St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 29, Heavenly Value.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Confidence in divine protection) Part 6.  

Now, in Christ's description of hell, he has given his disciples a picture of the torment that awaits those who do not heed the message of the kingdom.  Within the minds of the disciples lurks the picture of the many souls that will not see the kingdom.  There are many that they have encountered that have turned away from the message.  There are many who have not accepted the laws but turned to the worship of pagans.  There are many who live by the passions of their hearts and who disregard the calling to repentance.  So the disciples see how Satan is winning the souls of the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Christ tells them, by way of example, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?"   Are not two birds sold for a very small value?  In just the same manner, are not two small things sold for a very small value?  Are not two, lost body and lost soul, sold for a value that is very small, a value that is of no value?  Christ wants his disciples to know that those who do not accept the message have little value.  Those who are lost are like the sale of two sparrows for a very little value.  There is no value.  There is no loss.  He continues by saying, "And yet, not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave." 

So even though Satan is capturing the souls of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, those souls are the ones who have not accepted the message sent from the father.   God our father does not allow souls to go willingly into hell.  He knows all of those that do.  He makes every effort to save those lost souls.  He provides opportunities for them to repent.  He provides ways for them to hear the message.  He provides a means for them to return to the God of their forefathers.  God knows all and any lost soul is only lost by his leave and by the choice of the individual.  For Christ has told his disciples that the Father will protect them.  He has told them that the Spirit of the Father will come to them.  He has given them training to protect themselves from the tricks and traps of the devil.  So they are prepared and they will prepare others who will listen and heed the message of the kingdom of heaven.

Christ has said to his disciples that they are the salt of the earth.  But what if the salt looses its strength.  Of what good is it except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  He has also shown that the birds of the air and the lilies of the field neither toil nor sweat.  Yet the heavenly father provides for them just as he will provide for them.  Even for those who do not accept the message, God waits patiently, even up to the last minute, for the veil of deception to be thrown off and the eyes opened and they repent.   For our God is a God of mercy and a God of patience and a God of love.  And yet not one sparrow falls to the ground except by his leave.  Like the disciples, are you of great value to your heavenly father?  Is your body and soul compared to two sparrows who are sold for a farthing, a very small value?  Can you hear the message?  Do you care?  Christ is calling you to repentance that he may love you.  Will you come?

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 28b, Heavenly Protection not Fear.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Confidence in divine protection) Part 5.  

Christ has told his disciples not to be afraid in several ways.  He does not want them to have fear.  He does not want them to open the door to fear and thereby allow the minnions of the evil one to enter into their hearts and minds to destroy their defenses.  They are the warriors.  They are the victors.  They are the conquerers.  The Spirit of the Father is with them and will arm them with words of wisdom.  Have confidence in heavenly protection.  So Christ has given them the pep rally and boosted their spirits in preparation for battle.

He has told them not to fear those that can destroy the body.   Though they may cause pain in the physical realm, there is no harm in the spiritual realm.  The soul will remain and will rejoice in the presence of the Lord.  Christ tells them however, to be afraid of Satan.  He says, be afraid of him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  So he wants us to know that there is destruction in hell.  He wants us to know that there is a physical place called hell where Satan reigns.  And in this place Satan can destroy the body and the soul.  He can cause pain.  He can cause suffering.  He can cause disease.  He can cause all manner of physical and spiritual destruction.  This is what we should fear.  We should fear going to hell.  We should fear being in a place where there is no hope.  We should fear being in a place where we will live in eternity in pain and suffering. 

So Christ is instructing his disciples about this place called hell and what will happen in this place.  This is not the place where his disciples will go.  But he gives them a picture of this place so that they will know where those who do not accept the message, will go.  Christ wants his disciples to understand the immense pain and suffering that the unbeliever will undergo when they leave the physical realm.  He wants them to have complete knowledge so that they can speak to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and convey to them the choice that they will make.  For they are the first to hear the message of the kingdom of heaven.  They are the first to see the disciples of Christ.  They are the first to have the opportunity to repent and turn back to the Lord.  After these, then the rest of the Gentiles will hear the message of the kingdom of heaven.

So we have our warning.  Just as Christ told his disciples back then, he is telling us today.  Fear the one who can destroy the body and the soul in hell.  Fear the place called hell, where one will live in eternal damnation.  Fear Satan. 

