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The Absolute Priority of Jesus (Matthew 10:32-42)

First Baptist Church https://fbcbartow.org

“The Absolute Priority of Jesus”

(Matthew 10:32-42)

Series: God’s Fulfilled Promise [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

June 9, 2019

The Passage

Matthew 10:32-42

32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. 34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. 37 The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it. 40 “The one who welcomes you welcomes me, and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me. 41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Introductory Comments

Let’s pray together.

(prayer)

Illustration: I enjoy fishing. I’ve fished for catfish in Turkey Creek Reservoir, I’ve fished for crappie (or speckled perch, as we call them) in Kentucky Lake, I’ve fished for striped bass on Beaver Lake in Northwest Arkansas, I’ve fished farm ponds in Ohio, I’ve fished for rainbow trout in North Carolina, I’ve fished for sharks on the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier, I’ve fished for largemouth bass right here in Bartow, I’ve fished for brim in a creek behind my house growing up, and I’ve fished for grouper miles off of the coast of Florida. One fishing trip that I’ve really enjoyed is an inshore fishing trip I went on near the 10,000 islands off the coast of Collier County, Florida. I went on that fishing trip with a friend of mine from a previous church in order to catch some species of fish that I had not caught that were the prized fish for inshore fishing. On that trip, we caught trout, sharks, tarpon, snook, and redfish. It was a great trip. I said to my friend, that I wish I could find and catch fish like he did. He said that it was easy to do so. All you had to do was be a third generation Collier County fisherman, purchase a $60,000 boat, and fish there your whole life, and then you could fish like he did. 

You see, my friend was committed to being a great fisherman. He had put in the work, he was passionate, and he had spent the money. He had really given himself to that work. 

All the greats in this world are committed to whatever it is that makes them great. Great athletes practice thousands of hours in order to achieve a high level in their sport. Great doctors have done hundreds of surgeries and seen thousands of patients. They’ve studied and consulted hours upon hours. To be the best at something, that something has to have priority in your life. 

Today, we’re going to learn that if we want to be great at faithfully following the Father, Jesus must have absolute priority in our lives. 

We’re continuing our series in the book of Matthew and we’ve heard Jesus shift His focus to sending out His apostles for ministry and the spreading of the message of the coming of the kingdom of God.

These principles and commands are not just for the apostles, they are for us also. 

Today, we will learn three ways that Jesus is a priority in our lives based on Matthew 10:32-42. 

First, . . .

I. Jesus is such a priority that we must acknowledge Him above all else (32-37) [on screen]

Jesus is very clear about the priority that He must have in our lives. 

Listen to verses 32-37. 

32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. 34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. 37 The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Jesus comes straight out of the gate with strong language regarding acknowledging Him. 

He says that if someone claims to be His, then He will claim that person as His before God the Father. That’s a big deal! You want to be claimed by Jesus before God the Father. You want to be acknowledged by Jesus!

Conversely, Jesus says that if someone denies Him before others, He will deny that person before God the Father. This is huge! Jesus is not looking for wishy-washy followers. He doesn’t want some half-hearted commitment. 

Illustration: you know when you’re trying to choose a place for lunch and you can’t decide and someone offers a suggestion. You might say, “I don’t know, it sounds alright.” Sometimes that’s how we act towards Jesus. “I don’t know He’s alright.”

That kind of devotion won’t stand up! It won’t stand up when the world rejects Jesus! It won’t stand up when the persecutors come for you! It sure won’t stand up when you stand before the judgment seat of God. 

We must be committed to Jesus!

Jesus says also that He didn’t come to bring peace. 

What’s He talking about here? He’s the Prince of Peace, so surely He did come to bring peace, right?

Well, Jesus is referring here to this same idea He mentioned previously in verses 21-22 when He says, 

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name.

Jesus is reiterating the fact that following Him will not always be peaceful. His coming, message, and purpose were divisive by nature. Following Jesus brings division, it brings harm, sometimes, it brings the sword. 

Again, Jesus says that He will turn family members against one another. Of course, this does not mean that Jesus Himself will do this, but that following Him will require this. 

Our devotions to Jesus will cause divisions with the world. (repeat)

Jesus reminds us that He is worthy of the ultimate devotion in verse 37. 

If we love anyone more than Jesus, we are not worthy of Jesus. 

Those are strong words that Jesus shares. To say, “You are not worthy of me,” is almost harsh sounding. However, Jesus wants to make it abundantly clear that He is worthy of the utmost devotion. He is King! He is Lord! He is God!

We must acknowledge Jesus above everyone else. 

Also, . . .

II. Jesus is such a priority that we must deny everything else (38-39) [on screen]

Not only should no person take Jesus’ priority in our lives, but also no thing should take priority in our lives above Him. 

Jesus says that we must forsake all to follow Him!

Listen to the picture Jesus gives us of following Him. Look at verses 38 and 39. 

38 And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.

Jesus says, “Whoever takes us his cross.” 

Don’t forget that Jesus has not yet been crucified. There are no good connotations to the image of the cross at this point. There is no redemptive value to the idea of crucifixion at this point. 

Jesus’ hearers would have heard what Jesus said as pertaining to execution and capital punishment. Not only that, but they would have pictured humiliation as they carried their cross to the spot of their execution, as Jesus would later do. 

