A New Attitude for a New Year
Matthew 10:17-34
Rev. Min J. Chung
(New Years Eve Service, December 31, 2003)
17 Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 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 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household! 26 So do not be afraid of them. 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 apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So dont be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him 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. Matthew 10:17-34, NIV
Introduction
The book of Matthew is about the kingdom of God. It tells of the coming of Jesus as the Messiah. There are five discourses in this book and here, in the second discourse, Jesus is training His disciples for their ultimate mission as told in Matthew 28to conquer the world. For the first time, the disciples were about to go on a short-term mission trip, two by two. They were being trained to do ministry for the sake of the King. On this mission trip, He sends them with a sense of immediacy, telling them things like, Dont take anything with you and Dont go to the Gentiles. On a later mission trip He tells them things like Be prepared, Take a lot with you, and Go to the Gentiles. But they were not ready yet, so in verses 1-16 Jesus teaches them about the attitude they ought to have for their short-term trip. Here in verses 17 and on He talks about the attitudes they should have for the long-term. This passage can teach all of us about new attitudes we should have for the new year.
Some people talk about the church as a hospital. I believe that is a valid aspect of Christianity. People are poor and hurt and we must treat them. But some churches treat people like victims: We will take care of you. Youre fine. God loves you. It is true; we need to heal the spiritually sick, but thats not the only responsibility of the church of Jesus Christ. People are treated as dumb and unintelligent. In many youth groups and college ministries, what is preached in the pulpit is nothing compared to what is taught at school. The mentality of many ministers is this: This is a postmodern generation. Therefore, they cant listen. We cant exposit the Bible. They wont listen to difficult concepts of Scripture, like theology and doctrine, so well just make them feel good. This treatment of Christianity is so superficial, while they are incredibly challenged with such difficult subjects such as chemistry and microbiology at school. They pass these subjects, but they are treated like dummies, victims, and kids when they come to church. Sermons are filled with ten illustrations to make people feel good. The goal of many is: Just get them to come to church. Maintain their spiritual state. Thats a very defensive mentality. I dont see that kind of thinking in Scripture. Not only are people are wounded and in need of healing; they are soldiers in need of training. In addition to hospitalizing the sick, the church must enlist soldiers of Jesus Christ. We must heal themand then kick them out into the war zone. In some sense, we must be defensive, but we must conquer the world for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The command of Jesus is not to stay home and protect your children; the command is go. Yes, you might die. Your children may be killed. But go! It is a hospitalization mentality versus an enlistment mentality. Sure, we are wounded people. But in a war, you dont go home if your toe hurts a little bit. As long as you can still shoot, you are to stay in the battle. Sometimes my kids are so hard to teach. When theyre playing sports and get hurt a little bit, they want to come out. I tell them, Get back in there! Your team needs you! We are like that: Theres a splinter in my finger. Jesus, heal me! and we mope around. We must have a new attitude in our service for Christ. We are wounded but we must limp to the war zone. Lets make some resolutions and get busy serving the Lord. Im not just talking about activity; Im talking about a heart attitude. Ill die for the sake of Christ; Ill sacrifice myself to protect others. Im talking about an attitude in your heart, a focus in your mind, and then finally, a busyness of your hands. Its not just about being preoccupied and busy. But inside out, in every mundane thing, we are to live for the glory of God. Ill talk about seven new attitudes we should have for this year.
A New Expectation
When we face a new year, we usually expect it to be a great year. At the least, we want the year to be a great one. What does it mean for the year 2004 to be great? In the secular sense, a great year would be a year full of making a lot of money, getting a spouse, in general getting what I want. If youre more spiritual, you might say that a great year is a year full of spiritual growth. But whoever we are, we usually dont include suffering in our definition of a great year. However, here in verse 17 Jesus seems to be telling the disciples to expect exactly that: Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. In fact, Jesus words apply to all Christians. Is that encouraging or discouraging to you? Do you want to quit? Do you want to go back to the hospital? Ohhh! Take this little splinter out!
