Unshaken: Chapter a Day

Matthew 10 Discussion

• Pastor Plek

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Fear, family division, and divine protection converge in this deep dive into Matthew 10. What happens when following Jesus costs you everything? Pastor Plack and Jordan Smith tackle this challenging chapter that outlines Jesus' commissioning of the twelve disciples, His stark warnings about persecution, and the ultimate price of discipleship.

The conversation takes a profound turn when examining Jesus' instructions about fearing God rather than people who can only harm the body. "Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell" presents a sobering reminder of eternal consequences. Yet alongside these warnings comes extraordinary comfort: God knows the number of hairs on your head and values you more than many sparrows. This paradox of discipleship—extreme cost alongside intimate divine care—forms the heart of the discussion.

Perhaps most challenging is Jesus' warning that following Him might divide families. Jordan vulnerably shares his struggle with addressing sin in the lives of loved ones, particularly regarding same-sex relationships. The hosts wrestle with applying Scripture's bold commands while recognizing the need for wisdom in timing and approach. They remind listeners that God promises to give words to speak when facing opposition, whether in courtrooms or conversations.

The episode concludes with the encouraging truth that even small acts of faithfulness—like offering a cup of cold water in Jesus' name—carry eternal significance. Ready to explore what it truly means to follow Jesus, no matter the cost? Listen now and discover why the kingdom of heaven being "at hand" changes everything about how we live today.

Pastor Plek:

And welcome back to a chapter. A day keeps the devil away.

Pastor Plek:

I'm pastor plaque, along with Jordan Smith, and we're talking Matthew, chapter 10. Real quick outline, you've got. The 12 disciples are named after Jesus, spent some time praying for them. He instructs them for the mission. He warns them of persecution. He then says hey, you got to fear God, not man. Following Jesus ultimately, though, will cost you, and it might even divide up families and require personal sacrifice. Then verses 40 through 42 wrap it up for rewards for receiving the message of Jesus. Okay, was there anything that stood out to you, jordan, as far as some observations that you could make about this text?

Jordan Smith:

I like how Jesus kind of says not to take any like, don't take any payment, don't take like even preparatory supplies, right, because it kind of implies that God's going to take care of all that beforehand.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, that's kind of wild. And then what's weird is later on he'll say you know, before I said don't take anything, but now, if you've got an extra tunic, take it. If you've got, you know, food, whatever, take it. It's interesting how he does a shifter, but this specific ministry at this time was go needy, which I do appreciate.

Pastor Plek:

The other thing I thought was interesting is like the theme of hell keeps popping up Matthew 10, 28,. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. And when I first, I think when I first read this a long time ago, I thought he was talking about like Satan, Fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. But ultimately it's God who sends someone to hell, or not, or someone's you know, their rejection of God gets them to hell. And so therefore, you're like wow, that's kind of bold and kind of creepy to think about and scary in many ways. And that's why, ultimately, you should trust Jesus so that you get heaven for the selfish perspective, but ultimately, because it's true that only the righteous ones who have accepted Christ will receive eternal life. Any thoughts on that?

Jordan Smith:

No, I mean, I think you summarize that quite succinctly. So another thing I did observe, though, is when he's talking about, you know, going to those households that don't receive him, yeah, it mentions like essentially, he says if they don't accept you, like, let your peace return to you. So I was curious, like what does that mean?

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, I think that's just a euphemism for like it's time to move on, cause he's going to say that you know, shake the dust off your feet. And so there is a reality where, like the peace is, like God's peace and like when you come, you're bringing the peace of God with you. So when they reject you, it's a, it's kind of a big deal gotcha.

Jordan Smith:

And then, yeah, I mean the whole section about turning against, like your family turning against you, you being opposed to your family, like that's very hard to like practice that's very.

Pastor Plek:

I remember the um. Are you familiar with the killing fields of Cambodia? Are you familiar with that? Pol Pot was the dictator there and he would turn children against their parents, who were Christian specifically, and they would turn them in and have them be killed. Kind of a wild time and I think you can understand it from children killing their parents, but it's a hard one to fathom parents killing their kids. That's wild stuff to kind of imagine. That kind of depravity and that kind of darkness, kind of insane actually. What else? Any other thoughts as you kind of take a look at Matthew 10?

Jordan Smith:

I think just again kind of the whole thing about fearing God and not fearing man, like again, even with your own family, like it's hard to not think about, like oh, if I speak into their sin and they're not Christians, you know that could destroy the relationship, right and all that. But I mean God calls us to that specifically, even in these verses of being bold, and yeah, I mean the relationship with God is the more important one. It's just hard to think about.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, yeah. So let's get some, some truths that we've learned about God. How about Jesus? Jesus commissions and he empowers his followers. I kind of appreciate that. It wasn't just he chose them willy nilly, it was like a prayerful thing. He comes down, announces that, proclaims them, commissions them and then he sends them ultimately to do a job, which I appreciate. That Anything on your end on what something you learned about God.

