Thursday, August 31, 2006

Sobering yet Encouraging Words of Christ

(1)  Sheep in the midst of wolves...

"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.  Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.  When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are 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.  Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. [Matt 10:16-22, ESV]"

(2)  Do not fear those who can kill the body and not the soul...

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell...  So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. [Matt 10:28, 32-33, ESV]" 

(3)  Jesus did not come to bring peace, but a sword...

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.  Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. [Matthew 10:34-39, ESV]"

(4)  Rewards...you can't lose it if you have received the promise of it... and fruit through actions can give assurance to the faith that the promise is rooted in...

"[for the context read Matt 10:40-41And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. [Matthew 10:42, ESV]"

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