Will you hear the message?  Can you understand the meaning of the message or are you deaf to it?   The evil one will use all his tricks and traps to prevent you from hearing it.  He will attempt in every way to keep you from the kingdom of heaven so that he can get you in hell to destroy what God has created.  Are you afraid of him who can destroy both body and soul in hell?  You should be!!

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 28a, Heavenly Protection not Fear.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Confidence in divine protection) Part 4.  

As Christ speaks to his disciples about the things of the spiritual realm that they are to repeat in the light, they become afraid.  He has spoken to them on several occasions about fear, telling them that they should not be afraid.  They should not have fear or allow fear to enter into their hearts.  For that fear opens the door for the evil one to enter in and to destroy their defenses.  Instead, he has told them to keep their minds and hearts focused on his words and the words of the father.  They are to remain calm in their thoughts and hearts so that the Spirit of the Father can come in and destroy the plans of the evil one.

Now Christ gives his disciples another warning as to who they should and should not fear.  He tells them,  "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul."   Christ wants his disciples to know the truth of their nature.  The disciples have a body and a soul.  One is distinct from the other even though they exist together as one  being.  The evil that men do when possessed of the evil demons would destroy the body.  They cannot destroy the soul.  As we look back on history one can see how the prophets were persecuted and killed because they obeyed the will of God and not the will of man.  Satan would destroy the body of those he cannot reach.  But he would prefer to destroy the body and the soul in hell. 

Christ tells his disciples not to fear those who would destroy the body.  Do not let fear of the loss of physical life of the flesh take hold of you.  This is nothing to fear.  For those who would destroy the body can do nothing else.  They cannot destroy the soul of a person and therein is the difference.  For those who belong to Christ will leave the physical realm and go to be with him in the spiritual realm.  They will live in heaven with their heavenly father.  So Christ provides to his disciples an explanation of the battle that lies before them.  This is a battle for the minds and hearts and souls of men.  This is the harvest of the ones who are the fruit of the spirit that belong to Christ and not to Satan.  The devil wants to take as much fruit as he can from the harvest.  But Christ and his disciples are there to collect the good fruit that belongs to the father.  The rest will be harvested and thrown into the lake of fire.

Often times death comes like a thief in the night and brings pain and suffering to those who are not prepared for the transition.  Loved ones grieve for their lost friends, spouses, children.  And yet the transition is one of joy and peace and happiness for those who are prepared.  Christ told his disciples in this passage not to be afraid of the destruction of the body because that destruction can not kill the soul.  Instead death is but a transformation.  So be not afraid of anyone or thing that can kill the body.  For happy are they who are prepared. 

When we live in the world and are fully present in the world, death comes as a shock.  The world has led us to believe that we are to live a full life and die at an old age of 80 to 100 years old.  So we do not prepare for that circumstance.  We prepare to live in the world.  We prepare to enjoy the riches of this life.  We prepare for the passion and lust and selfishness of this world without any forethought of the afterlife.  And yet it comes. 

It comes when one is not prepared.  It comes sometimes in unexpected ways.  It comes in illnesses.  It comes in disease.  It comes in accidents.  It comes by design.  It comes through the actions of those possessed by the suggestions of demons who kill without any forethought or remorse.  And sometimes it comes through a move of God who allows nature to take its course.  Yet we are not prepared and find death unexpected. 

The medical miracles of our modern times imply to us that we will live forever.  With time we will be able to cure diseases.  With time we will be able to repair broken limbs and hearts and replace organs.  With time man may be able to live eternally.  Yet death comes and man can not stop its progress.  Christ has given his disciples spiritual principals by which to do battle.  He has told them not to be afraid of one who can kill the body and not the soul.  Will you believe in Christ and prepare yourself for the coming of death?  Are you afraid of those who would kill the body?  Christ tells us not to!!!

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 27, Heavenly Protection not Fear.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Confidence in divine protection) Part 3.  

And the mysteries continue to unfold as Christ tells his disciples about the words that he speaks.  He says to them,  "What I tell you in darkness, speak it in the light."   Christ, the light of the world, speaks in the darkness.  His light is a light that transcends all light.  It permeates all darkness where there is no corner to hide.  Yet there is darkness in this world.  The light of Christ is his spiritual life given to him through the love from his father.  So as he speaks in the darkness, he speaks to those of the darkness.  He speaks to the evil in the darkness.  He tells his disciples that they are to speak what they hear in darkness also in the light.  They are to use his words in the darkness and in the light to speak to the evil that hides there.  Even in the light they are to speak his words to the evil that may be lurking in the corners and the dark places.

