So I rode my bicycle for a year in 2010 from Canada to Columbia.
And as part of that journey, I discovered that basically a billion people in
the world didn't have access to clean drinking water.
So I began this journey and did some higher level education and
then on a series of trips with my friends in the last six years.
That's all led us to this spot now we've become very interested in
small scale decentralized desalinization projects.
It's really the future.
Welcome everyone.
I'm Stoke E. B with us for today's beach talk.
I want to help us understand every word of God that's in the word of God.
God has so many wonderful things he wants to say to us every day.
If we'll just take the time to listen, understand, ask him to speak to us.
Now, my objective is simple.
It's disciples making disciples who plant churches, that plant churches.
Now in this way, we can see Jesus be a grassroots beautiful thing.
He can go anywhere and everywhere he wants to go in and through our lives.
And today we're in Matthew chapter 10 and it says that when he had called his 12
disciples to him, he gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out,
to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
Now the names of the 12 apostles are these first Simon who's called Peter and
Andrew his brother.
Now James the son of Zebedee and John his brother Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alpheus and
Labius whose surname was Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Now when he had called his 12 disciples to him,
now the main feature of this list is its diversity.
Jesus chose his disciples from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences.
About all they had in common, it seems that some of them were privileged,
some of them were not privileged, some of them were from a high status and low status.
Now he gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out and
heal all kinds of sickness and diseases.
Jesus did not only call the 12, he also gave them power to do what he had asked them to.
Now the same principle holds true today.
Whoever God calls, he equips.
Now the equipping may not be completely evident before the ministry begins, but
it will be evident along the way.
We have to take the step.
Now the names of the 12 disciples are these, one was Judas.
And they all included something very important in God's role of redemption and
judgment in the world and the founding of the church.
The Bible promises that their position and
work would be remembered through eternity according to Revelation 21.
This is the first and only time in Matthew that the 12 are called the apostles.
Now the word apostle literally means one who is sent out.
It's a word that was used for like an envoy or an ambassador.
That's what we are.
Verses five and six says, the 12 that Jesus sent, he commanded him saying,
do not go the way of the Gentiles or do not enter the city of the Samaritans, but
go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
What does this mean?
Well, the 12 that Jesus sent out, Jesus was touring around the region of Galilee.
He was teaching and preaching and helping needy people with miraculous power.
The sending of the 12 was a conscious expansion of that work.
Now Jesus said to them, I simply want you to go and represent me.
And he commanded them saying a few things.
Now William Barclay points out that the word which is used in the Greek about
Jesus commanding them or giving them orders is interesting and illuminating.
It's the word perigelion and this word in the Greek has four special usages.
It's the regular word for a military command.
It's the word used of calling one's friends for help.
It's the word in which a teacher is giving rules or precepts to students.
And it's also a word which is regularly used for imperial command.
Let's break this down.
Now do not go the way of the Gentiles.
This is the pattern of the gospel for it is the Jew first and
also for the Greek people according to Romans one.
Now later on the gospel would go to both the Samaritans and the Gentiles, but
it had to begin with the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
But rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
So God's intention was to reach the entire world but beginning with Israel.
There was certainly enough work to do among the lost sheep of the house of
Israel to keep the 12 busy until God directly commanded them to expand their ministry.
So this is significant because Jesus still called the Jewish people the house
of Israel even though they had lost their Jewish state many decades before this time.
God still saw them as Israel even though there was not a political entity
known under that name.
Now who are the lost sheep of Israel?
In this sense all of them were.
All we like sheep have gone astray.
We've turned everyone each to his own way.
Isaiah 53 in another sense there were also lost sheep that were abused and
neglected by their spiritual shepherds, the scribes and the priests and the Pharisees.
This in the sense of Jeremiah 50.
People have been lost sheep.
Their shepherds have led them astray.
Because so many were spiritually neglected, Jesus sent these apostles out.
The beginnings of the mission to meet the neglected people.
People who were left behind or left out.
As this went on, Jesus felt a lot of pressure of the problem of the need of this extended effort.
Now in verse seven it says, as you go preach saying now the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.
As you go preach saying now the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Now earlier Matthew we were told that Jesus's message was repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Now the disciples brought the same message that Jesus preached.
Simply bringing it over a much broader area than Jesus could bring by himself.
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.
Because that message tells that what life in the kingdom of heaven should be like.
There is no mention of them preaching in the synagogue's only being thrown out of Matthew 10.
This was a house to house open field street preaching ministry where they were healing, teaching, casting out demons.
Now in this they were truly followers of Jesus because this is what Jesus had done.
The authority for these disciples to raise the dead is remarkable.
Yet later the fulfillment is both recorded in both Acts 9 and 20.
There was no doubt other unrecorded instances that we find in the Bible.
