A Practical Guide for Disciples Sheep Among

Wolves-Part 2
by

John MacArthur
All Rights Reserved (A copy of this message on cassette tape may be obtained by calling -!""-##-$RA%&'

Matthe( ") *-2+ Revie(

,ape $% 22!"

In Matthew 10:16-23 the Lord Jesus Christ prepares to send the apostles into a hostile world that would reject them. he! needed to "now how to deal with that# so Jesus care$ull! instructed them. I. J%&'&( )*%+I+, & - %M%+ ./. 16a0 12ehold# I send !ou $orth as sheep in the midst o$ wol/es.1 II. &)M% 2-&IC 3'%& I)+& .//. 164-230 -. 5ho -re the 5ol/es6 .//. 17a# 22a0 12eware o$ men.... -nd !e shall 4e hated o$ all men.1 2. 5h! -re he! &o 8icious6 .//. 19a# 22a0 1:e shall 4e 4rou;ht 4e$ore ;o/ernors and "in;s $or m! sa"e.... -nd !e shall 4e hated o$ all men $or m! name(s sa"e.1 -esson C. <ow =o the 5ol/es -ttac"6 .//. 17-19# 210 1. hrou;h reli;ion ./. 170 12eware o$ men> $or the! will deli/er !ou up to the councils# and the! will scour;e !ou in their s!na;o;ues.1 a0 he Jewish reli;ion 1&!na;o;ues1 is the "e! word 4ecause it esta4lishes a reli;ious conte?t. he Jewish people had s!na;o;ues .meetin; places0 in /irtuall! e/er! town and /illa;e. here the reli;ious leaders carried out their law. I$ someone /iolated an! o$ the laws o$ Moses or ra44inical tradition# he would 4e 4rou;ht 4e$ore the local s!na;o;ue. - tri4unal o$ twent!-three jud;es would render a /erdict# $ollowed 4! a sentencin;. @reAuentl! the sentence was scour;in;. )ld

estament law reAuired no more than $ort! stripes to 4e ;i/en to each /ictim .=eut. 2B:30# so the! ne/er ;a/e more than thirt!-nine to 4e sure the! remained within the letter o$ the law. )ne jud;e would recite a passa;e $rom the )ld estament and another would call out the num4er o$ 4lows to 4e ;i/en .c$. the 2a4!lonian almud# Ma""oth 2240. )ur Lord told the disciples to e?pect to 4e deli/ered up to 1the councils#1 the local courts in the s!na;o;ues. he supreme court o$ the land was the &anhedrin in Jerusalem. he apostles were scour;ed in the s!na;o;ue .-cts B:C00. -cts 22:1D tells us the apostle *aul# 4e$ore his con/ersion# went $rom s!na;o;ue to s!na;o;ue ha/in; Christians scour;ed $or heres!. &econd Corinthians 11:2C sa!s that *aul himsel$ was scour;ed $i/e times. Commentator 5illiam 2arcla! said# 1It has o$ten 4een true that the man with a messa;e $rom ,od has had to under;o the hatred and the enmit! o$ a $ossiliEed orthodo?!1 . he ,ospel o$ Matthew# /ol.1# re/. ed. F*hiladelphia: 5estminster# 1D7BG p. 3760. Christ was sentenced to death 4! reli;ionists--the chie$ priests# scri4es# *harisees# and elders. Jewish persecution o$ Christians continued until the destruction o$ Jerusalem in -.=. 70. 5hile indi/idual Jewish people who come to Christ o$ten e?perience rejection and persecution $rom their $amil!# there has 4een no wide scale persecution o$ Christianit! 4! Judaism since -.=. 70. 40 )ther reli;ions 5hile the 2i4le shows that Jews once persecuted Christians# that is onl! a representation o$ reli;ious persecution in ;eneral. here ha/e 4een and will 4e other councils o$ reli;ionists who persecute Christianit!. .10 *ersecution 4! the Homans he Homans increasin;l! 4ecame committed to emperor worship and Christianit! threatened that worship. .20 *ersecution 4! nati/es =emons ha/e in$luenced pa;an people in remote areas to massacre innocent missionaries. .30 *ersecution 4! so-called Christians -ssociated with Christianit! are $alse teachers who de/astate the church. -s *aul said in -cts 20:2D# 1I "now this# that a$ter m! departin; shall ;rie/ous wol/es enter in amon; !ou# not sparin; the $loc".1 .C0 *ersecution 4! 12a4!lon the ;reat1