The disciples do not have the ability to see that which is in the spiritual realm.  They do not hear what is spoken in the darkness.  So Christ speaks for them.  He hears for them.  And he keeps them safe.  And there is another who works to protect the disciples from the tricks and traps of the evil one.  Christ tells his disciples,  "And what you hear whispered, preach it on the housetops."   The Spirit of the Father will speak to them.  The Spirit of the Father will guide them.  The Spirit of the Father will tell them what to say.  So Christ tells them what they hear in a whisper preach from the rooftops.  What the spirit tells them in a soft voice shout it from the roof tops of the villages and towns.  Let all know what they have heard from the Holy Spirit of God the Father.

For Christ has told them that nothing will be concealed that will not be revealed.  And nothing will be hidden that will not be made known.  For they have the Spirit of the Father to protect them.  They have the Spirit of the Father to guide and keep them from harm.  Christ told them,
 "Therefore do not be afraid of them."    This does not mean that the disciples of the evil one can not harm them.  This does not mean that they should not be on their guards.  This means that they should constantly guard themselves against the tricks of the evil one who is waiting for them to make one mistake so that he can bring about their destruction.  The ultimate goal of satan is the destruction of Christ and his mission.  But the forces of heaven and earth battle against him and his minions, and the heavenly battle plans go forth to completion.

So let us who are the disciples of Christ today not be afraid.  Let us repeat in the light what Christ will tell us in darkness.  Let us shout from the rooftops, in the stores and malls, and at work and at home, and in the churches and synagogues what the Holy Spirit whispers softly to us.  For he is our protector.  He is our guide.  He is our shield.  He lightens our path.  He guards our footsteps and leads us into paths of rightness.   The Holy Spirit is poured out into our souls and abides with us as our spiritual light.  Have you spoken out what was whispered to you?  Have you spoken what Christ told you in darkness, in the light of the world?  Come let us be renewed!!!

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 26b, Heavenly Protection not Fear.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Confidence in divine protection) part 2.  

Christ continues to build up the confidence in his disciples by giving them additional information that will give them the knowledge and wisdom they need to cope with and fight the enemy.  He tells them, "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed."   He tells them this so that they will be assured that they will have all understanding and all knowledge that has been kept from them through their limited understanding.  That there are things concealed now, is given.  But all that is concealed from them now, will come to light through the Spirit of the Father, who will come to them.  All will be disclosed and made available to them. 

Christ is preparing his disciples spiritually.  He wants them to know fully of the kingdom of heaven.  He wants them to understand who they do battle with and why.  He wants them to understand the tricks and trapes of the enemy.  And all that, will be made available to them.  Christ further tells his disciples, "Nothing is hidden that will not be made known."   Agin he assures them of the things that they do not understand now, will be made known to them in time.  They are the chosen ones, the twelve disciples.  Christ picked them to continue his ministry here on earth after his work is completed.  They are the ones who will become preachers.  They are the ones who will become teachers.  They are the ones who will follow in his footsteps when he leaves.  All that they do not understand now, Christ assures them that it will be made known to them.  They will have complete knowledge of all.

This must have been great news for the disciples, for they must have had many questions.  Christ assured them that in due time all will be made known.  I imagine that the disciples must have inquired as to how he walked on water.  They may have asked how the leper was cured, how the paralytic was made to walk, or how the woman was healed of her issue of blood, or how the 
ruler'sdaughter was raised from the dead.  They walked with the Lord of the Universe and wanted to know many things.  Their minds were full of questions that needed answers and Christ was the key to the door of wisdom and knowledge.  He cave them the key but told them not to use it just yet, for they were not prepared to receive all that would be given to them.

For us today, we are told many things about the confidence that we should have in the Lord.  We are preached to, about taking authority in sickness.  We are told to take authority in our lives and to cast out lack.  We are told to believe that we have the power to heal the sick.  We are given many positive beliefs in the abilities that as believers of Christ, we are supposed to possess.  Christ assured us, as he did the disciples, that all things will be made known to us.  We want them now.  We want to have these abilities like we have fast food, quick and right now.  And this is the message that we are given by our ministry leaders and pastors throughout the church.  Buy this book, play this tape, listen to this CD, purchase this DVD and you will be taught how to have the powers that are promoted.  People want to know.  People want to discover the secrets that are concealed.  People want to find the things that are hidden from us so that we may prosper.  Christ assured us that they will be revealed, that they would be made known.  What must we do to reveal all that is concealed and to unveil all that will be made known?  O, knowledge and wisdom where can I find you??? 

