September 9, 2019

Matthew 10:16-23 NLT

JESUS SENDS ME OUT

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.
You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your
opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about
how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who
will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. “A brother will betray his
brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and
cause them to be killed. And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who
endures to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the
truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.”

Reflection:

1. Be gentle, but brave!

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves.”
Sheep is known to be gentle but brave enough to step even on the steepest edge of a mountain. How
much more if I am a sheep with my shepherd? I can face all the wolves as my oppositions, but with no
vengeance.

2. Be mentally sharp.
“be as shrewd as snakes”
Others could deceive me like the snake of the story of Adam and Eve. It is important to use my
cleverness all the time and know exactly what is right or wrong, or who to trust to or not.

3. Be harmless.
“harmless as doves”
Show the people that I brought no harm and my intention is pure.

4. Expect Persecution.
“But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.
You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers.”
All followers of Christ experience persecution. This is an evident that I am taking up the cross as God’s
servant and He is glorified to what I am doing. I don’t need to do anything to my persecutor but to pray
for them.

5. Share the Good News.

“But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me”
In the middle of persecution and opposition, I need to show that Jesus Christ is shining upon me and it is
the best opportunity for me to share the gospel to the unbelievers.

6. Don't Worry
“When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say.”
No matter what, I will not be afraid of the situation.
7. Know the Right Words at the Right Time
“God will give you the right words at the right time”
I don’t need to babble words just to share, but God is always with me to give the appropriate words for
me to speak at the perfect time.

8. Always Rely to the Holy Spirit

“For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
I will always rely to the Holy Spirit for me to enter the presence of God and let Him speak to me.

9. Endure
“And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be
saved.”
God promised me to be saved. The world’s opposition is normal and I need to endure as there is reward
waiting for me in heaven.

10. Flee to the Next

“When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return
before you have reached all the towns of Israel.”
Once I have experienced the persecution, it is an evident that I glorified God on my doing. I need to go
to another nation or shift to another person as there are more people to be saved and waiting to touch
their lives.

Application:

Since from the very beginning of my journey with God, I have been afraid of what might God reveals me.
I may not be able to take up His cross because it is a burden. I may not be able to do His will because is it
parallel to hardship. I may not be able to finish His race because I am not capable of. I may not be able
to serve Him well because I don’t have the talents. Worst is, I might disappoint Him.

However, God reveals me that He is with me, guiding me, and giving me the ability to use for the nation.

We don’t know if God will send me out, but I am sure, He is working on me.

He is working on me to have compassion towards other people since I am used to be alone and minding
myself every time. He gave me the ten above items to remember once I face a nation or just a one
person.

He reveals me to be gentle in all my actions. It is important as a believer, Jesus Christ is shining through
me, from my words to my execution. But, I need to be brave and wise at the same time. Surely, not
everyone would like me and show sincerity towards me. There are backstabbers and traitors. I need to
learn whom I should trust to because a wrong person could pull me out of my mission.

If someone harmed me, I don’t need vengeance because it would give no goods on me. It is normal to
have enemies and I don’t need to please everyone even the pastors, leaders and mentors. It is the Lord
that I need to please in every single action that I do.
I will use this opportunity to seek God more and surrender everything to Him. Then, surely He will give
me the power to speak to these people and move the hearts of the unbelievers.

I will let God continue to work on me as there are a lot of people needs my help and there are limited
time before Jesus Christ returns.

Prayer:

Lord, I am so afraid that I might disappoint you. I am so afraid of these people that surrounds me. I don’t
know why, but I keep on having this feeling that they might hurt me anytime.

Please help me oh Lord! I surrender all my worries and anxieties to you. I surrender my future to you.

Please make me strong enough to face the reality of life with persecution. Please help me Lord to
discern whom I should trust to. Please help me oh Lord to have a compassionate heart. Please help me
oh Lord to inspire other people. Please help me oh Lord to move mountains with my faith.

Please continue to work on me emotionally, and spiritually. Bring me to the place that you could use me
and let your works will be done.

In Jesus name, Amen!