-ccordin; to He/elation 17# the worst persecution will occur durin; the ri4ulation. He/elation 17:B identi$ies the $inal $orm o$ world reli;ion as 1m!ster!# 2a4!lon the ;reat# the mother o$ harlots and a4ominations o$ the earth.1 5hen the Lord scattered the people $rom the ower o$ 2a4el# the! apparentl! spread the roots o$ $alse reli;ion around the ;lo4e. 2! the end times it will culminate in one world reli;ion controlled 4! &atan. -s John saw the /ision o$ the $uture $alse reli;ion# he said# 1I saw the woman Fthe $inal representation o$ world reli;ionG drun" with the 4lood o$ the saints# and with the 4lood o$ the mart!rs o$ Jesus1 .He/. 17:60. 5e should not 4e surprised at such a $uture. )ur Lord warned o$ those who would come dressed in 1sheep(s clothin;# 4ut inwardl! the! are ra/enin; wol/es1 .Matt. 7:1B0. &atan dis;uises himsel$ as an an;el o$ li;ht so we(re not to 4e surprised i$ his ministers are dis;uised as ser/ants o$ ri;hteousness .2 Cor. 11:1C0. &uch reli;ion mas"s itsel$ as respecta4le# 4ut it is in $act a persecutor o$ the truth. It is operated 4! &atan# who is a liar and a murderer. 2. hrou;h the ;o/ernment ./. 190 1:e shall 4e 4rou;ht 4e$ore ;o/ernors and "in;s $or m! sa"e# $or a testimon! a;ainst them and the ,entiles.1 1@or a testimon! a;ainst them1 could re$er to standin; as a li/in; re4u"e to those who persecute !ou. 2ut here I 4elie/e it re$ers to literall! 4ein; 4rou;ht 4e$ore ;o/ernment o$$icials to ;i/e !our testimon!. hat(s what happened to the apostles. a0 *ersecution in the Homan %mpire he Homan ;o/ernment $eared a sla/e re/olt since there were appro?imatel! twent! million sla/es in the empire. It was thou;ht that sla/es and $reedmen could ne/er marr! 4ecause a sla/e wasn(t considered a person. 2ut when sla/es 4ecame Christians# the! were immediatel! con$ronted with the truth that in a spiritual sense there is neither sla/e nor $ree .,al. 3:29> Col. 3:110. &o man! Homan authorities thou;ht Christianit! was dan;erous 4ecause o$ that teachin;. &ometimes the ;o/ernment made up char;es a;ainst the Christians. he! accused them o$ canni4alism# distortin; the s!m4olic meanin; o$ eatin; the $lesh and drin"in; the 4lood o$ Christ in Communion. he! accused them o$ immoralit! in their lo/e $easts. he! accused them o$ re/olution 4ecause their eschatolo;! tau;ht that the earth would 4e destro!ed 4! $ire. -s a result Christians were 4lamed $or the 4urnin; o$ Home in -.=. 6C. he! accused Christians o$ dislo!alt! to the emperor 4ecause the! wouldn(t 4ow down to him. he! accused them o$ 4rea"in; up marria;es and destro!in; the $amil!. he Homan %mpire persecuted Christians. Most o$ the disciples who heard Jesus( instruction in Matthew 10 died at the hands o$ the ;o/ernment. 40 *ersecution throu;hout histor!

