24th February 2010 Travis Snode

Opposition to Outreach

Evangelism

Our Bible study last night was from Matthew 11 on “Dealing with Opposition to Outreach.  Here are the notes.  I trust they will be a blessing.

Dealing With Opposition to Outreach

Matthew 10:11-33

1. Go to all; invest in those that want it. (10:11-15)
   1. Look for those that are worthy and stay with them till you leave (v.11).
   2. Give everyone an opportunity; only invest in those who want it. (v.12-13)
   3. If they won’t listen, then it is to their own hurt. (v.14-15).
   4. If they persecute you in one city, go to another (v.23).
      1. This is what Paul did Acts 9:24-25.

1. Be aware that opposition will come. (“As sheep in the midst of wolves” 10:16)
   1. You will be the victim; others will be attacking you.
   2. You will be causing no one any harm; others will harm you for no fault of your own.
   3. The nature of a wolf is to attack.

1. Be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (10:16)
   1. Use wisdom in dealing with people.
   2. Do nothing to hurt or harm people.

1. Beware of men (10:17)
   1. There are people who will do all in their power to stop us by force or intimidation.
   2. For the apostles, it meant:
      1. Brought before councils
      2. Scourged in synagogues
      3. Brought before governors and kings

1. Use persecution as an opportunity to witness (10:18)
   1. Brought before them “for my sake”
   2. Brought there for “a testimony against them and the Gentiles”
      1. So that none could say that they did not have a chance to hear the gospel.

1. Focus more on being filled and controlled by the Spirit than on what you will say. (10:19-20)
   1. Don’t worry about about how or what you will say.
   2. God will guide and direct you.
   3. The Holy Spirit will speak through you. (10:20)
   4. God helped Peter and John (Acts 4:5-13)
      1. Worry more about your heart than your words.  Get your mind and heart right and your words will take care of themselves.

1. Don’t be surprised when all men hate you. (10:21)
   1. Your family may turn on you. (v.21)
      1. The brother will deliver the brother to death.
      2. The father the child.
      3. The children the parents.
   2. All men will hate us because of who we represent (“his name’s sake”) (v.22).
      1. We as disciples are not above the persecution that our master received (v.24)
      2. It ought to please us that we can be as our Master and Lord – that they would treat us the same way. (v.25).
      3. If the call Jesus Beelzebub, what will they call us? (v.25)
      4. We should rejoice that we are counted worthy to suffer shame for His name (Acts 5:41).

1. Encouragement for the persecuted.
   1. If we endure, we will be saved. (v.22)
   2. We don’t need to fear them, because everything they do will be revealed (v.26).
   3. We should boldly go and preach the message from the housetops (v.27).
   4. We should not fear them because they can only kill the body not the soul.  God will kill both body and soul in Hell. (v.28)
   5. God is watching over us, and not a hair can fall from our head that He does not know it (v.29-32).
   6. Jesus will confess us before His father in Heaven if we confess Him before men (v.32-33).