Out of the Comfort Zone

Jesus' words to His twelve apostles in Matthew 10:24-25 seem to me to be a call to get out of our idealistic comfort zone and into the realistic danger zone of courageous witness for Christ. He had been telling them what to expect and now He says it in not so uncertain terms, "they are going to ream you, they are going to accuse you the the exact opposite of where you are really coming from. They did it to Me, don't expect any better treatment."

You could really call it a shove out of the nest. Jesus bursting their self-protective bubble. It would get messy before it got glorious. Glory would come one day, and love and peace and joy would accompany them in the pain that would be inflicted not hem. But it wasn't going to be a bed of roses.

Jesus goes on to say, no less than three times, do not fear. Truth will reign, God in His providence will supply, so be old and go for it for the gospel. Stand boldly and deliver the truth in hostile and friendly-looking settings, knowing that God is in control. Jesus will be magnified. One day in the not so distant future every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.