Matthew 10:16-20 – God Is With You In the Midst of Troubles

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

In Matthew 10, when Jesus sent the twelve on their first assignment, He shared wise words that believers ought to live by in today’s world.

Prepare for the Difficult Work

In 1 Peter 4:12-13, Peter said, “Do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

That was a lesson that Christ prepared the apostles for.  Jesus does not hide from us that the days are going to be difficult, even though we are a child of God.  I have found that the days are even more difficult for us!  

Jesus tells us that we ought to expect to be hated by the world because He was hated (John 15:18).  Jesus told us that we are going to have tribulations (John 16:33).  Then, in Matthew 10:16, Jesus told the disciples, “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.”

In Matthew 10, Jesus sent the twelve out on their first assignment, preparing them for the day that they would minister in the world without Him physically being present.  This makes this chapter even more wonderful to study because shared some wise words to guide them.  His wise words are words that you and I must pay close attention to in our study this week.

Matthew 10:16 – Sent Out As Sheep

In Matthew 10:16, Jesus warned the disciples, saying, “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.  Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”  

As the twelve were sent out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so have we who are followers of Christ.  We are like sheep, who are helpless and defenseless animals that can’t protect themselves.  The wolf, Jesus said in John 10:12, seeks to catch and scatter the sheep – to devour them. 

What can a sheep do to stop a wolf?  Nothing.  It would panic in fear and try to run away.  Though it may run, sheep aren’t fast and cannot outrun a wolf.

Making this assignment even more difficult for the twelve is that Jesus told them to carry nothing with them (Matt. 10:10; Mark 6:8-9).  They were to go without money in their money belts.  They weren’t supposed to empty their money belts while carrying no bags, food, extra tunics, sandals, or staffs with them (Matt. 10:10).

Jesus sent the twelve out to do good, but also to learn an important lesson.  That lesson is the lesson that you and I ought to strive to learn in this week’s study.  You see, you and I, like the twelve, have also been sent out by Christ as sheep in the midst of wolves.

So, has the Lord sent all of us out as sheep in the midst of wolves?  Do you have any idea what lesson Christ wanted the twelve to learn by sending them out in such a manner?

Why has God sent us in the midst of wolves?

Now, many believe that God doesn’t care about mankind, which they will say is why He permits us to be surrounded by trouble.  Some are so cynical that they believe that God wants us to suffer.  Yet, this is very far from the truth!  We ought not think that God is mischievous in His way–He is not like a man who hides His desires from us.

God, we ought to always remember, created mankind to be fruitful and prosper (Gen. 1:28).  God’s thoughts towards those He loves are thoughts of peace, not evil; His desire is to give us a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11).  Moreover, the Lord has promised to be faithful to us, and He shall never leave nor forsake us (Deut. 31:8).

God has no choice but to send us into the midst of wolves because the world is a sinful world full of such predators.  Yet, there are those who are in the world who are like lost sheep who are in need of saving.  Let us keep in mind that the Father’s desire is for all who receive His only begotten Son to be raised with Him (John 6:40).  

So, while we may be fearful of being in the midst of wolves, God is not fearful of sending us into the midst of wolves.  You see, the Lord is fully confident to send us out, with the confidence that we will be fine.  Why is God so confident?  He is confident in Himself as the sovereign ruler over this creation.

The question that the believer must answer is whether or not we are confident in God in the midst of trouble.  Many of us say that we are confident in the Lord, but how we act will either show our faithfulness and trust or it will betray that faithfulness and trust.

What do you suppose a sheep ought to do to remain safe in the midst of wolves when they can’t do anything to protect themselves or run away?

Move with the herd

Sheep are herd animals, and herd animals find better safety and protection when they stay with the herd.  Even more, sheep are often under the watchful eye of their shepherd.  If a sheep wanders away from the herd or the watchful eye of its shepherd, it puts itself into grave danger to being caught and consumed by a predator.  

What do you think that means for all of us who are followers of Christ?  It is of the utmost importance that we choose to remain with the flock of Christ.  You see, Mark 6:7 tells us that when Jesus sent out the twelve, He didn’t send them out solo.  No, they were sent out two together.

Why do you suppose that Jesus sent the disciples out two together?  This ought to remind you of what is said in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 when Solomon expressed that two are better than one.  Solomon said that when there are two, if one were to fall, the other would be there to pick them up.

If one is alone, Solomon said, “Woe to him who is alone when he falls.”  The one who falls alone will have no help to get back up.  You see, no matter how able and healthy you are, you will need help; it is always better to have a helping hand.  Good reward will they have for their labor when two work together, is what Solomon said.

