02-06-11 Discipleship: Reaction to the Ministry
a sermon by Teaching Elder, Dr. Robert E. Griffin Jr
BASIS for Effective Ministry (10:5-15);
REACTION to an Effective Ministry (10:16-23 in this message);
COST of such an Effective Ministry (10:24-31),
PROMISES for an Effective Ministry (10:32-42).
I. COMMISSIONED FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST, 10:16
A. ATTITUDE OF THE DISCIPLE
Matthew 10:16a “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves“
1. Attention, Please
2. Analogy (simile)
3. Animals (sheep v wolves)
4. Admission:
a. “I Like to Be Liked”
b. “I Didn’t Know Salvation Was Going to be This Tough”
B. ACTION OF THE DISCIPLE
Matthew 10:16b “So be prudent as serpents and innocent as doves.”
1. Shrewd as a Serpent
2. Innocent as Doves
II. PERSECUTED FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST, 10:17-20
A. RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION
Matthew 10:17 “But beware of [these] men, for they will deliver you over to the Sanhedrin and flog you in their synagogues”
1. Identifying Religious “Wolves”
2. Beware of Hypocrisy/Prejudice
B. GOVERNMENTAL PERSECUTION
Matthew 10:18 “And you will also be dragged before governors and kings on My account, to bear witness before them and the nations.”
1. All levels of Opposition to the Gospel Message
2. Why?
3. I Must Suffer If I Would Reign
C. PERSONAL ANXIETY/FEAR
Matthew 10:19-20 “But when they deliver you over, don’t be anxious about how you speak or exactly what to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. (For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.)”
1. Anxiety over Persecution
2. Anxiety over Self-Defense
3. Use Opposition as a Testimony of Christ
III. HATED FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST, 10:21-23
A. PERSONAL HATRED
Matthew 10:21 “Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death”
1. Persecution Begins at Home
2. Funeral Service – metaphorical and literal
B. PUBLIC HATRED
Matthew 10:22 “And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but the one enduring to the end will be delivered.”
1. Hated By All
2. Parade of Captives
3. Enduring to the End
C. RESPONSE TO HATRED
Matthew 10:23 “When they persecute you in that city, escape to another, for truly, I say to you, you will not have completed all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man returns.”
1. I Will Show the Reality of My Faith by Endurance
2. Day of Judgment Coming