A Disciple Must Follow His Teacher in Everything

I have been covering a series of sermons about the teachings of Jesus, and I've been using the Gospel according to Matthew as the, let's call it, the guiding Gospel to look at some of the teachings of Jesus. And as we covered throughout the previous sermons that I've given about this, and probably well over a dozen sermons that I've given on this subject, Matthew portrays Jesus Christ as King of Kings, as the anointed one, as the Messiah, or the Christ as they say in our language today. And then I explained how there's basically a number of speeches or discourses in the book of Matthew of Christ.

The first, let's call it speech or presentation or discourse that he gave is from Matthew 5-7, which is the so-called Sermon on the Mount. I've spent quite a few sermons going through the Sermon on the Mount, as well as how the Sermon on the Mount uses those blessings, the true blessings, it's normally called the beatitudes, how Christ did, amplifies the law, emphasizes principles of kindness and charity, gives teachings about how to pray, how to fast, and tells us what's important in life, and showing us that he's actually two ways of life, and it requires self-control and big fruit.

It's the right way, of course, in the wrong way, but the right way requires self-control and we need to be a fruit. So that encapsulates basically the first discourse or the first section, which is the Sermon on the Mount. Then, between that discourse and the second discourse or the second speech that he gave is in Matthew 10. From Matthew 8 and 9, basically we see a number of miracles that he performed, such as healing a leper, healing the sanctuarian servant, calming the storm, healing a man that was even possessed, healing a paraplegic, healing a woman which had an issue of blood for many years, a resurrection of Jairus's daughter, and healing of blind and deaf.

So really profound miracles that clearly pointed that it would only be possible that he was a Messiah. That was proof point that he was a Messiah. And then, Matthew then, the book, the Gospel according to Matthew, gets onto the third discourse, which is in chapter 10, which basically is divided into three sections. One is directions to the Apostles, but basically is directions to us as the disciples of what to do.

And then it gives us warnings in the second section of Matthew 10, and then encouragement in the third section of Matthew 10. So Matthew 10 basically got three sections. One is directions, then it's warnings, and then it's encouragement. So basically in the first beginning section of Matthew 10, and that's where we're going to pick up in Matthew 10 today. So you can put a marker there in Matthew 10. But in the beginning sections, it gives the calling after the disciples, or rather the Apostles, and the mission. And basically, it's an instruction to God's ministry of what to do. Although that instruction, as we went through with the detail, was slightly modified in some of the principles as Christ shows later.

Then it shows also that the Apostles are those chosen by Jesus to be His witnesses of the resurrection. The actual Apostles are those that were chosen by Jesus to be witnesses of His resurrection. So the Apostles had a very specific commission to be witnesses of Christ's resurrection, and therefore to proclaim the Gospel. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the King of that Kingdom of God, and therefore His death opened up the way for that.

And then therefore, He gives those three steps of instructions. In those three steps of instructions, as I've shown you before, they always end with words like, verily, verily, I say to you. For instance, you see in verse 15 of Matthew 10, it says, surely I say to you, verily, verily, what I surely say to you.

So that's in verse 15. If you look in verse 23, it says, for a surely I say to you, verse 23, that's the end of the second section. And the end of the third section is in verse 42, it says, towards the end of that verse, there's a surely I say to you. So He is saying, giving those steps of instructions, and then as He concludes those steps of instructions, He says, verily, verily, I say to you. The first step of instructions, though, is from verse 5 to verse 15.

This is all material was covered before in previous service. So I'm just giving you a really summary to kind of focus your mind back into it. So verses 5 to 15 is the first step of instructions here, and these are the directions for the instructions for the mission of the apostles during that first, let's call it, training exercise to go out into obtuse. Later on, after Christ would die, they would have that mission, that job, but this was like a training round, a training opportunity, a mentoring opportunity, where they would go, and then they would be evaluated as they came back.

So this is a distraction of where they were sent, what to say, what to do, and how to conduct themselves. So in these verses, 10 verses from 5 to 15, it's those sort of instructions or directions. The second section is from verse 16 to 23, which is basically a warning or the implications of preaching the gospel, and then basically saying, listen, you're going to be persecuted for preaching the gospel. People are going to, you know, give you a hard time, let's just put it that way.