Jesus is saying, if you’re not ready to give up your life in a humiliating and excruciatingly painful fashion for the sake of the kingdom of God, you’re not worthy of me. 

Jesus isn’t messing around about the need for commitment. 

Indeed, Jesus further clarifies by saying that we may very well lose our lives. 

In reminding us of this, He says that in finding our lives we will lose it, and in losing our lives because of Him we will truly find it. 

He’s reminding us that this physical life doesn’t matter compared to the glories of our fellowship with our God, Creator, and King in the life to come.

He’s reminding us that those who endure to the end will be saved. 

He’s reminding us that finding life in Him is truly finding life. 

Jesus must be such a priority in our lives that everything else in this world doesn’t compare to Him. 

Indeed, even our own physical safety must be denied for us to be worthy of Jesus. 

We must deny everything else. 

Third, . . .

III. Jesus is such a priority that we honor Him when we support His work done by someone else (40-42) [on screen]

Devotion to Jesus spills over into our support of those who do the work of Jesus.

Part of being on Jesus’ side is being on the side of those who serve Jesus. 

Listen to verses 40-42. 

40 “The one who welcomes you welcomes me, and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me. 41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Jesus is hitting on this theme that He originally talked about when He told the apostles to go from town to town. He’s saying that people who accept the apostles will be rewarded. Remember, He said it would be bad for those who rejected the message of the apostles. Now, He says He will reward those who welcome the message and welcomes those sent out. 

He says even a cup of water given to a disciple of Jesus will not go unrewarded. 

This passage should encourage us on two levels. 

First, we should be encouraged that God will reward those who support us in the proclamation of God’s message. 

We have help in the mission. God has supernaturally and providentially orchestrated helpers along the way to encourage us, aid us, support us, and sustain us in our faithfulness to the proclamation of the Gospel!

How cool is that? God is involved in our lives and the lives of others to make this beautiful display of obedience and sacrifice play out. 

Secondly, we should be encouraged to know that God will use us in the encouragement of those who are proclaiming God’s message. 

We can also be used by God to support each other, and others as the Gospel is proclaimed. 

Every little prayer you pray, every little email or note of encouragement you write, every dollar you give is seen by God. As you do it for disciples of Jesus it is as if you are doing it for Jesus Himself. Jesus sees you and you will be rewarded. Pray with confidence and joy! Support with confidence and joy! Encourage with confidence and joy! Give with confidence and joy!

Your faithfulness to accomplish the mission matters and your faithfulness to support the mission matters. 

Jesus is so important, He is such a priority, that when you support those who serve Him, you are remembered and rewarded by God. It’s all about Jesus and His work. 

If you welcome a prophet of God, or a righteous person of God, or one of the disciples of God (or little ones as Jesus calls them), you will be rewarded by God. 

Show how much a priority He is in your life by being a faithful disciple and supporting faithful disciples. 

Concluding Thoughts:

The end of Matthew 10 is the end of the section where Jesus is charging His disciples to take out His message and faithfully follow Him. 

Where does this leave us?

We should walk away with this after studying Matthew 10. This is our bottom line:

Bottom Line: Jesus must be the absolute priority in our lives.  [on screen]

(repeat)

Is Jesus most important in your life?

Is He your greatest priority?

Challenge yourself this week in the following ways:

Weekly Challenge: [on screen]

  1. Make a top ten list of the priorities in your life.  [on screen]

What is most important in your life?

Make a list this week. 

Perhaps it doesn’t look the way you want it to look. Spend some time with God and ask Him to help you get your priorities straight. 

  1. Take a step this week to actively demonstrate the priority of Jesus in your life.  [on screen]

Step out and act in some way.

Share the Gospel with someone. Pray with someone in need. Make a commitment to sacrificially support the work of Jesus thought faithful giving. Make a commitment to grow in your faith by being baptized, reading the Bible regularly, joining a Sunday morning Bible study, or whatever God may be leading you to do. 

Closing:

The eternal consequences of denying Jesus are far worse than the consequences of denying the things and people of this world. Jesus has already spoken about this and He will speak about again as we journey through the Gospel of Matthew. 

Give yourself fully to Jesus and faithfully follow the Father. 

(Gospel Presentation)

(Closing Prayer)

Invitation Song – Have Thine Own Way

Benediction:

If you have any sort of spiritual decision that you would like to make, you can contact me or any of our staff and we would be glad to talk to you anytime.

Don’t forget to return your baby bottles for Options for Women Pregnancy Help Center. They are due next week, on Father’s Day. Every penny goes to help women and unborn babies here in Bartow. 

Also, VBS is coming up! You can register on our church website at bartow.church if you haven’t already. Also, there are t-shirts available to purchase. Find Kathryn Bragg Hall in the hallway after service. Finally, you’ll see these in morning Bible study next week. Be sure to hang these on the doors of some of your neighbors to invite their kiddos to VBS. 

Come back tonight as Pastor Richard leads us with a report from Youth Camp as well as share with us how we can pray for our youth. 

Pray for my wife and me as we journey to Birmingham, Alabama for the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. Pray for our convention, as well, as we make important decisions for our future. 

Let’s dismiss by singing the Doxology. 

(Sing Doxology)

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: The text contained in this sermon is solely owned by its author. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name. The author intends to provide free resources in order to inspire believers and to assist preachers and teachers in Kingdom work.