When he saw the crowds he was moved with compassion because they were dejected and left to themselves, like sheep without a shepherd. ·Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is indeed great, but the labourers few...’ ·Summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits: to cast them out and to heal all kinds of diseases and…disabilities... ·He said…, ·‘As YOU go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons…. ·In whatever town or village YOU enter, enquire after a trustworthy person in it and stay there till YOU leave. On entering the household, embrace it; and if the household is trustworthy, let YOUR peace come upon it. If it is not trustworthy, let YOUR peace return to YOU… ·I am sending YOU out like sheep in the middle of wolves; so learn to be as wise as serpents yet as harmless as doves… ·The one who welcomes YOU welcomes me; and the one who welcomes me welcomes the One who sent me. ·…The one who welcomes a righteous man for being named a "righteous one" will take hold of a righteous person's reward. ·Whoever gives one of these little ones a cup of cold water to drink, simply for being named a "disciple", then…he will in no way forfeit his reward.’ (Matthew 9:36-37; 10:1,5,7-8,11-13,16,40-42 GH[i])

Beware of people! For they will hand YOU over to religious councils; and YOU will be scourged in synagogues. ·YOU will also be brought before governors and kings…to bear witness to them and to nations. ·Yet…do not worry about what YOU should say or how to say it. What YOU shall speak will be given to YOU in that hour. ·For it is not YOU who speak, but the Spirit of YOUR Father will be speaking in YOU. ·Brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child. Even sons and daughters will rise up against their parents to have them put to death…·A disciple is not superior to the teacher, nor a servant to his master. ·It is enough for the disciple that he should become like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house, “Beelzebul”, how many more epithets for those of his household! (Mat.10:17-21,24-25)

Do not be afraid of them! There is nothing concealed that will not be uncovered—or hidden that will not become known. ·What I tell YOU in the dark, YOU speak in the daylight! What YOU have heard in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops! ·Do not be afraid of those who kill the body yet cannot kill the soul. Fear much more him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hellfire! ·Are not two sparrows sold for one penny? Yet not one falls to the earth apart from YOUR Father. ·And even YOUR head-hairs—all of them have been counted. ·YOU are worth more than many, many sparrows, so do not be afraid! ·Whoever verbally identifies himself with me in front of people, I will identify myself with him in front of my Father in heaven. ·Yet whoever disowns me in front of people, I will disown in front of my Father in heaven... ·The one who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Mat.10:26-33,38)

In Matthew's account of Jesus' witnessing instructions to the twelve disciples we find not only his initial instructions to them (as in Lk.9:1-5), but also perspectives and warnings he seems to have given them at a later date (Lk.12:1-12; 21:12-19). At first glance, Matthew's witnessing 'manual' appears to be full of contradictions. While giving authority to do powerful miracles, Jesus says that his disciples will be vulnerable to powerful people—‘like sheep in the middle of wolves’. He calls them ‘little ones’ yet gives them responsibility and authority and expects them to be wise. He tells them to trust and not be anxious, but also to fear and ‘beware’. And Jesus expects them: to be so full of peace that those who receive them will experience their peace, and to remain full of peace even when they are rejected!

Now since Jesus resurrection, and since receiving the Holy Spirit, Matthew has come to know two things he didn't know earlier. First, Jesus would be with him in every witnessing situation (Med.#87), and his Father would be as well (Med.#51). Even when we are in a dark place, Jesus will whisper in our ear the ‘daylight’ truths that we need to hear; and should we be challenged by political authorities, or by religious and social leaders, our Father will speak ‘in’, or through us by the Spirit. And should such powerful people try to turn our own parents against us, we will still have a Father who never abandons us and who will answer our prayers (Med.#57). He will give us strength to endure any trial (Med.#39). Or he might even send angels to deliver us (Med.#40). And Jesus—who knew the Father's presence in the midst of his human trials (Med.#41)—understands our situation and gives us his peace as he speaks to us by the Spirit (Med.#51 & Med.#57).

