Matt. 10:24-33, Believer’s Handbook (6)

Matthew 10:24-25a is the focal passage for this entire chapter of encouragements for the servants of Christ.  It is a simple statement of the essence of discipleship: it is following someone with the idea of becoming like them.  Too often today we give the impression that following Christ is the way to get what we want in life.  The disappointment of prayers that are not answered according to our will or the sting of some of life’s hard experiences will go by the wayside if we remember that following Christ is all about becoming like Christ.  Following Christ means:

v You will be treated the same as Christ, 10:24-26.

Mt. 10:24-26 is also a transition in this chapter.  From the previous section on persecution we see that the more we are like Christ the more the world will treat us as they did Christ.  Therefore, we ought not fear these things but face them as did our Lord.  Throughout the rest of the chapter the fact of persecution is in the background of all that the Lord says to His followers.  It is natural to want to draw back in the face of affliction.  But Jesus stresses the need to increase or grow in our likeness to Him. 

For Jesus to be called “Beelzebub” is not just name-calling.  It is calling Him a false god or Satan.  This was the approach the leaders took when they could not deny His miracles; they attributed them to Satan (this will be central in Mt. 12).  When this happens there is no reason to fear because God knows those who are in opposition; their plans and actions are open to Him and, in time, will be revealed to all.

v You must speak the same as Christ, 10:24-26.

In the “disciple/master” relationship the Master or Teacher is the source of the information the disciple is to believe, apply and pass on to others. This is a truth that will bring about resistance so the Lord again tells the Twelve and us not to fear those who can only kill the body but not the soul (the real you on the inside, the life we have from the Creator to continues after the body dies). 

It is interesting that, in v28, the two words “fear” are the same. Yet we know that fearing God is different that fearing man.  How can this be?  Meditate on this.  To fear anyone is to respect them, to recognize their influence in our lives.  If we fear someone who opposes us then that respect will lead to being scared of them.  Why?  Because we know they do not have our best interest in mind.  But if we fear God, that respect will lead to being confident in His presence.  The reason is that we know that God loves and cares for us.  We know that because that is what Jesus says in v29-31. 

On the other hand, Jesus does note that God is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  So think about the follower of Christ who is not fully committed to Christ.  When resistance arises, their fear of men will cause them not to say what He tells them to say.  They will draw back so as not to offend men.  But now they have put themselves in a situation with God which will cause them to be afraid of God.  Think on this and we will continue in the passage in our next post.