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 26a, Heavenly Protection not Fear.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Confidence in divine protection) Part 1.  

Christ has been telling his disciples about the enemy that they will face in the previous verses.  He has told them that a disciple is not above his teacher indicating that they will face disciples of evil and not the teacher.  For no disciple is above his teacher.  A disciple only strives to be like his teacher.  In the case of disciples of evil, they strive to do greater evil than their teacher.  So they willingly serve their master seeking to win his favor by doing evil to mankind.  

Christ has trained his disciples for their solo journey.  He has given them the tools that they will need to do battle with the enemy they will face.  He has given them a battle cry to find the one that is worthy.  He has strengthened them mentally and spiritually through the training of the mind and the heart in preparation for the coming of the Spirit of the Father who will give them words of wisdom to speak on their behave when they face the governors and kings possessed by the evil one.  He now gives them the confidence in their battles by telling them,  "Therefore do not be afraid of them."

He tells his disciples this to build up their confidence in the protection that they have from their heavenly father.  He wants them to be assured that they have nothing to fear.  He wants them to know that they are of greater value than anything on earth and will be protected.  Sure they will face demons.  Sure they will see all kinds of deformities in the bodies of men.  Sure they will come in contact with all kinds of illnesses and diseases.  Sure they will hear the lamentations of the bereft in the loss of their loved ones.  But he assures them that they are divinely protected above all other things.

This is a clear message for us today.  Do not be afraid of them.  Do not fear.  Do not allow yourself to open the door to anxiety and allow it to enter your heart.  For you are protected.  You are watched over.  You are secure in the hands of your heavenly father if you are a disciple of Christ.  For there is the decision that must be made.  Either you follow Christ or you follow the evil one, whether you accept it or not.  Most would criticize this statement by saying that they do not believe in Christ and the message of the kingdom.  But they will not say that they do not believe in the evil one.  So one must make a decision.  Ignorance and failure to do so does not excuse that the decision has been made for you. For if you do not choose the one then the other is your decision.  Therefore, make the decision and know where you stand.  Are you afraid of them?

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse:25b, Teacher, Pupil relationship.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Disciple not above his teacher) Part 3.   

Christ has told his disciples that no pupil is above his teacher.  He has said this to illistrate to his disciples the structure of pupil teacher relationship.  If the pupil is below his teacher and the students of the evil one are who they encounter in their solo journey then they should not worry.  They should not be afraid.  For the disciple is not above his teacher and the servant is not above his master.   The servants of Beelzebub, want to serve their master so they seek to do greater evil.  They seek to kill, to destroy, and to sactter.  But the students are not their masters only like him.

Christ tells his disciples,  "If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household!"   If the master of the household is evil, how much more can the servants of the houshold be.  The servants are not above the master.  Even though they are evil, having been trained or taken on the mindset of the master, they are not above him.  They are like him but not above him.  And the same is true of the disciples.  They are not above their teacher who is Christ, even though they strive to be like him in all ways.  Christ wants his disciples to know who they are facing and how they are to defeat them.  Their battle will not be with the master but with the disciples of the evil one.

They have been trained in preparation for thier journey into the towns and villages.  They have been trained to do battle with the dark forces that have taken over the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  They will encounter evil.  They will encounter darkness.  They will cast out demons.  They will evict evil spirits.  They will cause death to abandon its claim.  They will heal the sick.  But of all the things that they do, they will face only the disciples of the evil master.  And all are servants of the master and not above him but only like him in evil. 

So today, we the disciples of Christ, seek to be like him.  We seek to cast out demons.  We seek to heal the sick.  We seek to cause the lame to walk and the blind to see, based upon the powers that Christ will give us through the Holy Spirit.  We become followers of Christ.  If you do not follow Christ you follow the evil one.  If you do not follow Christ you are a disciple of the devil.  There is no middle ground. 

