Title: Preparation for Evangelism/Matthew 10:5-23
Contents
Hymns: 253 257
Text: Matthew 10:5-23
*** Preparedness for evangelism (verses 5-10)
The purpose of Jesus training his disciples was to evangelize the world by becoming his witnesses to the ends of the earth. Now, as one of the steps toward achieving that purpose, we are sending the twelve disciples to various parts of Israel. At this time, the Lord taught the disciples who they should focus on now, what to preach, what to do while preaching, and how to preach. The situation I was in then was very different, but the principles the Lord taught at that time are still meaningful to me today. I need to find out who I need to preach the gospel to right now and spread the gospel to them first. And when we preach the gospel, we must introduce the kingdom of heaven where the Lord rules, and we must not only preach with words, but also fulfill the needs of people and show the power of the Lord. We must also be pure in material matters. What is my attitude in preaching the gospel now? Who are the lost sheep of the house of Israel to whom I must tell, and what are their needs?
*** Posture in the process of evangelism (verses 11-15)
The Lord prepared the disciples so that they could be prepared for the problems they might face while preaching the gospel. Looking at this, I get some comfort that the results of preaching the Gospel are not always positive. It is my responsibility to preach the gospel and bring him to the Lord, but it goes beyond my responsibility to those who reject it. Therefore, we should not be too discouraged or discouraged because of those who reject the gospel, but we should preach the gospel of the Lord calmly.
*** Basic attitude toward the world (verse 16)
When Jesus sent his disciples, he foretold in advance that what they would do would not be so easy. Preaching the gospel does not only require one-sided shouting to those who are standing still, but it is also a matter of preparing for a negative reaction personally and socially. Therefore, you need a strategy for specific situations. So the Lord emphasized that the evangelist should have a pure heart and come with wisdom like a serpent. In fact, it is not easy for Christians to strike a balance between the two in life. However, it is essential to preach the gospel as a disciple of the Lord. In what ways should I be wiser now? Are you living in the world and keeping the purity of your faith?
*** Attitude toward worldly persecution (verses 17-23)
Persecution of faith in the world can take many forms. There may be public persecution, such as was often seen in the early church and in history, but there may also be personal persecution in which relationships with close family and friends are broken or separated. Today, there is no external persecution, but internal conflicts can become persecution for you. Therefore, persecution is essential for those who believe in the Lord and want to preach Him. But the Lord tells us to endure this to the end. And he promises that if we endure persecution without yielding to persecution, we will meet the Lord again. Now, in what form am I being persecuted for keeping my faith or sharing it with others? !!!