And then it shows that they are sent as sheep, beware of men, beware of men, what things are of men, governments and religion, beware of men, government, men, government, men's government and men's religions. He also says it's not a time for walled beasts, because you're going to have to suffer like I have to suffer, but you'll have to endure patiently. You have to endure patiently. So this is what he says in verses 16 through 23, which is the second section. And this is where we stopped in the last sermon that we gave about the teachings of Christ. And so we could pick up in verse 23 then, it says, and when they persecute you in the city, flee to another, for assuredly I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the summer man comes. That isn't very significant, because he's not saying you will have not gone through the cities of Judea.

He's saying you will have not gone through the cities of Israel.

And who is Israel?

Now, look at, for instance, one of the prophets. Keep a marker there in Matthew. Let's look at Ezekiel chapter 3. Ezekiel chapter 3. As you know, Ezekiel was a prophet that was sent to the house of Israel. Look at chapter 3, starting in verse 1. Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 1. Moreover, he said to me, son of man, eat what you find, eat the scroll and go and speak to the house of Israel. And so I ate it, it was my mouth like honey and sweetness. Then he said to me, then he said to me, son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them.

Look at verse 5. For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel. Look at verse 7. But to the house of Israel, but the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to me. For all the house of Israel are imputed and hard hushed it.

So brethren, where was Ezekiel? Ezekiel was in Babylon. He was a prisoner in Babylon, or with the refugees in Babylon that had been taken to that area. In other words, he was in the areas of the Persian Empire, where today is Iran.

And he is basically a person that is contemporary, you know, was of the same time period as Daniel. So that is round about 592 to 570 years before Christ's year.

And so, the house of Israel had already been taken captive in 721 BC, which was about 130 years before to Assyria. So Ezekiel was a prisoner in Persia. The message is, God, yes, you go to the house of Israel.

But he never went to the house of Israel, because Israel had already been taken slave 130 years before and had gone into Assyria. So, the message of Ezekiel is for us today.

And the message that was given out to the prophets, or rather to the disciples and to the apostles, is, you will have not gone through every city in Israel is for us today. So that, why? Because we need to understand who is Israel. Now, we have a very deep, studied booklet, a study guide, proving extensively who is the house of Israel. And it has got a lot of very strong research material in that, if you have not looked at it in detail recently, that I do recommend you to go through it. But really, the house of Israel are basically, putting it simply, the English-speaking people plus a number of other peoples that have interacted with the English-speaking people. For instance, the Dutch and the French and others. So, when we read Matthew 10, verse 23, let's go back to it, Matthew 10, verse 23, says, And when they persecute you in this city, flee to another, for surely I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Before the Son of Man comes is a prophecy for us today. It's a prophecy for us today.

And then it continues in verse 24.

Now, it gets on to the next set of instructions. Remember, I said there's three sets of instructions. Now, it's completed at the set of instructions. The first one was the mission. The second one was there's going to be suffering, so be prepared for it. And it says, you will not cover all the cities. But now, this third section starting in verse 24, until the end of the chapter, is encouragement. It is a section of general encouraging principles about this mission of preaching fast forward. And the service to serve Christ, as we heard in the sermon, and we really need to serve Christ.

And so, it's giving a general perspective of encouragement to all of us, because we all, as disciples, are confronted with this challenge.

I'll probably call this sermon, I'll give it a title like, that the disciple must follow his teacher in everything.

That is the messenger, as the disciple must follow his teacher in everything. And look at verse 24 and 25. A disciple is not about his teacher, nor a servant about his master. Is it enough for a disciple? There is he be like his teacher and a servant like his master.

If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household? We need to be faithful disciples that are striving to be like our teacher and master.

Look at the book of Luke chapter 6 verse 40, where it says the same thing, but in different words, and I'd like you to pay attention to something that it says here in Luke chapter 6 verse 40.

A disciple, Luke 6 verse 40, is not about his teacher, but everyone who is who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

Underline that word or those two words, perfectly trained.

Perfectly trained will be like his teacher. Now, that's our mission, or one of our missions in the church, prepare a people. Preach the gospel and prepare a people. We'll prepare a people. How? To be perfectly trained for the job and the mission that we're going to have in the world tomorrow. Perfectly trained. Not just trained, but perfectly trained.

The more you and I are like our teacher and master, Jesus Christ, the more we will be treated like the teacher was treated. Therefore, going back to Matthew 10 verse 25, he says, if they have called the master of the house, build the bath.

