There is a very famous story that most children read and heard about called “Little Red Riding Hood.” It’s about a little girl who is on her way to see her grandmother. When she gets to the house, she begins to notice that something didn’t seem right about her grandmother. She had hair on her hands, big eyes, and she had big ears. Clearly it wasn’t her grandmother at all, but rather the big bad wolf. He was trying to trick her. I’m not sure if you know this or not but there are wolves in sheep’s clothing all around us. In other words, they are people who are trying to trick us into doing something that we clearly shouldn’t be doing. In today’s passage, Jesus is reminding us that we shouldn’t be afraid or worried about people in authoritative positions. Jesus says in Matthew 10:16, “Look, I am sending out as sheep among wolves. So be as a shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” In other words, we as warriors for God will have a target on our backs when it comes to sharing the gospel to others. He says in verses 19-20, “When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” In the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus tells His disciples that they ought to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. Even though there will be people who aren’t going to like what we have to say, but we need to remind ourselves that we are not the ones doing the talking. God will be with us when it comes to us sharing the gospel. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus says for us to let our lights shine before others in a way that they may see our good deeds as well as glorify our Father in heaven.
I want to challenge you today to not be ashamed of the gospel. In Romans 1:16, Paul tells us that he isn’t ashamed of the gospel. If Paul isn’t ashamed of the gospel when he was in a Roman prison, then we shouldn’t be ashamed of the gospel when we share it with our friends and family. There are people who would use the gospel to try and trick us into believing something that isn’t scriptural or biblical. We just need to be careful about who the wolves are and who the sheep are as well. Be sure to be alert and paying attention in this life (1 Corinthians 16:13 and 1 Peter 5:8). Just be careful and remember that God is always with you no matter what.
Matthew 10:16-25 NLT
16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. 17 But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. 18 You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. 19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. 20 For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. 22 And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.
24 “Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. 25 Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!