“Be Bold, Not Afraid”

(Matthew 10:26-31)

Series: God’s Fulfilled Promise [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

June 2, 2019

The Passage

Matthew 10:26-31

26 “Therefore, don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops. 28 Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. 30 But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Introductory Comments:

Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, and Pete Fleming were American missionaries sent to Ecuador in 1952 to reach the indigenous tribes in Ecuador. They would all five be killed by the very people whom they were trying to reach with the Gospel. There are indications based on journal entries that the men understood that they very well might be harmed. Yet, they were bold in their faith and their calling to proclaim the Gospel. One must wonder what caused these men to be so bold in their faith. Jim Elliot wrote this in one of his journal entries: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

These missionaries understood two things which led them to be bold: they understood the message they proclaimed and they understood the God whom they served. 

Today, we learn how we can be led to be bold in these two ways as well.

Before we go any further, let’s pray together.

(prayer)

We are continuing our series in the Gospel of Matthew. Last week we learned that Jesus was sending out His apostles as sheep among wolves. We learned that there very well may be dangers, hatred, and rejection that Christians face as they faithfully live for Jesus and proclaim the Gospel. 

In the midst of these potential persecutions, Jesus wants His followers to be bold. In this passage today, Jesus will say three times, “Don’t be afraid,” or “Don’t fear.”

Why aren’t we to be afraid? Well, because there is something different at play than only the material circumstances around us. There are supernatural and eternal factors at play when we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and when we live faithfully for God. 

As we go out as sheep among wolves, we must keep this heavenly and godly perspective. 

This week, in these six verses, we’ll learn two ways that we can live boldly as we live in faithful obedience to God.

First, . . .

I. Boldly proclaim the message (26-28) [on screen]

We can and should proclaim the Gospel message boldly. 

Jesus tells us why. 

First of all, Jesus says in verse 26,

26 “Therefore, don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known.

We shouldn’t be afraid of any who may attempt to persecute us or who may reject the message of the Gospel because God sees all. 

He sees and knows what is happening in our proclamation of the love of Jesus and He sees and knows what is happening in others’ rejection of the love of Jesus. 

There are no secrets with God. What is covered will be uncovered. What is hidden will be made known. 

Boldly proclaim because God sees what you’re going through and He sees the rejection of others as well. 

He will reward us for our faithfulness and He will punish this who reject the Gospel. 

He goes on in verse 27:

27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops.

He has already told the disciples that He is sending them out. He has already told them that the message they have is the coming of the kingdom of God. 

Now, He’s letting them know that what He has been telling them privately, He now wants them to proclaim publicly. Remember, th