1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,640 So I rode my bicycle for a year in 2010 from Canada to Columbia. 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:10,520 And as part of that journey, I discovered that basically a billion people in 3 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,240 the world didn't have access to clean drinking water. 4 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:17,960 So I began this journey and did some higher level education and 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,280 then on a series of trips with my friends in the last six years. 6 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:26,080 That's all led us to this spot now we've become very interested in 7 00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:30,480 small scale decentralized desalinization projects. 8 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:31,680 It's really the future. 9 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:42,960 Welcome everyone. 10 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,320 I'm Stoke E. B with us for today's beach talk. 11 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,560 I want to help us understand every word of God that's in the word of God. 12 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,480 God has so many wonderful things he wants to say to us every day. 13 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:56,720 If we'll just take the time to listen, understand, ask him to speak to us. 14 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,000 Now, my objective is simple. 15 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:04,560 It's disciples making disciples who plant churches, that plant churches. 16 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:09,520 Now in this way, we can see Jesus be a grassroots beautiful thing. 17 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:14,280 He can go anywhere and everywhere he wants to go in and through our lives. 18 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:18,240 And today we're in Matthew chapter 10 and it says that when he had called his 12 19 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:23,160 disciples to him, he gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out, 20 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:27,120 to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 21 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:32,200 Now the names of the 12 apostles are these first Simon who's called Peter and 22 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:33,880 Andrew his brother. 23 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:38,840 Now James the son of Zebedee and John his brother Philip and Bartholomew, 24 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:43,520 Thomas and Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alpheus and 25 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:49,720 Labius whose surname was Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. 26 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,080 Now when he had called his 12 disciples to him, 27 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,680 now the main feature of this list is its diversity. 28 00:01:55,680 --> 00:02:01,280 Jesus chose his disciples from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. 29 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:06,880 About all they had in common, it seems that some of them were privileged, 30 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:10,520 some of them were not privileged, some of them were from a high status and low status. 31 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,640 Now he gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out and 32 00:02:13,640 --> 00:02:16,160 heal all kinds of sickness and diseases. 33 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:23,280 Jesus did not only call the 12, he also gave them power to do what he had asked them to. 34 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,080 Now the same principle holds true today. 35 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,680 Whoever God calls, he equips. 36 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,360 Now the equipping may not be completely evident before the ministry begins, but 37 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:35,400 it will be evident along the way. 38 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:36,920 We have to take the step. 39 00:02:36,920 --> 00:02:43,400 Now the names of the 12 disciples are these, one was Judas. 40 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:50,000 And they all included something very important in God's role of redemption and 41 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,040 judgment in the world and the founding of the church. 42 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:55,240 The Bible promises that their position and 43 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:59,280 work would be remembered through eternity according to Revelation 21. 44 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:04,160 This is the first and only time in Matthew that the 12 are called the apostles. 45 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:08,040 Now the word apostle literally means one who is sent out. 46 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:13,000 It's a word that was used for like an envoy or an ambassador. 47 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:14,240 That's what we are. 48 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,840 Verses five and six says, the 12 that Jesus sent, he commanded him saying, 49 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,920 do not go the way of the Gentiles or do not enter the city of the Samaritans, but 50 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:27,960 go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 51 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:28,920 What does this mean? 52 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:34,320 Well, the 12 that Jesus sent out, Jesus was touring around the region of Galilee. 53 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:39,000 He was teaching and preaching and helping needy people with miraculous power. 54 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,520 The sending of the 12 was a conscious expansion of that work. 55 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:49,040 Now Jesus said to them, I simply want you to go and represent me. 56 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,320 And he commanded them saying a few things. 57 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:55,880 Now William Barclay points out that the word which is used in the Greek about 58 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,680 Jesus commanding them or giving them orders is interesting and illuminating. 