Title: Matthew 10:16-23
1Matthew 1016-23
- Persecution Faced by Christians
2W, W, W, W, H
- Who Jesus and His newly commissioned disciples
- What Warnings and Exhortations
- When Directly after the disciples
commissioning - Where In the region of Galilee (91,35)
- How Jesus authority and foresight
3The disciples and the Lords people are compared
to sheep
- Jeremiah 506"My people have become lost sheep
Their shepherds have led them astray They have
made them turn aside on the mountainsThey have
gone along from mountain to hill. And have
forgotten their resting place. - Ezekiel 3412" As a shepherd cares for his herd
in the day when he is among his scattered sheep,
so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them
from all the places to which they were scattered
on a cloudy and gloomy day. - Matthew 2532"All the nations will be gathered
before Him and He will separate them from one
another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from
the goats
4Wolves are compared to false prophets, and
contrasted directly with sheep
5Snakes Doves are used as other comparisons
- In most Scriptural contexts, serpents or snakes
are caste in a negative light (Garden of Eden, as
judgement in Numbers, Satan is called one in
Revelation) - Here only their shrewdness seems desirable
- Doves represent holiness, innocence (they were
sacrificed, the Holy Spirit is compared to a dove)
6Gods People, Israel were prophesied to be
scattered in several Old Testament passages.
Jesus tells the disciples that these prophesies
will soon be fulfilled.
- Zechariah 137"Awake, O sword, against My
Shepherd,And against the man, My
Associate,"Declares the LORD of hosts " Strike
the Shepherd that the sheep may be scatteredAnd
I will turn My hand against the little ones. - Matthew 2631Then Jesus said to them, "You will
all fall away because of Me this night, for it is
written, ' I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND
THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED. - Mark 1427And Jesus said to them, "You will all
fall away, because it is written, ' I WILL STRIKE
DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE
SCATTERED.'
7Jesus prophesied that His disciples would be
persecuted
- Verses 17-19 are proved in the later persecution
of the church, Jesus Himself, and Paul - Jesus was taken to the synagogue, where He was
spat upon, hit, and slapped (Matthew 2657,67) - He was then taken to Pilate, the governor
(Matthew 272) - He was also taken to Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch
or Galilee and Peraea (the son of Herod the
Great, who had wanted to kill Jesus. Antipas was
also who had John the Baptist beheaded Luke
237)
8Persecution in the life of Paul
- Paul was brought before the governor Felix, then
his successor, Festus, was persecuted by the
Jews, and eventually brought before King Agrippa
(great grandson of Herod the Great Acts 24-26) - Paul was sustained by God through his journey to
Caesar, being spared from shipwreck and snakebite
(Acts 27 28) - He was visited by an angel who reassured him he
would be safe see Caesar (Acts 2722-24)
9In spite of persecution, we can trust that God
will give us even the words to say
- The Lord not only gives us a hope, He will
actually make sure His will is accomplished! - Just as the Lord sent an angel to give Paul
reassurance, He will make His will come to pass! - He has given us His perfect, Holy Spirit to
guide, protect, and accomplish His will.
10There are those that are being persecuted everyday
- Example Khalid Saad
- Khalid became a Christian in Jordan in 2002
- When he became a Christian, he was fired and
thrown out of his familys house - He was excited to celebrate Christmas, and was on
a way to see friends when his car was shot 12
times - Later, he found out that his persecutors were
members of his own family! - His story is on Voice of the Martyrs
11As Israel is scattered, the apostles mission to
evangelism will not end until Jesus return.
- Numerous verses in the Old and New Testament talk
about the dispersion of Israel - Even in Matthew 106, Jesus tells the apostles to
go to the lost sheep of Israel. - In fact, Israels refusal of the Savior allowed
for us, as Gentiles to be grafted in to the
family of God
12Group Break-out
- Nate
- Read Acts 121-6.
- What did it cost James and Peter to follow the
Lord? - How did the Lord help Peter?
- Could you endure the same things as Peter?
- Drew
- Read Acts 754-60
- What did it cost Stephen to follow the Lord?
- What assurance did God give Him?
- Could you give your life up for God?
- Rick
- Read Revelation 19
- Where was John?
- Why was he there?
- Read Revelation 2212
- What assurance did God give to John?
- Could you endure Johns situation?