In other words, a pagan god or the head of a pagan deity or, as some put it, the head of the house of demons. The head of the house of demons. In other words, if they called Christ Satan, that's what he's saying. How much more they'll call you?

How much more they'll call you? Not to give any specifics, but somebody that left the way, called as Christians, faints.

It's amazing. Somebody that was in the way, and left the way, calls as Christians, faints. Isn't that fulfilling in the scripture? If they called Christ, builds the bath, how much more will they call you?

We will be likewise accused.

Therefore, verse 26, and now gives three reasons not to fear. In other words, three reasons don't be afraid to do what you have to do.

At the beginning of chapter 10, he said, you've got a job to do. You're going to be persecuted, but now he's giving his encouragement and says, listen, you won't be persecuted, but he has three reasons why you must not fear, which is basically encouragement. The first reason is basically that the day of judgment is coming, and it all will be revealed. It will all will come out. So don't fear. Do what you have to do. Be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Remember, there's going to be a judgment. And then those people have to stand before Christ and give an answer. It will all come out. Fear not. And so that's what he's saying, therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known. There's nothing. There's some one or another scripture reference here just to help you there. Ecclesiastes 12 verse 14. That's right at the end of the book of Ecclesiastes.

A very important little message. Ecclesiastes 12 verse 14. That says, for God will bring every work into judgment. Nothing is hidden. Everything will be revealed. God will bring it to life, including every secret thing with the good of evil.

And also look at 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 5. 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 5, because we have to wait for that day of judgment. In 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 5, it says basically, therefore, judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes. Will bring forth to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the causes of the harvest. Then each one's praise will come from God. God knows the heart.

God knows the hearts, and that will be revealed. But the judgment is not yet.

So don't expect justice today before the time until the Lord comes. Then there will be a judgment. You know, it reminds you of leaving the wheat with the tears, you know, so you don't hurt the wheat. You know, you leave it there until the right time. Then God knows the hearts and will fix it. So be patient. Don't fear. Don't fear. It will all will be revealed. So we'll go back to Matthew 10.

Now let's read verse 27. Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light, and what you hear in the in the year, preach on how it stops.

Now this is one of these verses that's very enigmatic in a number of commentaries, because they don't know what he's talking about. Did Jesus tell the apostles things in secret?

Look at John 18 verse 19 and 20. John 18. John 18. John 18 verse 19 and 20.

The high priest then asked Jesus about his disciples and his doctrine, and Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world. I always thought in synagogues and in the temple where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. In secret I have said nothing.

We do know that the people were blinded. It's like, yes, you know, people are blinded. We know that. We don't have to turn that scripture. But what is therefore Jesus talking to them? Because when we read here in and stay in John for the time being, but when you read in Matthew 10, 27, where it says, whatever I tell you in the talk, speaking the light, remember the people are blinded. And if they're blinded, therefore they're hearing everything, but they're in the dark because they're blinded. But you are not blinded, so you understand.

And what you're hearing in the year, preach on the house talk. But even the apostles did not understand certain things that Jesus taught. Do you know that? Jesus taught them things, and they themselves at that time did not have God's only Spirit. And therefore some of the things that Jesus taught them, like when he told me, he was a resurrect on the third day. And when he died, they didn't expect him to resurrect. And when he came back, oh, we did, we did resurrect. Oh yeah, you didn't tell us that. So it wasn't told in the second, they just didn't click. And so, look at John 16. That's why I asked you to stay in John, because you just turned one page back. John 16, verse 12 through 14 says, I still had many things to say to you.

In other words, Christ taught many things, but you know what? Many of the dots, they could not connect. They could not connect a lot of the dots. That's what it is. And therefore, you cannot bear them, because you just are not able yet to connect all the dots. For one, if you try to explain to them, you try to explain to them that he would die to be resurrected in a third day, it just went right over their head. He told them, but they could not connect the dots. They couldn't bear it. They couldn't make sense of it. However, look at verse 13, when it, as it should be, it, the Spirit of Truth, has come. It will guide you into all Truth, for it will not speak of its own, of its own authority, or whatever it hears, it will speak, and it will tell you the things to come.

God's only Spirit will glorify Christ, for He will take of what is mine and be clear unto you. What Jesus is talking about is that when you're going to receive God's only Spirit, God's only Spirit is going to make you understand, is going to help you to make these things click, and you're going to start taking a scripture from you and a scripture from there, and he says, Ha-ha! I've seen it! Bingo! Light! The light bulb comes on! And then, because you've got the light, speak and teach people without fear. Explain and teach. Jesus was basically telling them, Yahra, in verse 27 of Matthew 10. So let's go back to Matthew 10 verse 27.

