Fear God, Not Man
The biggest reason why people don’t evangelize is because of FEAR. Thus, you can either FEAR what man will say and do to you in this life. Or you can FEAR God and what He will say and do to you for eternity. Fear God and nothing else! Read what Jesus told His disciples before he sent them out to preach!
Summary of Matthew 10:21-39
- Family will betray family over the gospel, v. 21.
- Disciples will be hated by everyone, v. 22.
- The disciples were to preach while they waited for Jesus to rise from the dead, v. 23.
- Disciples are not above Jesus- if they called Jesus “demon-possessed” they will say the same about His followers, vs. 24-25.
- Don’t be afraid to make known the teachings of Jesus in public, v. 26.
- What Jesus whispers in our hearts should be shouted from rooftops for all to hear, v. 27.
- Don’t be afraid of what people can do in persecution to your physical body, v. 28a.
- Rather, fear God who can destroy both your soul and body in hell, v. 28b.
- The disciple’s hair is numbered and they are worth more than sparrows- thus they are under the Father’s watchful care- so don’t be afraid of persecution, vs. 29-31.
- If we publicly make known the name of Jesus on this earth, He will publicly make known He knows us in Heaven. But if we deny Him here, He will deny us in heaven, vs. 32-33.
- Jesus didn’t come to bring peace in His first coming- but rather division by the gospel, v. 34.
- Jesus even came to divide families over the gospel- because heaven and hell are more important then our families- everyone has to make their own personal choice concerning the gospel, v. 36.
- Anyone who loves their family more than Jesus is not worthy of the Kingdom of God, v. 37.
- Everyone must take up their cross (public shame and persecution) to be counted worthy of heaven, v. 38.
- Whoever loses their life for Jesus will receive eternal life, but whoever holds on to their life because of fear of being divided from their family and persecution- will lose their life, v. 39.
Matthew 10:21-39,
“21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
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! 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.
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. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 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.
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.
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.’
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. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”