Secondly, this peace--which we are able to confer on others—comes from knowing who we are as adult sons and daughters in our Father's family kingdom (Med.#17). If we think of ourselves as little children, we will struggle with fear and with feelings of parental abandonment during times of trial, asking: Why didn't my Father protect me? As witnesses with Jesus we too have been given adult authority and responsibility by the Spirit to do the same works that Jesus did (Med.#51). So as we proclaim the good news of our Father's family kingdom, we are also called to demonstrate it: by walking and working with our Father the way Jesus did, and by representing the ‘compassion’ of both Jesus and the Father to others. And when we are rejected, maligned, abused or about to be killed, we are still full of peace because we know that as adult ‘co-heirs’ with Jesus we are called to share his vulnerability —as junior partners in his suffering (Med.#5).

Our confidence to fearlessly continue such ministry comes from knowing that our Father values us and knows us intimately. He not only knows each hair on our heads, but he rewards people who receive us and show kindness to us—as if they were doing it to Jesus himself. And Jesus will honor us as his brothers before our Father's throne—like when he stood to honor Stephen as he bore witness before the Sanhedrin (Act.6:15; 7:56). Satan, however, wants to use certain words in this passage to make us fearful of God. Like, ‘If you don't witness for Jesus, or if you ‘disown’ him before people, then you have God to fear—as ‘the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell’ (10:28 NIV). Yet this interpretation contradicts Jesus' main point: that his disciples do not need to be afraid of God! When Jesus tells us to fear ‘him who is able to destroy...in hellfire’, he is speaking by way of contrast to how we can trust our Father —who counts our hairs and values us more than even the tiniest of birds. So who is it, then, that we need to fear? On the one hand, it is the devil, since he is the one ‘who holds the power of death’ (Heb.2:14-15, Med.#7), and who seeks to ‘devour’ us (1 Pet.5:8). He is the one who wants to take us with him to hell—the place God has prepared for him, not for people (Mat.25:41)!

On the other hand, I need to fear myself—that in self-pity over all my discouragements, failures and sins, I might stubbornly refuse to return to my Father and be restored. Ultimately, no one else can remove me from my Father's hand (Med.#65). Did Jesus immediately disown Peter for denying him three times? No! Instead he sought him out three times: with immediate eye contact, then after his resurrection with a personal visit, and finally by giving him the opportunity to publicly reaffirm his love for Jesus. And our Father is like Jesus (Med.#10). He will seek us when we stray because he is not willing that any of us be lost (Med.#19, 2 Pet.3:9). It is only after we continually resist this steady ‘rain’ of his Spirit—after we produce ‘thorns and thistles’ in our lives—that we are ‘in danger’ of being disowned and left to share the devil's fiery fate (Med.#16; Heb.6:4-8).

The peace that fills my heart as I bear witness to Jesus doesn't come from a promise of unlimited protection and success, but from the assurance of an indestructible eternal relationship with my heavenly Father. By including me—in Christ—as his partner in proclaiming and demonstrating his family kingdom, my Father shows his trust in me as his adult son (or daughter). Are you filled with peace in bearing witness to Jesus? Do you trust your Father? Have you fully understood the good news of the family kingdom Jesus came to bring?

Father, thank you for qualifying me to share in the inheritance of the saints in light; I give thanks to you for everything I am able to do in word and deed in Jesus' name (Col.1:12; 3:17)

Thank you, Father, for valuing me and promising to speak through me by your Spirit. Though I may have trouble in this world I also have peace, because I know you are with me (Mat.10:20, 29-31; Jn.16:32-33)

Papa, as a co-heir with Christ, I count it a privilege to share in his sufferings. I will not be afraid, because I know that no one can snatch me out of your hand. (Rom.8:15-16; Phil.1:29; Mat.10:31; Jn.10:30)

[i] The first paragraph of the Scripture passage is taken from J.K. Mellis, The Good News of the Messiah by the Four Witnesses: pp.96-98. Parts of the 2^nd paragraph from Matthew 10 are taken from pp.216-217; and most of the 3^rd paragraph is taken from pp.155-156 & p.168. Where parallel texts from Mark and Luke appear in my harmony of the gospels on these pages (since I mostly followed their chronology), I have here made my own translation of the other verses from Matthew10—that is, from verses 17b-20,26b and 32a.