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24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! 26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “ ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:24-39 NIV)
There's no other way to say it, but we've gotten to the point where we don't like hearing anything uncomfortable. I've shared the story from my days in active ministry where one of my staff people told my wife they were not happy that I was preaching from a passage of scripture that made her feel bad. Imgagine that? The Bible speaking truth and making some of us feel bad? And imagine the Bible speaking things that might just bring us to eternal life? The reality is that since Day One, some have not liked hearing the truth. And what's even more uncomfortable, God calls men and women to stand and speak the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. Re-read the prophets! Imagine there are people who love you enough to tell you what is right and what is wrong; what is just and what is unjust; those are the brave men and women of faith. Among them, I count The Reverend John Wesley, the founder of the movement that gave us Methodism. He did not set out to be a Methodist, in fact, he set out to be a priest in the Church of England like his father. It would be years before he came to faith, but once he did he set in motion a movement that changed the Church of England, started the Methodist movement in the colonies and all because he loved God enough to challenge people out of their comfort zone. Those who wanted to know more were invited to join classes that Wesley started, and the admission question was the title of today's devotional: Are you willing to flee the coming wrath of God? Based on, and this is incredible that verses 3:7 of both Matthew and Luke spoken by John the Baptist, form the foundation of this question. "Who warned you to flee and escape from the wrath and indignation [of God against disobedience] that is coming? The question called for the true preparation of each class member to take seriously their faith by reading their Bibles, attend worship, pray, and attend to their spiritual needs. John the Baptist knew God and the anger of God towards sin and evil. Those who do not want to "flee" may find themselves further away from God than they thought possible.
Today's passage, which is next Sunday's gospel lesson speaks to our preparation if we truly want to flee from God's wrath. Jesus is teaching. Jesus is teaching humility when it comes to serving God. To realize that it is God who is in control. God knows all, God sees all, and God comes through. Our faith is to be shared openly and freely; not with reservation or fear, but with boldness and surety. Fear is not even a part of the equation; we must not fear sharing our faith. The only One whom we should fear is God. God knows us so well that Jesus says that God knows the number of hairs we still have on our head, and our worth before God is vast. If the sparrows of the field are loved and cared for by God, how much more will we be? If we will acknowledge God before others, Jesus will also acknowledge us before God. But, if we disown God, God will disown us. Jesus' ministry came and disrupted the norm when it comes to peace in families. Jesus said the peace is disrupted by the "sword" He has brought the real peace; the peace of knowing God's love for us. Yet, this will cause as Jesus says, "to turn a 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man's enemies will be the members of his own household." Then again the question of love to which Jesus says, "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."
People still ask, why would a loving, compassionate God send people to hell? The real answer is that God does not want us there; it is us who deliberately choose to reject God and choose not to flee the coming wrath of God, and yet people will wonder why so many are on that path? The call from God is still for men and women, yes, even boys and girls, to join hearts to press the truth that we can flee the coming wrath and should, and our lives should reflect those who have chosen to flee and want to save others. Ours is a faith of hope and love. Such is our God and God's message for us; and we who konw should love others enough to invite those who are not yet on the path with us to join us, to reject evil and oppression and begin to show the world how we can best live lives of love and compassion, mercy and service. And we can start now.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for loving us enough to send Jesus; let us share Jesus with all; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Share Jesus with everyone today and all days.
Receive my blessings of joy and love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
