What do I know with Isaac Carroll
What do I know with Isaac Carroll
Understanding Commitment and Grace in Matthew 10
Have you ever wondered what it truly takes to be a disciple, even when it means sacrificing everything you hold dear? Join us in a thought-provoking exploration of Matthew 10 as we uncover the demanding yet fulfilling path of biblical discipleship. We talk about Nabil, a former devout Muslim, whose courageous transition to Christianity exemplifies the immense sacrifice and unwavering faith that Jesus speaks of. Nabil's story shines a light on the profound cost of following Christ, where the devotion transcends even the strongest familial ties, challenging us to reflect on our own faith journeys.
In our exploration of biblical teachings, we also reflect on the insightful parable of the workers in the vineyard. Here, the themes of divine generosity and the nature of salvation take center stage, reminding us that the grace of salvation is not earned by the duration or intensity of our labor but is a generous gift equally bestowed upon all believers. As we ponder this comforting assurance, we're reminded of the equal reward that awaits us in faith, inspiring gratitude and hope as we eagerly anticipate our next study in the series.
May God bless you and lead you always.
Welcome to the podcast. I'm Isaac Carroll, and this is what Do I Know. All right, we had some technical difficulties here at the home studio. I think we finally got those straightened out so we can get back after it. We are going to be picking back up in Bible study in Matthew 10, verse 24. If you're ready, a disciple is not above his teacher, nor is a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he may become above his teacher. Nor is a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he may become like his teacher and the slave like his master.
Speaker 1:If they have called the head of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they insult the members of the household? Let's stop here. In verse 25, real quick. Jesus says many times that we're supposed to follow after him, bear our cross daily and walk as he walked. He even says this in 1 John 2, starting in verse 4. If anyone says I know him but does not keep his commandments, he is a liar and the truth is not in him. But if anyone keeps his word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him. Whoever claims to abide in him must walk as Jesus walked. Jesus is telling them here in Matthew that if they treated Jesus a certain way, how much more to be expected by his disciples to be treated even so much as debt. They were too expected, because if they did it to Jesus, why wouldn't they do it to them? And even worse, because they were following after Jesus, they weren't Jesus himself.
Speaker 1:Let's pick up in verse 26. So do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed or hidden, that will not be made known. What I tell you in the darkness, tell it in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim it on the housetops. And do not be afraid of 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 Are two sparrows not soul for an Assyrian, and yet not one of them will fall to the ground, apart from your father. But even the hairs of your head are numbered. So do not fear, you are more valuable than a great number of sparrows.
Speaker 1:Therefore, if anyone who confesses me before people, I will also confess him before my Father, who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before people, I will also deny him before my Father, who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword, for I came to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a person's enemies will be the members of their own household. The one who loves her father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and the one who loves her son and daughter more than me is not worthy of me. The one who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. The one who has found his life will lose it, and the one who lost his life for my account will find it. Let's stop here in verse 39 for a second.
Speaker 1:I don't know that I can truly understand what Jesus has just proclaimed here. Not as others might. I can grasp the concept. I mean anybody can. Not as others might. I can grasp the concept. I mean anybody can, but it's a big difference between grasping a concept and actually experiencing this. It's just not the same.
Speaker 1:No-transcript, you should totally look this guy up. His story was amazing. It's a sad story, as most things in life are, but it's maybe sad in our world, but in the world to come in heaven, what a great and amazing reception this man must have come into when he finally met Jesus. When he finally met Jesus, nabil grew up in a very devout Muslim family whose whose mother and father was descendants from Muslim priest I'm not sure, but I think his father was a priest and he was taught the Koran from a very early age. Very devout Muslim and he used to love to challenge Christians because he found Christians to be not very knowledgeable about what they professed to believe. He thought that was quite funny and it always presented him a challenge to break Christians who had no idea of what they truly believed. Until one day, many years later, as he was in college, he met a man he came to learn to respect and became very good friends with, who was a Christian.
Speaker 1:Now this guy was a 1 Peter 3.15, always ready to give an account kind of guy and he knew the word. And God put him in Nabil's path, who challenged Nabil to really face the truth. And so he went into deep study, taking the Bible and doing a deep dive into the truth of the Bible and what it says and who wrote it, really putting it to the test, and he was shaken by what he found. And then his friend asked him to go and to do the same thing for the Koran, and he found that the Koran didn't hold up to the same challenges the Bible did. And he was forced to face the truth.
Speaker 1:But he knew this truth would have a very profound consequence, a cost. The cost was going to be more than most people could bear because for him to turn to Christ and become a Christian, his family would exile him. They would have nothing Matter of fact, they'd want to kill him, and he loved his mother and father, he loved his family and he had to give all that up to proclaim the truth of Christ. He wanted very much for them to understand the same truth. But how were they to do that? And he had to face a very, very hard decision, and this is the same decision that Jesus is speaking of here in Matthew. If you love your mother and father, sister and brother, son or daughter more than Christ, you're not worthy of Christ Basically saying that you're going to give up Christ for them and send your soul to hell because you're going to separate yourself from God on their account. Man, what is this? I don't even know if we can. Actually, we can hear it, we can have a conception of it, but, man, to actually face it, man, what a story. And it should be eye-opening to us that this is what it costs to follow Christ.
Speaker 1:We have a hard time giving up an extra hour on Sunday when we're asked to do something. We get mad when the preacher goes over 45 minutes for the sermon. We're not asked to give up very much and he was asked to give up everything. We're not asked to give up very much and he was asked to give up everything. No-transcript. All right, let's pick up in verse 40. The one who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly, I Bible at least, is called Rewards of Service. And while we're studying it, if you remember, earlier in chapter 10, when Jesus sends out the 12, he tells them to go and preach the good news. The kingdom of heaven is near. And he says if you find someone worthy, stay at his house, and if the house is receptive, let your blessing of peace come upon it. Well, here Jesus is saying the one who receives me receives the one who sent me. If it receives you, he receives me. And he's saying that the reward for both the profit and the person who receives the profit get the same reward.
Speaker 1:I'm sure you're familiar with the parable of the workers. When the guy goes into the town and he hires a group in the morning to go out and work in his field and he promises them a day's wage what was the denarii? I can't remember what the price was and he promises him a day's wage. What was it? An hour, I can't remember what the price was. But he sends him out to his field and then a little later he goes back into town and he finds more people and he says go out and work. And he continues to do this all day until there's only like an hour or two left and he sends them out into the field and when they all come back in, they all get the same reward.
Speaker 1:Now this person who was working all day asked why. What did we receive? The same as they received Because we've worked all day. They've only worked an hour. And he says can I not give generously for what is mine? You agreed to the wage when you became a worker. No matter how long you work, the reward is the same, and it's a great reward. Salvation is the best reward we can possibly get and Jesus promises that gift. That we won't be denied that reward. I'm going to end this one here. I love you guys. We'll pick up in chapter 11 in our next podcast, bible study. Until then, goodbye.