Another Set of Challenges: Matthew 10:24-42

A little less than half-way through Matthew’s gospel, we come to a passage where Jesus is again teaching. While Jesus’ message in this portion of Matthew’s gospel isn’t as famous as the long Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ words to those present in our passage for this episode are no less challenging. In some ways, what Jesus challenges us with in this passage is even more challenging than before.

Let’s read what Jesus shared, and discover how we can apply Jesus’ challenges in our own lives. Our passage is found in Matthew’s gospel, chapter 10, and we will read from the Good News Translation. Starting in verse 24, and jumping into Jesus’ teaching, we read:

²⁴ “No pupil is greater than his teacher; no slave is greater than his master. ²⁵ So a pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and a slave like his master. If the head of the family is called Beelzebul, the members of the family will be called even worse names!

Quick note: in the context of this message, Beelzebul would be another name for Satan or the devil. In other words, we shouldn’t be surprised if others call us names or accuse us of being agents of Satan. We should be satisfied simply being and living like Jesus, our Teacher.

Continuing in verse 26:

²⁶ “So do not be afraid of people. Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. ²⁷ What I am telling you in the dark you must repeat in broad daylight, and what you have heard in private you must announce from the housetops. ²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell. ²⁹ For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. ³⁰ As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. ³¹ So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!

³² “Those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven. ³³ But those who reject me publicly, I will reject before my Father in heaven.

³⁴ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the world. No, I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ I came to set sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law; ³⁶ your worst enemies will be the members of your own family.

³⁷ “Those who love their father or mother more than me are not fit to be my disciples; those who love their son or daughter more than me are not fit to be my disciples. ³⁸ Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples. ³⁹ Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it.

⁴⁰ “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. ⁴¹ Whoever welcomes God’s messenger because he is God’s messenger, will share in his reward. And whoever welcomes a good man because he is good, will share in his reward. ⁴² You can be sure that whoever gives even a drink of cold water to one of the least of these my followers because he is my follower, will certainly receive a reward.”

Let’s stop reading here. This passage has a bunch of really strong challenges in it. Jesus challenges us to make His messages public and to broadcast what He has shared with us as we have studied. Jesus tells us that we shouldn’t fear people because our souls cannot be touched or hurt by humans. Instead, we should fear God, who has the power to destroy both our body and our soul. Jesus tells us we are valuable in God’s eyes, and while this passage doesn’t directly say how valuable, the biggest reason Jesus came to this earth was to show us how much God values us!

Jesus challenges us with the truth that we must publicly declare that we are allied with Jesus if we want Jesus to acknowledge us before the Father in heaven. If we try to live a life of secret faith, where we are privately disciples of Jesus but publicly against Him or on the fence, then Jesus tells us that He will reject us before the Father. This sounds harsh and challenging, but it also draws our attention to an interesting truth that a secret disciple isn’t a valuable disciple. A disciple of Jesus must at some point declare that they are with Jesus. While the point in time they choose to do this might vary, they cannot stay hidden for their entire lives.

Some people believe that Jesus came to bring peace into the world, but Jesus challenges this idea with His next statement. Jesus tells us that Jesus came to bring division and debate. Because of Jesus, families would be split up and divided. I don’t believe that this is Jesus’ goal for coming into this world, but it is a reality as individuals wrestle in their minds and hearts about who Jesus really is. Some of the family might realize and believe Jesus to be God’s Son, while others believe Him to be an imposter. Jesus knows His coming would cause division, but His coming is too important for God’s people to let the fear of dividing people stop Him.

Jesus challenges us that if we are to be His disciples, we are to love Him over anyone and everyone else. We are to place Jesus first in our lives and to lay our goals and ambitions aside for what God’s goals and ambitions for us are. By losing our own lives, we are able to gain Jesus’ life, and His life in our lives brings us eternal life!

While most of Jesus’ message is bleak and challenging, Jesus finishes with an amazing promise. Those who welcome Jesus’ messengers are really welcoming Jesus, and whoever welcomes Jesus is welcoming God as well. Everyone who welcomes those God has sent will share in God’s rewards. When we are kind to those who follow God and when we are kind simply because we are God’s followers, Jesus promises us that God will reward us.

While Jesus’ arrival in this world causes a huge split between people of every background as we all must make the choice regarding who Jesus is for us, we can know and trust that when we choose Jesus in this life, and when we live for Him, we will be rewarded by God in the next life. While our current life will have challenges and trials because we chose to publicly follow Jesus, we can know and trust that our future lives are safe in God’s hands.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, be sure you are intentionally seeking God first in your life. Choose to publicly ally yourself with Jesus and let Him lead and guide your life. Live a life filled with God’s love and a life that is focused on helping the least of those in society and those who cannot help you back. Live your faith in a way that honors God, that honors Jesus, and that uplifts humanity. When we show God’s love in the world today, our lives become the greatest witness for our faith.

Also, as I always challenge you to do, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself to grow a personal relationship with God. Through personal study, God will teach us through His Holy Spirit what we should speak and share with others, and with God’s Holy Spirit, we can live the life God has called us to live.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!