,o/ernments ha/e attac"ed the church throu;hout histor!. In Hussia# countless Christians were slau;htered a$ter the re/olution. Man! were slau;htered in communist China as well. In ';anda under the ;o/ernment o$ Idi -min# Christians su$$ered horri$!in; atrocities. *astor @. Ie$a &empan;i told a4out ;oin; with one o$ his church(s elders to /isit a $amil!. he! disco/ered the entire $amil! terri4l! mutilated# with the e?ception o$ one small 4o!# who somehow was o/erloo"ed 4! the assassins .- =istant ,rie$ F,lendale# Cali$.: He;al# 1D7DG# pp. C6-C90. c0 *ersecution durin; the ri4ulation In the ri4ulation the ;o/ernment o$ the -ntichrist will persecute whate/er Christians are around. He/elation 13:7 tells us that a$ter he comes to power# 1it was ;i/en unto him to ma"e war with the saints# and to o/ercome them> and power was ;i/en him o/er all "indreds# and ton;ues# and nations.1 8erse 10 sa!s he will "ill them. Christians ha/e ne/er 4een a4le to a/oid trou4le. -lthou;h ;o/ernments are entities ordained 4! ,od to preser/e the social structure .Hom. 130# the! are also manipulated 4! &atan. =aniel# Isaiah# and %Ee"iel saw the demonic $orces 4ehind their ;o/ernments. he ;o/ernment o$ the world will persecute Christianit! 4ecause &atan is the prince o$ this world .John 12:310. :ou mi;ht thin" the 'nited &tates won(t persecute Christianit!. 2ut i$ the Lord tarries# and we li/e lon; enou;h# we ma! see the da! when our ;o/ernment will den! us some o$ the $reedoms we ha/e had in the past. It(s alread! encroachin; on a $ew o$ those now. 3. hrou;h the $amil! ./. 210 1 he 4rother shall deli/er up the 4rother to death# and the $ather the child> and the children shall rise up a;ainst their parents# and cause them to 4e put to death.1 I ha/e "nown o$ people whose $amilies held $uneral ser/ices $or them upon hearin; o$ their $aith in Christ. I "now o$ a child who is dead 4ecause o$ his Christian $aith. )nl! ,od "nows how man! people ha/e persecuted# 4etra!ed# or "illed mem4ers o$ their own $amil! 4ecause o$ their $aith in Christ. Commentator H.C.<. Lens"i Auoted one author as sa!in; 1that two thin;s are stron;er than natural lo/e# the one 4orn o$ hell# the other 4orn o$ hea/en1 . he interpretation o$ &t# Matthew(s Commentar! FMinneapolis: -u;s4ur;# 1DC3G# p. C0C0. -ccordin; to Homans 1:2C-26# people $orsa"e natural a$$ections 4ecause the! are so e/il. a0 Jechariah 13:3-- his will 4e the $ate o$ $alse prophets at the return o$ Christ: 1It shall come to pass that# when an! shall !et prophes!# then his $ather and mother who 4e;ot him shall sa! unto him# hou shalt not li/e> $or thou spea"est lies in the name o$ the Lord> and his $ather and his mother who 4e;ot him shall thrust him throu;h when he prophesieth.1 40 Matthew 10:3C-37--Jesus said# 1I came not to send peace# 4ut a sword.... to set a man at /ariance a;ainst his $ather.... - man(s $oes shall 4e the! o$ his own household. <e that lo/eth $ather or mother more than me# is not worth! o$ me> and he that lo/eth son or dau;hter more than me# is not worth! o$ me.1

