“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. ”
Matthew 10:16 (NASB)
Jesus has commissioned us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mk.16:15). It is a world that hates the things of God and the people of God because it first hated God Himself. As we share our faith we should not be surprised when we encounter opposition and persecution. Jesus tells us that we are to as sheep. A sheep cannot defend itself. It is completely helpless. The safety of the sheep is found not in its own ability but rather in its proximity to the shepherd. We must stay close to our Good Shepherd and to His flock. Jesus also tells us here to be shrewd or wise and yet innocent. We must never give offense for the sake of offense nor should we ever provoke unnecessarily. The gospel is offensive and provocative enough to the lost.
Questions for application…
What reaction should we expect to the preaching of the gospel ?
Where is the safest place for sheep to be ?
What are some ways that we can unnecessarily give offense to the lost ?
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