We are led to believe that we are independent agents.  We live in this world and we seek to be the best that we can be.  We live our lives according to the principals and morals handed down to us by our society.  IF we do not follow the commandments given by Christ then we follow the commandments of the devil.  Those commandments may not be evident to us because they are hidden.  They are disguised to prevent us from knowing that they are evil.  They are hidden in the way we live, the way we speak, the way we think, and the things that we do in the name of our independence.  Society tells us that we can live a life of luxury and passion.  We can have it and eat it at the same time.  There are no boundaries.  Go for it.  Do what you feel.  Be all that you can be.  These are the slogans that we live by.  And they are the slogans that lead us to become disciples of evil.  Are you a follower of Christ or a follower of the devil?  If you are not one then you are the other. 

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse:25a, Teacher, Pupil relationship.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Disciple not above his teacher) Part 2.  

Christ continues to explain to his disciples the principals of pupil and teacher.  In the previous verse he has told them that no disciple is above his teacher nor is a servant above his master.  What he is indicating is that if one calls himself a disciple then he/she is accepting the position of being under a teacher.  And vise versa if one is a teacher then there are pupils under him.  So if Christ is calling his students disciples it means that they are accepting that they are not above their teacher.  These principles are earthly ideals because Christ is of divine nature and everyone is under his teachings.  But Christ is indicating here, the principal of student/teacher relationship.  He is clarifying spiritual relationship.  This is important for the disciples to know because just as they are being trained as disciples to do combat with the dark forces of evil, there are also disciples of the evil one. 

He says to his disciples,  "It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and for the servant to be like his master."   It is sufficient for the pupil to take on the principals taught to him by his teacher thereby becoming like him.   Also it is enough for the servant to accept the mindset of his master thereby becoming like his master.   But the classic human struggle of, freedom vs servitude or pupil exceeding teacher, comes into play.  One does not serve when bound under slavery.  One does not truly give of oneself with a yoke around one's neck.  The service is not truly given but demanded.  So one who is bound under the servitude of slavery does not truly serve.  He/she only gives out of the requirement of their bondage. 

Likewise a pupil who learns from a teacher and then declares himself above the teacher is no longer a disciple, a student, a pupil.  For the declaration states that one knows more than the teacher and therefore is equal to or better than the teacher.  The confusion comes when one thinks of the pupil having received training from his teacher and then achieving greater understanding and greater success than the teacher.  However, the foundation for that success and greater understanding always comes back to the teacher.  One would not have succeeded were it not for the instructions of the teacher.  The pupil is not above the instructor.  The disciple is not above his teacher.

So Christ is giving his disciples principals to do battle by.  The opponents they will face will be disciples of the evil one.  They are not above their teacher but like him at most.  They serve him out of a desire to do evil.  For their service is given willingly out of a desire to do greater evil.  It is enough that the enemy that they will face will be like their master and not above him.  For they have been prepared and trained to do spiritual warfare also.  So Christ gives his disciples encouragement to let them know whom they will face.  They will face disciples of evil.  Do you seek to become the teacher yourself or is it enough that you have become like the master?  Our willingness to serve must come out of our love for him whom we serve. 

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse:24, Teacher, Pupil relationship.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Disciple not above his teacher) Part 1.  

We begin our new paragraph with the relationship between pupil and teacher, between servant and master.  Christ tells his disciples,  "No disciple is above his teacher."   Christ has given his disciples great training.  He has taught them many things about doing battle with the dark forces that they will face.  And his disciples have become great learners in absorbing that information and putting it to practice.  They now see the authority that Christ has given to them.  They are aware of the great power that he has assigned to them for this solo journey that they will make to preach the message of the kingdom to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 

Christ gives them this last bit of information so that they will come to know who they are.  A disciple is a pupil, a follower, a person who adheres to the teachings of the teacher.  The meaning of the word disciple is one who holds to the teachings of his instructor.  To call oneself a disciple of a teacher means that one comes to believe in, one holds to, to accept the teachings of the teacher.  If one thinks that the teachings are not acceptable then one does not hold to those teachings and does not consider himself/herself a disciple.  Christ makes this profound statement here to demonstrate to his disciples that they are pupils if they are accepting of his teachings.  They are followers if they hold to the doctrines that he has given them.  And that simple fact puts them under his teachings, not above the teacher.

