Persecution Comes: Not a cakewalk:

Context:

- there's lots of work to be done.

- laborers are to go out proclaiming the Kingdom.

- they are to heal, resurrect, cleanse, and cast out demons.

- they aren't to be self sufficient.

- they may or not be welcomed.

Matthew 10:16-18 “...Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles..."

Is being a sheep in the midst of wolves something a person would normally choose?

- most prefer to stay safe, which is why the laborers are few.

Why are both wisdom and innocence necessary?

- wisdom provides safety in the midst of a dangerous world.

- innocence prevents a person from adding to the present danger and chaos.

- having both increases safety while avoiding unnecessary provocation.

What did Jesus know was in store for His disciples?

- the same thing that was in store for Him.

- beaten and dragged before the world's authorities.

What wonderful opportunity would be available within the danger?

- the same thing that was in store for Jesus.

- the opportunity to bear witness to the good intentions of God.

Matthew 10:19-20 "...When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you..."

Are we prepared to face hostile authorities?

What is the difference between If and When?

- Jesus wasn't preparing them for If, but for When they faced hostile authorities.

What would be your biggest concern when facing this situation?

- outcome? personal safety? ability to talk yourself out of trouble?

What would be your biggest need when facing this situation?

- ability to say what the Father wanted.

How would this need be met?

- by the Holy Spirit doing the talking.

Matthew 10:21-23 "...Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes..."

Who causes the laborers to be dragged before the world's authorities?

- brothers, fathers, children.

- the very people who should be trustworthy.

Why is endurance needed?

- the events aren't pleasant.

- the end result is worth the pain and struggle.

What is the end result?

- salvation.

Matthew 10:24-25 “...A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household..."

What can disciples of Christ expect as they labor to carry on the work of Christ?

- the same treatment that Christ received.

What a Harvest: Lots to be done.

Matthew 9:37-38 “...The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest...”

Luke 10:2 "...The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest..."

What had taken place in Chapter 9 leading up to this verse?

9:22 - Woman with issue of blood for 12 years was healed.

9:25 - The ruler's daughter was raised from the dead.

9:30 - Two blind men received their sight.

9:33 - A demon was cast out of a mute man and he spoke.

Context:

- Jesus is now on His third circuit around Galilee.

- He went through the cities and villages.

- He taught in their synagogues

- He proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom

- He healed every disease and every affliction.

- He had compassion on the helpless, harassed crowds.

What is now needed?

- laborers.

To do what?

- Is He looking for someone to make converts?

- Is He looking for someone to make disciples?

- Is He looking for someone to take care of hurting people?

- Jesus has compassion on the helpless, harassed crowds.

Are there any helpless, harassed crowds in our world today?

- laborers are needed to teach, preach, and heal.

Was Jesus being religiously theoretical, or practical and real?

The next section should clarify the request and prevent any misunderstanding of intent.

What labor:

Matthew 10:5-8 "...These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay..."

What did Jesus expect his disciples to do?

How can disciples be expected to do these things?

- only by the power and authority of Jesus Himself.

Does Jesus provide supernatural power to His followers?

What provisions:

Matthew 10:9-11 "...Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart..."

Luke 9:3 “...Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics..."

Did Jesus expect his disciples to be well funded?

What results:

Matthew 10:12-15 "...As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town..."

Mark 6:10-11 “...Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them...”

Luke 9:4-5 "...And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them...”

Would it always be easy?

Everlasting Family:

Matthew 12:48-50 "...But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother...”

Mark 3:33-35 "...And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother...”

Luke 8:21 "...But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it...”

Context:

- Jesus is in the middle of ministry, in a crowd.

- His mother and brothers try to reach Him, but can't.

- Jesus is informed of that they are trying to reach Him.

- Jesus asks "who are my mother and my brothers?"

Can you name any of the brothers of Jesus? Were they older or younger?

Matthew 13:55 "...Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?..."

- obviously younger because Jesus was born of a virgin.

Did Jesus have any sisters?

Matthew 13:56 "...And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?...”

Did Jesus love His mother and brothers?

- even while perishing on the cross He made provision for His mother.

John 19:26-27 "...When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home..."

Why would He make these comments about "Who is my mother"?

- Jesus is not rejecting His earthly family, but rather expressing priorities.

- He always directs focus to more than the common culture embraces.

1 John 2:15-17 "...Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever..."

- The culture of our time defines family much differently than cultural of Jerusalem. There's was a time when wives, children and slaves were absolutely expected to obey the father of the household.

- Jesus was presenting the coming Kingdom with the necessity to hear the word of God and absolutely do it.

- true discipleship is not from physical relationships but from obedience to the word and will of the Father.

- mere religion and family relationships doesn't place a person in right standing with God the Father.

Did any of His brothers learn anything from what Jesus was emphasizing here?

James 1:22 "...But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves..."

What is the difference between coming to Jesus and asking Jesus to come to you?

- on whose terms does discipleship and a position in the family of God depend?

What family is most important to you?

No Honor in Hometown:

Matthew 13:57 "...And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household...”

Mark 6:3-6 "...And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching..."

Why would the hometown crowd take offense at Jesus?

- the ministry of Jesus was moving beyond what they knew to be true.

Matthew 11:6 "...And blessed is the one who is not offended by me...”

When do we take offense at Jesus?

- when He moves beyond what we've accepted as the only truth.

Do we have any stubborn prejudices that need to be touched by divine grace?

When can the church be a place where the ministry of Jesus is rejected?

- when people think they are in the know.

- when people want what they want.

- when people want Jesus to come to them, but are unwilling to walk with Him.

The Pearl of Great Price:

Matthew 13:45-46 “...Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it..."

What does a merchant look for?

- valuable items.

What do people look for?

- value in life.

- contentment, security, companionship, meaning.

What does the kingdom of heaven cost a person?

Isaiah 55:1 “...Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price..."

Revelation 3:18 "...I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see..."

The Net: Catching good and bad.

Matthew 13:47-50 “...Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth..."

Why do fishermen sort the fish that they catch?

- the net catches a variety of fish, some good, some bad.

How is this parable like the wheat/weeds parable?

- it points to a day of judgment.

- everyone doesn't face the same end.

- Jesus has no difficulty claiming that some are evil and some are righteous.

Can a person know whether they are a good fish or a bad fish?

Can a person make themselves a good fish or a bad fish?

Capice: Got it?

Matthew 13:51-52 “...Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old....”

Do we understand the seven parables?

What did the original hearers understand and not understand?

- the Messiah would reign, but world rulers would exist until the 2nd coming.

- there would be righteousness, but good and evil would coexist up to the 2nd coming.

- the kingdom would include a growing number of people, including Gentiles.

- the Old Covenant would lead into the New Covenant.

Walking with Jesus requires remembering old lessons and learning new ones.