Confess Jesus (Mat 10:32)

Let us Pray: Lord God, Heavenly Father, we thank You for sending Your faithful Son to teach us of Your will. He steadfastly prepared disciples even to this day on what we can expect as we confess His name. Send the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith as we hear Your word. And grant us a renewed sense of boldness to confess His name regardless of the pushback we suffer. We pray this through Your Son Jesus, who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Five Discourses: Since the Gospel readings the rest of this year will be from Matthew, I thought it would be good to provide a broad overview of the contents of Matthew, and where today’s reading from ch#10 fits into the overall Gospel.
- Matthew contains five major discourses from Jesus. What do we mean by using the word “discourse”? Per Merriam-Webster online[1], the 2nd definition probably fits best for our usage of the word “discourse”: a formal, orderly, and usually extended expression of thought on a subject. The Apostle Matthew recorded Jesus delivering five formal, orderly, and extended expressions of thought on specific topics. Jesus wanted all disciples, then and now, to believe in these teachings and integrate them into their every-day life. This organization of discourses is one thing that makes the Gospel According to Matthew unique from the other 3 Gospels. Let’s take a brief look at each of these 5 discourses, so that we can appreciate today’s Gospel reading from Mat ch#10.
  - The first discourse is known as the Sermon on the Mount. This discourse is comprised of Matthew chapters 5-7. Jesus sat down to teach His disciples what we call Christian piety – how should a child of God, and disciple of Jesus, act.
- The second discourse is called the Missionary Discourse and is Matthew ch#10. The Missionary Discourse is split into two halves. The 1st half (vv5-23) pertains to the 12 Apostles. The 2nd half (vv 24-42) applies more broadly to all disciples throughout these End Times.[2]
- The third discourse is the Kingdom Parables Discourse of Mat 13:1-52. Jesus told several parables in this Discourse, specifically about what the kingdom of our Lord is like.
- The fourth discourse is called the Discourse on Life within the Church. Different commentators on Matthew include more or less content on what comprises this Discourse. But all agree, the Discourse starts with Matthew 18, where Jesus confers the authority to forgive sins in His name.
- And finally, the last discourse is the Eschatological Discourse. In Matthew ch’s 24&25, Jesus spoke of the End Times in which all Christians since Jesus ascended into heaven find themselves living in. Eschatology is the study of the End Times. We get this word from the Greek: ἔσχατος (es'-kha-tos) which means last. Therefore, this last Discourse is Jesus’ telling us about the “last” or End Times. These chapters will come up in November.
Disciple preparations: With that background, let’s get into the 2nd Discourse. Remember, the 1st half is specific to the Apostles. The 2nd half applies to disciples like you and me. Even so, some of the tribulation with which the Apostles suffered apply to us. Anyone who follows Jesus is a disciple of His. Jesus said, …“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”[3] And so discipleship has its costs for those who follow Him. For instance, Jesus advised to be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves (Mat 10:16). Can you think of a shrewd serpent somewhere else in the scriptures? Let’s ask our first mother, Eve about how shrewd a serpent can be.
- Please understand, Jesus didn’t encourage us to lie and deceive like Satan did with Eve. But He does want us to apply His word truthfully and accurately in all things in order to have the most impact. Jesus gave the example in vv17-18 of where shrewdness will be especially necessary – when standing before judges and political leaders.
- Jesus warned the Apostles they would be betrayed by siblings & parents (Mat 10:21). The reason I think this warning applies even to us today is what occurs in countries where it is illegal to be a Christian. I’m sure there were situations when a child, under severe examination to determine they learned about Jesus, will “out” their parents to save their own hide from prison or death. It’s easy to see a child saying, “dad taught me about Jesus.”
- Jesus also warned about being hated by all, because of following Him (Mat 10:22). Additionally in v22, He does encourage us to persevere in our love for Him by following Him to the end of our life. These costs of betrayal by those close to us and by being hated, are costs of discipleship through which we must persevere. ‘Just expect these costs will be happening in your life.
Recent examples: Let me point out a recent public example of a cost of discipleship that some Major League Baseball (MLB) players have endured. Some background first: the month of June was first recognized as Pride Month in the United States by President Clinton in 1999. In 2011, President Obama expanded the proclamation to include the entire LGBTQ+ community. And on June 26, 2015, the US Supreme Court decided the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution required states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.[4] You can see the cultural and legal trend away from God’s word. God said it is an abomination of His creation, for people of the same sex to have sexual relations with each other (Lev 18:22).
- Major League Baseball first celebrated Pride Month long before the Supreme Court decision. The LA Dodgers were the first team to celebrate Pride Month in June of 2000. Fast forward to this month. All but one MLB team promotes some sort of Pride Month game. What would you do as a disciple of Jesus, if you were a player on a team that provided you with a special, rainbow-colored jersey and baseball cap for Pride Day? God specifically stated in Leviticus ch#18 and other passages that any deviant sexual behavior is a sin. Could wearing the jersey and cap promote behavior God said was a sin?