Now here we have no evidence that either such a thing was common or that this authority had been permanently withdrawn.
It is wise for us today to believe that God can help us do the same thing.
To teach, to preach, to heal, to cast out demons.
Now verses 8 through 15 it says,
Wow that is really heavy.
Now freely you have received, freely give. Jesus charged his disciples nothing and he expected them to give ministry to other people without charge.
This is the foundational principle for the commands that follow.
Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money bill.
They should expect God to meet their needs without taking undue concern for their own needs.
Now furthermore they should expect that God would normally meet their needs through inspired hospitality of others.
Now take is literally obtain.
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.
Nor they don't need special equipment.
They can just go as they are because the mission is that urgent.
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.
Now we can imagine them preaching the word of God, praying for and with people and helping them with farm work.
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.
The foundational principle was freely you have received, freely give.
Now if the household is worthy it is not worthy.
Those who did receive these disciples can expect to be blessed.
Let your peace come upon those.
But those places that refuse them could expect to be treated as Gentile cities.
Shake off the dust from your feet.
So and as such they were in serious they were in danger of serious judgment.
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.
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.
But beware of men for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.
You'll be brought before governors and kings for my sake as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
Now I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves Jesus freely and honestly warned his disciples that they would face persecution.
Because they went out without police or military protection he sent them as sheep in the midst of wolves.
Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
And despite their vulnerable position Jesus's followers were not to defend themselves with worldly forms of power.
They were to remain harmless as doves though wise as serpents.
Wisdom would keep them from attracting unnecessary trouble and show them how to avoid it without compromise.
Now serpents are attacked by everyone and must use creativity and wisdom to survive.
Now remaining harmless would keep them from giving in to the temptation of retaliation.
But be aware of men for they will deliver you up.
Jesus also warned them that men would persecute them in the civic arena and the religious arena.
They got it from both sides.
They could expect opposition from the city hall and the halls of religion.
Now you'll be brought before governors and kings for my sake.
This was a remarkable statement recognizing the great influence the gospel and its preachers would have.
Governors and kings would notice them and arrest them bringing them to trial.
Now for my sake as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles because they were persecuted for Jesus's sake.
They could be a testimony to both religious and civic prosecutors.
God had them in two places.
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.
For it is not you who speak but the spirit of your father who speaks in you.
Do not worry about how or what you should speak.
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.
Isn't that comforting?
Now D.A. Carson said,
Now it was not the humiliation which early Christians dreaded not even the cruel pain and the agony.
But many of them feared that their own unskillfulness in words and defense might injure rather than commend the truth.
For it will be given to you in that hour that you should speak.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Now brother will deliver a brother to death.
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.
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.
You'll be hated for my name's sake.
At times this has been true when entire cultures have hated the followers of Jesus.
Now it seems strange that people who live by the kingdom expectations of Matthew five through seven would be so greatly hated.
But it is the same paradox that inspire the world to condemn and crucify the only sinless man who's ever lived.
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.
That is not what Jesus teaches.
Now but he who endures till the end will be saved.
A commitment to endure to the end is required for those who will weather the storms of persecution.
Now we face little persecution have little understanding of just how difficult it is to endure under it.
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.
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.
They were to do it.
Now you have not gone through the cities of Israel before the son of man comes.
This is one of the hardest to understand statements of Jesus and Matthew.
Could Jesus really mean that he would return to this earth before the disciples would make it through all the cities of Israel.
If so this would make Jesus plainly wrong in this prediction.
So that's not what that means.
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.
Now this is the fulfillment of the day of judgment warned of in Matthew 10.
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.
Now verse 24 a disciple is not above his teacher nor a servant above his master.
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.
How much more will they call those of his household?
A disciple is not above his teacher.
Now simply put the disciples should not expect to be treated any better than Jesus was treated.
If they called Jesus himself Satan or Beelzebub how much worse should the disciples of Jesus expect?
Now it is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher and a servant like his master.
This is the goal of both the disciple and the servant of Jesus.
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.
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.
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.
But rather fear him who is able to destroy both the soul and the body in hell.
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.
Do not fear therefore you are of more value than many sparrows.
Now therefore do not fear them. Jesus's disciples could have confidence that the truth would prevail.
So they should go out and preach it with boldness despite the danger of persecution.
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.
His threat of persecution may not have succeeded in harming us but in holding back the work and the word of God.
Now for there is nothing covered that will be revealed and hidden that will not be known.
Now Jesus promised his persecuted followers that the truth of their honorable sacrifice would be known.
Even if their persecutors did their best to hide it among the pages of history.
God would reveal all and justify his servants and reveal the crime of those who thought that they had hidden it.
Now the judgment of eternity gives us great confidence in God's ultimate justice.
