Matthew 10:24-27 The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.
The leaders of the Jewish community, as with the majority of the people in the Jewish society, were basically comfortable with their lifestyle and mores. Of course, they chaffed under the Roman occupation. Rome was very powerful, dominating the whole Middle East, which held little chance of throwing off that oppressive yoke. Consequently, the day-to-day experiences of the Jewish people adapted to living within the Roman Empire. As with all people under captivity or political influence, their lifestyle tended to seek what was pleasurable or best for themselves. But we see with the teaching of John the Baptism that this self-interested life was not what God wanted for his chosen people. John the Baptist criticized the Jewish people for their selfishness, lack of concern for others, and disinterest in displaying mercy and grace. John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.” (Luke 3:7-8) John told them how to cleanse their lives from their selfish, even corrupt ways. “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” (Luke 3:11) John informed the Jews that they had lost their understanding of their God who is a God of love and mercy. They thought of themselves as a people holding a special place of privilege with God because they were Abraham’s descendants regardless of their purity of heart or lifestyle. The prophet Micah complains about this hardness of heart by saying, What can we bring to the Lord? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:6-8) John excoriated the Jews of his time about not doing what is good, not loving mercy, and not walking humbly with God. In fact they were so out of rhythm with God’s goodness and likeness that they were exposed to God’s fiery judgement unless they repented of their ways. Jesus attacks their religious leaders as being hypocrites, not true followers of God. He repeats the same metaphor that John the Baptist used in describing the leaders of that time: snakes. Of course in the Jewish tradition this is one of the lowest names you could call anyone, for snakes had a curse upon them, placed on them in the Garden of Eden because of the devil coming in the form of a snake to deceive Eve. Jesus knew the religious leaders were as deceptive as the Garden of Eden’s snake. You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation. (Mathew 23:33-36) Jesus tells the disciples that the household of the Jewish people will not necessarily be friendly to them because they represent the light of God. By performing marvelous supernatural miracles in their midst, they will be heard by the Jewish people. However, they have been led by leaders who called their master, Jesus, Beelzebub, so they will face conflict in their ministry. Therefore, He says, So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
Nothing is hidden from God. He even knows the number of the hairs on our heads. In these communities of Israel, God knew the darkness in their hearts; He also knew their pain in living without God’s blessings on their lives because they had fallen away from him. Jesus tells the disciples to proclaim his words to help the people understand why they need a Savior. As with all Christians today, the Spirit of God dwelt within the disciples. Jesus gave them special powers through the Holy Spirit to perform healings and miracles as they journeyed through Israel. The Holy Spirit is the indwelling power of God and He is the voice of the Lord. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) Because of the Spirit’s presence in them, the disciples were governed by the still small voice of the Lord. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. As they moved from city to city, the voice of the Lord was with them. What they heard in the night during their quiet times, they were to announce strongly in the daytime, and what was whispered in their ears as they contended for the Good News to be spread, they were to proclaim from the roofs so that all might hear. Of course, these were communities that were not following the way of the Lord, his goodness. They lacked mercy and love towards the poor, sick, disabled. They were not communities of light, but communities of darkness, led by leaders that Jesus called snakes. But Jesus told his disciples not to be afraid, for He would be with them, in their minds and souls. Also, they were not to be intimidated by the people who opposed them, for God knew their souls and that someday they would be judged harshly for their lifestyles and way of thinking, for God sees everything. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:13)
Sometimes Christians are like the Jewish people of Jesus’ era. As with the Jews, who believed they did not have to line up with God’s nature for they were children of Abraham, we think we have a special dispensation. Christians often give the impression that they do not have to live by the beatitudes and other biblical guidelines because we have accepted salvation through Jesus. But just as the Jewish people were wrong so are Christians who think they hold this special place of privilege before God. God requires righteousness, reflected in mercy, grace, and love towards all people. Jesus asked, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) If you have hatred towards your enemy, be aware that God knows your heart. If you do not give grace and mercy to others, beware, for God has written it down. Your deeds will follow you to the mercy seat of God. He knows your heart—nothing is hidden from him. What if we are caught in the fleshly pursuits and sinful nature of life? What if we are living like our fleshly neighbor? What if no one can detect love in our mouths when we speak of those who disagree with us? What if. . .? Do we feel that we are immune to God’s judgement just because we are children of the Most High? Judgement begins in the household of the Lord. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17) To know what to do, and adamantly refuse to do what is right is sin, waywardness from God’s likeness. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. (James 4:17) Jesus sent his disciples out to the communities of the smug Israelites who believed they were right with God because of their birthright. But John the Baptist called these crowds who came to repent at the Jordan River snakes. Jesus called their religious leaders who tithed even their spices, vipers. Their regulations, their sabbath keeping, their religious activities in the temple meant nothing to God if their hearts were stone cold, indifferent to the mercy and grace of God. Who is our neighbor? The one who steps aside to help the broken, the downtrodden. Who is your neighbor, dear breakfast companions? Whose needs have pierced your heart? Is it self you serve? Or is it to those who need a hand of mercy, healing, or help? You might believe you are on the right side of the road, going straight to heaven; but beware. On the other side might be people, communities that need the goodness of the Lord in their lives. The disciples were sent out with the voice of the Lord in them, the voice of miracles and comfort. Let us also be that kind of people. Shout God’s mercy and grace from the rooftops. Let all people know that Salvation has come to earth. Make known the day of the Lord! Amen!
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