Salvation Is Jesus

Almost the entire contents of Matthew 10 can fall under the “Salvation Is Jesus” category for this blog. It includes instructions for the disciples’ first major “missionary journey”, warnings that they can expect hardship and persecution for spreading the Gospel, and direct statements of the necessity of receiving the Gospel of Christ.

Let’s look first at verses 5-8:

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

The Jews, being God’s chosen people, were the first disciples, as well as the first people to whom Jesus would reveal his Gospel. Though many of the Jews believed and accepted the Gospel, the rest of the chapter makes it clear that many would also chose to remain “lost sheep”, rejecting the Gospel and even persecuting those that preached it. Next Jesus gives us some clear insight on the severity of rejecting the Gospel in verses 14-15:

If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off our feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Sodom and Gomorrah were twin cities mentioned in the Old Testament that were destroyed by God because of their extreme immorality and perversion. In fact, Lot’s family was the only only family out of the entire population that had any respect of God’s moral laws (see Genesis 18:16 – 19:26). Verses 14-15 tells us that the sin of rejecting God’s offer of salvation through Christ is worse than all the wickedness of those two cities.

In Verses 16-23, Jesus prepares his disciples (and us) of the dangers that lie ahead for sharing God’s message of salvation.

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

There is a clear implication here is that if there were many ways to God besides the Gospel of Christ, there would be no need to risk comfort and safety to share this message. The exact thing is happening to Christians today, all over the world. Because of the freedom we enjoy in America, it’s often hard for us to remember this cruel fact. Though we may experience some persecution, it’s very little in comparison to some other countries. What a terrible tragedy that the very people that Christians are risking their lives for, are often the ones that persecute and kill them. It has been that way throughout all history, from the Old Testament when the people killed God’s prophets, to the current day, where Governments and individuals kill the very Christians that love them enough to share the Gospel of Christ.

But God’s love for the lost continues to shine through in Christians all over the world, and the Gospel continues to spread every day, even in countries where Christianity is illegal. It takes a humble heart to admit one’s complete unworthyness before a Holy God and accept His only offer of salvation through Jesus. This is an insulting message to the hearts of the proud, who are influenced by the lies of Satan, the “Prince of this World”.