#DailyDevotion Jesus Was Faithful To You Unto Death, Do Likewise

Matt 10²⁶ “…“All that’s covered will be uncovered, and all that’s hidden will be known. ²⁷What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; and what you hear whispered in your ear, preach from the housetops. ²⁸Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body and can’t kill the soul, but fear Him who can destroy soul and body in hell. ²⁹Aren’t two sparrows sold for a cent? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s permission. ³⁰As for you, even the hairs on your head are all counted. ³¹So don’t be afraid. You’re worth more than many sparrows. ³²Whoever will confess Me before other people, him will I confess before My Father in heaven. ³³Whoever will deny Me before others, him will I deny before My Father in heaven.

We continue with Jesus’ instructions to his apostles before he sends them off to the lost sheep of Israel. Now this lesson and few before it in the three year lectionary system after Pentecost cover Jesus’ preparing his disciples, his apostles for going out and preaching the good news. He is endorsing them and their teaching to us as they would continue his mission to build the Church, the temple of God. His instructions to the apostles in some form continue through the ministry of the Church, calling men from the midst of disciples and putting upon them the yoke of ministry either in the local congregation or in missions outside of the congregation.

Jesus had been teaching the apostles privately all what he taught in parables publicly. So commissions them to teach publicly to the people what he has taught them privately. Nothing that he taught that was hidden will remain so. So we have now in the Gospels and the letters of the apostles everything Jesus had taught to his disciples. There are no secret gospels in the Church, no secret teachings.

As said yesterday, we can expect as Jesus’ disciples suffering, torture and death. The good news is all of that is temporary. They can’t cause us suffering, pain and death forever. The One we look to for help keeps our souls, our spirits alive. He will not leave us in the grave forever. As he has risen Jesus from the dead never to die again and sat him at his right hand in power and authority, so too will he raise us up from dead to eternal life who have put our trust in Jesus.

We have these most comforting words from Jesus concerning the Father’s love toward us. He knows what is going on and nothing happens to us without his permission. Just as a sparrow does not die apart from his will, so too nothing happens to us apart from the Father’s will. He has counted all the hairs on our heads, so much he cares for us. If he cares so much to count all our hairs we certainly need not fear suffering, torture and death. You may ask yourself, “If he cares so much, why does he allow this to happen?” Well you’ll just have to ask him when you see him. It must be for our good and for the building up of the Church. The early Church said the Church is built upon the blood of the saints. When the Roman citizenry saw how Christians suffered for their faith, they converted and escaped eternal death. It’s not always about you.

We have this promise that if we are faithful to Christ he will be faithful to us. If we confess Christ Jesus before men he will confess us to be his own before the Father. Of course the reverse is also true. Because of the great promises of Jesus then remain faithful. Because Jesus was faithful to you unto death, be faithful to him.

Gracious God and Father, grant unto us such faith in your son Jesus Christ so that when men turn against us for his name sake, we remain faithful unto him so we may enter into eternal life at his revelation. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.