59 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:06,120 It's the word perigelion and this word in the Greek has four special usages. 60 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,240 It's the regular word for a military command. 61 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,440 It's the word used of calling one's friends for help. 62 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:19,280 It's the word in which a teacher is giving rules or precepts to students. 63 00:04:19,280 --> 00:04:23,880 And it's also a word which is regularly used for imperial command. 64 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:24,640 Let's break this down. 65 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,520 Now do not go the way of the Gentiles. 66 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,840 This is the pattern of the gospel for it is the Jew first and 67 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:33,800 also for the Greek people according to Romans one. 68 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,800 Now later on the gospel would go to both the Samaritans and the Gentiles, but 69 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,720 it had to begin with the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 70 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,400 But rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 71 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:53,440 So God's intention was to reach the entire world but beginning with Israel. 72 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,520 There was certainly enough work to do among the lost sheep of the house of 73 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:03,440 Israel to keep the 12 busy until God directly commanded them to expand their ministry. 74 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:08,560 So this is significant because Jesus still called the Jewish people the house 75 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:13,320 of Israel even though they had lost their Jewish state many decades before this time. 76 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:18,280 God still saw them as Israel even though there was not a political entity 77 00:05:18,280 --> 00:05:19,280 known under that name. 78 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:22,280 Now who are the lost sheep of Israel? 79 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:25,040 In this sense all of them were. 80 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:26,920 All we like sheep have gone astray. 81 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,720 We've turned everyone each to his own way. 82 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:35,080 Isaiah 53 in another sense there were also lost sheep that were abused and 83 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:40,160 neglected by their spiritual shepherds, the scribes and the priests and the Pharisees. 84 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:42,240 This in the sense of Jeremiah 50. 85 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:44,760 People have been lost sheep. 86 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:46,520 Their shepherds have led them astray. 87 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:52,240 Because so many were spiritually neglected, Jesus sent these apostles out. 88 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:57,760 The beginnings of the mission to meet the neglected people. 89 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,520 People who were left behind or left out. 90 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:07,200 As this went on, Jesus felt a lot of pressure of the problem of the need of this extended effort. 91 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,920 Now in verse seven it says, as you go preach saying now the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 92 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,920 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. 93 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,800 As you go preach saying now the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 94 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:26,400 Now earlier Matthew we were told that Jesus's message was repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 95 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:30,040 Now the disciples brought the same message that Jesus preached. 96 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:34,320 Simply bringing it over a much broader area than Jesus could bring by himself. 97 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:40,960 Now we can also deduce that they were trying to repeat a lot of the same things that they saw in the sermon on the mount. 98 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:45,840 Because that message tells that what life in the kingdom of heaven should be like. 99 00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:54,440 There is no mention of them preaching in the synagogue's only being thrown out of Matthew 10. 100 00:06:54,440 --> 00:07:04,520 This was a house to house open field street preaching ministry where they were healing, teaching, casting out demons. 101 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:09,520 Now in this they were truly followers of Jesus because this is what Jesus had done. 102 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,200 The authority for these disciples to raise the dead is remarkable. 103 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,080 Yet later the fulfillment is both recorded in both Acts 9 and 20. 104 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:21,520 There was no doubt other unrecorded instances that we find in the Bible. 105 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:30,120 Now here we have no evidence that either such a thing was common or that this authority had been permanently withdrawn. 106 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:35,320 It is wise for us today to believe that God can help us do the same thing. 107 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:40,520 To teach, to preach, to heal, to cast out demons. 108 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,520 Now verses 8 through 15 it says, 109 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:31,520 Wow that is really heavy. 110 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:41,520 Now freely you have received, freely give. Jesus charged his disciples nothing and he expected them to give ministry to other people without charge. 111 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:45,520 This is the foundational principle for the commands that follow. 112 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,520 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money bill. 113 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:54,520 They should expect God to meet their needs without taking undue concern for their own needs. 