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The manner in which the sent ones must conduct themselves, and the difficulties they would face, are stated clearly in the Jesus work description. The Lord has stated principles which leaders of all time - "till He comes" - need to observe.
Matthew 10:16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves..."
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"Behold" indicates a call for special attention. It is imperative that you know your own vulnerability in His service. |
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You are identified by Jesus as a sheep. Recognise your weakness, and your need to lean upon His strength. |
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Though a sheep you are sent among wolves - something foolhardy if not sent by the Lord. |
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Submission to the Lord as a sent one places you at risk in wolves territory, but you are never alone, the Lord never leaves or forsakes. |
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The Lord sends you as sheep among wolves, not to fight them, using fleshly energy, but to be made strong in the might of the Lord; to stand against their stratagems, and present the transforming message. You go to change the wolves, not to obtain their territory. |
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Sometimes the Lord's sent ones pay the utmost price as His witnesses (Acts 7:57-60; 12:1-2). Others, in answer to prayer, experience miraculous rescue (Acts 12:3- 11). |
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To hide your vulnerability from those you lead is an act of deception, making yourself to be other than a sheep who is dependent on the Lord your Shepherd. |
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Honest acknowledgement of vulnerability protects those who follow you, from a reckless, presumptuous invincibility. |
Matthew 10:16 " ... Therefore be wise as serpents ..."
Sent among wolves you need to be shrewd - [wise (phronimos) Strong's] as serpents. Like them, become skilful in keeping out of harm's way.
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Develop a healthy perception of danger, and the deception of those who would entrap you. |
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Exercise open forgiveness to those who offend and cause you hurt. |
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Don't allow your spirit to be wounded by their hate. It will mar you and cause you to be an irrelevant messenger. |
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Be careful to whom you fully open yourself - Jesus did not trust Himself to everyone (John 2:24). |
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Retain your own feelings and mind in the presence of the untested (Proverbs 29:11). |
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Shrewdly avoid putting yourself in danger. Keep from prematurely ending your usefulness, life, and freedom. |
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Endure patiently, accept the difficult encounters entrusted to you. Be content with the Lord's arrangement of your circumstances. |
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Be blameless in your leadership so that you do not stumble anyone in the church or outside. |
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Be tactful in all your dealings with people - see that you avoid giving offence. |
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Represent your Lord faithfully by being consistent. |
Matthew 10:16 "... and harmless as doves."
Doves are described as harmless (akeraios, Lit, "unmixed", pure). Don't follow the ways of the world in your ministry (Romans 16:19).
You are to be a "blameless and harmless" shining untainted light to your perverted world (Philippians 2:15; Cf Matthew 5:14-16).
Be dove-like by being a vessel for the Spirit of God. Your life reflects the light of God that burns in your inner life. Do let the inner glow break forth to influence and direct those in darkness to Christ, and those in Christ to reflect His glory.
The dove feeds on pure grain. You must feed continually on the Word of God. You become what you feed on. Don't feed others with chaff, give them the pure Word of God.
The dove does not feed on carrion. You should find it abhorrent to feed on the fall or failure of another. You should be nauseated at even the thought of, or taking part in, tearing to pieces another's character or ministry.
The dove is strongly attached to one mate. Your devotion to your Lord must be evidently local and true, your service undivided (Acts 20:24; Matthew 6:24).
The dove was appointed under the law, for sacrifices. As a recipient of amazing grace you should present yourself as "a living sacrifice" to God (Romans 12:1). Your self-sacrifice will be demanded in leadership. By walking in the Spirit you will put aside legitimate things for self, and pursue the things of the Spirit. You can be self-persuaded that you have left all to follow Jesus (Mark 10:28), but fail to make full surrender to the Lord by not putting yourself out to feed His lambs and sheep (John 21:15-17).
The dove loves keeping company with other doves. As a leader you need to connect intimately with people. Give quality time to individuals building relationships. They need to know you, and you need to know their potential. Relationship with you will engender a desire to follow you, and serve the Lord with you. Remember, if you go it alone you will not be leading anyone. By being a producer of leaders you will develop leaders who will grow leaders who in turn will nurture other leaders, the outcome will be explosive growth.
The dove brought the message to Noah of the ceasing of the flood waters. Your message is peace and reconciliation by Christ Jesus to all who come to Him in repentance and faith. This message is your priority. As a leader don't get so locked into administration and the organisation of others that you put evangelisation on the back burner. Proclaiming the saving message gives the greatest return for the labour put in. Keep before yourself and those you lead, the purpose for which you and they are called, to make the great commission your mission.
Mark 16:15 "And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
Matthew 10:17 "But beware of men: ..."
These are men who become the agents of Satan and his demonic hosts (Ephesians 6:12). The real enemies are spiritual forces, and you wrestle against them - your flesh and blood opponents are mostly unaware that they are being used by Satan's forces. You need to be aware that men under Satan's control become wolves. In taking the fight to the real enemies, you will experience deliverance and possibly that of the men used.
Matthew 10:17 " ... for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues."