Whatever I tell you in the dark, why it's in the dark? Because their mind was dark, their mind was blinded. Speak in the light. Why? Because when you get the light and when you get on God's only Spirit, then you can see it, then speak and plainly. And therefore, what you hear, preach on how it stops. And it was, don't be afraid. Preach the truth. Preach the truth, as it is you now understand it, as after Christ died and you start putting all these thoughts together, don't be afraid. Preach the truth. That means, as you learn, as we, you and I, learn through the help of God's only Spirit. Because God's only Spirit, the Comforter, will help us to bring things to remembrance. And, you know, God does not teach in a linear fashion, A, B, C, D. It's multi-dimensional. Sometimes you do A, B, and it doesn't quite click it. What you need to do is just park that. And then you understand other things. And then later on, this little bit is, oh, now I get it, because it's all multi-dimensional. And God's only Spirit brings it to mind, to memory. It's beautiful. It's amazing. So whatever you learn with the help of the Holy Spirit, the Helper, speak out. Make it plain to other people. And that's rather what we do in the Church with our study guides. Point people to the truth, through the help of our study guides. So the first reason not to fear is there will be a judgment, but speak the truth. Don't be afraid. Speak out. Speak out. And then in verse 28, it gets to the second reason not to fear. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

And the other word, soul, is from the Greek suke, which means breath, the breath of life, the Spirit. In other words, the Spirit of man in man. In other words, don't fear human beings that can kill your physical body but they cannot destroy the Spirit of man in man.

Why? Because the Spirit of man in man, God keeps that after you die. And when you're resurrecting it in your body, he puts that Spirit of man back into your new body. It's like in an analogy, like a piece of software that you put a backup onto the cloud or whatever it is, or the iCloud or whatever it is, and then one day when you've got a new body, you'll snap it back into this new body while it's all back to the same person. But just with the brand's backing new body that works, that double the speed. Right, so you understand that. So they don't understand that in those days, but now you can see if the analogies of technology can start understanding that. Good. So, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot destroy the Spirit.

It was the Spirit of man in man. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both the soul, you know, it was the Spirit 2k which is the Spirit of man in man, and the body in Gehenna, second death hellfire. So fear him that he's able to destroy Spirit, the Spirit of man in man, in hellfire in Gehenna. That's what he's saying. So remember, it's God who determines who has eternal life and who has eternal death. So don't fear man, fear God.

Jesus did not fear those that could kill his body. And he said to example, that the disciples also did not fear those that could kill the body, and they were also marty. But the Spirit, suken, the bread, can be killed. That's what he's saying in there, in Gehenna, the hellfire. So do not fear. And so that's verse 28. And the third reason not to fear is from verse 29 to 31. It's the third reason not to fear. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin, and not one of them falls to the ground apart from your father's will. Are not two sparrows sold for peanuts, for the thing Martin Lee was, for will but not much. But God knows about them. It was God cares about detail. Detail. God cares about detail. Look at it.

Verse 30. But the very ears of your head are all numbered. That's detail. God cares about detail.

So he cares about detail. Don't worry, because he cares therefore about the big things. He cares about your life and my life.

That's the reason. God cares even about little details. How much more about your life and my life? Why? Because it's got a purpose for your life and my life. What is the purpose for your life and my life? To be children of God in the kingdom of God. What is the kingdom of God? It's a royal family. Now, you just recently saw, or you may have seen, or heard, or seen it at some time, a marriage, a royal marriage. And you saw all the pomp and glory thereof. You and I are to be part of a bigger, more significant royal family, which will govern the kingdom of God. That's why it's called a kingdom, because it's made of kings in that royal family, which is God's family. And all in the family are kept by the name of the father, the name of the father, which is God. So, your family name will be God. Even Jesus Christ said to the Jews and the Pharisees, you are choosing me to be son of God. Don't you know that the word and scripture cannot be broken, says that you are God's?

So, we are going to be of the God's family. The purpose of creation is that God wants to share His kind of eternal life as God, His type of eternal life as God, with you and I, as His children. In that same glory, just think of the glory of the royal family in the UK, in England.

