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马太福音10章21-25

马太福音10章21-25节说:“弟兄要把弟兄，父亲要把儿子，送到死地;儿女要与父母为敌，害死他们。你们要为我的缘故，被众人恨恶，惟有忍耐到底的，必然得救。你在这地方受逼迫，就逃到那地方去。我实在告诉你们，你们在人子来以前，不能走遍以色列的城邑。学生不能高过先生，仆人不能高过主人。学生和先生一样，仆人和主人一样，就够了。家主若叫别西卜、何况是他家里的人呢。

我们很难想象这样的迫害，家庭分裂，家庭成员逼迫他们的亲属。它确实发生了，尤其是在基督教最初的几个世纪里。

今天会发生吗?在世界的某些地方，是的。对我们来说，迫害更多的是情感层面的。大学生可能会因为他们的宗教信仰而被剥夺发展的机会。家人可能会排斥你，躲避你，因为你凭着爱心中说了诚实话。公职候选人因为他们的基督教价值观，而被认为是不配被选上的。难道我们以为我们会高于我们的主吗?他也曾经因为所教导的内容而受到逼迫。

第23节很难理解。他对门徒说，在人子到来之前，他们不会完成。这可能意味在耶稣藉着自己的死亡和复活揭示自己之前，门徒们会完成自己的传道工作；也可能意味着门徒的传道工作以及我们的传道工作，要一直到他末日再次来临时才完成。我更喜欢后者。我们有工作要做，我们不能让迫害的恐惧阻止我们。我宁愿为基督而死，也不愿没有他而活!

祷告:
亲爱的耶稣，我们的世界有太多的工作要做，我们看到撒旦和世界的势力在每一个角落反对你福音的宣告。然而，你继续为我们提供更多的机会!求你给我们面对迫害的勇气，给我们的新我以热情，去胜过罪性中的懒惰。愿你的国降临，愿你的旨意成就。阿们。

马太10章26-28

马太福音10:26-28 所以不要怕他们，因为掩盖的事，没有不露出来的。隐藏的事，没有不被人知道的。我在暗中告诉你们的，你们要在明处说出来。你们耳中所听的，要从房上宣扬出来。不要怕那些杀身体不能杀灵魂的人。总要怕那能把身体和灵魂都灭在地狱里的。

耶稣对门徒们说，他不仅仅是此时要他们去传福音，在他升天后耶稣一样要他们去传福。面对迫害，他们会大胆地宣扬福音。他们不会在秘密中窃窃私语，但会公开说出他们的信仰。

我们为什么要怕那些反对福音的人呢?耶稣来是要压碎撒但的头，毁坏他在我们身上的能力。他们可以夺走我们的生命，但不能夺走我们的灵魂。他们可以玷污我们在世上的名声，却不能除去我们在神面前的圣徒地位。他们可以把我们扔进监狱，但保罗后来在罗马的监狱里证明了福音仍然是自由的。皇帝的精锐宫廷侍卫日夜守护着保罗，听到了这一福音，许多人都相信了。

我深信，宣扬福音的勇气始于家庭，始于夫妻之间，始于父母与子女之间。在那里，我们学会大声谈论耶稣，学习见证福音的语言。所以，如果你害怕告诉别人关于耶稣的事，试着在每天的灵修时间从家里开始。不要害怕!

祷告：

‘’以耶稣为耻，是的，我可以，当我没有罪可洗去的时候!”我的救主阿、求你开我的口、使我的心传扬赞美你的话。请给我勇气，让我能与家人、朋友和陌生人谈论我的信仰。我以你的名义请求。阿们。

马太福音10章29-31

马太福音10:29-31 两个麻雀，不是卖一分银子吗?然而没有一个人能脱离你天父的手，掉在地上。就是你们的头发，也都被数过了。所以不要害怕;你们比许多麻雀还贵重。

耶稣并没有夸张，他说，没有一只麻雀脱离天父的手掉在地上，你们所有的头发都是被数过的。我们在天上的父是无所不知的。他甚至关心最小的鸟。那么你值多少只麻雀呢?很多!不止这些!上帝不仅创造了你，而且用他儿子的血救赎了你。对你们的天父来说，你比世上一切的麻雀还贵重。

那么我们为什么要担心呢?我们不应该。我听一个人讲述家庭经济状况，他讲的故事提醒我不要担心。他说有一次他正在开车，他的车从引擎盖下喷出蒸汽，然后就停了下来。他坐在路边，担心如何换掉那辆车，因为他实在买不起。然后他祈祷道:“父啊，我们该怎么处理我们的车呢?”如果天父上帝知道你头上有多少根头发，他也知道你的车坏了。

