Click here to listen to the audio recording of this 28-minute message. Or watch the video here on Facebook (the message starts about 25 minutes into the recording). Or read the text summary below. (This message was preached on 25 June 2023.)

The context of today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 10:24-39) is persecution – Jesus’ warning to his disciples that they will be persecuted (vv 16 & 22):

I am sending you out like sheep among the wolves… You will be hated by everyone because of me…

And so we read this passage section by section and listen to what God is saying to us through the Word:

24 The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

We are described as Jesus’ servants or slaves and as Jesus’ students. What happens to him will happen to us. How he is treated, so shall we be treated. If he is called Beelzebul (the devil), so shall we. But there is also hope in these lines: hope that we can become like our teacher and master; and hope that we upgrade from students and servants to members of his household.

26 So do not be afraid of them,
for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed,
or hidden that will not be made known.
27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight;
what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.

Who is it that we need not be afraid of? Surely not the people in the previous verses? No, I think most likely is it the ‘they’ referred to in verse 19, “But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it.”

These verses present 4 contrasts between what happens in private (concealed, hidden, in the dark, in the ear) and what is done publicly (disclosed, made known, in the daylight, from the rooftops). We are encouraged to be bold!

28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Here we get the second reassurance to not be afraid. ‘Those who kill the body’ refers to those people who persecute – many Christians in the early church were persecuted and killed. But instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy the soul. I’ve often thought that meant the devil, but commentators argue that the devil does not have the power to destroy souls – only God has that power. So, if we are going to be afraid of anyone, we should be afraid of (or rather, we should fear) God.

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care (or will or knowledge).
30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Verse 29 contrasts the cheapness of sparrows with God’s concern for their death. The last word of verse 29 has multiple meanings, but ‘care’ seems most appropriate in context – God cares about even the cheap little sparrows. He directs his attention towards even them. He does not, however, save them from dying – they do die. But he is present with and caring for them, as they die.

Verse 30 emphasises God’s interest in the smallest details of our lives, even the number of hairs on our head. It is trivial, but God knows such details. Again, he does not stop our hair from falling out! But he does keep count.

Verse 31 gives us the third “don’t be afraid”. Because sparrows – small as they are – are loved by God. How much more are we then loved by God.

32 Whoever acknowledges me before others,
I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.

33 But whoever disowns me before others,
I will disown before my Father in heaven.

These two verses provide a parallel response from us to Christ: if we acknowledge him, he’ll acknowledge us. If we disown him, he’ll disown us. These are blunt words, but honest and direct.

34 Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
“a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household”. (Micah 7:6)

Jesus preaches love consistently, but then we get these verses about the violence within families. In truth, faith can fracture families. Nations go to war over religion. And so do families.

37 Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me
is not worthy of me;
anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me
is not worthy of me;
38 whoever does not take up their cross and follow me
is not worthy of me.

This triptych of “is not worthy of me” is among the most chilling words uttered by Jesus. They seem so out of character. A punch in the belly. His emphasis is on his requirement for our total allegiance.

39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

We must lose ourselves in Christ. That is the path to finding ourselves.

So, as we we wrap this difficult passage, there are two take-home messages:

First, God knows and loves us – we are members of his household, valued, known and cared for.

Second, God expects everything of us – he wants our utter commitment.

Featured image from https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/erik-raymond/truth-and-tone-go-hand-in-hand/