SENT: Caution

The big news last week was the rescue of 33 Chilean miners trapped on 8/5/10, 2041 feet below the surface in the collapsed San Jose gold and copper mine for 69 days. The longest anyone has ever been trapped underground and survived. Great caution was exercised in their rescue. God wants us to exercise caution as we both live and give the gospel. He does not want us to be surprised or anxious but to patiently endure, knowing that in Christ our present needs will be supplied and our future is secure.

Matt. 10:5-15 dealt with the short-term mission to Israel, as Jesus gave travel instructions to His 12 apostles; verses 16-23 deal with longer-term issues – reaching past the crucifixion and resurrection into the 1st century church and beyond to us today, as Jesus gives trouble instructions to His sent ones. They were to exercise caution as various trials came upon them. Verse 16 is the glue tying what goes before it to what comes after. According to verse 16 the overall character of a Christ-centered followers in a hostile world is to be like sheep in the midst of wolves. Jesus calls the 12 to exhibit street smarts without sinful compromise. Jesus calls for discerning engagement. It starts with a mindset that is both wary and wise, cautiously compassionate, humble and bold.

Matthew 10:17-23 contains 3 assurances that illustrate what Jesus means.

1st assurance: Do not be surprised…Persecution will come. Verse 17 begins, "Beware of men", literally "hold your mind away from them", these wolves. They were to be wary of people and expect some kind of opposition to the Gospel. The worst rejection Jesus says would happen so far was lack of a proper welcome. Now He warns them of blatant hostility. Some would be arrested. "Hand over" means betrayed, same word as in Matt. 10:4. Some would be brought before Jewish courts – councils, sanhedrins. Some would be flogged in synagogues – Jewish places of worship. Run-ins with Jews was not all that would happen, they would also be brought before Gentile officials as well. Verse 18 says "You will be dragged before kings and governors on account of Me." It would happen due to their association with Jesus. As a "testimony" (the Greek word is marturion, martyr). The preacher bases what he says on firsthand knowledge and information that corresponds to reality, it is not made up, not false testimony. It is an accurate representation of what happened, a declaration. The gospel is preached as a narration of actual and practical truth. Here is what Christ did in history (the cross), here is what He did in my life (saving me) and here is what He is doing (in leading me, sanctifying me). Every believer has a story to tell.

2nd assurance: Do not be anxious…the Spirit will help. Verse 19 says "When they deliver you over". Notice it is "when" not "if". "Do not be anxious" (a prohibition, do not do it). To make a defense before pagan governors was a huge ordeal. When there is no time or freedom to prepare anything to say, what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. One of the fears in Chilean rescue effort was that as miners were being pulled out to safety they might have panic attacks. But they did not sedate them, they needed to be alert in case something went wrong. They had to trust. Se do we. Why? As verse 20 says "it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father (the Holy Spirit) speaking through you". They will receive special power for a special situation. At the moment of persecution, do not to worry, God will give you the words.

3rd assurance: Be assured as you patiently endure…Jesus will return. You can expect there to be hostility not only from civil and religious authorities but even from unsaved family members. Verse 21 says "Brother will deliver brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death." Deceived people do desperate things. And verse 22 says "You will be hated by all on account of My name’s sake." Not hated by all men without exception, but by all kinds of people without distinction. The widest range of people imaginable will oppose the gospel. Just as the gospel reaches into every culture, some people in every culture will reject the gospel. "Hated" is a periphrastic future passive, indicating it will go on through the ages. "The one who has endured to the end will be saved". Not enduring to earn, but enduring to show that you have saving faith. The perseverance of the saints. The Chilean miners had no ultimate assurance they would be saved...we do. Physical death cannot touch the child of God in an ultimate way. But Jesus wants us to be wise, not foolish. If we can get out of it, do so. As verse 23 says "When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next." The flip side of encouraging bold testimony under persecution when there is no alternative is the instruction to flee hostility whenever possible. Escape it when you can. A living witness can preach more than a dead one.

Then comes a difficult saying from Jesus that has puzzled many. "For truly I say to you, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes." Definitely a future event but how far into the future? There are no less than 7-8 views of what this means, ranging from Jesus catching up to them in Galilee right away, to the Transfiguration, to the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70, to the 2nd coming of Christ.It makes most sense with the context to say it is Jesus' 2nd coming and can be applied as His coming in judgment upon the unbelieving Jews. Basically, the mission to Israel will continue until Christ's return. "Truly" is the word amen. Jesus starts His sentence with amen, here is what will be. The assurance here is that Jesus will stay true to His word though all hell breaks loose.

Jesus is coming back. No one here knows the day or hour. It might be sooner than any of us think. Originally, the Chilean miners thought it wouldn't be until December that they might be rescued. It ended up being earlier than anticipated. I don't think any of them said "hey, can you come back later, I have some more things I want to do down here". They jumped at the chance to get in that tube that took them up. They knew the mine was not their true home. They had another dwelling. For us it is similar story but on a much bigger scale...we are dealing with eternal not temporal things. We are citizens of heaven loving for our eternal home.

I am not sure where you are today, what issues you are grappling with, what persecution you are enduring, what pain you are carrying...let me just say...Jesus will rescue you and make all things right. Therefore be humble and bold. Jesus puts a positive spin on negative things because He has good things in store for His people no matter what comes at them. He makes the wrath of man to praise Him. He works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. God makes beauty out of ugly things. Notice the negative action words…Deliver, drag, flog, death, hated, persecuted. Notice the good He will bring about: For My sake, bear witness, endure, saved, Son of Man coming back. This is what a Christ-centered person in a hostile world can expect. The road trip is on. Victory is assured. Trouble will come. What will you do when it does? Panic or defend yourself? Or rely on the Spirit and patiently endure?

We go with the gospel, in obedience to Christ, with a message of God’s love to people of all sorts – some who will be violently opposed to the message (wolves). Some will respond favorably. Either way we must go. But not blindly. We go with a blend of grace (innocent as doves) and truth (shrewd as snakes). Truth must govern our perspectives on danger. Grace must under gird everything, as we trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross.

Soli Deo Gloria