When a follower does not accept the teachings of the teacher he puts himself above the teacher in believing that the teachings are in error, incorrect, wrong, without merit.  Yet to be a disciple means that one puts oneself under the teachings of a teacher, one accepts the principles taught by the teacher, one comes under the teacher.  Therefore a pupil is not above his teacher, a disciple is not above his instructor, a follower is not above the one that he follows.  If you call yourself a disciple then you adhere to the teachings of the teacher and you are under the instructor.  Christ further illustrates his meaning by stating,  "Nor is the servant above his master."   

With this statement he makes the same profound point that if one is a servant then one is below his master and not above him.  It seems an obvious statement.  But if we think about the consequences of the statement we can find clarity.  If there is to be a servant, one who is to serve, then there must be a master, one to whom the servant serves.  There must be one above to whom the servant serves.   If the disciples, who are pupils of the teacher, are to serve the people then they must serve at the request of one greater than themselves.  Just as there is a pupil/teacher relationship there is also a servant/master relationship.  One is above the other and the other is below the one. 

These are the roles that the person who calls himself a disciple accepts and holds to.  The position of serving is a position of great humility.  One can accept the position of serving but that aspect of serving being below a master comes as a shock today.  In our times of political and social, and religious freedoms and liberties, one would with difficulty find oneself accepting of a master/servant position.  And yet one does not exist without the other.  If one is to serve, one is a servant.  And being a servant one has a master that one comes under.  No one wants to be a servant lorded over by a master.  The idea brings to mind bondage.  Yet Christ came to earth to serve.  He was born that he may serve all men.  He gave his life for this service.  And his father in heaven was his master whom he accepted as being under.  Can we as servants and followers of Christ accept his teaching that, "No disciple is above his teacher, nor is the servant above his master."

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 23, The Enemy and The Final Outcome.

Our paragraph topic is: (Opposition foretold) Part 11.  

We end our paragraph study of the (Opposition foretold) with Christ telling his disciples what to do when they are persecuted.  He says to them,  "When they persecute you in one town, flee to another."   Christ instructs his disciples to not continue with persecution.  Instead he tells them that when they are persecuted to leave.  He has given warning to the towns by saying to his disciples, if a town or village or person does not receive you, then kick the dust from your feet and leave.  The dust left behind will be the marker for the destruction of that village or town.  He tells them that it will be better for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement than for that village where they left the dust from their feet.

Christ wants his disciples to survive.  He wants them to teach.  He does not want them to be martyrs.  The time will come for that but now they must leave those areas that persecute them and go to another.  They must continue to spread the message of the kingdom of heaven, for there are many towns and villages and the laborers are few.  Christ will follow his disciples.  They are the advance guard, preparing the way for Him.  They carry the good news to the lost people of the house of Israel.  So the message must go forth.  The people must hear the coming of Christ, and repentance must come.

Christ also tells his disciples,  "Amen I say to you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes."   Christ will follow his disciples throughout the villages and towns to see their progress.  He will walk in their path.  He will see the work that they do.  He will monitor their progress.  The Teacher will see the work of his students and know that they have learned well.  By coming after his disciples Christ will also note further teachings and instructions that he needs to give his disciples.  He will tweek their training so that they are fully ready to become his apostles when his mission is completed here on earth and he returns back to heaven to his father.

The task is great.  The harvest is ready.  But the laborers are few.  The message is the same and the Helper is ready to assist.  Do you hear the calling of God?  Workers are needed.  Listen to the word.  Clear your senses so that you can hear.  Take your mind out of the world and open your heart to the word of God.  We labor for the things that the world can provide as though the providence of God cannot do the same or even more.  We lust after the pleasures of the world when God can satisfy our every need and fill the desires of our heart.  Are you ready to flee the towns and cities of the world when you are persecuted?  Are you ready to do the work of God instead of the work of the world?  Come!!  Prepare yourself for the training needed.  Christ is coming after you to see the work that you do.  Do it well and carry the message of the kingdom of heaven to all the peoples of the world.

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 22b, The Enemy and The Final Outcome.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Opposition foretold) Part 10.  

The disciples get a chance to know the outcome of their actions.  Christ tells them the destruction that will take place as a result of their preaching of the kingdom of heaven to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  Those opposed to the teaching will take up arms against those who believe in the teachings of Christ.  Christ told them that brother will hand over brother to death.  He told them that parents will give up their children to death because of the teachings.  And  he told them that children will turn against their parents because of unbelief in the teachings they will make.  There will be bloodshed in the family.  There will be bloodsed amongst kinspeople.  There will be bloodshed in the streets of the villages and towns where they will make their solo journeys.

