God demonstrates His power over death by raising them up in front of their enemies!
A picture of what God has planned for every faithful witness who loves not their life unto death!
The reality for the apostles and all of us who have trusted Christ is that we can’t be killed by our enemies until our assignment is done!
Ex. Daniel in the lion’s den & John in the pot of oil
Ap. We need a new attitude
The fear of God frees us from the fear of Man and the harm they can do. You’re untouchable until the Lord is finished with you and ready to promote you!
His care ~
Jesus says that God knows when we lose even a single hair!
“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
Vs. 30
The idea is that God knows more than just how many hair folicals you have…
…He knows when one of them falls out!
Ex. Most people don’t know when a hair drops off
That’s why many criminals today shave their head. They’ve come to realize that all the police need is a single hair at a crime scene to place them there.
There’s simply no way to know that a hair has dropped off.
But, Jesus reminds us that the Father does know.
The application comes in vs. 31…
“Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
His point is that since God the Father knows when…
Tiny birds die and fall to the ground
A single hair falls from your head
…then He’s very much aware of the threats made against His children by wicked people!
Ex. Stephen ~ the first martyr of the King
Acts 7:54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
Acts 7:56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
God was watching the whole time and when Stephen had finished his assignment God opened his eyes to see into the spirit realm where Jesus stood ready to receive him into glory.
Ap. We need a new attitude
To recognize that God is concerned with every detail of our life and that nothing comes our way except that which passes His muster.
Don’t be afraid of living (Vs. 32-33)
Matt. 10:32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
Matt. 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
√ Don’t be afraid of living (Vs. 32-33)
The context of verses 32-33 is vs. 27…
“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.”
That is, Jesus is telling the 12 to go out to the world (where the wolves are) and preach the Message of the Kingdom!
To be faithful to confess their love for the King regardless of the threats that Men will make!
To which Jesus adds this admonition…
If you’re faithful to confess Jesus before Men…
…then He will confess you before the Father.
If you’re not faithful to confess Jesus before Men…
…then neither will He confess you before the Father.
A very strong incentive to stand faithful for our King! The reason I believe that Jesus leaves this warning for the end is that for many…
…it’s easier to die for Jesus than to live for Him.
Ex. Peter
He was ready with his sword in the garden when surrounded by soldiers…
…but couldn’t muster the courage to confess Jesus before an unarmed servant girl!
What gives!?
For many people it’s easier to die in an instant of glory…
…than to live a life time of service.
“A martyr dies once, a servant dies daily”
The point is that Peter (and many of us) can muster the courage for one brief moment of selflessness, but can’t begin to face the possibility of daily dying to ourselves.
√ The warning
It’s important to understand that the Lord’s warning is a reference to our rewards in heaven, not our salvation!
Salvation is an unmerited gift. We can’t earn it by any effort or work including being a faithful witness.
Rewards are the benefits that we receive from Jesus at the Bema seat for our faithful service.
Ex. Don’t forget that Peter denied he even knew Jesus three times and there is no indication that his salvation was ever in doubt.
Further, we have specific instruction on this distinction in Paul’s letters…
1Cor. 3:13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
1Cor. 3:14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
1Cor. 3:15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
And…
2Tim. 2:13 If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
So, while we surely want to take the Lord’s incentive to heart, we also don’t want people serving out of fear that their salvation is dependant upon being a faithful witness (that’s the motivation the cults use!).
Close
√ A good confession
Jesus is sending us out into a “wolfy” world to tell people about Him and His Kingdom.
It’s a hostile environment so we need to be careful, but not fearful!
We don’t need to be afraid of…
Slander
Death
Living
…just be faithful to deliver the message of the King!