114 00:08:54,520 --> 00:09:02,520 Now furthermore they should expect that God would normally meet their needs through inspired hospitality of others. 115 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:04,520 Now take is literally obtain. 116 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:14,520 The saying in the thean form does not specify the appropriate equipment for traveling but rather assures the disciples that no previous fundraising is necessary. 117 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,520 Nor they don't need special equipment. 118 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:21,520 They can just go as they are because the mission is that urgent. 119 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:34,520 Now for a worker is worthy of his food when they came among others if they were to be workers among them they would work among them in both spiritual work and practical work. 120 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:41,520 Now we can imagine them preaching the word of God, praying for and with people and helping them with farm work. 121 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:51,520 Even though the twelve could expect their needs to be met through the people they served they should never require their needs to be met as payment. 122 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:57,520 The foundational principle was freely you have received, freely give. 123 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:01,520 Now if the household is worthy it is not worthy. 124 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,520 Those who did receive these disciples can expect to be blessed. 125 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,520 Let your peace come upon those. 126 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:11,520 But those places that refuse them could expect to be treated as Gentile cities. 127 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:13,520 Shake off the dust from your feet. 128 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:20,520 So and as such they were in serious they were in danger of serious judgment. 129 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:29,520 D.A. Carson says to settle in the house of a worthy person applies that the disciples were not to shop around for the most comfortable place to stay. 130 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:37,520 Now verse 16 through 18 behold I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 131 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:43,520 But beware of men for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 132 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:50,520 You'll be brought before governors and kings for my sake as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 133 00:10:50,520 --> 00:11:00,520 Now I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves Jesus freely and honestly warned his disciples that they would face persecution. 134 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:07,520 Because they went out without police or military protection he sent them as sheep in the midst of wolves. 135 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:11,520 Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 136 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:18,520 And despite their vulnerable position Jesus's followers were not to defend themselves with worldly forms of power. 137 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:22,520 They were to remain harmless as doves though wise as serpents. 138 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:29,520 Wisdom would keep them from attracting unnecessary trouble and show them how to avoid it without compromise. 139 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:34,520 Now serpents are attacked by everyone and must use creativity and wisdom to survive. 140 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:39,520 Now remaining harmless would keep them from giving in to the temptation of retaliation. 141 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,520 But be aware of men for they will deliver you up. 142 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:49,520 Jesus also warned them that men would persecute them in the civic arena and the religious arena. 143 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:51,520 They got it from both sides. 144 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,520 They could expect opposition from the city hall and the halls of religion. 145 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:59,520 Now you'll be brought before governors and kings for my sake. 146 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:06,520 This was a remarkable statement recognizing the great influence the gospel and its preachers would have. 147 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:11,520 Governors and kings would notice them and arrest them bringing them to trial. 148 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:19,520 Now for my sake as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles because they were persecuted for Jesus's sake. 149 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:24,520 They could be a testimony to both religious and civic prosecutors. 150 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:26,520 God had them in two places. 151 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:34,520 Now verse 19, but when they deliver you up do not worry about what you're going to say for it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak. 152 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:40,520 For it is not you who speak but the spirit of your father who speaks in you. 153 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,520 Do not worry about how or what you should speak. 154 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:53,520 Now Jesus's disciples could have perfect trust in God in that moment knowing that he would speak through them even if they were unprepared. 155 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:55,520 Isn't that comforting? 156 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:56,520 Now D.A. Carson said, 157 00:12:56,520 --> 00:13:01,520 Now it was not the humiliation which early Christians dreaded not even the cruel pain and the agony. 158 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:10,520 But many of them feared that their own unskillfulness in words and defense might injure rather than commend the truth. 159 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:14,520 For it will be given to you in that hour that you should speak. 160 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:26,520 Now this gave them confidence that the spirit of the father would speak to and through them at the necessary moment even if they were not prepared with a statement. 