Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

                                                                                                                 Matthew 10:21-22

Today: Read Matthew 10

Sometimes living the Christian life can be difficult. Our passage today, which is outlined throughout the entire chapter, deals with the complexity of placing Christ as priority in our lives. When we refer to Jesus as the Prince of peace, we are referring to the reality that His sacrificial death makes a way for mankind to enjoy peace with God. It does not however mean that there will be peace between a Christian and everyone else in the world, quite the opposite. Next to physical persecution, I believe one of the most difficult situations that a believer can face is the divide between family members over the name of Jesus. Believers who have unsaved family members will often experience hardship simply because light and darkness are entirely incompatible. In order to navigate this portion of the Christian life, let’s look at six components to Jesus’ teaching.

(1) Don’t Be Surprised At Persecution

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.  It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!

                                                                                                           Matthew 10:24-25

Jesus reminds us that as He walked the earth, mankind rejected Him. As a follower of Jesus we can expect the same kind of persecution in our lives. It is amazing to ponder that the Creator of the universe, the One who gives us the very breath in our lungs, took on human flesh, came down from heaven, and walked among His creation. But because of the evil that resides in the human heart, Jesus was not greeted with open arms rather He was persecuted by the very people whom He created. “A disciple is not above his teacher” simply means that if Jesus was received this way, we should not be surprised when we are treated likewise.

(2) Understanding Incompatibility

“For from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

                                                                                                               Luke 12:52-53

The Bible doesn’t hide the reality that believers and non-believers within the same family will often be at odds over the name of Jesus. If you come from a family that honors and serves the Lord, you are truly blessed. To have blood relatives that also share your spiritual DNA is a gift from God. But for those of you who are a part of an unbelieving family, life can be difficult and persecution (in some form) is almost sure to have already come. Even in “civil” families, beneath all of the small talk and pleasantries, there is a division of the heart. We need to understand the reason for this incompatibility. When someone is born again, they receive the Holy Spirit and consequently are given a new outlook on life and eternity. Those without the Spirit cannot understand why someone who “used to be fun” would now desire to put God first in their life. This life is foolishness to the unbeliever. One is forgiven and redeemed, the other lost and spiritually dead. These individuals are on two completely different roads. This creates the incompatibility. So Jesus gives us some advice for overcoming.

(3) Be Intelligent

Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 

                                                                                                           Matthew 10:16

It’s perfectly fine for a believer in Jesus to be shrewd. Not only are we given permission, we are told to be astute in spiritual matters. The key is to couple that with “being as innocent as doves.” A believer is to use his/her discernment for the purposes of growing the kingdom. Living by the Spirit of God means having the ability to discern a situation and then acting appropriately. Knowing when to speak and when to be silent are a part of being shrewd. Be ever discerning when handling those who are outside of the body of Christ.

(4) Do Not Fear Mankind

Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

                                                                                                         Matthew 10:26, 28, 31

Three times, in this passage, Jesus tells us not to fear mankind. Every effort made against the kingdom of God will ultimately fail. The Bible tells us that those who hate Jesus, do not come into the Light for fear that their deeds will be exposed (John 3:20). Jesus reminds us that everything will be revealed in time. This includes our actions, what we think, and what we do in secret as well as our motives. Practically, we are not to fear man because they can only affect our lives here on earth, but are powerless to disturb what we have eternally. So Christian, do not fear, you are valuable to God.

(5) Be Faithful To God

Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

                                                                                                               Matthew 10:32-33

When faced with the opportunity to shy away from your faith and fold to the pressures of the world, remember these words, “Everyone who confesses Jesus before others, Jesus will confess them before God in heaven.” Don’t be ashamed of Christ or the gospel. When others scoff at you for being a follower of Jesus, stand firm. Your public acknowledgement of Christ is a testimony that God is indeed with you and that you belong to Him (1 John 4:15).

(6) You Have To Make A Choice

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

                                                                                                         Matthew 10:37-39

Finally, you have to make a choice. Walking with God is the most rewarding thing you will ever do, but it does require sacrifice. Jesus doesn’t hide the fact that He must become the most important person in your life and be at the center of your existence. We should love our spouse, but not put them in the place of Christ. We are to love and honor our parents, but not more than Christ. We should love and cherish our children, but not above Christ. I find that in the attempt to love our families, there can be a danger in placing them above our relationship with Jesus. When this happens, it really is nothing short of idolatry. But the reality is this, when we put Jesus first, our relationships improve. We are able to be better sons and daughters. We become more loving to our spouse and highly effective as parents.

I don’t believe that it’s a coincidence that Jesus spent so much time talking about this area of life. It is difficult to see the people you love live without God in their lives. To consider that they are living without salvation and apart from the will of God can be a heavy burden to bear. But be patient, persistent, and prayerful! Honor God with your life, knowing that He will use you to make an eternal impact on others!