"Instructions For Present Disciples 10:24-42"

Notice that He returns to the word DISCIPLE, and that He does not limit it to the Jew only. This passage contains encouragement and instruction for His followers today. We are learners (disciples) and laborers (servants).


He warns against the fear of men (25-31). He assures them that men treated Him the same way, and it is a privilege for them to suffer for His sake. (Phil. 1:29, Acts 5:41). Verse 28 is not talking about Satan, for he does not have the power to destroy body and soul in hell. God does, and Christ tells us to fear Him and Him alone. When a man fears God, he need fear nothing else. Christ assures them of the Father's care, for God cares even for the sparrows.


In verses 31-33 He states the importance of open confession of Christ. This would apply to the servants and to their converts. READ Rom. 10:9-10 and 2 Tim. 2:12. Confession does not save, but it is the natural result of salvation. The Prince of Peace and the Gospel is the message of Peace, but when a man confesses Christ, he immediately makes enemies. Christ separates, and makes the strongest natural ties of family and friends seem less important. A true Christian cannot serve Christ without taking up the cross - being crucified and bearing His shame and reproach. To save our lives selfishly means to lose them, but to lose our lives for His sake means to save them. How many Christians have much in this world but little in the next!


The closing verses (40-42) indicate the importance of the servant of Christ. He is the representative of Christ. To reject the servant is to reject Christ, as Paul states in 2 Cor. 5:20. What an encouragement it is to know that we represent the King of Kings, and that He is right with us when we serve Him.


In this section Christ outlines the servants position, protection, privilege, promise and practice.


Modern "faith healers" like to claim Matthew 10:8 as their commission; yet do they ever "raise the dead"? If this verse applied to "healer" today, then they should preach only to the Jews and should take no offerings! Do they do this? NO!!


It is a serious thing to reject or mistreat a servant of God. While the servant is not above his Lord, he represents his Lord