The councils and synagogues indicate religious persecution. Fellow Jews in their own religious "courts" (part of their synagogues), would put on trial those they accused of breaking their interpretation of Mosaic law, and particularly their traditions. The punishment of those judged guilty was often "scourging"
Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, confessed his involvement in such punishment,
Acts 22:19 "So I said, Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You."
For his preaching of the gospel Paul himself was scourged five times by the Jews (2 Corinthians 11:24).
As a leader you will not be immune from persecution. Standing up for the Word of truth will be opposed by those whose unbiblical views it corrects. Faithfulness to God will bring difficulty. You should triumph in the sufficient power and strength that through grace is provided by the Lord (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Don't deceive those who learn from you by implying that standing for the faith always leads to physical well-being, wealth, and comfortable circumstances. Such implications are not found in the Jesus work description.
Matthew 10:18 "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles."
Jesus predicted that His sent ones would be arrested and charged before governors and rulers. You should not be surprised that witnessing results in persecution (John 15:18-21; Acts 4:17; 5:40; 7:54-60).
The evil intent of those who charge the Lord's sent ones, is turned into an opportunity to witness. This is the Lord's purpose for you when you are persecuted. Standing before authorities for the Lord's sake is both a privilege for you and exposes the rulers to the challenge of the gospel. Leaders should be an example to all believers in obeying the forceful command to submit voluntarily to governing authorities (See 1 Peter 2:13-14). This gives weight to personal witness.
Matthew 10:19-20 "But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."
When brought before the civil courts for Christ's sake, it is not a time for worry, but for dependence.
Those who suffer for Christ's sake will be defended by Him. The Lord promises to give you "a mouth and wisdom" (Luke 21:14-15). He will give both the eloquence and the wisdom. Your part is to fix your mind and heart on His reliability. The Lord God is faithful to His name and character.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it."
Be assured that God by His Holy Spirit will speak within you and through you, in the very time of your need. The Holy Spirit will always inspire you to honour the Lord Jesus. Even those who judge the sent ones will see their commitment to Jesus; they will marvel and take cognizance "that they have been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13).
Matthew 10:21 "And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death."
The worst kind of treachery and betrayal is when it comes from family members or those closest to us. Jesus faithfully warns His sent ones to expect this.
We can depend on the Helper the Holy Spirit, He not only provides the answers when brought before civil authorities, He supports and sustains when the closest to us betray us. More, He will give the wisdom and the words, so that we make the proper response to such treachery.
Keep in mind the way the Lord Jesus spoke to his betrayer
Luke 22:48 "But Jesus said to him, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?'"
He reminded Judas of what he had done, and that He knew the secret sign chosen to betray Him. The words of the Master were a final appeal to Judas. What a clear example He left for us to follow, to always reach out to the very last.
Betrayal is named by the Lord Jesus as one of the signs of the end of the age (Matthew 24:10 NKJV).
As a leader you may not be experiencing such treacherous persecution now, but other sent ones are, in other parts of the world. Remember them with compassion and practical concern. Avoid rushing to wrong conclusions about what you hear about others. Don't assume they must have done wrong to be suffering persecution. Never assume that success and prosperity places you in a position above others who suffer. You should be disquieted in spirit if you do not feel their pain, for they are members of the same body,
1 Corinthians 12:26 "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; ..."
Matthew 10:22 "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."
That hostility should be so widespread as to include "all" kinds of society without distinction, that is involving every race, colour, even forms of religion, is evidence of a world opposed to God and reveals the corrupt human nature. Remembering your former state without Christ should keep you humble.
Titus 3:3 "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another."
At the core of the world systems is hatred of God and Christ Jesus. Included in the extensive list of human sins is that of "haters of God" (Romans 1:28-30). In rebellion they refuse to accept full knowledge of God as Creator, Sustainer, Deliverer, and Saviour, and become haters of God.
Christ's sent ones who have received His word and live out the beautiful attitudes of the Lord Jesus, are despised and hated by the world because they do not conform to the world's scheme of things (John 17:14-16). You should not expect to fit into worldly associations where the name of Jesus is unwelcome.
Persecution met with endurance, manifests the genuineness of your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Matthew 10:22 "... But he who endures to the end will be saved."
Salvation is God's free gift of grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Persecution endured in triumphant faith is only possible to those who are rooted in Christ, who stand firm knowing the certainty of being saved. Enduring does not mean throwing away your life - when persecution prevents effective ministry, go elsewhere where you can function effectually. The Lord instructs you:
Matthew 10:23 "When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. ..."
It is also a word for those proclaiming the message to the Jewish people just before the return of the Son of Man:
Matthew 10:23 "... For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."
The word is also for Christ's sent ones now, they must move on to cities that need the light. Be careful that should you have to change your place, that you keep His commission as your mission. Don't delay in the hopeless situation, go on to the fresh fields to which the Lord of harvest directs you. Be diligent in fulfilling your ministry while you can do so in peace, knowing that,
2 Timothy 3:1 "... in the last days perilous times shall come."