Jordan Smith:

I like verse 30, where it talks about God knowing the number of hairs on your head. Yeah, it kind of bleeds into what I was saying earlier about God. It kind of implies God knows everything right. He's going to supply every need, Like if he knows the amount of hair on your head. There's nothing he doesn't know, right, Yep. So it gives a sense of just peace around it, knowing that God's in control of it.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, I like that. God rewards even giving a cup of cold water in his name. That's a powerful thought. You don't have to do something huge. It could be just like you see a Christian and you give them a cup of cold water, or even a child. You give them a cup of cold water, or even a child give them a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus, which is a big deal. What about truths about people?

Jordan Smith:

I mean it kind of goes into the whole family thing. But you will be hated for you know, proclaiming God's name right Like it's not, you may be hated Like if you're actually speaking into that. You're going to be hated by even family members to some degree.

Pastor Plek:

Yes and yeah, just that's. It's a reality that most people kind of are deeply valuable to God. And specifically, how we are worth more than many sparrows. Look, it says, are not two sparrows sold for a penny and not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your father? In other words, god is in control of the life and death span of sparrows. How much more is in control of your life and death span?

Pastor Plek:

I think sometimes for me, specifically in combat or in a war zone, when I lost soldiers, this verse was very comforting because I knew how much God valued people. And then, when I lost them or they died, and when I lost them or they died, they were more valuable than just an animal. Even if they did die just by smattering of bullets, their death was precious in the sight of the Lord. So that was powerful Everyone, or if you're not? Therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows. And if God is concerned with the life and death span of one sparrow, how much more does he care about you? All right, what about application-wise? We have spec, you know, send to avoid, promise to claim, example to follow, a command to obey and knowledge to believe. Is there anything that for you just kind of comes out and says like I think this?

Jordan Smith:

specific scenario, like I have cousins who are gay and married and living in that lifestyle, so kind of. These verses speak specifically to that. Um, I am not there yet in terms of you know wanting to straight up call that out. Um, but again, that's kind of a fear of man, yeah, but I also think there's a point to be made, that there's a. I feel like there's a time and place to do that. I mean, what are your thoughts about that versus just going out there and hammering it in?

Pastor Plek:

yeah, I think, going back to Matthew 7, don't waste your pearl among swine. There's like the double edge of it. One it's like you know once you have I think for you specifically, since you've struggled with same-sex attraction you've pulled the log or the speck out of your own eyes so that you can talk to somebody else about their sin, and you have been called to remain celibate, and so you're not just saying we, in theory, should be celibate people, but we actually should be celibate people who are following Jesus. So I think that's a great thing to advocate for and there's a way to do that where it brings about all glory to God is sort of any glory to you, but I think that's right. I love the fearing people more than fearing God is a sin that we need to avoid.

Jordan Smith:

I would push back just a little on that. The call to be celibate. I don't necessarily know if that's true for my life, like sure, in this season maybe yeah yeah, god can change that, I guess.

Pastor Plek:

Maybe say call to be celibate if you can't be married to a woman.

Jordan Smith:

Right, right yeah.

Pastor Plek:

The other one to me was for command to obey, proclaim as you go, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And I haven't done that a ton by saying that exact phrase. I've told people about Jesus and sometimes I've said the kingdom of God is at hand. I've used that kind of wordage but that was sort of like interesting. Is he saying say that exact thing or proclaim the gospel as best we know how? But I do think there is something I was saying like the kingdom of heaven, the very thing that you've been waiting for is right now and you can have it access to that power, to that kingdom where that kind of healing is demonstrated spiritually, even though Jesus could demonstrate it physically.

Jordan Smith:

Yeah, I mean, I think one of these verses kind of speaks directly into that about not being afraid of what you know, the words to say, or anything like that.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah.

Jordan Smith:

I mean, even if you feel like you say it in a stupid or not, you know complete way like God's going to use that regardless.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, especially when they bring you before the courts and I don't know if any of us have had to do that. I've known some missionaries who were brought before the courts or police and have been interrogated and they were given exactly what to say which is powerful, to kind of really think about in those kinds of terms.

Jordan Smith:

So I do know that verses were meant in that context, but would you say it's meant in the same, like people who go out and evangelize? I mean, would you apply it to that as well?

Pastor Plek:

You know you don't want to disconnect what was said before from what was said after.

Jordan Smith:

Yeah, I mean, I guess I feel like it's a general truth anyway, right, yeah, uh, I mean, I guess I feel like it's a general truth. Anyway, right, like God's gonna use what you say regardless and remember God.

Pastor Plek:

If you are, I mean God has control of everything that comes out of your mouth. Ultimately, however, I just don't want to go that far to say, um, if you ever don't know what to say, just ask Jesus and he'll pop into your head. Or don't prepare to go that far to say, if you ever don't know what to say, just ask Jesus, he'll pop into your head. Or don't prepare because he's going to put it in your head, although I think he can. I think the principle here is tell what you know, like what Jesus has done for you. Share that and be bold enough that you're willing to risk your life for it and that that the reality that you're, you're bringing God's word. It's not always going to bring peace, although for some people it might, but I think that aspect of of this whole thing of like just being missionally minded to share the gospel, but if you do get put before a court, the Holy Spirit will speak on your behalf. Just trust him.

Jordan Smith:

Yeah, that makes sense.

Pastor Plek:

All right, hey. Thanks so much for watching. We will see you tomorrow on A Chapter A Day.

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