Friday, August 1, 2008
Matthew 10:7 "Go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand."
SHARING JESUS WITH OTHERS (1)
In his 10th chapter, Matthew tells how Jesus sent the 12 disciples on a missionary journey. The Lord told them: "Go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (7). He meant they were to preach God's law and gospel, for after Easter Jesus said that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations.
God's strict law must be preached first, for through it the Holy Spirit reveals our great sinfulness, God's righteous anger over sin, and our impending doom. After the law has troubled people in their minds because of their sins, they should be told the gospel of how Christ Jesus graciously rescued the human race from its deserved punishment by dying on the cross in full payment of all our sins. Through that good news, God the Holy Spirit enables sinners to trust in Jesus for their salvation.
All Christians are privileged to share this message of sin and grace with others. The powerful words from God enable people to realize they need a Savior and that they have a Savior, Jesus.
But Christians should not expect this world to thank them for sharing Jesus. Just the opposite! Christ warned His disciples: "Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake" (Matthew 10:22). We are to expect the same treatment from non-Christians that Jesus received from the scribes, Pharisees, Roman soldiers, King Herod, and Pontius Pilate.
The reason for this hatred is that all who are born of earthly parents come into this world full of rebellion against our maker, inclined only toward evil, and conceited enough to think we can merit God's forgiveness by outward deeds of kindness.
Romans 8 teaches: "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Preaching the gospel to every creature is like trying to free a vicious animal from a trap. The beast instinctively attacks his benefactor.