You'd say, well, how nice would it be to be born into that family? Well, you are born into a better, more glorious family. And if we stop, we will be fine with Him, it says. Right? And we are to be heirs of God. In other words, we're going to be coheirs of Christ. You'll be letting Romans. Let's look at that. Romans 8. Romans 8. Romans 8. It says, any children in heirs, heirs of God. Verse 17. And joint heirs of Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, we shall also be glorified together in the glory of that family, family, the family called God. Of course, there's only one God. There's only ones to pre-king super on top of that, which is the Father. But the others are going to be of that family, of that royal family, that royal family, which is the kingdom of God.

That's the purpose. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Yes, we'll have to change or be resurrected, whichever one, when Christ comes and is still alive or not. Then continue. Verse 18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory of that royal family, which shall be revealed in us.

For the earnest expectation of the creation, the whole creation, that means the angels. Wait for that.

Wait for the revealing of the Son of God. For the creation was subject to futility.

Not willingly, but because of him, subjectly in hope. You and I, as creative human beings, as we get older, you know that we can become more and more less flexible, less able to move. In other words, we are subject to futility. You know, he just kind of becomes more and more worn out, subject to futility. Not willingly, but he knows what. So that we learn lessons, lessons to be then made into the family of God, to be of that family, of that kind, of being, of the God-kind, so that we have a great glory.

Because beyond that, who knows what are we going to do? We can read in Revelation 22 and beyond, there's 21 and 22. There's a lot of things that we don't know, because, as I quite often, you probably heard me say, it's like a bus of chocolates. We don't know what's in that. It's just kind of there, but you know it's going to be wonderful. There'll be no pain there, and therein will righteousness dwell. So that is the hope, because the creation itself, verse 21, also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth bangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit.

Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the sonship, the otheia, the friendship being the sons of God, the redemption of our body.

We are to be born again when we resurrected sons of God. Sure, we now are begotten again, but we'll be born into that family of Spirit beings. When we are begotten, God's only Spirit begets us. And so now we are begotten children of God. And as we read in 1 John 3, it says, what miracle it is that we are the sons of God! What miracle it is that we are the sons of God! That it does not yet appear what we shall be, but it will be amazing what it will be, because we'll be of that glory, of that family, the family of God. Therefore, whoever has the soul, he impurifies himself, as it says, 1 John 3, verse 3. So if we have the soul, we're going to strive to be the disciples of Christ completely. So let's continue in Matthew 10. Matthew 10, we read up to verse 30. God looks at the detail. Verse 31, therefore do not fear, or do not fear therefore, because God looks at the detail. You are more valued than many sparrows, because we are the children of God. We are more valued than sparrows, because we are God's children. And you can only really understand this when you become a parent or a grandparent, because the value of your children is so high. When you become a parent or a grandparent, you can really understand that the children, you will do anything for your children and grandchildren. So that's the third reason not to fear. And then it continues in verse 32 and 33. And basically, that says there's going to be just distribution and retribution. Look at it in verse 32 and 33. Therefore whoever confesses to me before man, he will confess before my father, who is in heaven. Whoever denies me before man, he will also deny before my father, who is in heaven. We will reap what we sow. And sow you confess Christ. Christ will confess us. We don't confess Christ, we deny Christ. Christ will deny us. Simple. Black and white. Simple. Look at Matthew chapter 7 verse 2 and 3. Matthew chapter 7 verse 2 and 3.

For with what judgment you will judge, you will be judged. And with the measure you use, you will be judged. And with the measure you use, you will be judged. For with what judgment you will judge, you will be judged. And with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but not considered a plank in your own eye? So we're going to be judged accordingly. And don't look at other people's problems. We're going to look at ourselves. And then look at a little bit like that in verse 23. Therefore, who hears these kinds of mind, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man. I think part of verse 23, I'm reading verse 24, sorry. Verse 23. And then I'll declare to them, I'll never knew you, apart from me, you who practice lawlessness. So he's talking about, yeah, people that come to Christ and say, Lord, Lord, this, this. But they don't do what Christ told them to do.

Now look at the word, yeah, in verse 23, and then I will declare to them, and then if you have a king, old King James version, it says, and then I'll profess to them, from the Greek homologio, confess, profess. And it's the same thing in John 9 verse 22.

His parents said these things because they appeared to Jews, for the Jews that agreed already that if anyone confessed, confessed, homologio confessed or declared that he was the Messiah, he would be put out of the synagogues. So what is the pressure that you have, or we have, to deny Christ or to confess Christ? Yah, with this family of this man that was blind and received the sight, and they don't want, do not want to speak openly.

