The beauty of reading an entire book of Scripture over a short period of time is that we may pick up on things we wouldn’t see otherwise. Yesterday we read chapters 8 and 9, and at the end of chapter 9, Jesus told his followers to pray for workers to take the message of God to the people. Jesus understood that the people of Israel were like sheep without a shepherd, because the teachers and leaders were hypocrites, proud and arrogant. He instructed his many followers to pray about this work, and then he called aside the twelve to commission them to be the answer to that prayer.
Jesus starts by telling them there will be great success: they will heal the sick, raise the dead, and drive out demons. But the bulk of this teaching is a warning. They will face fierce opposition. Families will be torn apart because of Christ’s message. What is the message and why, if God is love, would it tear people apart?
Because the message of God is not a pat on the head to say to the world, “You’re doing a great job.” The message of God points to our sin and our need of a savior, and Jesus is that savior! Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians, “It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom.” God’s message doesn’t line up with what people want to hear.
It is nonetheless true. Stand firm in your faith. Speak the truth in love to the people around you. Keep on praying.
Prayer: God, I thank you for this message of truth, that you love us so much you provided the savior that we need so that we can spend eternity with you. Give me the strength to speak to my family about you, and work in their lives so that they will believe. Amen.