161 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:41,520 This isn't a justification of poor preparation in teaching and preaching God's word but it's a promise of strength and guidance for the persecuted that have an opportunity to testify and tell people about Jesus. 162 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:56,520 Now verse 21, Now brother will deliver a brother to death and a father his child and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death and you'll be hated by all for my name's sake but he who endures to the end will be saved. 163 00:13:56,520 --> 00:14:08,520 Now when they persecute you in the city flee to another for assuredly I say to you you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the son of man comes. 164 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:11,520 Now brother will deliver a brother to death. 165 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:24,520 Jesus knew that in some cases the gospel would divide family members and that some of the most bitter persecution would take place among families and cause them to be put to death. 166 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:39,520 Jesus plainly said that persecution would sometimes result in death though most Christians have endured persecution in economic or social arenas through the centuries literally millions have given their lives in faithfulness to Jesus. 167 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:41,520 You'll be hated for my name's sake. 168 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:46,520 At times this has been true when entire cultures have hated the followers of Jesus. 169 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:55,520 Now it seems strange that people who live by the kingdom expectations of Matthew five through seven would be so greatly hated. 170 00:14:55,520 --> 00:15:02,520 But it is the same paradox that inspire the world to condemn and crucify the only sinless man who's ever lived. 171 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:15,520 It must be painfully admitted that these are times when if you follow Jesus it is not promised to you that everything will go your way that you'll always win and that your life will turn out perfect. 172 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,520 That is not what Jesus teaches. 173 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:22,520 Now but he who endures till the end will be saved. 174 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:29,520 A commitment to endure to the end is required for those who will weather the storms of persecution. 175 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:37,520 Now we face little persecution have little understanding of just how difficult it is to endure under it. 176 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:47,520 Now when they persecute you in this city flee to another in this Jesus taught his disciples that it was wrong for them to court martyrdom. 177 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:56,520 They were not to run towards persecution or even remain in it if they had the chance for an honorable escape if they could flee to another place. 178 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,520 They were to do it. 179 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:04,520 Now you have not gone through the cities of Israel before the son of man comes. 180 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:10,520 This is one of the hardest to understand statements of Jesus and Matthew. 181 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:17,520 Could Jesus really mean that he would return to this earth before the disciples would make it through all the cities of Israel. 182 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,520 If so this would make Jesus plainly wrong in this prediction. 183 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:22,520 So that's not what that means. 184 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:33,520 Instead it's better to see his coming in this passage as his coming in judgment upon Judea in AD 70 which did happen before the gospel came to every city in Israel. 185 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:39,520 Now this is the fulfillment of the day of judgment warned of in Matthew 10. 186 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:49,520 In many ways the judgment poured out by God upon Judea through the Roman armies in AD 70 was worse than the judgment that came upon Sodom and Gomorrah. 187 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:55,520 Now verse 24 a disciple is not above his teacher nor a servant above his master. 188 00:16:55,520 --> 00:17:05,520 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 of Beelzebub. 189 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,520 How much more will they call those of his household? 190 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:11,520 A disciple is not above his teacher. 191 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:16,520 Now simply put the disciples should not expect to be treated any better than Jesus was treated. 192 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:24,520 If they called Jesus himself Satan or Beelzebub how much worse should the disciples of Jesus expect? 193 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:30,520 Now it is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher and a servant like his master. 194 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:34,520 This is the goal of both the disciple and the servant of Jesus. 195 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:46,520 We simply want to be like our teacher and master and we want to conform to his image of his son that we might be the firstborn among many of those brothers according to Romans 8. 196 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:54,520 Now verse 26 therefore do not fear them for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known. 197 00:17:54,520 --> 00:18:05,520 Whatever I tell you in the dark speak in the light and whatever you hear in the ear preach on the housetops and do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. 198 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:11,520 But rather fear him who is able to destroy both the soul and the body in hell. 199 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:21,520 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin and not and yet one of them falls to the ground apart from your father's will but the very hairs in your head are all numbered. 200 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:26,520 Do not fear therefore you are of more value than many sparrows. 201 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:32,520 Now therefore do not fear them. Jesus's disciples could have confidence that the truth would prevail. 