Jesus wanted the disciples to be prepared for suffering. Rather than being discouraged, its very helpful to be prepared for suffering. If youre going to be hit, its better to be prepared for the blow because its not as bad. A careful counting of the cost is required for the disciples of Christ so that when suffering comes, they will not be surprised by it. Some Christians react to suffering as if it was something strange. Be on your guard! Rather than being discouraged, I am encouraged by these verses (17-18). Jesus says on My account. When we suffer for the sake of Christ, we grow.
The application for us: Expect a great year of suffering. Amen? Why is no one saying Amen? If I were to say, Expect a great year because youll get a spouse, Ill bet everyone would heartily say Amen. But its OK. Lets move on.
A New Empowerment (19-20)
Verses 19-20 say, But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. This is the meaning: when the disciples preached the gospel, they would experience suffering, hardship, and rejection. But Jesus tells them not to worry because the Spirit would be with them, empowering them and telling them what to do and say.
Meditate on whats happening in this process in both a subjective and an objective sense.
Subjectively
When the Spirit empowered a disciple and gave him what to say, it was a miraculous utterance. The disciple didnt plan his sermon; it was a spiritual utterance with special power. In his mind, the Spirit helped him think. From his lips, words came forth. In his heart, he was filled with love for the Lord. When he looked around at his antagonists, he did not fear them. He was filled with courage because his motive was to please the Lord. In turn, men heard and were convicted. There was spiritual power.
I experience a glimpse of this occasionally when I preach. Sometimes I am in the zone. Those are times I know someone is praying. Those are the times I feel like I am sitting with you and I also listen.
Objectively
At the end of verse 20, Jesus says that it would not be the disciples speaking. It would be the Spirit of their Father speaking through them. The Father would send His Spirit and empower the disciples. Jesus was giving the disciples a promise. At the moment of crisis, the disciples would hold on to Jesus words and the Spirit of the Father would grant them wisdom. There would be words to utter, full of logic, along with the empowerment of the most powerful family in the universe. Not the Kennedys, not the Bushs, the family of the Holy Trinitythe Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thats the power we are promised to receive.
The application for us is not for everybody to go outside right now and preach. The application is dependence. Be courageous. Expect the Spirits empowerment. God has an unlimited supply of power for the new year. Lets have a new attitude this year, one dependent on the Spirit of God.
A New Ministry (26-27)
Verses 26-27 say, So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Jesus is saying, The truth will be made known. And the Holy Spirit will make it known through you guys. This didnt apply only to the disciples or full-time ministers. It is true for all believers, much like the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20.
Jesus probably taught at night and at the time, orators gave public addresses from rooftops. Jesus was telling the disciples to speak in public what He was teaching them in private. In other words, You will receive the Fathers enablement, the Sons work, and the Spirits power, and the truth will be disclosed by you. In turn, people will come to a saving knowledge of the Lord.
The application for us is not for everybody to become a preacher. Indeed, we need to proclaim the gospel through our words and lives. But more pertinent to each of us is our individual calling. We all have different callings. You have a calling related to your family, your church, your studies, or your work. God desires to use and empower every Christian, depending on his or her calling. The apostles were called to preach. Perhaps you are called to serve by cooking. God will give you extraordinary power when you cook. You will miraculously use the right amount of salt! But seriously, the Lord can use everything you do for His glory. When we see it like that, every single thing we do for Jesus is transformed. I gave three lectures this afternoon, but every single time was different. There were different people at different moments. One person sitting in that lecture hall at a specific moment in time could be changed for eternity.
So receive your calling from God. Nothing you do will ever be the same, even though it might be in human eyes. Everything is differentin your mindset, with your hands, in your heart. It is a new ministry before the Lord.