Those who seem to cheat justice on earth will never cheat it in eternity.
Now whatever I tell you in the dark speak in the light and whatever you hear in your ear preach on the rooftops.
The message of Jesus was gloriously public.
It was not for a secret few and was not to be hidden in any way.
There isn't one message for the inner circle of Jesus and another for the outer circle of Jesus.
Those on the outside may not understand the message but they can hear it and it is not to be hidden from them.
It's to be transparent.
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.
Now God is the one to fear not the men who persecute you.
Now the worst that they can do is destroy your physical body but being a coward before God can have an eternal consequence.
Charles Spurgeon said there is no cure for the fear of man like the fear of God.
Now do not fear therefore you are more valuable than many sparrows.
Jesus' disciples did not need to be afraid because God really did care for them even down to the most minute detail.
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.
Now the persecuted easily feel that God forgets them but God hasn't forgotten us.
God knows this better than our friends know us, better than our husband or our wife or anybody in our life.
He knows this better than we know ourselves.
We don't know how many hairs are numbered on our head.
Now God knows all of these things and takes care of us.
Now verse 32, therefore whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my father who is in heaven.
But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my father who is in heaven.
Do not think I came to bring peace on earth.
I did come to bring peace but a sword.
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.
Now what does all this mean?
A man's enemies will be those of his own household.
He who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.
And he who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.
He who finds his life will lose it and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
Now whoever confesses me before men, him I will confess before my father who is in heaven.
Now the disciple must confess Jesus publicly before men.
If we will not be public about our allegiance to Jesus, we cannot expect him to be public about his allegiance to us.
Now everyone Jesus called, he called publicly.
There is really no such thing as a secret follower of Jesus, at least not in a permanent sense.
This is a contradiction in terms, what we call an oxymoron.
Each individual life should supply enough evidence, evidence that can be seen by people around you that they are indeed followers of Jesus.
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.
Now do not think that I came to bring peace on earth, I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
Now the message of Jesus as reflected in the Sermon on the Mount is indeed a message of peace.
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.
Now the division between these two choices explains how Jesus did not come to bring peace but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father, a man's enemies will be those in his own household.
Now the dividing line between those who accept Jesus and those who reject Jesus would even run through families.
The sword Jesus spoke of would sometimes cut through families.
He who loves his father or his mother more than Jesus is not worthy of him.
In strong terms Jesus explained that the disciple must love and follow Jesus supremely.
Our devotion to Jesus must come above even our own household.
We should expect that normally following Jesus makes us better husbands and fathers and wives and sons and so forth.
Yet there are times when the presence of Jesus divides rather than unifies.
Now the greatest danger of idolatry comes not from what is bad but from what is good like love and family relationships.
The greatest danger to the best comes from second best.
We need to take our cross and follow after Jesus.
The disciple must follow Jesus even to the place of taking his cross when a person took a cross.
In Jesus's day it was for one reason to die.
The ancient Roman cross did not negotiate or compromise or make deals and there was no looking back when you took it up.
Our only hope was in a resurrected life.
Now his cross, your cross isn't really your particular trial or trouble.
The cross means one thing, death to self but resurrection to life for God.
This is the first mention of the cross in Matthew's gospel and it is not directly associated with Jesus's own crucifixion.
Such an extreme statement likening discipleship with the horror of crucifixion,
something to be terrible to be mentioned in polite company, must have jarred the listeners.
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.
He can only find life by losing it and he can only live by dying.
Resurrection life can only come after we take up our cross to follow Jesus.
Now verse 40, he who receives me receives you receives me and he who receives me receives him who sent me.
He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive the reward
and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple,
assuredly I say to you he shall by no means lose his reward.
What is happening here? Now he who receives you receives me.
The good done to Jesus' disciples is the good done to Jesus himself because they are his representatives carrying on his ministry.
He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward.
We can share in the reward of God's servants by supporting them in their work,
even seemingly insignificant works like a cup of cold water or helping people get water from the ocean.
God's people are meaningful in God's eyes.
What could seem more insignificant than giving a person a cup of water?
Well, in 2020 we understand that water is a great scarcity
and actually a billion people in the world have a problem accessing it every day.
Jesus said you won't lose your reward, I am watching.
Now the promise is that those who are really disciples represent him with both the cost and the reward.
Now this wraps up our time together looking at Matthew today.
Maybe you've never prayed before, prayer is just talking to God.
Maybe you need to repent like we talked about today.
Maybe you need to quit doing some things in your life that you've been doing.
You know we can always ask for God's help when we need to repent and turn around.
Let's just pray together right now. Just say God would you give me a fresh start?
Would you change my heart? Would you change my mind?
Would you help me to live for you in Jesus name?
As always thank you for watching and have a great day.