c0 Mar" 13:12-1C--@amilies will also 4e set a;ainst each other durin; the ri4ulation. Jesus said# 12rother shall 4etra! 4rother to death# and the $ather# his son> and children shall rise up a;ainst their parents# and shall cause them to 4e put to death. -nd !e shall 4e hated o$ all men $or m! name(s sa"e> 4ut he that shall endure unto the end# the same shall 4e sa/ed. 2ut when !e shall see the a4omination o$ desolation# spo"en o$ 4! =aniel# the prophet.1 hat last statement places the conte?t as the middle o$ the ri4ulation. Christians will 4e persecuted 4ecause the world reacts ne;ati/el! to the ;ospel. @alse reli;ions react 4ecause the! are ;enerated 4! &atan. ,o/ernment reacts 4ecause the! are in$luenced 4! the prince o$ this world. -nd $amilies react 4ecause the! ha/e di$$icult! toleratin; a ri;hteous indi/idual in the midst o$ their unri;hteousness .c$. 1 *et. C:3-C0. =. <ow -re the &heep to Hespond6 .//. 164-17a# 1D-20# 224-230 1. 2e wise ./. 1640 12e !e# there$ore# wise as serpents.1 In %;!ptian hiero;l!phics the serpent is a s!m4ol $or wisdom. Man! o$ the ancients /iewed sna"es as shrewd# cunnin;# prudent# and cautious. In Colossians C:B *aul sa!s# 15al" in wisdom toward them that are outside.1 Christians are to 4e wise in dealin; with the wol/es o$ the world. a0 -chie/e the hi;hest ;oal 5e(re to sa! the ri;ht thin; at the ri;ht time in the ri;ht place. It(s our ;oal to disco/er the 4est means to achie/e the hi;hest ;oal. 40 -/oid o$$ensi/e situations 5e must 4e care$ul a4out how we approach an anti-Christian world. :ou can sa! in$lammator! thin;s and i;nite con$lict# or !ou can use discretion. 5hen the *harisees and <erodians as"ed Jesus i$ we should pa! ta?es# our Lord replied# 1Hender ... unto Caesar the thin;s which are Caesar(s> and unto ,od# the thin;s that are ,od(s1 .Matt. 22:210. <e didn(t compromise the truth# !et <e was wise enou;h not to sa! e/er!thin; that could 4e said and perpetuate an ar;ument. 2e wise. @ind the 4est wa! to handle a con$rontation or con$lict. =on(t ma"e trou4le and don(t wrea" ha/oc. 2. 2e harmless ./. 16c0 1F2eG harmless as do/es.1 a0 ,entleness Christians are not to 4e intrusi/e# 4rash# or rude. 5e(re to 4e harmless and ;entle.

40 *urit! In &on; o$ &olomon B:2 the hus4and sa!s to his wi$e# 1M! do/e# m! unde$iled.1 he do/e was a s!m4ol o$ purit!# holiness# and innocence. 5hile we are to 4e wise# we also are to 4e pure. 5hen we see" a wiser method in dealin; with a pro4lem# we should ne/er compromise the truth. Ieep !our inte;rit!# honest!# and purit!. hose who represent Christ are not to cause injur! or emplo! tric"er! or deceit in tr!in; to escape $rom dan;er> the! are to 4e wise# pure# and ;entle. .10 Lu"e 6:27--1Lo/e !our enemies# do ;ood to them who hate !ou.1 o do that !ou must 4e as wise as a serpent and harmless as a do/e. .20 1 Corinthians D:22--*aul said# 1I am made all thin;s to all men# that I mi;ht 4! all means sa/e some.1 :ou ha/e to 4e discreet# 4ut ne/er compromise the truth. @ind that per$ect 4alance 4etween the two. .30 1 *eter 2:23--5hen our Lord was re/iled# <e didn(t re/ile in return. 5hen <is enemies a4used <im on the cross# <e $or;a/e them their sin .Lu"e 23:3C0. &uch was the ;entleness displa!ed 4! Jesus. 3. 2e on !our ;uard ./. 17a0 12ut 4eware.1 %/il intentions lur" in the hearts o$ man!. 5hen I tal" to the press or do a radio inter/iew# I ha/e to 4e watch$ul and discernin;# see"in; to a/oid $orums that attempt to discredit the ;ospel. *aul was cau;ht in such a situation in -cts 23:1-B. <e said he stood 4e$ore ,od with a clear conscience. 5hen the hi;h priest 1commanded them that stood 4! him to smite him on the mouth. hen said *aul unto him# ,od shall smite thee# thou whited wall1 .//. 2-30. 2ut when *aul disco/ered that he just said that to the hi;h priest# he had to apolo;iEe ./. B0. <e wasn(t as alert and under control as he should ha/e 4een. =on(t ;i/e the wol/es an opportunit! to condemn !ou. )ne o$ their e/il intentions is to ma"e !ou compromise. C. 2e calm .//. 1D-200 a0 he s"ill$ul de$ense o$ the @ather ./. 1D0 15hen the! deli/er !ou up# 4e not an?ious how or what !e shall spea"> $or it shall 4e ;i/en !ou in that same hour what !e shall spea".1 I$ !ou were arrested# !ou(d tend to worr! a4out !our de$ense. 2ut Jesus told the disciples not to worr! 4ecause <e would ta"e care o$ them. he! didn(t need to prepare a de$ense> the! just needed to rela? and sta! calm. In *hilippians C:6 *aul sa!s# 12e an?ious $or nothin;.1