The disciples are at war with the evil forces of the spiritual world.  They have put on the armor of Christ and have gone to war with the demons that have taken over the villages and towns of the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  The demons have planted tricks and traps for the disciples.  But Christ has prepared them for the battle.  The demons fight against the spread of the word of Christ.  They will bring about the slaughter of brothers, and mothers and fathers, and children to achieve their goal, the destruction of the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  But there will be those who will hold steadfast to their beliefs.  There will be those who will not be afraid.  There will be those of the lost sheep who will welcome the teachings of Christ and who will become martyrs for the teachings of Christ.

Christ tells his disciples that there is one trait that will prevail for those who believe.  He tells them that  "He who has persevered to the end will be saved."  Being steadfast is the key to salvation.  Holding on to the end will bring eternal life.  Perseverance, Christ says, is the one trait that will bring salvation to those who believe.  They will face obstacles.  They will encounter hurdles.  They will face challenges.  They will be tempted by the evil ones who would turn them away.  But perseverance will be the key for their salvation.  Holding on steadfastly and doggedly believing in the principles that Christ teaches will be the key.

Likewise we also must take heed of this trait that Christ tells his disciples.  Perseverance will be the key for us today.  Some days will be more difficult than others.  Some days we will be tempted to give up and give in to temptation.  Some days we will not have the energy to fight.  Some days the world will cave in on us with all of the challenges that will come on us all at once.  Some days we may not be able to see the light of day becuase of the hole that we find ourselves in.  But Christ, in his own words, has told us that those who have persevered to the end will be saved.  So, we must pick ourselves up each day, each minute, each hour, and continue to fight the fight, win the battle, sing the song of praise and glory to God our Father.  For he is on the throne in heaven.  He is the one true God and there is no other before him. 

So gather your strength before you.  Store up your weapons of priase that will support you during your hour of need.  Read the verses of the Bible and keep them near you as your rock of salvation.  For they will give you your strength.  They will support you.  They will defend you when you cannot defend yourself.  They will uplift you in your time of need.  They will provide for you in your hour of temptation.  For Christ said, "Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds forth from the mouth of God."  Let us then persevere at all times, and be steadfast in our beliefs in the risen Christ.  Are you ready to persevere for Christ unto your salvation?  

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 22a, The Enemy and The Final Outcome.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Opposition foretold) Part 9.  

We have now seen the results of the battles with the evil demons that possess the villages and towns of the house of the lost sheep of Israel.  These are the locations that Christ sent his disciples to preach the kingdom of heaven.  He did not want them to go in the direction of the Gentiles.  He did not want them to go to Samaria.  He wanted them to first go the the lost sheep of the house of Israel to present to them the kingdom of heaven.  These are the people that have strayed.  These are the people that were first chosen by God.  These were the descendants of Abraham.  And Christ wanted to first bring them into the fold.  He wanted to offer first the opportunity for them to turn back to the one true God from which they had been led astray.

Christ trained his disciples so that they would know what to do when they faced the tricks of the enemy.  He fortified them with the weapons of war so that they would not be overcome.  And he instructed them how to bring forth the Spirit of the Father when they faced the kings and governors possessed by the evil one.  He now tells them of the final outcome of the battles they will face.  He shows them the destruction that will be brought about by the evil one who will seek to kill and destroy those who return to the teachings of Christ.  There will be division.  There will be separation.  There will be bloodshed amongst family members, brothers against brother, father against child, children against parents.  The evil one will seek to destroy all who do not follow his way.  He will seek to eliminate all who believe in Christ.

Christ tells his disciples,  "And you will be hated by all for my name's sake."   For he knows the operations of the enemy.  He knows that the enemy will spread hatred like wildfire spreads throughout the dry grasslands.  He will inflict fear in the minds and hearts of those who do not believe.  He will drive the people like cattle to the slaughter the innocent and encourage them to kill, like a crowd mentality without a mind.  The new doctrine of Christ will be rejected by those who do not believe.  It will be cursed by the unbelievers.  It will be blasphemed against.  And the evil one will rejoice in his accomplishments.  And the name of Christ will be hated by all the demons who possess men.  And the men of this world who follow the evil one will come to hate the name of Christ also.  He is the light of the world.  His message is true.  And they will hate him.

