Matthew 10.16-20

So last week we finished out the week looking at Matthew 10.5-16, the instructions Jesus gave to his disciples before he sent them out to do a sort mission tour. The key to all the specific instructions was just to stay close to Jesus by the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer and participating in community. Now we will see Jesus give some more general instructions to his disciple for all future ministry. Let's dive into this passage:

17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

If you read the book of acts you will see that this kind of stuff happens to the disciple of Jesus all the time. Just look at Paul's report on 2 Corinthians11, he says this:

24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

Paul says that when you follow Jesus, you will be persecuted. Not only will people not like you but God will want to use the persecution to reveal himself to people. This is very hard to be willing to overlook your hard situation of sffering innorder to serve Christ. And yetnthis is what carrying out the ministry of Jesus looks like.

And what instruction does Jesus give to his disciples to endure the persecution and opportunities that cone with doing Jesus' ministry? Check out what e says one more time:

19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
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We are to rely on the spirit to helps us during these tough times. Yetmhow do we do that?

We need to just learn to listen to the Spirit's voice in our lives. I donthis by simply asking God tonspeak to me. If we take 5 minutes every day to sit in silence, listening to the Spirit, in the heat of these tough moments we will be able to hear God's voice and know how he is guiding.

As a preacher told me recently, to have an authentic ministry FOR God requires an authentic relationship. Most importantly, the reationship with God is based t upon us listening to the Holy Spirit.

Sit and listen, then go bless somebody.