INTERESTING FACTS : Daniel Webster, American orator and politician who practiced prominently as a lawyer before the U.S. Supreme Court and served as a U.S. congressman (1813-17, 1823-27), a U.S. senator (1827-41, 1845-50), and U.S. secretary of state (1841-43, 1850-52).[1]

 

"Impress upon children the truth that the exercise of the elective franchise is a social duty of as solemn a nature as man can be called to perform; that a man may not innocently trifle with his vote; that every elector is a trustee as well for others as himself and that every measure he supports has an important bearing on the interests of others as well as on his own. " [2]

 

Daily Reading : MATTHEW 9 - 10

 

TEXT : Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.  10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.  10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

 

THEME : DISCIPLESHIP

 

Matthew 10:32

 

"Whosoever shall confess me - Publicly acknowledge me for the promised Messiah. But this confession implies the receiving his whole doctrine, Mar_8:38, and obeying all his commandments. Luk_9:26."[John Wesley][3]

 

"Whosoever therefore shall confess me ... - The same word in the original is translated "confess" and "profess," 1Ti_6:12-13; 2Jo_1:7; Rom_10:10. It means to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ, and our dependence on him for salvation, and our attachment to him, in every proper manner. This profession may be made in uniting with a church, at the communion, in conversation, and in conduct. The Scriptures mean, by a profession of religion, an exhibition of it in every circumstance of the life and before all people. It is not merely in one act that we must do it, but in every act. We must be ashamed neither of the person, the character, the doctrines, nor the requirements of Christ. If we are; if we deny him in these things before people; if we are unwilling to express our attachment to him in every way possible, then it is right that he should "disown all connection with us," or deny us before God, and he will do it." [Albert Barnes][4]

 

"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men - That is, whosoever shall acknowledge me to be the Messiah, and have his heart and life regulated by my spirit and doctrine. It is not merely sufficient to have the heart right before God; there must be a firm, manly, and public profession of Christ before men. "I am no hypocrite," says one; neither should you be. "I will keep my religion to myself" i.e. you will not confess Christ before men; then he will renounce you before God. We confess or own Christ when we own his doctrine, his ministers, his servants, and when no fear hinders us from supporting and assisting them in times of necessity." [Adam Clarke][5]

 

Matthew 10:35

 

"For I come to set a man at variance with his father. This was not the Savior's object, but the effect. The conversion of individual members of the family would cause variance. In nearly all quarrels, except those about religion, the members of the same family stand together, but in religious feuds the family circle is often broken and its parts arrayed against each other." [People's New Testament][6]

 

Matthew 10:38

 

"And he that taketh not his cross ... - When persons were condemned to be crucified, a part of the sentence was that they should carry the cross on which they were to die to the place of execution. Thus, Christ carried his, until he fainted from fatigue and exhaustion. See notes at Mat_27:31. The cross was usually composed of two rough beams of wood, united in the form of this figure of a cross It was an instrument of death. See the notes at Mat_27:31-32. To carry it was burdensome, was disgraceful, was trying to the feelings, was an addition to the punishment. So "to carry the cross" is a figurative expression, denoting that we must endure whatever is burdensome, or is trying, or is considered disgraceful, in following Christ. It consists simply in doing our duty, let the people of the world think of it or speak of it as they may. It does not consist in making trouble for ourselves, or doing things merely "to be opposed;" it is doing just what is required of us in the Scriptures, let it produce whatever shame, disgrace, or pain it may. This every follower of Jesus is required to do." [Albert Barnes][4]

 

"He that taketh not his cross - i.e. He who is not ready, after my example, to suffer death in the cause of my religion, is not worthy of me, does not deserve to be called my disciple.This alludes to the custom of causing the criminal to bear his own cross to the place of execution; so Plutarch, ΕκαϚος των κακουργων εκφερει τον αυτου Ϛαυρον. Each of the malefactors carries on his own cross. See Joh_19:17." [Adam Clarke][5]

 

TRUTH FOR TODAY : "BEING A CHRISTIAN HAS ITS COST."

 

The preaching of the cross is foolishness[9] to those who are not disciples of Christ, that is - not a Christian. This is what the Bible tells us. The truth of Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, and Second Coming to judge the living and the dead are all absurd to an unbeliever. Why then should a life of sacrifice and discipline be any less ridiculous or strange? Christ spoke of the cost of discipleship, the cost of being a Christian. Today, on the other hand, "just say this little prayer" has become the price of salvation. However, Jesus did not teach this.

 

It is true that you are saved by faith - not of any works that you have done. Yet, at the same time, you must consider all Scripture when speaking of Christ, or for that matter - any subject of the Bible. Comparing Scripture with Scripture, we arrive at Biblically sound conclusions. If we isolate Bible verses, we do so at the expense of reliable theology. Thus, the need to "rightly divide" the Word of Truth. Therefore, you are saved by faith alone - [Sola Fide]. Yet, as a disciple, the principles of Scripture - all Scripture, apply to you at all times, in all places, in all ways. You cannot be "half" a Christian, any more than you can be "half" man or woman. Christ doctrine is a constitutional whole as much as you are. Like the human body, the Scripture has parts, but it takes all the parts to make the whole. You should always remember this. Here, we consider Jesus statement about His followers - Christians.

 

If you look to find life, look at Christ. Study Him. Observe Him. Watch His followers [that is, the Apostles in the New Testament]. There you will learn, and there you will be secure. However, if you seek life outside of [the] Christ, you will lose the life you have. This is what He taught. As the prophesied Messiah - the only One who would come, has come, or will come - He is the One to look toward. For in Him you live, move, and have your being. So precious is Christ, the Apostle Paul counted everything He had before Christ as "dung," and gave all that he had to "win" Christ. [10] This is Christianity.

 

John Foxe, writing of the persecution of Protestant Christians buy the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland recounts -

 

"In Kilkenny all the Protestants, without exception, were put to death; and some of them in so cruel a manner, as, perhaps, was never before thought of.

 

They beat an Englishwoman with such savage barbarity, that she had scarce a whole bone left; after which they threw her into a ditch; but not satisfied with this, they took her child, a girl about six years of age, and after ripping up its belly, threw it to its mother, there to languish until it perished. They forced one man to go to Mass, after which they ripped open his body, and in that manner left him. They sawed another asunder, cut the throat of his wife, and after having dashed out the brains of their child, an infant, threw it to the swine, who greedily devoured it.

 

After committing these, and several other horrid cruelties, they took the heads of seven Protestants, and among them that of a pious minister, all of which they fixed up at the market cross. They put a gag into the minister's mouth, then slit his cheeks to his ears, and laying a leaf of a Bible before it, bid him preach, for his mouth was wide enough. They did several other things by way of derision, and expressed the greatest satisfaction at having thus murdered and exposed the unhappy Protestants." [11]

 

Thus, as you read the verses above, and reread them, with the account of those who were killed for their faith in Christ and His Word, you will see being a Christian has its cost. Still, Jesus has the words of eternal life - where else would you go? In these days, as many are falling away from Christ and the faith He taught, guard yourself against apostasy and rededicate your life to Christ every day.