Jesus ;a/e the reason $or not 4ein; an?ious: 1@or it shall 4e ;i/en !ou in that same hour what !e shall spea"1 ./. 1D0. I 4elie/e that when an!one ;oes 4e$ore an! council in the name o$ Jesus Christ# the &pirit o$ ,od will 4rin; to his or her mind the ri;ht thin;s to sa!. 2ased on what we ha/e learned $rom our stud! o$ &cripture# the &pirit o$ ,od will 4e our de$ender. Man! o$ the most memora4le and power$ul testimonies o$ the ;reat mart!rs were uttered just 4e$ore the! were put to death. ,od ;a/e them a special presence o$ mind and clarit! o$ thou;ht to present a testimon! more power$ul than the! would otherwise ha/e 4een a4le to ;i/e. 40 he speci$ic instruction $or the apostles ./. 200 1It is not !e that spea"# 4ut the &pirit o$ !our @ather who spea"eth in !ou.1 .10 he promise o$ di/ine inspiration he apostles wouldn(t 4e spea"in;> ,od 4! <is &pirit would spea" throu;h them. ,od ;a/e those men the promise o$ di/ine inspiration. hat promise also applied to &tephen. 5hen he stood 4e$ore those who too" his li$e# he spo"e the 5ord o$ ,od. &o did *aul when he stood 4e$ore those who 4rou;ht him to trial. heir testimonies are a part o$ &cripture. .20 he implication o$ 4i4lical inerranc! &ince ,od ;a/e the apostles the /er! words to spea" in the moment the! were 4rou;ht 4e$ore the councils o$ men# how much more we can 4e assured that when the! sat down to pen the 5ord o$ ,od the! could claim the same promise--an underta"in; o$ $ar ;reater importance. Matthew 10:20# one o$ the clearest te?ts in the 2i4le on inspiration# a$$irms# 1It is not !e that spea" F,".# laloun# 1utter1G 4ut the &pirit o$ !our @ather who spea"eth in !ou.1 Lens"i said# 15ithout pre/ious thin"in;# plannin;# ima;inin;# at the time o$ their trials in court the apostles will recei/e directl! $rom ,od just what to utter. It will come into their minds just as it is needed# and thus the! will utter it aloud.... he apostles# indeed# ma"e utterance# and !et the! do not# $or their act is due to the <ol! &pirit# so that most properl! he is the one who does this utterin;. %/er!thin; that is mechanical# ma;ical# unps!cholo;ical is shut out.... he apostles will not 4e li"e the demoniacs# their or;ans o$ speech and their /er! wills 4ein; /iolated 4! a demon. -4solutel! the contrar!: mind# heart# will operate $reel!# consciousl!# in jo!$ul# trust$ul dependence on the &pirit(s ;i/in;# who ena4les them to $ind just what to sa! and how to sa! it down to the last word# with no mista"e or e/en a wron; word due to $ault! memor! or distur4ed emotions occurrin;. his# o$ course# is Inspiration# 8er4al Inspiration1 .p. C020. B. 2e patient ./. 220 1:e shall 4e hated o$ all men $or m! name(s sa"e# 4ut he that endureth to the end shall 4e sa/ed.1

