Sheep among Wolves: What to Expect, Part 2

Today on Insight for Living, from Chuck Swindoll. When Jesus recruited His disciples, His command was very simple. Jesus used two words.

He said, follow me. And that's exactly what the disciples did. Later, however, Jesus sent the disciples into hostile territory, giving them the authority to minister in His name.

Well, they were met not with open arms, but heavy resistance. He called the disciples sheep among wolves. And today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll helps us understand the second phase of the disciples' ministry and its implications for us today.

Chuck titled today's message, Sheep Among Wolves, What to Expect. Someone has wisely written that we do not need today more intelligent Christians, or better educated Christians, or richer Christians. What we need is deeper Christians.

Think of the analogy of a deep, deep river that flows, not just wide, but deep, deep. And as we bow for prayer, search your soul. Ask yourself, am I growing deeper, or just busier, just more involved? Bow with me, will you? Speak to us today, our Father, as if we were alone with you in this room. And we will count on you to talk straight, not mince words, but to address things that need to be faced.

Guard us from racing away from what you were saying, but pausing and letting it sink in. Show us the value, our Father, in a day of superficiality, the value of depth, growing, growing deeper in a life with you, pacing our steps according to your guidance, shaping our decisions based on your instructions. Find us faithful to listen better than we speak, to obey better than we lead. May we be our Father, deeper Christians, in our walk, like a deep, deep river. We gather this morning at that river, where you speak to us through your word. May we hear it well, and may we respond without hesitation.

We are awash as a nation. We are rapidly going farther astray from the truth that once made us great. So, our Father, break through, we pray, with new leadership, with courageous counselors who will speak the truth to those who guide us as a state, as a nation. May those who lead be sensitive to what you are saying and care less about political correctness and much more about biblical correctness. We are reading today of times of persecution, and I pray that you will steal us as you deepen us for what lies before us. Quite likely in our own lifetime, hold us close, make us strong, drive us deep.

We pray these things, and we give these gifts in the name of Christ, who loved us, and went to the cross for us. And everyone said, Amen. You're listening to Insight for Living.

To stay up to date on the most important issues of our lives, go to insightworld.org. To study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll, be sure to download his Searching the Scriptures studies by going to insightworld.org slash studies. And now the message from Chuck about Sheep Among Wolves, What to Expect. Remember his first command, follow me.

He said to a group who were working with fishing nets, men, but right now you follow me. And they did. They listened when he spoke. They watched as he healed. They marveled as he raised the dead.

They stood back with mouths open as he cast out demons. He was doing it all, and they were in the shadows watching, leader, followers. Until we get to the 10th chapter of Matthew, where we read not only of his selecting these 12 who were named for us, verses 2 through 4, the very next statement we read, Jesus sent them out. Down in verse 16, look, I'm sending you out. At this point, he feels he has trained them sufficiently to take responsibility.

Oh, for sure. Verse 1 tells us he empowered them. He gave them authority over demons.

He gave them the ability to heal every kind of disease and every kind of illness. But they had not done it, not until he sent them out. Mark 6, verse 7 tells us that he sent them out, duah, duah, two by two.

So they went out in groups of two, six groups, six pairs of them, went out into the real world. No longer mere followers, but now in a real sense, though under his command, they are on their own. Wouldn't you have loved to have been a bug on the wall in places where they began to do what he had done? And they watched the Spirit of God work through them to carry out the very things they had only seen the master accomplish. He loved these men. Because he did, he told them what to do and what not to do. He told them where to stay and where not to stay. They would have to be discerning. They would have to determine if it was a good place for them or not. If it was a town that rejected, and notice what he calls it, your message, down in verse 14.

If they reject your, it's no longer my message, you're now carrying it. And he dispatches them to do what he had been doing. They are following Jesus for sure, but they're now doing it without his presence around them. And so because he loves them and cares about them, he pauses to prepare them with very carefully chosen words. I like the way verse 16 begins.

I would like to render it, listen up, pay attention, pay attention, look. And what's the next sentence? I'm sending you out as sheep among wolves. This is kind of a reverse strategy. Normally wolves come into sheep pens, but now he's having the sheep leave the pen and go out among the wolves.

Let's pause and think about the two analogies. First, the sheep. They're vulnerable. They're defenseless. They're easily frightened.

They often go astray, and I might as well say it, they are incredibly stupid. The problem is when they stray, they become a hot meal for the wolves because wolves never stray. They run in packs.

Where you find one, you'll find many. Wolves are aggressive. Wolves are vicious. Wolves are cunning.

They're unafraid. In fact, scripture uses interesting words just before the word wolf, savage wolves, ravenous wolves. Wolves are predators. When you walk among wolves, you're walking into combat.

So he says to them, men, listen up. You're sheep. I know you're sheep and I am your defense. I know that you can never on your own take on wolves.

That's why I'm here with you, and I give you the power to deal with the wolves, but please remember you are to be as shrewd. Here's another couple of analogies. As shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. Think about that one.

Think about a snake. Pretty clever. Very patient.

Ever aware. Cautious. Discerning. Smart. You may look like a sheep, but you need to think like a snake. Think like a snake. Be discerning. Stay smart. Don't be gullible. Eyes wide open.