202 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:37,520 So they should go out and preach it with boldness despite the danger of persecution. 203 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:47,520 Now if persecution or the threat of persecution makes us draw back from speaking and preaching God's word then in some measure Satan has won a victory. 204 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:55,520 His threat of persecution may not have succeeded in harming us but in holding back the work and the word of God. 205 00:18:55,520 --> 00:19:01,520 Now for there is nothing covered that will be revealed and hidden that will not be known. 206 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:08,520 Now Jesus promised his persecuted followers that the truth of their honorable sacrifice would be known. 207 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:14,520 Even if their persecutors did their best to hide it among the pages of history. 208 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:21,520 God would reveal all and justify his servants and reveal the crime of those who thought that they had hidden it. 209 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:26,520 Now the judgment of eternity gives us great confidence in God's ultimate justice. 210 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:31,520 Those who seem to cheat justice on earth will never cheat it in eternity. 211 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:38,520 Now whatever I tell you in the dark speak in the light and whatever you hear in your ear preach on the rooftops. 212 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:42,520 The message of Jesus was gloriously public. 213 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:47,520 It was not for a secret few and was not to be hidden in any way. 214 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:53,520 There isn't one message for the inner circle of Jesus and another for the outer circle of Jesus. 215 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:59,520 Those on the outside may not understand the message but they can hear it and it is not to be hidden from them. 216 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:01,520 It's to be transparent. 217 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:10,520 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. 218 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:15,520 Now God is the one to fear not the men who persecute you. 219 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:25,520 Now the worst that they can do is destroy your physical body but being a coward before God can have an eternal consequence. 220 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:32,520 Charles Spurgeon said there is no cure for the fear of man like the fear of God. 221 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:37,520 Now do not fear therefore you are more valuable than many sparrows. 222 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:44,520 Jesus' disciples did not need to be afraid because God really did care for them even down to the most minute detail. 223 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:52,520 If God cares for the sparrows and the numbers of the hairs on people's head then he will also pay careful attention to our needs. 224 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:58,520 Now the persecuted easily feel that God forgets them but God hasn't forgotten us. 225 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:04,520 God knows this better than our friends know us, better than our husband or our wife or anybody in our life. 226 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:06,520 He knows this better than we know ourselves. 227 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,520 We don't know how many hairs are numbered on our head. 228 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:13,520 Now God knows all of these things and takes care of us. 229 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:22,520 Now verse 32, therefore whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my father who is in heaven. 230 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:27,520 But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my father who is in heaven. 231 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,520 Do not think I came to bring peace on earth. 232 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:34,520 I did come to bring peace but a sword. 233 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:42,520 For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 234 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:44,520 Now what does all this mean? 235 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,520 A man's enemies will be those of his own household. 236 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:51,520 He who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. 237 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:55,520 And he who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 238 00:21:55,520 --> 00:22:00,520 And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. 239 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:07,520 He who finds his life will lose it and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. 240 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:15,520 Now whoever confesses me before men, him I will confess before my father who is in heaven. 241 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,520 Now the disciple must confess Jesus publicly before men. 242 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:26,520 If we will not be public about our allegiance to Jesus, we cannot expect him to be public about his allegiance to us. 243 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:30,520 Now everyone Jesus called, he called publicly. 244 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:35,520 There is really no such thing as a secret follower of Jesus, at least not in a permanent sense. 245 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:40,520 This is a contradiction in terms, what we call an oxymoron. 246 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:49,520 Each individual life should supply enough evidence, evidence that can be seen by people around you that they are indeed followers of Jesus. 247 00:22:49,520 --> 00:23:01,520 It is to be feared that many modern followers of Jesus, if arrested for the crime of following Jesus, were to be tried, they would be dismissed, mostly for a lack of evidence. 248 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:06,520 Now do not think that I came to bring peace on earth, I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 249 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:13,520 Now the message of Jesus as reflected in the Sermon on the Mount is indeed a message of peace. 