he conte?t is persecution# so the te?t is sa!in; endurance is a hallmar" o$ ;enuine sal/ation. It isn(t sa!in; people who can ma"e it throu;h persecution will hold on to their sal/ation. hose who are sa/ed sur/i/e. a0 Homans 2:7--1 o them who 4! patient continuance in well-doin; see" $or ;lor! and honor and immortalit!# eternal li$e.1 *eople aren(t sa/ed 4! continuous ;ood deeds# 4ut the! do pro/e the /alidit! o$ their sal/ation. 40 <e4rews 3:1C--15e are made parta"ers o$ Christ# i$ we hold the 4e;innin; o$ our con$idence stead$ast unto the end.1 c0 John 9:31--Jesus said# 1I$ !e continue in m! word# then are !e m! disciples indeed.1 d0 1 John 2:1D--1 he! went out $rom us# 4ut the! were not o$ us> $or i$ the! had 4een o$ us# the! would no dou4t ha/e continued with us.1 here are times I pra! ,od would persecute the church 4ecause it has the e$$ect o$ pur;in; the cha$$. 5hen persecution 4e;ins# the phonies lea/e. he!(re not ;oin; to die $or somethin; the! don(t 4elie/e in. he ,ree" word translated 1sa/ed1 in Matthew 10:22 means 1deli/ered.1 ,o throu;h the persecution and !ou will 4e deli/ered. @irst Corinthians 10:13 sa!s# 1 here hath no temptation ta"en !ou 4ut such as is common to man> 4ut ,od is $aith$ul# who will not permit !ou to 4e tempted a4o/e that !e are a4le# 4ut will# with the temptation# also ma"e a wa! to escape.1 I$ !ou patientl! "eep the $aith# !ou will endure whate/er comes and 4e deli/ered. *aul said# 15hat shall separate us $rom the lo/e o$ Christ6 &hall tri4ulation# or distress# or persecution# or $amine# or na"edness# or peril# or sword6 -s it is written# @or th! sa"e we are "illed all the da! lon;> we are accounted as sheep $or the slau;hter. +a!# in all these thin;s we are more than conAuerors throu;h <im that lo/ed us. @or I am persuaded that neither death# nor li$e# nor an;els# nor principalities# nor powers# nor thin;s present# nor thin;s to come# nor hei;ht# nor depth# nor an! other creation# shall 4e a4le to separate us $rom the lo/e o$ ,od# which is in Christ Jesus# our Lord1 .Hom. 9:3B-3D0. +othin; will destro! !ou. 5hen !ou are in the midst o$ persecution# 4e patient and !ou will endure to the end and 4e deli/ered. 6. 2e on the mo/e ./. 230 15hen the! persecute !ou in this cit!# $lee into another> $or /eril! I sa! unto !ou# :e shall not ha/e ;one o/er the cities o$ Israel# till the &on o$ man 4e come.1 Ieep mo/in; as necessar! until Jesus comes a;ain. here is no sense in standin; around ta"in; harassment and persistent persecution until someone "ills !ou. *aul would preach# a riot would start# then he(d lea/e town and ;o to another. 5hen a riot 4ro"e out there# he went to the ne?t town# and so on. <e wasn(t ;oin; to sta! in one place and die--li$e was too precious> there were too man! towns to reach and too much to 4e done.

