Jesus is One Serious Son

For the Lord God helps Me,
Therefore, I have not been ashamed or humiliated.
Therefore, I have made My face like flint,
And I know that I shall not be put to shame.

He who declares Me in the right is near;
Who will [dare to] contend with Me?
Let us stand up to each other;
Who is My adversary?
Let him approach Me. Is. 50:7, 8. AMP

                  God gave the people of Israel a prophetic message to the prophet Isaiah about Christ’s attitude 700 years prior to His earthly incarnation – when Jesus would begin to spread the Gospel. No one will be able to interfere with His Father’s commission. Jesus came to save; and He is one serious Son…

            Fast forward seven hundred years, and we can see the Pharisees assessing the truth of this in Jesus – the Man who heals the sick, cures the lame, and gives sight to the the blind, even raising the dead. Not to mention that He is many leagues beyond them in His spiritual knowledge and its true application. And He’s not backing down.

                  Yet for all of Christ’s wisdom and miracles, the Pharisees and most of the Jewish laity cannot see the Messiah in Him. Nevertheless, He is undeterred. The love of the Father and the Son for humankind is so vast, that They will not be thwarted (short of making the decision to be saved for you) in their Holy Invitation to your salvation:

Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages [in Galilee], teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness [His words and His works reflecting His Messiahship].

When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion and pity for them, because they were dispirited and distressed, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Mt. 9:35 – 38. AMP

            Jesus is telling the apostles that the world is overflowing with lost, hungry souls. So, He utilizes His Father’s power to supernaturally endow His disciples to effectively deliver His salvation message:

Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority and power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Mt. 10:1 AMP

                  Then He gave them their ‘marching orders’:

“Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep.” Mt. 10:5, 6. NLT

            Looks like God is playing favorites, but He’s not. God promised salvation to the Jews first, so it is a promise being fulfilled – through Christ, as was spoken through the prophet Zechariah so long ago:

For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has arrived to look after Judah, his flock.
He will make them strong and glorious, like a proud warhorse in battle.
From Judah will come the cornerstone, the tent peg, the bow for battle, and all the rulers.

They will be like mighty warriors in battle, trampling their enemies in the mud under their feet. Since the Lord is with them as they fight, they will overthrow even the enemy’s horsemen.

“I will strengthen Judah and save Israel; I will restore them because of my compassion. It will be as though I had never rejected them, for I am the Lord their God, who will hear their cries. Zech. 10:3 – 6. NLT

“On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and impurity.” Zech. 13:1 NLT

            Jesus was / is Jehovah’s Messiah, incarnated from the tribe of Judah. Let’s hear from the Son of God as He continues to prepare His apostles for evangelizing:

“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.

“Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take gold, or silver, or [even] copper money in your money belt, or a provision bag for your journey, or even two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker deserves his support. 

Whatever city or village you enter, ask who in it is worthy [who welcomes you and your message], and stay at his house until you leave [that city]. As you go into the house, give it your greeting [that is, ‘Peace be to this house’]. 

If [the family living in] the house is worthy [welcoming you and your message], give it your [blessing of] peace [that is, a blessing of well-being and prosperity, the favor of God]. 

But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. Whoever does not welcome you, nor listen to your message, as you leave that house or city, shake the dust [of it] off your feet [in contempt, breaking all ties]. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city [since it rejected the Messiah’s messenger].” Mt. 10:7 – 15. AMP

                  The Jews only considered the land of Israel to be holy. So, when they traveled outside of Israel, upon returning, the Jews would brush off the ‘unholy’ dust from their clothing.

            Thus, is Jesus suggesting that those who refuse the Gospel are unholy? Most assuredly. The rejection of Christ and His message is tantamount to committing the unpardonable sin, should they remain in that state.

                  In that vein, Jesus warns His apostles about those who resist / reject His salvation message, and of the retaliatory methods they may utilize:

When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved.” Mt. 10:19 – 22. NLT

                  Then, Jesus follows by laying some serious motivation on His disciples with regards to evangelizing:

What I say to you in the dark (privately), tell in the light (publicly); and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops [to many people]. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Mt. 10:27, 28. AMP

            Christ is saying that evangelizing will not be easy. Yet, He speaks of the Holy Spirit endowment that will give us the greatest chance to break through; and regardless of the outcome, the evangelizer is promised eternal salvation for his or her efforts.

But remember, God always gives everyone a choice:

“Therefore, the one who confesses and acknowledges Me before men [as Lord and Savior, affirming a state of oneness with Me], that one I will also confess and acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven. But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven.” Mt. 10:32, 33. AMP

            And just in case the apostles thought Jesus’ approach to spreading the Gospel was not a life-or-death endeavor, He hones down His purpose:

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace on the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword [of division between belief and unbelief]. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his [own] household [when one believes and another does not].” Mt. 10:34 – 36. AMP

                  Jesus, like His Father, will never violate free will. Thus, we will be held accountable for our decisions.           

                  And those who do choose Him have their perks:

And He shall stand and shepherd and guide His flock
In the strength of the Lord,
In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God;
And they shall dwell [secure in undisturbed peace],
Because at that time He shall be great [extending His authority]
[Even] to the ends of the earth.
This One [the Messiah] shall be our peace. Mi. 5:4, 5. AMP

Whoever finds his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], and whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity]. He who receives and welcomes you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” Mt. 10:39, 40. AMP

            The most important decision you will ever make in your life. Choose Jesus…

                  Goodnight and God bless.