Facing Formidable Opponents
- December 10, 2018 | Matthew 10:1–42
On November 10, 1928, a subpar Notre Dame football team faced a formidable, undefeated Army squad. Although apparently overmatched, Notre Dame rallied to a 12–6 victory, inspired by a pep talk that their legendary coach Knute Rockne delivered at halftime. Recalling the untimely death of Notre Dame All-American George Gipp, Rockne famously challenged his team to “win just one for the Gipper.” As depicted in the 1940 movie Knute Rockne—All American, they responded by rushing out of the locker room and pulled off the upset.
In Matthew 10, Jesus addressed His disciples before sending them out to face a formidable task. One might understand if they did not respond by rushing out of that huddle and into the world. After all, among the things Jesus told them they would confront were rejection (v. 14), arrest (v. 19), beatings (v. 17), and being “hated by everyone” (v. 22). They would be vulnerable, “like sheep among wolves” (v. 16), and liable to betrayal, even by their closest family members (v. 21).
Despite such hostility, however, the disciples were not without consolation. Jesus sent them forth with authority over demons and diseases (v. 1), the pledge that the Spirit of the Father would speak through them in times of trial (v. 20), and the promise of rewards to those who welcomed them (v. 42). Moreover, they went in the confidence that God’s kingdom has come near (v. 7), that the time is coming when God will redeem the world.
As Jesus’ followers, we inherit those promises and more. Even in a world that often stands opposed to the values Jesus preached and embodied, we trust that His kingdom is coming and that no hostility we might encounter can resist the power of God’s love.
Pray with Us
As final exams begin today at Moody Bible Institute, please uphold in prayer our undergraduate and graduate students, asking God for this week to be a fruitful and fulfilling result of their hard work during the semester.