he last missionaries will 4e mo/in; $rom one place to another when the &on o$ man returns. =urin; the ,reat ri4ulation 1CC#000 Jewish e/an;elists will preach all o/er the land# and "eep mo/in; until the Lord comes. 5hen all the cities are reached# <e will come. 5e ha/e no ri;ht to pro/o"e animosit! or destruction. here is too much wor" to 4e done and too man! places to reach. Li$e is precious. %/er! one o$ us matters to ,od(s "in;dom. 5e ha/e to mo/e to the recepti/e places and "eep mo/in;# "nowin; that ,od is with us all the time. In the power o$ the &pirit <e will help us to sa! the ri;ht thin;s and reach the world. %onclusion 5e are sheep amon; wol/es. It was not uncommon in *alestine to hear a4out a shepherd $ound dead amon; the sheep he was tr!in; to de$end. 2ut our &hepherd is not dead--<e e/er li/es and is our de$ender. here is an in/inci4ilit! a4out us 4ecause <e controls e/er!thin;. Jechariah 2:9 sa!s# 1<e that toucheth !ou toucheth the apple o$ his e!e.1 I$ !ou thin" it(s tou;h on the sheep# it will 4e tou;her on the wol/es $or what the! do to the sheep. ,od will ma"e all thin;s ri;ht in the end. +o matter what &atan does# he can(t destro! ,od(s sheep.

.ocusing on the .acts 1. 5hat is the "e! word to understandin; Matthew 10:176 5h! .see p. 106 2. <ow was punishment $or a /iolation o$ the law or a ra44inical standard carried out in the s!na;o;ue .see p. 206 3. 5hen did Jewish persecution o$ Christianit! stop .see pp. 2-306 C. 5here did $alse reli;ion o4tain its ori;inal $orm6 <ow did it spread around the world .see p. C06 B. 5hat are two possi4le interpretations o$ the phrase 1$or a testimon! a;ainst them1 $rom Matthew 10:19 .see p. B06 6. 5h! did the Homan ;o/ernment persecute Christians6 5hat were the accusations that the ;o/ernment 4rou;ht a;ainst Christianit! .see pp. B-606 7. -lthou;h ;o/ernments are entities ordained 4! ,od to preser/e the social structure .Hom. 130# the! are also KKKKK KKKKK KKKKKK .see p. 70. 9. -ccordin; to Homans 1:2C-26# wh! would $amil! mem4ers persecute their own Christian relati/es .see p. 906 D. 5h! are Christians to 4e 1wise as serpents1 .Matt. 10:16> p. D06

10. 5hat is the meanin; o$ the phrase 1harmless as do/es16 5hat is the do/e a s!m4ol o$ .Matt. 10:16> pp. D-1006 11. 5hat do Christians need to 4eware o$ .Matt. 10:17> p. 1006 12. 5h! were the disciples not to 4e an?ious when the! were 4rou;ht 4e$ore councils6 %?plain .Matt. 10:1D> p. 110. 13. -ccordin; to Matthew 10:20# what did Jesus promise to ;i/e the apostles6 5hat is the implication o$ that promise6 %?plain .see pp. 11-120. 1C. 5hat is a hallmar" o$ ;enuine sal/ation6 &upport !our answer with &cripture .Matt. 10:22> pp. 12-130. 1B. 5hat e$$ect does persecution ha/e on the church .see p. 1306 16. 5h! is there no persecution that can destro! Christians .Hom. 9:3B-3D> pp. 13-1C06 17. 5h! did Jesus sa! to "eep mo/in; to di$$erent places when $acin; incessant persecution .see p. 1C06 Pondering the Principles 1. o what e?tent ha/e !ou e?perienced persecution $rom a reli;ion# the ;o/ernment# or !our $amil!6 ,i/e e?amples o$ each occasion. 5hat has ,od tau;ht !ou throu;h each6 -s a result o$ this lesson# determine how !ou will prepare $or an! $uture persecution $rom those sources. 5hat must 4e mani$ested in !our li$e 4e$ore an!one would 4other to persecute !ou6 2. He/iew the si? responses o$ the sheep .see pp. D-1B0. 2ased on the times !ou ha/e 4een persecuted# how did !ou respond6 )n a scale o$ 1-10# rate the e$$ecti/eness o$ !our wisdom# purit!# watch$ulness# calmness# patience# and willin;ness to mo/e. 5hat are !our stren;ths6 5hat are !our wea"nesses6 In the case o$ $uture persecution that ma! come !our wa!# what must !ou do to shore up the responses !ou are wea" in6