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?