Costly Faith

See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; ¹⁸and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; ²⁰for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Matthew 10:16-20

²¹Doing God's work in the world is not without conflict. Jesus' ministry challenged the Roman and Jewish authorities in numerous ways on multiple occasions. Jesus spoke the truth to power and eventually is put to death. Jesus' teaching was in many cases a direct affront to the teachings of the Pharisees and chief priests. He had a large following and many thought he was the messiah they were waiting for. The Romans were most interested in keeping the people inline and peaceful and were always on the lookout for an uprising. Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and his popularity among the people would surely have been noticed. But God's mission called Jesus to the cross. He was to bring God's holy and powerful presence into the world, to show love in its purest form, and expose the sin and brokenness of the world. This is accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus. God's love is on display, sin and evil are defeated, and worldly powers are shown to be hollow. God is victorious in Christ, but it wasn't easy.


When Jesus tells the disciples they are being sent out "like sheep into the midst of wolves" he describes their biggest challenge and greatest opportunity. Each of the 12 apostles (minus Judas) played a key role in the development of the church. They were sent into the world to share the message of Jesus and invite others to follow. The church exists today because those sent by Jesus were obedient and faithful to their calling. Each was, like Jesus, martyred for their faith. They were brought before authorities, questioned for their faith, beaten and eventually killed. Along the way however, their testimony changed lives and facilitated the development of the church. Jesus sent them out knowing they would face danger, but also knowing how vital for God's kingdom their work would be.


There are still parts of the world where sharing the Christian faith is dangerous. There are martyrs today who lives bear witness to Jesus' words. For most of us this is not the case. In America, we are blessed to live in a country where freedom of religion is a bedrock principle. We can express our faith and worship freely, without fear of reprisal (although non-Christian groups are often targeted with hate crimes). But just because we can worship freely does not mean were not called to live out our faith in the midst of wolves.


To claim to be a disciple of Christ, we must seek to follow Jesus' example. Jesus spoke God's truth to those in power that all people are God's people. Jesus interacted with people on the margins of society to demonstrate that all people are valued by God. Jesus called out the hypocrisy of religious leaders who cared more about personal comfort and power than faithfulness to God. To be a follower of Jesus requires us to live with conviction and courage. To be willing to stand up for God's truth and stand with the most vulnerable. Yes, there are wolves in our midst, but God will be with us as we go.


Prayer: Lord, give me the courage to live out my faith. Give me strength to be the person you have created me to be. In Jesus' name, AMEN.