6/12/2023 0 Comments Christian new year m.e.a.t.![]() But he says they too will suffer for the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. They won’t suffer exactly the same way as he, because he took upon himself the wrath of God for the sins of the world (John 1:29 Rom. His disciples are not above him, their teacher and master. In Matthew 10:24–42, Jesus continues to instruct his disciples about the high cost of discipleship. Jesus promises that his disciples “will be saved” if they faithfully persevere in their faith until the end of the age as they suffer on the narrow and difficult path of discipleship (Matt. Still, Jesus encourages his disciples to neither fear nor worry about what they will say when they stand trial before hostile leaders on account of his name, because the right words will be given to them to speak (Matt. 10:23, KJV), for the cities must be evangelized before the Son of Man comes. Jesus states that when his disciples are persecuted in “this city,” they should flee to another (Matt. Consequently, they must be as “wise as serpents and as harmless as doves” since they would suffer persecution and since many people would hate them on account of his name (Matt. He informs his disciples of the imminent dangers they would experience as they preached the gospel of the kingdom to a hostile world (Matt. Jesus says these acts would be signs that the kingdom of heaven has come through his mission. 7:13–14).Īs Jesus sends out his disciples on mission in Matthew 10, he commands them to preach the gospel in his name, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons free of charge. The demands and risks of faithful discipleship cause many to choose the wide and easy path of disobedience that leads to destruction over the difficult and narrow path of obedience that leads to life (Matt. Even now, brothers and sisters face the daily risk of losing everything, including their lives, because of their commitment to Jesus Christ above all. Since the earliest days of Christianity, many Christians have lost material possessions, status, connections, jobs, family relationships, and even their lives because of their obedience to Jesus. In the next verse, Jesus responds, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” This was Jesus’ way of asking: Have you considered the cost of following me wherever I go? In Matthew 8:19, a scribe approaches Jesus to tell him he would follow wherever Jesus would go. However, Jesus’ words in Scripture and church history tell us the price of discipleship in 2020 will be costly. In 2020 and in all years to come, the resolve of every Christian should be to follow Jesus on the narrow and difficult path of discipleship. He wants our gifts, talents, careers, money, time, health, thoughts, marriages, kids, singleness, aspirations, words, deeds, dreams, motives-everything. Jesus is Lord over everything in heaven and on earth, and he wants his followers to place everything under his lordship. Many Christians will set out to become more faithful followers of Jesus in 2020. Whether we’ve resolved to read more, run a marathon, eat healthier, keep a journal, or take up a new hobby, we’re surrounded by resources and tips that promise to make our goals easy and attainable. Every year at the end of December, people begin to consider the exciting possibilities for themselves in the new year ahead.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |