Bible Passage: Matthew 10:16-23
Pastor: Joel Jenswold
Sermon Date: October 25, 2026

Bulletin – October 25, 2026

In the name of, and to the eternal glory of, Jesus,

Jesus was no politician.  For the next week we will be blitzed with ads from politicians.  They will promise this and they will promise that.  “Don’t vote for that other guy!  If he wins it will be gloom and doom.  But if I win, here is all the good stuff I will make happen!  Vote for me and everything will be great!  All your problems will go away!”  It seems like they will say and promise anything to get you to follow them.

Jesus was, and is, no politician.  Jesus does not lie and deceive.  Jesus does not fib and falsify.  Jesus does not take polls to determine what his position should be and he does not run his message through focus groups to see how it plays.  Jesus does not say what he thinks we want to hear.  He is too good for that.  He always says what we NEED to hear.

In our text today, Jesus says what his disciples need to hear.  He is honest.  He is honest about what his disciples can expect in this world.  He speaks the honest truth.  He gives some honest promises.  They will be persecuted.  But Jesus calls on them to remain Firm to the End!

The words of our text have both a “narrow” and a “wider” application.  When Jesus speaks these words, he is about to send out the Twelve to get a little mission experience.  This was not yet the Great Commissioning when they were sent to the ends of the earth.  This is a “mini-commissioning.”  Of shorter duration and smaller scope.  Just to a few cities.  In our church body we have what we call “Taste of Ministry” for young men thinking about pastoral ministry.  This was a sort of “Taste of Ministry” for the apostles.  But Jesus’ words indicate that he is talking to them about more than just the next few days.

Jesus tells them the truth.  Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. (v. 16)  Someone has said democracy is like two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.  Jesus says following him can be much the same.  In a world of wolves and sheep, one is predator and one is prey.  Jesus tells us the world views us as prey.  The world hated and killed the Good Shepherd. It will also hate his sheep and lambs .

Because it is a predatory world for Christians, Jesus says, So be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. (v. 16)   What does it mean to be “as shrewd as snakes”?  Jesus’ word “shrewd” is a word that means discerning, savvy, practical, thinking things through.  Snakes were believed to be “shrewd” in this way.  We are to be savvy.  We are to have some “street smarts” about how wolves operate.  And yet we are not to become wolf-like ourselves.  Be…as innocent as doves.  Doves are recognized as symbols of peace.  The word “innocent” in our text means “unmixed.”   We are not to be people of mixed motives.  We are not people with a hidden agenda.  We are Christ’s doves in the world.  We do not say, “Shalom!” with our lips and devise nasty plans in our hearts.  We want to be wise to the ways of the world, but we are not going to resort to the world’s tactics.  This lays the groundwork for what Jesus says next.

Be on guard against people. (v. 17)  Some people are going to be really mean to Christians!  Jesus’ disciples will be arrested and whipped.  Some of them would stand trial before governors and kings.  So, persecution can be expected on the municipal level.  Jesus tells us it will get worse.  He speaks of family members turning over Christian family members to be killed!  Can you imagine a scenario where soldiers are walking the streets of the city with orders to arrest and execute Christians?  They pass a home and a boy runs out the front door.  “Come over here!  In here!  Take my dad!  He’s one!  He’s hiding in that closet!”  Can you imagine a father handing his daughter over?  “Take her away!  Those Christians got to her somehow!  Now she’s one of them!  Get her out of here!”  Some Christians have not had to imagine such a scenario; they lived it.  Jesus sums us, You will be hated by all people because of my name. (v. 22)

Let’s be honest here.  Who of us here can really relate to what Jesus is talking about?  We Christians in America have not really experienced this level of persecution, have we?  Have you ever been arrested and whipped for loving Jesus?  Have you ever been on trial and the indictment against you is “Christian”?  I haven’t.  In our country we have enjoyed an immunity from persecution that can only be attributed to the grace of God!

Persecution is to be expected.  And in our text, Jesus speaks comforting words to his disciples.  Whenever they hand you over, do not be worried about how you will respond or what you will say, because what you say will be given to you in that hour.  In fact, it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father will be speaking through you. (v. 20)  Jesus gives them a “super-power”!  They will have words!  Spirit-given, Spirit-powered words.  They will find words to confess Jesus Christ.  The book of Acts gives us a number of examples of times when the disciples were given words to speak in scary and life-threatening situations!   Martin Luther was given words to confess Jesus Christ even when threatened with death!  That is still the Spirit-given super-power of the Church on earth!  The strength and words to confess Christ!

Jesus adds this comfort for the persecuted Church:  Whoever endures to the end will be saved. (v. 22)  In the book of Revelation the little church in Smyrna was going to face persecution.  Jesus told them, Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life! (Revelation 2:10)   Persecution will come!  But remain firm!  This is why Jesus died and rose again.  That we might have the victor’s crown of gold in heaven!   Let us never exchange this crown for an imagined “non-aggression” treaty with the world.  By the way, it is a lie that there can ever be a non-aggression pact with the world; Jesus said the world will hate you because of him.  So, let us use our “super-power” in this world!  As the apostles, and Luther, and the confessors who have gone before, let us confess Christ, and remain faithful to him to the end!

Amen.