They said, well, he's old enough as him, because they were afraid that he would be put out of the synagogues. Brethren, what the lesson is, Yah, is we must not be afraid to speak the truth. We must not be afraid to speak the truth about our Savior Jesus Christ, regardless of whatever pressure we have around us. We must not be afraid. We must confess 100% without fear. And so if we go back to Matthew 10, Matthew 10, it says, whoever denied, confesses me before man, I will confess before my father. And whoever denies me before man, I was denied before my father. Are we sometimes embarrassed or difficult or afraid of saying, yes, I'm a believer. We must confess regardless of whatever pressure.

We know that no one can come to Christ, and they can't come to God, but through Christ. And there's no other name. There's no other mediator. He is the way. He says, I am the way. I am the door. So we must not be ashamed. Look at Mark chapter 8 verse 38. Mark chapter 8 verse 38.

For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him, the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his father with the Holy Angels.

So that's what he says. If you confess, you'll confess. If you deny, you'll deny. If you're ashamed, you'll also be ashamed. Christians must openly and unashamedly acknowledge Jesus the Christ as their Lord and Master. Full stop.

Let's continue there in Matthew chapter 10 verse 34.

Again, he's still encouraging. Think about it. But he's encouraging not by painting of a white brush. He's telling the truth versus what's going to happen. But there's a reward. See, that's what he's saying. There's a reward. There's going to be judgment. So, yeah, things are going to be tough. But you've got to look beyond. And look at, yeah, verse 34. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I do not come to bring peace for a sword. Christ's first coming was not to bring peace to the world. That'll be second coming. But the first coming is not for that. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against a mother, and a daughter-in-law against a mother-in-law. And a man's enemies will be those of his household.

Wow! Jesus Christ came to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God. He established the church. And he also suffered to die for the sins of mankind.

But what we do know is that the world, as it is, hates Jesus Christ's life. Hates it. And that's why they killed him. And all today, basically, it's killing Christ. To surveying him, not doing what he says, not following the disciple in everything.

If you don't do what he says, he says, the part from me, you, that practices lawlessness.

And if we are through disciples, and if you and I are perfectly trained to be through disciples, we will be hated, likewise. Even families will be split over the teachings of Jesus Christ. That's what he says to me. Why? Because the world is sinful.

This is not an easy situation. It really is not easy, particularly if you live in a situation like that. And many in the church live in this situation. So I'm not saying it with joy.

Because it is difficult. Many of you know, when you're on families, you probably have similar situations. In fact, you know that this is quoted from the Old Testament. This is quoted from Micah. Micah, chapter 7. So let's turn to Micah, chapter 7. Micah, chapter 7.

Micah, chapter 7.

So it's of a dia, jhana, mica, nayum, hebakak. Okay, so that helps you to find out where Micah is. Micah, chapter 7.

Whoa, he's mean! Ah, what, how many trouble? What misery I have! I'm like those who gather stomach fruits like those with green vintage grapes.

And there's no cluster to eat of the first dry fruit which my soul desires. In other words, it's like I go and gather fruit in stomach.

But there's no grapes left. They've already been taken.

None of the early figs are there anymore. They've already been taken.

The faithful man has perished from the earth and there's no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood. Every man hunts his brother with a net. In other words, this is the world we live in. It's just wickedness everywhere.

That they may successfully do evil with both hands. The prince asks for gifts, the judge takes a bribe, and the great man afters his evil desire. So they skim together. It's all these people are in a plot! Speak about collusion. There is definitely a plot!

A plot of evil.

The best of them is like a brea. The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge.

The day of your watchman and your punishment comes. Now shall be their perplexity. In other words, everybody is doing evil and the day that a watchman has come, it will be a day of confusion, of perplexity. Confusion, confusion. Do not trust a friend. Do not trust your neighbor in their words.

Do not put your confidence in a companion. Guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom. So be careful what you say to her. Be as wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove.

And look at verse 6.

For son, the son, his father, daughter rises against a matter, daughter in law against a matter in law, and man's enemies are the man of his household. Man's enemies are the members of his own family. That's what Christ was quoting. So, let's continue then in Matthew 10, verse 37. Doesn't sound like much encouragement, does it? But he's not whitewashing. He says, listen, there's going to be trouble.

