““The Master’s Guide to The Master’s Guide to Greatness”Greatness”
Part 5Part 5
““Dealing with Opposition”Dealing with Opposition”
Matthew 10:16-33Matthew 10:16-33
1971 Ford Bronco II1971 Ford Bronco II
• PruningPruning is what God does is what God does inin us to us to
make us more like Christ and make us more like Christ and
persecutionpersecution is what happens is what happens toto us us
because we are like Christ.because we are like Christ.
You need to know the “risks”…You need to know the “risks”…
• PhysicalPhysical assaultassault
““Be on your guard against men; they Be on your guard against men; they
will hand you over to the local councils will hand you over to the local councils
and flog you in their synagogues. and flog you in their synagogues.
- Matthew 10:17- Matthew 10:17
You need to know the “risks”…You need to know the “risks”…
You need to know the “risks”…You need to know the “risks”…
• SocialSocial and and politicalpolitical isolationisolation and and
accusationsaccusations. (v.18). (v.18)
… … you will be brought before governors you will be brought before governors
and kings… and to the Gentiles. and kings… and to the Gentiles.
(Matthew 10:18)(Matthew 10:18)
You need to know the “risks”…You need to know the “risks”…
• FamilyFamily abandonmentabandonment and and deathdeath(v.21)(v.21)
““Brother will betray brother to death, Brother will betray brother to death,
and a father his child; children will and a father his child; children will
rebel against their parents and have rebel against their parents and have
them put to death. - (Matthew 10:21)them put to death. - (Matthew 10:21)
You need to know the “risks”…You need to know the “risks”…
• The first time Jesus warns His disciples The first time Jesus warns His disciples
of the possibility of of the possibility of martyrdommartyrdom it is in it is in
the context of the context of familyfamily. .
You need to know the “risks”…You need to know the “risks”…
• FalseFalse accusationsaccusations (vv.24-25) (vv.24-25)
• ““The term Beelzebub literally means The term Beelzebub literally means
““mastermaster of the of the househouse”.”.
You need to know the “risks”…You need to know the “risks”…
A student is not above his teacher, nor A student is not above his teacher, nor
a servant above his master. It is a servant above his master. It is
enough for the student to be like his enough for the student to be like his
teacher, and the servant like his teacher, and the servant like his
master. master.
You need to know the “risks”…You need to know the “risks”…
If the head of the house has been called If the head of the house has been called
Beelzebub, how much more the Beelzebub, how much more the
members of his household!members of his household!
- Matthew 10:24-25- Matthew 10:24-25
You need to know You need to know the “rewards”…the “rewards”…
• God God defendsdefends us (vv.19-20) us (vv.19-20)
But when they arrest you, do not worry But when they arrest you, do not worry
about what to say or how to say it. At about what to say or how to say it. At
that time you will be given what to say, that time you will be given what to say,
You need to know You need to know the “rewards”…the “rewards”…
• God God defendsdefends us (vv.19-20) us (vv.19-20)
for it will not be you speaking, but the for it will not be you speaking, but the
Spirit of your Father speaking through Spirit of your Father speaking through
you. – Matthew 10:19-20you. – Matthew 10:19-20
You need to know You need to know the “rewards”…the “rewards”…
• God always God always writeswrites the the lastlast chapterchapter
All men will hate you because of me, All men will hate you because of me,
but he who stands firm to the end will but he who stands firm to the end will
be saved. – Matthew 10:22be saved. – Matthew 10:22
You need to know You need to know the “rewards”…the “rewards”…
• God will always God will always dodo whatwhat is is rightright
Do not be afraid of those who kill the Do not be afraid of those who kill the
body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, body but cannot kill the soul. Rather,
be afraid of the One who can destroy be afraid of the One who can destroy
both soul and body in hell. both soul and body in hell.
You need to know You need to know the “rewards”…the “rewards”…
• God will always God will always dodo whatwhat is is rightright
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
Yet not one of them will fall to the Yet not one of them will fall to the
ground apart from the will of your ground apart from the will of your
Father.Father.
You need to know You need to know the “rewards”…the “rewards”…
• God will always God will always dodo whatwhat is is rightright
And even the very hairs of your head And even the very hairs of your head
are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; are all numbered. So don’t be afraid;
you are worth more than many you are worth more than many
sparrows.sparrows. – Matthew 10:28-31 – Matthew 10:28-31
You need to know You need to know the compelling reason…the compelling reason…
• Jesus Christ is the only person Jesus Christ is the only person worthyworthy
of such commitment. of such commitment.
