Whoever loses his life for Jesus [Matt 10c]*

Matthew 10:34-42

Key Verse - “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39).

Over the last two weeks, we have learned about persecutions from around the world and how we as men and women of God should handle such persecutions.

Today’s passage is about how we as individuals must handle the call of Jesus. This call comes in two ways. First, we are called to follow Jesus’ way —not just accepting him but also following his ways; secondly, we are called to support and encourage those who serve Jesus, especially when they are under intense persecutions.

When one decides to follow Jesus, there are always some risks. The risk may be minor, but most of the time, it is a serious one because what we choose will determine if we will live or die.

I pray that all of us may have courage to risk everything to obtain life in Jesus.

1.    Whoever loses his life for My sake [Matthew 10:34-39]

In Matthew 10:34, Jesus said that he had come to bring a sword instead of peace. This word is somewhat puzzling, because:

a.    Jesus gave peace to many. He healed the sick and drove out demons. When he healed a woman of her bleeding disorder, Jesus told her, Daughter go in peace. Your faith has healed you (Mark 5:34; Luke 8:48). These remarkable works are to give people peace and rest from all of their diseases. Such works signified the coming of the Savior.

b.    Also, God’s promise in Isaiah 9:6 says that the coming Messiah would be the Prince of Peace. So when Christ comes again, he will establish a kingdom in which God’s people will enjoy everlasting peace.

Since Jesus clearly indicated that he is the coming Messiah, he must bring peace to people. But here, he said that he came to bring a sword, instead of peace. What did he mean by this? This is detailed in the next verses:

“For I have come to turn "'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.” (Matthew 10:35-36).

Here, we need to read carefully; Jesus will turn a man against his father, so when a man receives Jesus, he will be going against his father. The same goes for a daughter going against her mother, and a daughter-in-law goes against her mother-in-law.

In old times, even now, the father is the authority of the family. A son must obey his father. This is even written in the Ten Commandments: “Honor your father and mother.’” (Exodus 20:12). This also applies to a daughter who must obey her mother, who is the authority over her. This is seen even more between a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. Since a woman’s husband is the head of her family, she must also honor her mother-in-law.

In general, a son has no reason or no power to go against his father. Neither does a daughter or daughter-in-law. Here, we can observe that all three of these people are under authority and were expected to ‘obey’ that authority.

Whenever there is an authority in place, such authority governs with certain rules or principles for living. It may include many good things like obedience, love, honesty, and so on, but all of these are founded in human principles. At its best, this approach is anchored in the Law of Moses and deeply rooted in the righteousness of men. Simply, this authority rests in men, either fathers, mothers, or mothers-in-law.

But when one accepts Christ, he suddenly he challenges the authority of his father. Likewise, a daughter challenges the authority of her mother. This is a radical shift away from past norms which creates disorder and chaos in the family. This becomes a war against the norms that existed throughout the family’s history.

Notice that all of these are authority figures within a family. Family is a unit in which one’s principles of life is formed. These include: how to relate to others/opposite sexes/brothers/sisters, how to deal with money, and how to protect one’s family against other intrusive forces. All of these are centered on family, its preservation, protection, prosperity, and wellbeing.

As we studied last week, Jesus is the Son of God and he demands absolute allegiance. He demands this because he is God and he is truth; in him alone is life. So the moment one accepts Jesus, he or she comes to know the truth and the life. They also find the ultimate truth of life in God the Creator of heaven and earth. So a son, daughter, or daughter-in-law will find new strength and power in that truth to challenge the wisdom and ideals of the family that has governed their lives for so long.

This is a war between a new life in truth and the old life in human goodness which has no truth at all. This struggle starts with our lives being nestled in our families; new truth also begins within the family, as does the war between God’s truth and man’s wisdom and between human goodness and God’s righteousness

Jesus actually began this war when he declared, ‘repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Matthew 3:2). He welcomed every helpless and suffering sinner, but he demanded repentance from all. For those who believe in him, Jesus brings peace, but those who reject him will face judgment. So with God there is peace, but without Him, all the peace that men have created will be dismantled. The truth will expose any untruth and false peace. This process begins as we commit our lives to Jesus. Here, I am talking in terms of truth and untruth - or falsehood of life.

But there is one more thing that challenges existing authorities. Men, more specifically, fathers or mothers, stand as the authority over their children. Their authority can overshadow God’s authority, particularly when parents do not honor God. God is a jealous God and He will not allow any authority over any human being to remain, other than Himself. In the past, God layered different levels of human authorities so as to govern human beings in their sinfulness, but since Jesus came to save all men, God will destroy all authority that imitates His own authoritative role. Whether it’s within family, at our work, or in other countries or kingdoms, all earthly authority that defies God’s authority will be challenged and eventually brought down. The war first begins within the family.

As of now, this war is still going on and will continue until all authorities are destroyed.

What difficulties will we face in this war?

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).

It is very heartbreaking to go against our father or mother, whom we have trusted and loved for our whole life. They took care of us from our birth and they loved us, but when our parents do not believe in God, we know that  more often than not, their way of life, their way of truth, their way of understanding are not in line with God’s way of life life.  following their ways will surely lead us to God’s judgment and eternal damnation. We will perish if we follow their ways and their truth.

