Today we are looking at a very familiar passage found in Matthew 10 and DO NOT BE AFRAID is mentioned three times here in three different contexts!

Matthew 10:26-31

So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim it from the roofs.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of the Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

1. Do not afraid of THEM

The context of this particular part of the passage ties in directly to what Jesus had been sharing with His disciples in the verses prior. The chapter itself begins with Jesus sending His disciples out on a training expedition of sorts~ He sends them on a mission to “practice” the work of ministry that they will need to carry on after Jesus returns to the Father. He gives them instructions on what to say, who to say the message to, what to pack, and whether to accept a wage or not.

In the instructions, Jesus warns them that their message of salvation in the Messiah, who has now come in Christ, MAY NOT be received by those listening. He offers encouragement to them on how to handle that situation.

His description of the scenario of rejection presented to the disciples presents quite the word picture: I am sending you out like sheep among the wolves (Matt 10:16).

Geesh. Sign me up for that task.

Wolves EAT sheep. Wolves STALK sheep. Wolves HUNT sheep. Wolves ATTACK sheep.

Good times. Sounds like a fun job.

The next section we must look at to better understand our passage is Jesus expanding on this “wolf” thing…He now enlarges His metaphor into the prediction that they will be persecuted by those who will reject them.

Let me get this straight, Jesus is sending His disciples out on a mission and tells them that their message is going to be FIERCLY rejected. But it will not end there? It is one thing to disagree with what a person says….it is a whole other issue to “shoot the messenger”.

Hate the message…KILL the messenger??

Jesus is very clear with His disciples that “all men will hate you because of me, BUT he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22).

THAT is what precedes our part of this chapter and Jesus telling His disciples to NOT BE AFRAID OF THEM.

To NOT BE AFRAID of the wolves.

Let’s go read verses 26-27 again.

Why shouldn’t they (the disciples) or why shouldn’t WE be afraid of those who persecute us…disagree with us…do not understand what we stand for…reject what we believe in???

I think I have to go on my own thoughts about this one… I think we do not have to be afraid because we are being told in advance that it is going to happen. We do not have to be scared of something when we know it will be right there in front of us. Jesus is not hiding anything from us. He does not sugar coat His message nor the reception of what He came to offer.

He tells us, plainly, that because persecution and rejection happened to Him it will happen to us: so we are to follow His example and not act surprised by it all– shaking and quivering silently in a corner as if we had been ambushed by those who reject our faith!!

Instead, Jesus tells us to go shout the Good News from the rooftops because the message of salvation IS NOT a secret or something to be ashamed of! Even if it has been whispered in the dark, the message will be revealed in the light!!

We are to BE ENCOURAGED and not be afraid!!

2. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body…

Not many of us have people trying to actually KILL us, so we need to reflect on this part a little harder.

In the context of persecution, the disciples WERE going to be hunted down like sheep and killed by the wolves for their continual declaration of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Ever since Jesus died and rose from the grave, there have been Christians martyred for their faith. It still happens today…and if you do not think that is true, then I suggest you do some research on the subject.

Here, in the U.S., we have been fortunate to be able live our lives as Christians freely~ Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech has been our safety net.

Recently, there seems to be more animosity towards Christianity than there had been in the past. In my personal opinion, through the hypocrisy of “fallen” so-called Christian leaders in the media, non-believers look rather disdainfully at the idea of the “religion” of Christianity. Due to hate-filled speech and actions on behalf of those who claim to be Christians, non-believers have no desire to come to our churches. Why should they want to? So they can be judged by those sitting next to them in worship??

That being said….the HEART of the message of Christ is not being heard as the messengers are being rejected more often. Therefore, persecution towards those truly following Christ is happening.

As shared before, we need to quit being surprised by that and staying quietly afraid in the corner.

However, we need to ask God to cleanse OUR own hearts, to take the plank from OUR own eyes, and to help us through the power of the Holy Spirit to PREACH THE TRUE MESSAGE OF CHRIST out of a genuine love for those who are lost that Jesus died to save.

I shall step off my platform now.

Another view of “those trying to kill you” and not to be afraid of them, is in regards to the OTHER THINGS that threaten us.

Are you afraid of being injured in an accident?

Are you afraid of dying because of an illness that has no cure?

COVID?

CANCER?

SUICIDAL DEPRESSION?

Are you afraid of being attacked and harmed physically/violently?

Jesus tells us to not be afraid of what CANNOT DESTROY YOUR SOUL.

Why? How would that help??

As believers, we are to live eternally with Christ…if our soul is safe with Him, then keep your eyes on HIM when something comes your way that can harm, destroy, or kill your body.

The harsh truth is that we are mortal beings. We are all going to die someday…it is an inevitable fact. We can count on that one truth for certain.

HOW or WHEN remains the mystery...if we are so fixated on what it is we fear will harm or kill us, then we miss everything else that is happening all around us.

And, I must ask, HOW DO YOU KNOW that the illness that plagues you or the fear of someone else harming you is going to be what kills you?

You don’t.

Many people survive something they never thought they could and die another day from something else.

I realize this is fairly morbid talk, but it needs to be shared.

Jesus tells us to NOT BE AFRAID OF THEM.

WHY?

3. Do not be afraid because you are worth more…

Read Matthew 10:29-31 again.

Jesus reminds us of how God cares for His creation, how well He knows what He created…and that we need to rest in confidence that God cares even more for us than He does everything else He created.

How can I be sure of that?

Because I was created in His image (Genesis 1:27).

YOU were created in His image.

When was the last time you REALLY looked at creation when you were afraid? Have you noticed the ORDER of things instead of CHAOS?

* gravity

*weather patterns

*sunrise and sunset

*gardens growing from little seeds

*season changes

*new births

*breathing in the “good” air and exhaling the “bad” air

*the complex yet orderly way our kidney’s function

Can you think of other things that can catch your notice when you are afraid? Something that will remind you that YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE NOT ALONE, YOU ARE CARED FOR?

There is quite a bit happening in these three “DO NOT BE AFRAID’s”…

Do not be afraid of them who persecute you or disagree with you

Do not be afraid of those that could harm your body

Do not be afraid because you matter MORE

YOU MATTER.

YOU ARE LOVED.

YOU ARE SAFE.

YOU ARE SEEN.

YOU ARE KNOWN.