How to Face Constant Conflict as a Christian (Part 1)

Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message #165

TEXT: Matthew 10:16: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

Today, we are beginning a new series that continues the theme of what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. And one of the things that a true disciple will experience is conflict. Yes, as a Christian, you will have conflict, difficulty, tension, and misunderstanding as you attempt to serve the Lord. If you thought that Christianity was a bed of roses, I'm sorry to disappoint you. In Matthew 10:16-42, which we will be studying throughout this series, Jesus Christ makes it clear to His disciples that they will have trouble. G.K. Chesterton famously said, "Jesus promised his disciples three things—that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy, and in constant trouble."
  
In Matthew 10, Jesus Christ is commissioning His twelve disciples. He is sending them on a missionary journey to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God to the Jewish people of Palestine. They have been with Him for a while, and watched Him preach, now it is time for them to step out on their own and preach themselves. As they prepare to do this, Jesus gives them (and us) a head’s-up on what they will face. He tells them that they will face conflict, and He tells them how to deal with conflict -- how to live in the midst of it. Today, we are looking at His words, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves..." 

MUSICAL SELECTION: "Awesome" by Charles Jenkins and Fellowship Chicago and "Nobody Greater" by Vashawn Mitchell