“A disciple is not above his teacher."

Matthew 10:24-11:6 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

²⁴ “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!

²⁶ “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. ²⁸ Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

³² “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

³⁴ “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; ³⁶ and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.

³⁷ “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

⁴⁰ “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. ⁴¹ He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴² And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

11 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

² Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples ³ and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” ⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. ⁶ And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

Jesus says: “And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” Today many are offended at Christ. They are offended at the idea that He says: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6) They are offended by Jesus call to repent, to “go and sin no more”. They are offended by the cross. They are offended by prayer. They are offended by the Bible. Many of the very people who promote the philosophies of tolerance and inclusion in our culture and society today, are themselves offended by anything or anyone who disagrees with their view or opinion.

Jesus says:  “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master.  If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! Less than 50 years ago most of the sexual perversions which are being normalized into the culture and society today were viewed as psychological disorders. Now there are some in the field of psychology who would seek to classify belief in God and sin as a psychological disorder. Mark 3:20-22 says:    And He came home, and the crowd *gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. ²¹ When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.” ²² The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.”   We should not concern ourselves with the approval or acceptance of man. We should only seek to be true disciples of Jesus.

While those who promote the philosophies of the world speak of unity, they themselves encourage disunity with those who do not accept their view. Jesus says:  “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; ³⁶ and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.   Today the divide between generations is perhaps deeper than it has ever been. The Bible says: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.” (Exodus 20:12) Today children are being told that it is their job, their responsibility to teach and enlighten their parents and elders of the new and acceptable way of believing. The Bible and Judeo-Christian values, which were the foundation upon which almost all schools and universities in the western world were established, have been removed, both from the curriculum and physically from the buildings. The Bible and God is viewed as outdated, having no place in a modern enlightened society. Jesus says: But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33) Proverbs 3:6 says: In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.   Human philosophy says: watch out for yourself, get as much as you can, satisfy all your own desires, make your own choices and paths. 

Jesus says:   “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”    Many in the world and sadly even in the church do not understand what it truly means to take the cross. They see the cross as a representation of death. They see the cross as a burden to bear. Jesus says we are to take the cross and follow Him. Jesus, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12)     Jesus went to the cross one time to pay the price for all sin. He calls us to follow Him. Surely then we are not to bear the cross each day as a burden or punishment for sin. Jesus is no longer on the cross and He is no longer in the grave. Jesus is risen, He lives and is at the right hand of God. Jesus calls us to follow Him to life, to the presence of the Father. Jesus says:   The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10) The abundant life He calls us to, the resurrection life is found when we do follow Him, when we do seek first the kingdom of God, when we do acknowledge Him in all our ways.  

The ridicule and the persecution of the world will come. It always has, it will not change until Jesus returns to establish the new heaven and new earth, His eternal kingdom. Until then, Jesus says:   “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. ²⁸ Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”

Heavenly Father; Lord Jesus Christ; Holy Spirit thank You for calling me to follow You, for calling me and providing the way to live an abundant, resurrection life, a life established on the truth of Your word, not the philosophies of men. Thank You for redemption, reconciliation and restoration in Christ. Like the psalmist I say: The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?  Thank You Lord. Amen.