  - Three MLB players on June 12th wrote “Gen 9:12-16” on their Gay Pride cap to indicate they had a different reason for wearing a cap with a rainbow logo. They wanted to be shrewd about the rainbow logo. They cited the logo on their cap signified God’s placing a rainbow in the sky as a lasting reminder He would never again cover the entire earth with water. This act was no public protest by any of the three. They merely clarified what that symbol meant to them.[5]
- I’ve searched Internet for reaction to their shrewd clarification. MLB sent them a warning letter, citing a policy against personal alterations to uniforms. I get it; there would be anarchy with everyone altering their uniform if there wasn’t some sort of policy limiting this.[6] But where’s the support for the three? The Vice President chimed in support. But most telling to me was an interview the San Fransico Giants team broadcaster Mike Krukow gave. I hope what I’m about to read isn’t too long for you. But I want to read some of his quotes exactly, so you get a flavor of the sentiment against the three players:[7]
  - Krukow said, “I think that once you’ve lived in the Bay Area for a number of years, … you understand that the strength of this city is its ethnicity. It’s its culture. It’s the freedom for people, and to be able to come to a city and be free. And that’s a powerful thing, and that’s the thing about San Francisco that I love the most. And I think when you’re a player, and you come into this environment, it’s your responsibility to know just how sensitive this city is in regards to that cultural freedom and religious freedom (emphasis mine) and just the way that you live your life.
  - “I think [the players] were in for a rude awakening with the response, and it wasn’t just from the gay community. It was from the Northern California community that supports the gay community. This is what has been incredible: the way that the reaction has centered around the emotion that Northern California has for the gay community.
- Hmm, Krukow mentioned sensitivity to religious freedom. There’s a lot more I could quote, but suffice it to say, he was not supportive of the player’s expression of God’s word. Apparently, to Krukow, God’s word is not part of religious freedom.
- There’s only one MLB team that doesn’t celebrate any kind of Pride event. The Texas Rangers receive abuse for not participating.[8] They instead host a Faith and Family Night. How could you be against this? Well, check out social media for the lack of respect for cultural and religious freedom the Rangers are expressing. After all, Krukow suggested the Giants players should respect this freedom. I was not a fan of the Rangers, especially when they beat my Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series. However, after researching for this sermon, count me in as a Rangers fan!
- All this noise can cause a person to want to go silent – precisely what Satan wants all God’s people to do. The OT prophet Jeremiah once thought about keeping silent. How did that work out for him as I reread from Jer 20:9 - But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it.[9]
  - It is my prayer for you today that God’s word in you cannot anymore be held inside of you than it could in Jeremiah. How can God use you as His voice, if you keep silent? Rely on the Holy Spirit to give you the words to speak (Mat 10:20). It’s the persecutors who will ultimately stumble (Jer 20:11). God allows these persecutions to test and build our faith. Jeremiah noted God tests the righteous in these situations (Jer 20:12).
Conclusion: I repeat the verse of today - All then who will confess Me in the presence of men, I will also confess him in the presence of My Father, He of in the heavens.
- As His disciple, confess Jesus. He will equally confess you in the presence of God the Father. The Greek word that appears 2x in v32 is ὁμολογέω (ho-mo-lo-gé-ō). It means to acknowledge; confess what is believed. In the OT, ὁμολογέω is usually rendered as give thanks.
- The Apostle Paul stated this about confession - for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.[10] The people in opposition to God’s word are certainly out there confessing what they believe. Why not us? The people opposing Jeremiah in the 7th century BC were predecessors of the people who are opposing us today. That makes Jeremiah’s writings still relevant for us.
- Maybe it’s helpful to think about the consequences of not speaking out. Jesus said in v28 - “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.[11] I’ve asked this on another day, and it bears repeating. Who would you rather have mad at you; God or men?
- Let’s face it, there will be times we’ll be too intimidated to confess our faith to others. It’s good to remember the Apostle Peter in these circumstances. Peter denied Jesus 3x when little servant girls were questioning whether he was a follower of Jesus (Mat 26:69-75).
  - When this happens, seek the forgiveness of our Lord who Himself has been tempted (Heb 4:14-16). There is nothing we endure that Jesus has not also endured. He therefore has mercy on us in our human frailty.
  - Whenever we mess up on confessing Jesus, confess the sin and be absolved. At the beginning of Divine Service, Setting 1 last winter, we used to confess what the Apostle John wrote by inspiration - 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[12] Please be assured, Jesus will forgive this sin of omission and all other sins (Ps 103:8-12). As far as the east is from the west, so far will you be separated from your sins.
  - Peter was restored to discipleship after his colossal failure to confess Jesus as Lord (John 21:15-17). If Peter could be restored to discipleship, so can you & I. Just remember, that the grace of our Lord doesn’t give us license to never confess Him.
- Whenever you’re in a situation of “do I confess or chicken out?”, remind yourself to look to the Lord for support as we read earlier in Psalm 91 (Ps 91:1-10). God will strengthen you to stand against earthly tribulation. He will give you the power to confess Jesus. That confession may result in a high price to pay, but only in this Age. You will certainly be saved from eternal tribulation in hell.
  - Consider the confession made by Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego when facing either bow down to an idol or be tossed into a fiery furnace - 16 …“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”[13] Psalm 91 was written by the time this event occurred. They had the assurances from God that they were secure in their confession. Ask them about it when you get to heaven, because you will have confessed Jesus. Amen.