Vision – Matthew 10:16-25

Andy Andrews has an interesting title on his blog: How to Use Vision Casting to Create Unstoppable Momentum. Vision casting is considered crucial to good leadership. As one vision caster says, “goals must evolve from your purpose…be enveloped in prayer…envision the future…and express faith.”

Well Jesus certainly cast vision. But oh, what a vision!

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. (Matthew 10:16-25 ESV)

Jesus’ instructions suddenly take a shift into the future, when the disciples are carrying out this same work but Jesus is no longer among them.  The work of evangelizing the lost will be done under great suffering and danger.  Cunning wisdom will be required as well as pure innocence, because people will be against Jesus’ heralds of the kingdom.  They will use their governmental structures to shut them down but his disciples don’t need to be afraid when brought to trial because the Holy Spirit will give them the words to make their defenses.  Conflict between the offspring of the serpent and the offspring of the woman, Satan’s minions versus Jesus’ disciples, will become severe and they will have to flee persecution in the execution of their task of reaching the villages of Israel and the Gentiles.

This is to be expected because they are servants and mimics of their master, Jesus, and he has suffered this persecution.  The opposition has even been willing to say he is of the devil in order to slander him and they will so malign his disciples.  This is not a pep talk for the gospel that one would expect, but more a moment to count the cost of discipleship.  Are we willing to give our all for Jesus?