Instead, we must stand firm in Jesus’ truth and choose God over men. There is only one way, the way of our Lord Jesus. Humanly speaking, we owe so much and so many things to our parents, but we also acknowledge that it is God and His provision that has brought us this far. Whenever there is a conflict between what God wants and what our parents want, we have to choose God and His way through Jesus. But this is not so easy, because we owe so much to them and we have so much love and trust for them. Emotionally and psychologically, we are one with them. So what does Jesus say about this? If we love our parents or children more than Jesus, we are not worthy of Jesus.

Here, Jesus used the word ‘love’. He could have said, ‘if you follow’, ‘if you choose’, or if you obey… instead. Love is what we like to do in our inmost being; it is beyond reasoning, logic, understanding, or knowledge. It is what we are as a whole being.

So is my whole being attached to my parents or to Jesus? It must be decisively and unquestionably Jesus. Then we are worthy of receiving all of his blessings - his power, grace, truth and great hope in his kingdom.

There was one student who recently received Jesus. One Sunday, all of his family members gathered together to eat a late brunch. At this time, each member shared stories and news from their week. This was a very joyful time of family bonding in love, but this student knew that, if he joined in this brunch, then he would miss the Sunday worship service. However, he could not tell this to his parents, because he knew that, if he did, he would surely be rebuked and they would not allow him to go out until they had finished having brunch together.

Furthermore, he loved his parents and siblings. He hated to hurt their feelings, and he didn’t like to be called selfish. After much prayer and with much encouragement from his Bible teacher, he decided to attend Sunday worship service, instead of joining family for brunch. The outcome was obvious: he was rebuked by his father, his mother was unhappy, his sisters became upset that, because of him, the peace of the family was lost, but by attending the worship service, he experienced much truth, joy, and godly hope. Such knowledge and experience far exceeded the joy and peace that he had received from his family.

Likewise, when we choose God, we know that there will be great persecution, pain, and sorrow. Our natural instinct is to avoid all these and escape from all hardships.

What does Jesus say about such a mindset?

“and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:38).

When we are making the choice between Jesus and our family, the most formidable stumbling block will not be our parents, brothers and sisters, or grandparents; it is with what I believe! It is I, myself! I feel secure with my family, but I feel insecure in everything else, including Jesus. I am not sure if my life will be better or more secure if I choose Jesus’ way! It is unknown territory for me!

Me, my belief, my understanding, and my comfort are the worst enemies and the most formidable foes against Jesus’ truth. He says that we must take up our cross and follow Him. What does it mean to take up my own cross?

Here, the cross was a common symbol of death. The Romans killed many by crucifixion; only Romans were excluded from such an execution. Mostly, those crucified had revolted against the Roman authorities, so it was a tool to curb rebellion or independence. When one took up a cross, it meant that they submitted to the Roman authorities; it was synonymous to a death sentence. So when one carried a cross, it implied that “I am wrong and Rome is right.”  

Likewise, when I take up my cross, it means that I must let go of all the security that I have or feel that I have, so that I may accept Jesus’ word and His security!

As much as dying is difficult, so is such a decision to deny myself what I knew and believed for so long in order to accept Christ! But only then, are we worthy of his blessing.

Often, we like to have both, our family as well as Jesus. What did Jesus say about this desire?

“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39).

When we linger in our bond with our family, we live with our old lifestyle that is  likely filled with all kinds of sinfulness and ungodliness. It seems to save us from all hardship and pain, but, in essence, it is loving ourselves and rejecting life in Jesus. The consequence for this is grim; we will forfeit our soul. Living by my own principles never saves me. We must dare to lose our life so as to choose Jesus’ truth and find life in Him.

This requires courage and faith in Jesus the living Son of God.

2.     The Father will give reward those who serve His servants [Matthew 10:40-42].

Conflict begins at home, where our lives are nestled peacefully, but this conflict between the truth of Jesus and the world does not end here. We are to challenge the world in all forms of its power. Their final answer to the message of the Gospel can only be one of two. They can either welcome it with a thankful heart, or reject it and persecute believers. When people deliver persecution as their final answer to the Gospel, the persecution is very serious. It even threatens our lives. Matthew 10:23 says that when you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. For this situation, Jesus teaches here what we should do to those who run away from persecution. When God’s servants are persecuted, how should we respond as His children, to the needs of His other servants?

"He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." (Matthew 10:40-42).

There are apostles, then prophets, a righteous man, and then one of these little ones; they all believed Jesus and his works as witnesses of the Gospel, according to the role and power given to them. All believers, in one form or another, will face persecutions because they stood with the King Jesus.

Protecting fellow believers carries much risk because the world is chasing after them. But because they are God’s servants and carry the message of Jesus, God will reward anyone who protects them and serves them, even with a cup of water. When we serve God’s servants, we will never lose our reward. So in all chances, we must protect godly families. We can dare to take any risks in serving and protecting God’s servants. Surely we will receive God’s reward! He would not even forget a single cup of water, given in His name!