Throughout time the battle continues.  For Christ's  name those who believe are hated.  Those who follow the teachings are scorned.  Those who believe in the principles are set aside.  For the world does not believe.  The world believes only in itself and what it can conceive.  This is the world of the evil one.  This is the world that we live in.  And many are blinded.  Many are deceived and do not know.  Many have been brought up to believe that the world is the way.  Many think that they are part of the world and do not know the difference.  For they have not been told.  They have not seen.  Their ears have been shut and their hearts filled with the lust of the world.  For they believe that the world provides for their needs, both physical and spiritual, and they do not know. 

There is no place for spiritual principles in the way of the world.  The evil one has diluted the true message so that now there are several messages, and several platforms that deliver the message.  Each platform claiming the true message, having the right to deliver its own version.  So now as a result no one message comes forth and no one message has the right to come forth over another, for that would be conflict and would infringe upon the rights of other platforms.  So confusion reigns.  And the harvest withers on the vine because the harvesters are in confusion.  And the lost sheep continue to be lost.  Those who are lost use doubt and ambiguity as the source of their disbelief.  The lost sheep turn from the message because they see uncertainty, they see ambiguity, they see confusion, they see many messages and platforms.  And Christ said that the disciples will be hated by all.  All the demons and the people possessed by them, hate those who carry the message of Christ.  Are you hated by the people because of your belief in Christ?  Know that the demons despise you but Christ loves you.

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 21, The Enemy and his Tricks.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Opposition foretold) Part 8.  

In the previous parts of this paragraph Christ has given his disciples tools of war, weapons to fight the evil spirits that they will encounter and do battle with.  He has trained them for the spiritual realm in which they will fight.  This battle is not in the physical realm but the spiritual realm, even though the results of the battle can have physical consequences.  This is what Christ now shows his disciples.  He tells them that there will be physical consequences to this battle.  There will be separation.  There will be division.  There will be blood shed by the people.  The demons will not go easily.  They will cause their own evil disciples to bring about destruction and death and bloodshed upon the believers.

Christ gives his disciples a glimpse into the future, showing them the results of their teachings.  He tells them,  "Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and put them to death."   All this will happen because of the spread of the message of the kingdom of heaven.  The demons will cause believers to fight against unbelievers and this will bring about destruction.  Brothers who grew up together and loved one another will turn and become enemies.  One will give up the other to death because of the evil that is in man's hearts.  Fathers will sacrifice their children to death because the children will not change from their belief in the message of Christ.  Children will rise up against their parents because they think that their parents do not embrace the old teachings of the kingdom.  Destruction will reign and this is the will of the evil one.  They will not be able to change the beliefs of those who hold to the beliefs of Christ so they will persecute, and torture, and beat, and kill the bodies of those who believe.  And Christ will accept them into his kingdom as saints.

Today in our society and in societies all over the world believers in the one true God face the same persecution.  They are tortured, slain, and put to death for their beliefs because the devil has taken control of those areas of the world and invaded the hearts of men.  In this society, in America and more civilized countries, we still have the same persecution but not quite as severe.  Fathers deny their children and cast them out because of their beliefs.  Children give up their parents when they enter into the world because of the teachings that their parents instilled in them .  They are indoctrinated and blinded by the dazzle of the world and give up their spiritual values handed down by their parents.  Brothers separate and build walls between themselves because of their religious beliefs.  The principles of love and family die and the evil one cuts the ties that bind them together and places a wall of separation between them.  We still face the same enemy today, only hidden from us in the cloak of industrialization, glitz and glamour.

Love conquers all and the love of Christ  will open doors to fight the enemy.  The lessons that Christ  has given his disciples must be applied today.  Do not be surprised if you are separated from your family for following the message of Christ .  Do not be surprised if you are persecuted, ostracized at work, unpopular with friends, left out, denied opportunities, talked about, and looked down upon.  All these are the tactics of the devil to sway you into his plan.  Keep the faith.  Hold the course.  Rely on the Lord for your strength.  He will provide.  He will see you through.  You will not be alone because there will be others to share your burdens and walk with you along the path of life given  you by Christ .  Keep the message of the kingdom of heaven and remember the words of Christ , "Do not be anxious!"   Keep your hearts calm and free from anxiety, for the Spirit of the Father will come to you and will speak through you.  Are you ready for the coming separation, brother against brother, father against child, children against parents?  Prepare yourself.