Shrewdish serpents. But if that's all there is to it, you'll become ugly, argumentative, belligerent, stubborn. So he says you're to be harmless as doves.

Gentle-like. Disarmingly powerful weapons when dealing with wolves. Now the warnings that follow or for you to read and analyze, I haven't the time to do much in depth. I will simply give the overview. First, you can expect, as he speaks to his apostles, religious persecution. Look at this. You will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogue, and you didn't misread it. This is religious persecution. When you encounter fellow Jews, and they are all Jews, these disciples, when you encounter fellow Jews, they will hate you because of me. Shocking information, but designed to prepare them so they won't be surprised. Religious persecution. Wise as a serpent.

Harmless as doves. Next, you can expect national punishment or governmental punishment. Look at this. Verse 18. You'll stand trial before governors. That would be a reference to Pilate, Festus, and Felix to name specific governors. You will be standing trial before kings.

That would be the two Agrippas and Herod Antipas and other monarchs mentioned in the New Testament. Why? Look closely. Because you are my followers.

Relevant stuff, isn't it? When you read of those who are at the point of the knives and the spears and the bombs of the terrorists, they are often punished because they follow Christ. Those who lead, often terrorist acts, are attacking those who are Christians because we are numbered among those who follow Christ.

He says it right here. Because you are my followers. But what? Well, this would be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.

When you're arrested, what? Look at the words. Don't worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. No reason to prepare your speech or put it together in a very carefully worded manner. I'll give you the words you're to speak. It will be the spirit of your father speaking through you.

You know what? I'll say this humorously. I've heard students claim these verses before taking an exam. That's out of context. They think no reason to study.

God will give me the thoughts and God will give me the words. Great name for that. Failure. So don't go there.

It's not for students. It's for those facing governmental persecution. That's the context. The father will speak through you as you make me known. How about this next one? Family persecution. Brother will betray brother. Father will betray his own child. Children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed.

All nations will hate you. Look at the next statement. Because you are my followers. Reminds me of a line out of John 15.

Would you take your time to turn there? Turn ahead to the fourth gospel. John 15 beginning at verse 18.

Look at what Jesus says in another setting. If the world hates you remember it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belong to it. But you are no longer part of the world.

I chose you to come out of the world. So it hates you. You remember what I told you? Slave is not greater than his master since they persecuted me. Naturally they will persecute you. If they had listened to me they would listen to you.

They will do all this because of me for they have rejected the one who sent me. Look at that. We are living to see the fulfillment of this right now. It will be increasingly more fulfilled in the days yet future. And it was fulfilled in the days of the apostles.

Though there are various fulfillments along the way. But remember the word the command of verse 19 back to Matthew 10 19. Don't worry about how you are to respond.

Now look at the next one. Here's some wisdom verse 23. When you're persecuted in one town flee to the next.

I tell you the truth the son of man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel. This tells us of the initial calling of the apostles. Students are not greater than their teacher and the slaves are not greater than their master. You are to be like your teacher and slaves are to be like your master. Since I the master of the household have been called the prince of demons the members of the household will be called by even worse names. Society will hate you.

This isn't paranoia. This is prophetic teaching. There will be those who will hate you in the realm of your culture. Family members will resent you.

Some of you could tell your own horror stories. The great temptation is to be afraid of what's ahead. Back to the passage verse 26. Don't be afraid of those who threaten you. Verse 28. Don't be afraid of those who want to kill you. Verse 31. Don't be afraid. Are you not more valuable to God than a flock of sparrows? Do not fear.

This is the most common command given in the New Testament. Fear not. Fear not. But truth be told many many believers live in a world of fears. Fearful of what may happen. Fearful of what is happening.

Fearful of it happening to any one of us. Turn from here and hold your place but go to the letters to Timothy. Go first to 1 Timothy chapter 4.

1 Timothy 4. Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last time some will turn away from the true faith. They will follow deceptive spirits, teachings that come from demons. Have you noticed one of the television series titled Lucifer? You'll see more and more of that.

Don't let that shock you. You simply know we are in the very times that the Lord spoke of. Look at 2 Timothy chapter 3. Verse 1.

You should know this Timothy. In the last days there will be very difficult times. That word difficult is a rather soft rendering of a term that could be handled violent savage times. It's rendered perilous in the old King James Bible that's better than difficult. I remember 50 or more years ago when I began my ministry I spoke of all of this as yet future. You know when I read the passage I'm often tempted to read that in these last days difficult times have come. We are in them.

What is it like? Verse 2. People will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud scoffing at God disobedient to parents and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. Look at this. This is the newspaper of yesterday morning or evening.

This is the newscast of last night unfolding in print right here in our eyes. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving unforgiving.

They will slander others. They will have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray friends. They will be reckless puffed up with pride and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious but they will reject the power that could make them godly.

Stay away from people like that. Look at verse 12. Talk about a statement for today. Yes everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. We're halfway through a message from Chuck Swindoll. He's teaching from Matthew chapter 10 about a bold warning from Jesus that we're living as sheep among wolves. Please keep listening as we continue to journey through the book of Matthew together. You're listening to Insight for Living.

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