SENT: Courage

In Matt 10:24-33 Jesus gives a call to courage in light of the tendency His followers would have to fear. He says, no less than three times, do not fear. Fear is the Greek word Phobeo, where phobia comes from. It means to cause to run away, to terrify, to frighten. Jesus is saying, in light of anticipated, impending and actual hardship and persecution, do not be terrified, do not be frightened. There is ample reason to be courageous instead.

Jesus doesn't just tell His people not to fear, He gives the reasons and resources not to fear. Jesus gives His followers courage. We are about to see what Christs's people need courage to do and why.

We need Courage to...

1. Accept persecution because Jesus suffered for us. Verses 24-25 say disciple and slave will become like teacher and master. Jesus says if they have called the Head of the house Beelzebul they will do it to you as well. A vile insult that must have shocked the disciples. The real head of the house, Jesus, who heads the household of God, had been willfully called the head of the house of demons. V. 26 says So, have no fear of them. It seems only natural to fear those who will beat and kill you. But Jesus is preparing His followers for hard times by getting them to focus on the ultimate outcome. Stay focused on the what God will do and fear can be eliminated. Do not let the fact that'll you will be hated, rejected and treated violently lead you to fear. They would ultimately be victorious. They could not see it in the middle of the battle with evil, because the world's resistance to the gospel would cloud the truth that would someday be revealed. Their courage and faithfulness would be brought to light. Jesus wants to encourage His followers who would feel deserted and alone. All will be put right on the final day.

These verses ought to challenge us who claim to be serving Christ. What treatment do we expect? Do we hesitate to stand too firmly for Christ because we fear rejection, embarrassment or persecution? Do we compromise and seek alliances with the world to avoid being treated like Jesus was?

2. Preach Christ boldly, fearing God rather than man. Man can destroy bodies but God is the only one who can destroy souls in hell. V. 27 is an exhortation to fulfill their mission. Jesus will privately and personally teach His people. What I tell you...what you hear...say and proclaim on the housetops. Roofs in Palestine were flat, making them a great vantage point for getting news out. They were not to despise the day of small things and small beginnings...God's salvation program was continuing in that remote part of the world , without fanfare or apparent success, but with the presentation of the Messiah to Israel and their rejection of Him. They were to fully preach what Jesus gave them to preach, even though at this point stye did not fully understand the full implications of their message. In V. 28, Jesus gives more specifics on why they were not to fear. Do not fear those who kill the body, rather fear God. Fearing men is needless, fearing God ia necessary.

3. Trust God's providential care, not man's premature conclusions. Only God gives life and eternal life. God assigns true value. V. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Sparrows held little value in the marketplace, they were ignored by people, but God takes notice of them and knows when each one dies. He is concerned with and actively involved with every part of His creation. This is motivation to respect all life God has created. And if God cares for the smallest and seemingly most insignificant crwarures, how much more does He care for this created in His image, especially Those who belong to Him by grace through faith. V. 30 even the hairs on your head are numbered. V. 31 Says do not fear...You are of more value than many sparrows. Man says we are not as valuable as birds...case in point, how many people would fight to the death for an endangered species, even owned by someone, due to how valuable they consider them...and how many step aside and watch babies be killed, by those whose sovereignty over their lives they respect more than God's. God says we, human beings, are of far more value and significance than animals, because we are made in His image. God cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7. They might be tempted to think that God is not good, that He has forgotten about them, that He is not concerned for their welfare. Do not bank on man's valuation because only God gives life, He is the supreme valuer of life.

4. Faithfully acknowledge Christ because God is faithful. Vv. 32-33 So...therefore...everyone who acknowledges Me before men...I also will acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father in heaven. Shall confess Me...an Aramaic idiom, figure of speech, meaning 'confess in Me', indicates a sense of unity with Christ and of Christ with the person who takes a courageous stand for Him. So, what if someone denies that they are a Christian? Will they be denied by Jesus? Not necessarily. Peter denied knowing Jesus and he wasn't rejected. He was reinstated after questioning and being reassured by Jesus. John 21. He was restored, and we see Him on the day of Pentecost preaching boldly, courageous trust in the face of opposition. Deny here is total rejection of Jesus, total refusal to believe an be saved. Continual denial of Christ as the pattern and the revealed position of a person's soul. Deny is saying no to Christ, a complete breach, complete rejection. Public and final. By His doing we are in Christ and it is by His doing we will remain in Christ. He will give us the desire and strength to endure.

Courage originates with God. We do not summon our own courage. It does not originate with us. Jesus commands courage. By that I mean He gives it, applies it, restores it. He supplies it. He strengthens us with it. He builds it into the fiber of our being. And how does He do this? Through the trials and pain of deliberate character building designed to make us more like the Crucified.

Students...Courage is sitting in class and doing your mandated 20 minutes of reading from your Bible app on your phone rather than your Facebook app and being unafraid to tell your friends when they ask. It is telling your classmates what you really believe when the topic of conversations falls on faith. It is being unafraid to respectfully engage your teachers if they clearly do not understand or acknowledge the authority of biblical truth.

Neighbors...Courage is telling your neighbor where you are going to church or Bible study when they ask where you are going. Courage is inviting them to go with you.

Men, and heads of households among us...Courage is opening your Bible and reading it with your family when you would usually and rather flip on the tv and veg out.

Courage is engaging in eternally significant things rather than things that entice us.

Courage is running with the good news of the gospel to those headed for hell and certain destruction in a Christless eternity unless they repent and believe.

Soli Deo Gloria