250 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:25,520 Yet since it calls the individual to a radical commitment to Jesus himself, it is a message of peace that divides between those who choose it and those who reject it. 251 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:33,520 Now the division between these two choices explains how Jesus did not come to bring peace but a sword. 252 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:40,520 For I have come to set a man against his father, a man's enemies will be those in his own household. 253 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:48,520 Now the dividing line between those who accept Jesus and those who reject Jesus would even run through families. 254 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:53,520 The sword Jesus spoke of would sometimes cut through families. 255 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:57,520 He who loves his father or his mother more than Jesus is not worthy of him. 256 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:03,520 In strong terms Jesus explained that the disciple must love and follow Jesus supremely. 257 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:07,520 Our devotion to Jesus must come above even our own household. 258 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:14,520 We should expect that normally following Jesus makes us better husbands and fathers and wives and sons and so forth. 259 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:19,520 Yet there are times when the presence of Jesus divides rather than unifies. 260 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:26,520 Now the greatest danger of idolatry comes not from what is bad but from what is good like love and family relationships. 261 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:30,520 The greatest danger to the best comes from second best. 262 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:34,520 We need to take our cross and follow after Jesus. 263 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:39,520 The disciple must follow Jesus even to the place of taking his cross when a person took a cross. 264 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:43,520 In Jesus's day it was for one reason to die. 265 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:51,520 The ancient Roman cross did not negotiate or compromise or make deals and there was no looking back when you took it up. 266 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:55,520 Our only hope was in a resurrected life. 267 00:24:55,520 --> 00:25:00,520 Now his cross, your cross isn't really your particular trial or trouble. 268 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:05,520 The cross means one thing, death to self but resurrection to life for God. 269 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:13,520 This is the first mention of the cross in Matthew's gospel and it is not directly associated with Jesus's own crucifixion. 270 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:19,520 Such an extreme statement likening discipleship with the horror of crucifixion, 271 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:26,520 something to be terrible to be mentioned in polite company, must have jarred the listeners. 272 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:33,520 He who finds his own life will lose it and he who loses their life for my sake will find that the disciple lives in a paradox. 273 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:38,520 He can only find life by losing it and he can only live by dying. 274 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:43,520 Resurrection life can only come after we take up our cross to follow Jesus. 275 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:51,520 Now verse 40, he who receives me receives you receives me and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 276 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:55,520 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive the reward 277 00:25:55,520 --> 00:26:03,520 and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 278 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:09,520 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, 279 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:14,520 assuredly I say to you he shall by no means lose his reward. 280 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:18,520 What is happening here? Now he who receives you receives me. 281 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:29,520 The good done to Jesus' disciples is the good done to Jesus himself because they are his representatives carrying on his ministry. 282 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:34,520 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. 283 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:39,520 We can share in the reward of God's servants by supporting them in their work, 284 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:47,520 even seemingly insignificant works like a cup of cold water or helping people get water from the ocean. 285 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:50,520 God's people are meaningful in God's eyes. 286 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:54,520 What could seem more insignificant than giving a person a cup of water? 287 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:58,520 Well, in 2020 we understand that water is a great scarcity 288 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:03,520 and actually a billion people in the world have a problem accessing it every day. 289 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:06,520 Jesus said you won't lose your reward, I am watching. 290 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:13,520 Now the promise is that those who are really disciples represent him with both the cost and the reward. 291 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:18,520 Now this wraps up our time together looking at Matthew today. 292 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:22,520 Maybe you've never prayed before, prayer is just talking to God. 293 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,520 Maybe you need to repent like we talked about today. 294 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,520 Maybe you need to quit doing some things in your life that you've been doing. 295 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:34,520 You know we can always ask for God's help when we need to repent and turn around. 296 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:38,520 Let's just pray together right now. Just say God would you give me a fresh start? 297 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:41,520 Would you change my heart? Would you change my mind? 298 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:44,520 Would you help me to live for you in Jesus name? 299 00:27:44,520 --> 00:28:12,520 As always thank you for watching and have a great day.