忧虑是一种罪，我们每天都应该为此悔改，我们每天都在忧虑。但你们若愿意停止忧虑，就不要想你们所忧虑的事，只要想你们在天上的父，他是应许天天供给你们，照顾你们。毕竟，你们比麻雀还贵重。

祈祷:
亲爱的天父，你关心我头上的头发，关心我树上的麻雀，这让我很惊讶。求你原谅我为今生的事烦恼。求你提醒我，甚至在我知道我的需要之前，你已经知道我的需要，对你来说，我比麻雀更贵重。阿们。

Matthew 10: 21-25:  “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

         It’s hard for us to imagine such persecution, where families are split and family members turn in their near relatives for persecution. It happened, especially in those first few centuries of the Christian Church.

         Does it happen today? In some parts of the world, yes. Among us the persecution is more on the emotional level. University students can be denied advancement based on their religious beliefs. Family members may ostracize you and shun you because you speak the truth in love. Candidates for public office are deemed unworthy because of their Christian values. Should we think we are above our Master, our Savior, who suffered for what he taught?

         Verse 23 is hard to understand. He tells his disciples that they will not finish unto the Son of Man comes. It could mean that they would finish before Jesus revealed himself through his death and resurrection.  Or it could mean that their work and ours would not be done until he comes again on the last day. I prefer the latter.  We’ve got work to do, and we cannot let fear of persecution stop us. I would rather die for Christ than live without him!

Prayer:  Dear Jesus, there is so much work to be done in our world and we see the forces of Satan and the world opposing the proclamation of your gospel at every turn. And yet, you continue to lay more opportunities before us! Give us courage in the face of persecution, and give us zeal in our new self to overcome the laziness of our sinful nature.  Let your kingdom come and your will be done! Amen.

Matthew 10:26-28:  26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

         Jesus is speaking to the disciples, not only about the mission journey he is sending them on, but on the mission journeys they would make after he ascended into heaven. In the face of persecution, they would proclaim the gospel boldly. They would not whisper it in secrets, but would speak their faith openly.

         Why should we be afraid of those who oppose the gospel? Jesus came to crush Satan’s head and destroy his power over us.  They can take our life, but they cannot take our soul. They can tarnish our reputations in the world, but they cannot remove our status before God as saints. They can throw us in prison, but Paul proved later when he was in prison in Rome that the gospel is still unchained. The Emperor’s elite palace guard, who watched over Paul night and day, heard that gospel and many believed.

         I’m convinced that boldness in proclaiming the gospel starts at home between husband and wife, between parents and children. That’s where we learn to talk about Jesus outloud, where we learn the language of witnessing the gospel. So if you are afraid to tell people about Jesus, try starting at home every day in your daily devotional time.  Don’t be afraid!

Prayer:  “Ashamed of Jesus, yes I may, when I’ve no sins to wash away!” Savior of mine, open my lips and let my heart declare your praise! Give me boldness to talk about my faith with family and friends and strangers alike.  I ask this in your name.  Amen.

Matthew 10:29-31:  29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

         Jesus was not speaking in hyperboles when he said that not a sparrow falls to the ground outside the Father’s care, or that the hairs of your head are all number. Our Father in heaven knows ALL things! He even cares about the smallest birds.   So how many sparrows are you worth?  Lots! More than that! God not only created you, but he redeemed you with the blood of his Son.  You are worth more than all the sparrows in the world to your Father in heaven.

         So why should we worry? We shouldn’t.  I heard a man present on family finances and he told a story that reminds me not to worry. He said that he was driving along when his car started spewing steam from under the hood and then stopped. He sat by the side of the road, worried about how he would replace the car, because he really could not afford it. And then he prayed, “Father, what are we going to do about OUR car?”  If God, the Father, knows how many hairs you have on your head, he knows about the car that just broke down as well.

         Worrying is a sin we should be repenting of every day, and we do. But if you want to stop worrying, stop thinking about the things you worry about and think about your Father in heaven, who promises to provide for you and care for you every day. After all, you are worth more than sparrows.

Prayer:  Dear Father, it amazes me that you are concerned about the hairs on my head and about the sparrows that nest in my trees. Forgive me for fretting about the things of this life. Remind me that you know my needs, even before I know them, and that I am worth more than sparrows to you.  Amen.