A New Fear (28)
Verse 28 says, 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. Thats not a very politically correct thing for Jesus to say, is it? Churches dont want to talk about hell while in fact the Bible talks much more about hell than heaven. Jesus is saying, Fear God more than you fear man. If you fear anything more than God, its idolatry. Idolatry is not only, loving something more than God; fear is also part of the definition of idolatry. Do you fear God more than anything else? Gods judgment is coming and it will be worse than anything else imaginable. His wrath is to be feared above all.
I was thinking about the worst thing that could happen to me. What if I was in a different country and was captured by radicals who demanded that I denounce Christ? What if they were slowly chopping me up one bit at a time, starting with my fingers? Even it took ten years to chop my whole body into pieces (if I was taller I guess it would take 15 years), its only temporary. But when you are suffering in hell, its as if you are infinitely tall. If I was tickled to death, I dont know if I could take it. But this is what the passage is saying. When Christians are persecuted or killed, dont feel sorry for them. Great is their reward! In fact, be sorry for the persecutors because of what God might do to them. Pray for them, for God can destroy both body and soul into hell.
Here is the application. What do you fear? What is your greatest fear? If its not related to displeasing God, theres something wrong with your heart. When I fear something, I just stand there and picture God. If you are afraid of the dark, just picture God being right there with you. When you think of Gods presence, whatever you fear isnt too bad. We should fear nothing but God.
A New Trust (29-31)
Verses 29-31 say, Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So dont be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Jesus is saying, Men can only kill you, so dont worry. Hes referring to the sovereignty of God. God knows the very number of hairs on your head, even those who are losing a lot everyday . You can be sad, but dont be afraid. A common mistake people make about Gods sovereignty is that He is only interested in the important issues. On the contrary, our God is counting the stars in the universe and is holding everything in place but this hair-counting God is also concerned with the tiniest of details.
Hairs refer to the petty details of life. Jesus compares sparrows and sons. If God cares for sparrows such that not even one can fall but by His will, how much more does He care for you, His son or daughter? You are worth more than many sparrows. This passage is not only emphasizing Gods sovereignty, but His personal sovereignty. He is a hair-counting God. We must have a new trust in Him.
Here is the application. Say, This year I refuse to worry. When you worry, you are worrying uselessly. Say, Ill trust in the Lord. Hell provide everything I need. Not, Hell provide everything I want. Thats why we worry, because we desire things other than God. Repent of your selfish desires. Say, I refuse to worry, because Youll provide everything I need to expand Your kingdom. That doesnt mean you will not experience persecution. Hell put you in the war zone. But He will also give you strength to go through it. After you die, He will save you. Thats a guarantee.
A New Perspective (32-33)
Verses 32-33 say, Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. In a sense, this acknowledgment from Jesus happens now but He is talking mainly about Judgment Day. If we live for the Lord and acknowledge Him in our lives, He will acknowledge us on Judgment Day. That should be our new perspective. Nothing makes sense in Christianity if we dont have an eternal perspective. If we dont think about the judgment that is coming and make Gods evaluation of us of greatest importance, nothing will make sense. If there is no eternity or judgment, why not live for the pleasure of the moment? We should sin indiscriminately if this life is all there is. But we will exist forever and we will face Gods judgment.
In light of that, we should live with a new perspective. Who do we want to please? Who do we fear? By whose standard are we living? We must have an eternal perspective. We must have a sharper focus. We must constantly evaluate our present choices from that perspective.
The application: evaluate everything. Think about your usage of time, your focus, your goals, the passions of your heart. Do my choices reflect someone who believes in eternity? If a non-Christian evaluated your life would they say, You live like a person who believes in eternity and the coming judgment of God?
A New Commitment (34)
Last Sunday I preached on verses 34-42 and talked about two types of families. The title of my message was Jesus, The Peace Breaker; Jesus, the War Maker. Jesus wants all His disciples to see family from a spiritual perspective and when we do, sometimes there will be war. That doesnt mean that your family is the enemy. Actually, you are supposed to fight themwith love. You want them to be allies in the Kingdom.
