6 August - Matthew 10

We’re back in the book of Matthew today, chapter 10. Here are a couple quick thoughts:

1. In this chapter Matthew records the words Jesus spoke to his 12 apprentices before he sent them out to proclaim the good news to people; that God loves them and wants a relationship with them. Jesus gave these men the power to heal people from sickness and spiritual bondage and even raise the dead. 
2. All that stuff sounds great until you get a little further into it. Jesus let’s his followers know that it will cost them everything to follow him. He told them that people they love will turn against them and turn them in to the religious leaders who will hate them. They will even be tortured in their places of worship. Jesus told them no student is above their teacher. Jesus said if they hated him they will certainly hate them as well. Then Jesus told his disciples to stand firm in their faith because they will be rewarded for their sufferings. 
3. Jesus said whoever admits to knowing him before other people then Jesus will claim them as one of his own before God but if they disown him then he will do the same. That sounds like a pretty good deal. 
4. Then Jesus really puts the hammer down, so to speak. He told his followers if anyone loves their father, mother, son or daughter more than they love him then they are not worthy enough to know him. Sounds harsh doesn’t it? However, Jesus just told them how they would suffer to follow him. He knew they would need to love him more than anything and everyone else. The same is true for us today. God doesn’t want us to hate our families but he does want us to love him more and make him a greater priority than anything else. This isn’t because God is needy and needs our love. Instead God knows we need to love him; it’s what we were designed for. We love God, not just because he’s God and deserves it but also because loving him is in our best interest.

We’re supposed to tell people about Jesus just like he told his followers to go and tell people about him and his love 2000 years ago. So who are you investing in today to show them God’s love? Are you being intentional in your actions and conversations to lead them closer to God? Have you felt like following Jesus has been harder than you thought it would be? Jesus told his disciples it would cost everything to follow him. Why should we be any different? Some people ask why they don’t see big actions by God like the disciples did in the Bible. Maybe it could have a direct correlation to the fact that we don’t follow Jesus like they did, giving up everything to follow him. What do you value more than your relationship with God? Do you realize you were made to love God and be in a relationship with him? Have you ever thought about it being in your best interest to follow Jesus?