• I am sending you - v.16I am sending you - v.16
• On my account - v.18On my account - v.18
• All men will hate you because of me,All men will hate you because of me, - -
v.22v.22
Bottom Line:Bottom Line:
Stay Stay JesusJesus--centeredcentered even when you are even when you are
facing opposition. facing opposition.
How do I respond to How do I respond to spiritual hostility?spiritual hostility?
How do I respond to How do I respond to spiritual hostility?spiritual hostility?
How do I respond to How do I respond to spiritual hostility?spiritual hostility?
How do I respond to How do I respond to spiritual hostility?spiritual hostility?
How do I respond to How do I respond to spiritual hostility?spiritual hostility?
Be Be shrewdshrewd and and innocentinnocent……
I am sending you out like sheep among I am sending you out like sheep among
wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as
snakes and as innocent as doves. snakes and as innocent as doves.
– –
Matthew 10:16Matthew 10:16
Be Be shrewdshrewd and and innocentinnocent……
Be Be shrewdshrewd and and innocentinnocent……
Be Be shrewdshrewd and and innocentinnocent……
• When Jesus told us to be “shrewd” and When Jesus told us to be “shrewd” and
“innocent” he means we are to use “innocent” he means we are to use
ccautionaution and stay and stay purepure..
Be on your Be on your guardguard against men; against men;
• If your present suffering can be directly If your present suffering can be directly
related to bad choices, sinful choices related to bad choices, sinful choices
or unhealthy choices or unhealthy choices youyou havehave mademade– –
you are suffering you are suffering consequencesconsequences. .
Be on your Be on your guardguard against men; against men;
• If you are suffering because of some If you are suffering because of some
bad choices, sinful choices, or bad choices, sinful choices, or
unhealthy choices that unhealthy choices that othersothers havehave
mademade we call that living life in the we call that living life in the
middle of a fallen sinful world. middle of a fallen sinful world.
Be on your Be on your guardguard against men; against men;
• If you suffering and there appears to be If you suffering and there appears to be
absolutely no reason for your suffering absolutely no reason for your suffering
(Job) we call that “(Job) we call that “hardhard providenceprovidence”. ”.
Be on your Be on your guardguard against men; against men;
• If you are suffering on If you are suffering on accountaccount of of JesusJesus
– that is persecution and you should – that is persecution and you should
use caution and stay pure when you use caution and stay pure when you
are persecuted.are persecuted.
Be on your Be on your guardguard against men; against men;
I, John, your brother and companion in I, John, your brother and companion in
the suffering and kingdom and patient the suffering and kingdom and patient
endurance that are ours in Jesus, was endurance that are ours in Jesus, was
on the island of Patmos because of the on the island of Patmos because of the
word of God and the testimony of word of God and the testimony of
Jesus. - Revelation 1:9Jesus. - Revelation 1:9
Don’t Don’t taketake unnecessaryunnecessary risksrisks
When you are persecuted in one place, When you are persecuted in one place,
flee to another. (Matthew 10:23)flee to another. (Matthew 10:23)
Live in Live in trusttrust of God not of God not fearfear of of man man
• … … do not worry…the Spirit of your do not worry…the Spirit of your
Father - v.19Father - v.19
• ““So do not be afraid of them.” – v.26So do not be afraid of them.” – v.26
Live in Live in trusttrust of God not of God not fearfear of of man man
• Do not be afraid of those who kill the Do not be afraid of those who kill the
body…be afraid of the One who can body…be afraid of the One who can
destroy both soul and body in hell. – destroy both soul and body in hell. –
v.28v.28
• So don’t be afraid; you are worth more So don’t be afraid; you are worth more
than many sparrows. – v.31than many sparrows. – v.31
Put your Put your confidenceconfidence in the in the SpiritSpirit of of GodGod – not your – not your ownown abilitiesabilities
……do not worry about what to say or do not worry about what to say or
how to say it. At that time you will be how to say it. At that time you will be
given what to say, for it will not be you given what to say, for it will not be you
speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking, but the Spirit of your Father
speaking through you. – v.19-20speaking through you. – v.19-20
Put your Put your confidenceconfidence in the in the SpiritSpirit of of GodGod – not your – not your ownown abilitiesabilities
• FindingFinding God in the midst of all the pain, God in the midst of all the pain,
confusion and uncertainty of life is a confusion and uncertainty of life is a
difficult task. difficult task.
• TrustingTrusting God is an even more difficult God is an even more difficult
journey. journey.