A Handbook and a Pep Talk From Jesus

By Samantha Rodriguez

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 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! 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. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 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. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”—Matthew 10:16–31 (NIV)

What do a handbook and a pep talk have to do with each other? One is instructional, and the other is inspirational. Think about the importance of these two qualities, though. To give someone instructions equips them to be prepared for whatever task is ahead of them. To give someone inspiration equips them to do the task ahead of them with a motivated and passionate heart. Instruction brings clarity and knowledge, while inspiration brings vision and purpose. A handbook gives you a guide on how to do or be something. On the other hand, a pep talk moves you to be excited, courageous, and ready to tackle whatever challenge you may face while trying to do or be something.

The reason I want you to consider the importance of instruction and inspiration is because today’s passage is the perfect example of both! Perhaps you, like me, used to think that Jesus sent His disciples to further His kingdom after resurrecting and ascending into heaven. He passed the baton to them once His time on earth was done. When I took time to read the gospels for myself a few years ago, however, I realized this isn’t what happened. Jesus actually commissioned His disciples while He was still on the earth! He did this because He wanted His followers to actually take part in His ministry and spread the gospel around the world.

This passage documents the powerful words Jesus shared with His disciples before sending them—and we can learn a lot from His instruction and inspiration. Let’s break it down this way.

Instruction – Jesus never left His disciples without guidance and wisdom.

·Jesus reminds us that, like sheep, we must depend on Him.

·Jesus commands them to be both shrewd and innocent, which means to walk with discernment, wisdom, and integrity. We must act courageously but not foolishly.

·Jesus guarantees His disciples will be turned in and flogged. They’ll be brought before governors and kings. They’ll be arrested. The instructions regarding this are to stand firm, not to worry, and be on guard.

·Jesus commands them not to be afraid three times, and He always attaches His commands to truthful encouragement.

Inspiration – Jesus always assured them with reminders of truth and promises.

·Jesus reassures the disciples that in the face of resistance, the Holy Spirit will help bring them the right words! We’re never alone in the face of persecution.

·Jesus reminds His disciples they’re more precious and valuable to God than anything else He’s created. He cares for us.

·Jesus draws their attention to the purpose of their work, which outweighs the dangers or the difficulties of it—that they get to bring light and truth into a world of darkness and confusion.

I think if we had to summarize what Jesus wanted His disciples to walk away with, we could say, “Following me and proclaiming the gospel won’t be easy, but trust me. If you follow me, you’ll find life. Others will want to take that life away, but remain in me because no one has the power to take that life away. Share it with others. Boldly proclaim the good news in word and deed. When the going gets tough, just remember that I care more about you than you can possibly imagine, and your life is secure in me eternally.”

This message applies to us, too, so take heart in the promises of Christ today!

Pause: What part of Jesus’ message struck you today? Was there a part that challenged you or perhaps inspired you?

Practice: Perhaps you want to be more bold in sharing the gospel or walk without fear of what others think. Take time to write down at least one aspect of Jesus’ message that you want to implement and how. Make it a goal for the week!

Pray: Jesus, thank You for being so honest with us! Telling Your disciples about the persecution they would face was an honest and kind thing to do, but what was even more beautiful was the way You reassured them that they’d make it through all those hard times. Thank You for calling me to be strong and courageous and for equipping me to do that as I lean on You. I pray that today I would live boldly for You and push back any fear the enemy is using to trip me up. Amen.