The last part of this passage talks about the body of Christ. There is a question about whether little ones refer to prophets or fulltime ministers. But a righteous man is not necessarily someone who lives righteously. The same word is used in Matthew 5, where Jesus says that God sends rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. Hes making a distinction between the unbeliever and the believer. So little one is referring to a believer. If you help a Christian, God will reward you. Since we live for the kingdom of God, we should help Christians, since they are trying to glorify God as well. Thats what we will do if we want to expand Gods kingdom. You dont take care of Christians because its a nice thing to do. You care for Christians because God is using them for His glory. We need to love one another. We must support others in their respective ministries. We must make some commitments to the family and the church.
What do you think is more important, the family or the church? According to the Bible, I would say the church. Now hear me out. When I say the church is more important than the family, Im not talking about CFC. Im not talking about church activities. Im talking about the people of God. Who does God use to glorify Himself? Believers. The church of Jesus Christ is more important than earthly families because whats most important is the glory of God. We love and support every little one, every believer, every prophet, every missionary because they live to expand Gods kingdom.
So how should we view our family, especially if we have non-Christian family members? Pray for and support and love them. But dont love them in a worldly manner. We are to love our family because we want it to become the church of Jesus Christ, not simply because its our family. We want all our family members to become the people of God who glorify Him. Have the correct Kingdom perspective and love your family because they need to know Jesus. My daughter once asked me, Daddy, what will I call you when we get to heaven? I couldnt tell her the truth: Ill be your brother. Shes too young to understand that; Ill explain it to her when shes older. We need to make a new commitment to think eternally.
In this passage, I think Jesus is telling us to always be ready to die for Him. I just cant avoid that teaching in Scripture. Dont be afraid to die for Him. Live everyday, serve the Lord, preach the gospel, always ready to die. If youre afraid to die, you are either worldly or selfish. If you are a Christian, death is the greatest thing that can happen to you. Youll be in a better place. So if youre afraid of dying, youre so worldly. Or perhaps youre selfish. For me, Im afraid of the physical pain associated with death. If I fall out of an airplane, it will hurt. If youre afraid of death, you are afraid to lose what you want. Who will provide for my parents? How about all these things I have? Jesus is saying, Have an eternal perspective. Love me so much that you are willing to die for My sake. Thats the minimum commitment we should have as Christians. In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked through the fire, risking their lives for the Lord. They said, Even if God doesnt save us, we will not bow. Their passion to follow God and avoid idolatry blessed the king so much. Because they were willing to die for their faith, the king glorified God. If we have the privilege of martyrdom, wonderful! If we dont, we should live everyday as if were willing to die for the sake of the Lord. Lets have a new attitude this year. Lets check our hearts and include suffering as we plan out the whole year in repentance, reevaluation, and recommitment.
Conclusion
As I was reflecting today, I was so thankful that I am a pastor of this church. I dont know if anyone else is happy about it but Im so thankful to be in this place. Id rather be here than anywhere else. Yesterday I was at Assembly Hall thinking, I am in the company of 20,000 people worshiping Christ. Revelation 6:11 says that in order for the gospel to be preached to the ends of the earth, there are an ordained number of martyrs in the mind of God. These 20,000 graduates of Urbana 2003 will one day be scattered over the entire world, and there is a high probability that some of the ordained number of martyrs are here. So I prayed a prayer: Lord, if my brother or sister faces martyrdom twenty years later, may he or she be empowered to say Yes for the kingdom. For the rest of us, may we have the same attitude, that given the chance, wed die for Christ. Lets have a new attitude and perspective for the kingdom of God. Every act of service we offer to the Lord is a new service with a new attitude. Sacrifice a little bit more. God wants to use you if you are His. Even a little one can be used for Him. Lets pray for that attitude and say, My life is in Your hands. I surrender.