But the encouragement is that there is going to be a reward. There's going to be a judgment. You've got to look to the end. You've got to be patient till the end. He says, here, verse 37, he will ask father or mother more than me. He's not worthy of me. In other words, count the costs. You know that section in where it says that we have to count the costs, that baptism, count the costs.

Let's continue there. And he will ask, stand, O daughter more than me, he's not worthy of me. 38. And you who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. And you find his life will lose it. And you loses his life for my sake will find us.

We've got to put the right priorities in our lives. Put God first.

A disciple must follow his teacher. And the disciple is one being taught by Jesus Christ. We've got to take up the cross and follow him.

Look at verse 14, verse 28 to 33. Look 14.

Look 14. Verse 28 to 33. To 33.

This is the scripture that we use at baptism. That says, you know...

Verse 28. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the costs? When is enough to finish it?

So we really got to count the costs.

Otherwise, they will laugh at you and say, hey, he didn't finish it. But look in verse 33. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has, cannot be my disciple. A disciple must follow his teacher in everything till the end. Likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has, cannot be my disciple. Look at verse 38.

Matthew 10, verse 38.

And he who does not take up his trust and follow after me is not worthy of me. We got to take up whatever trial we have in our lives. We got to keep going till the end.

Jesus Christ was crucified.

For us, the analogy is we have to crucify our old man. Our old man must be crucified. We must renew ourselves daily with God's Holy Spirit. Because this life is temporary, we must renew ourselves completely daily. And then continue in verse 40 of Matthew 10.

He who receives you receives me, and who receives me receives him who sent me.

And Yair is now looking at the encouraging part. He said, yeah, you got to hold on till the end.

You got to put God first above everything. It's not easy, but there's a reward. And he says, you receive you receive me, and who receives me receives he who sent me. So Yair is going to help you through this difficult walk in life. They will get the reward as well. Verse 41.

He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And you who receives the righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, surely I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.

You look at the Beatitudes, it says you you do the Beatitudes, but they will be sufferings. Yes, they'll be the stardust, will be persecutions, but there is a reward.

There is a reward.

Jews are paid for work. That's what it says here in verse 41 and verse 42. Jesus Christ will come and bring his reward within Revelation 22 12. What is the reward? It's based on our works.

Look at 2 John verse 8. 2 John verse 8.

2 John verse 8.

He's talking in verse 7 about receivers.

In the world we do not confess Christ. And then look at verse 8 says, look to yourselves. In other words, watch. Watch what? Watch yourselves. Watch ourselves. How are we doing? Then we do not lose those things we worked for. So watch yourselves. You've been working for this. Don't give up now. Keep up. But that we may receive a full reward. That we may receive a full reward.

So what is the reward about? You know the parable of the pounds. In Luke 19 it says he gave a pound and then one gave ten, then one got five, and you know the parable. You know, they had a rule of ten-thirties over five-thirties. But the one that had no increase he lost it all because there was no works.

We in God's church, brethren, we all have been given one pound. That one pound is that seed of God's Holy Spirit that affect us.

We are begotten children of God.

Now, how do we use that? How do we work with it? How do we multiply? How we grow? And how we use to follow Christ exactly as our teacher is, that as the disciples were, to follow the teacher in everything. How do we do that?

We must grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ our Savior.

That's what we must do. We must grow while we are on earth. In the knowledge of Jesus Christ, the Lord was Christ living in us. So we get to know Him more and more and what He does because we follow Him as our teacher. And in the grace, this is a kind, in the nice, gentle, kind, generous way of doing it.

And therefore, we'll be rewarded according to our works. According to our spiritual growth, we'll be rewarded.

Remember, salvation is a gift. Salvation is a gift.

But on top of salvation, you will be rewarded with additional authority, power, glory, wherever it will be, according to your works.

Hebrews 11.6 says, remember that God, you know, the five chapters says that God is, and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. He's a rewarder. And therefore, in Matthew 10.42, when we were reading, Matthew 10.42 says, He shall by no means lose His reward.

In addition to salvation, there will be a reward. And then, in chapter 11, verse 1, now it came to pass when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. So we've seen, in Matthew 10, directions to His disciples, warnings, and encouraging comments saying, yes, it will be tough. But there is a reward. There is going to be a judgment. And God cares for the details. Keep going. Keep going. Fear not, because the disciples must follow His teacher in everything, and He will be rewarded according to His works at Christ's return.