Jesus sent the disciples out two together because He knew they would need each other’s help.  You and I ought to surround ourselves with those who we know will stretch out their hands to help us.  As an introvert, I know very well that I can’t do anything by myself and I need help!  It is why I am so grateful that God has surrounded me with help that continues to uplift me and keep me encouraged.

So, in the midst of today’s struggle, make sure you remember that God has not left you alone.  Make sure you remember that God has surrounded you with a herd of sheep who desire to help you.  Let us also not be ashamed to receive help from our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  It is a blessing for one to be able to give help, but it is also a blessing when one is able to receive help.

Move wisely and peacefully

To help us out further, Jesus also shares the kind of mindset we ought to have in Matthew 10:16.  Jesus told the disciples to be as “wise as serpents and harmless as doves”.  

The serpent, we often think of as representing evil, because the devil is often linked to the serpent.  To be clear, the reason why the devil is linked to the serpent is not because the serpent represents evil.  In scripture, the serpent represents cunningness and wisdom.  Genesis 3:1 states, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.”

In nature, serpents are predators that typically do their best to remain out of sight, as most predators do.  The serpent is cautious and will only strike when it’s to its advantage.  Otherwise, the serpent will remain out of sight as it does not want to be the prey of those who would prey on it.  So, Jesus teaches us that we ought to move with caution and wisdom in the world.

Matthew 10:17-18 – Beware of the Wicked

To add to why we ought to move cautiously and with wisdom, Jesus added in Matthew 10:17-18 that there would be men who would desire to deliver His disciples to councils, and before governors, to be scourged.  

This actually did happen to the apostles, where apostles like James were martyred by Herod.  The Book of Acts shows us that Peter and John were arrested multiple times, with Peter eventually being crucified by a wicked government and John being exiled.  Paul also stood before councils and was even arrested before he was eventually martyred as well.

Now, did those things happen because the apostles didn’t move as Jesus had instructed them to move?  No.  Those things happened because that was a part of their calling.  

You and I have a different calling.  Today, we are constantly put on trial by those around us, and many of us are put on trial without knowing it!  Therefore, you and I ought to move in a manner that does not betray Christ’s instructions. 

Just because serpents are predators, that does not mean we ought to move as such.  We must not forget that Jesus added that we are to be as harmless as doves.

Doves are a symbol of peace, not a symbol of aggression or contention.  Jesus did not send the twelve out to strive against the people.  Let us remember, in Matthew 10:14, Jesus told them to depart from those who rejected them, shaking the dust off their feet.  The followers of Christ aren’t meant to live contentious lives fighting others, but rather, we are meant to move wisely and peacefully.

Matthew 10:19-20 – You Are Not Alone

Something that I have found to be very common in believers is that many of us fear moving in the midst of wolves.  Many are fearful to testify about Christ because they’re afraid of what the wolves may do to them.  

You have even greater help

Matthew 10:19-20 is so important to answering the question of why God is so comfortable and confident in sending us out into the midst of wolves.  These two verses are also important in answering the question of why Jesus sent the twelve out empty-handed.  

We will see in those two verses that Jesus said to them, “When they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”

So, Jesus had sent the disciples out as sheep in the midst of the wolves, empty-handed, and He told them not to worry.  Imagine being tossed into the deep end of the pool with no flotation devices and being told ‘Don’t you worry.’  That is what Jesus had done!

Why does He tell them not to worry?  Because He wasn’t sending them into the midst alone.  Sure, we’ve seen that they had one another, going out two by two; however, Jesus made it clear that they would also have greater help.  Jesus sent the twelve out, empty-handed, so that they could learn how to lean on the Lord and trust Him– this was the important lesson they needed to learn.

This is a lesson that those who believe today had to learn early in their walk of faith.  For those of you who may just be starting your faith journey, you’re learning this lesson as well.  It is not an easy lesson for one to learn because the journey is difficult, and the wolves that desire to destroy us are many.  

Now, for the twelve, up to that point, they had always traveled with Christ, and so the journey was easy.  The twelve ministered, but Christ was physically with them and they assisted Him.  You and I, we minister and walk by faith without Christ physically being with us.  Imagine how this experience was for the disciples, being told to carry nothing, and Jesus wasn’t physically going to be with them.

Some of us often feel hopeless on this journey, as if we are all alone with no help to fight off the wolves that surround us.  Yet, the truth is otherwise–we actually have two weapons we carry on this journey.  As Jesus told the disciples, ‘The Spirit of the Father will speak through you.’

Some of us will limit this scripture solely to those who minister verbally, like pastors and preachers.  Yes, part of the Spirit’s role is to call to our remembrance the teachings of Christ and to help us in what we say, as shown in John 14:26 – The Spirit is the Helper.  However, the Spirit’s role is not limited to just helping us in what we say.

Understanding your powerful ally

I want to highlight something else about Jesus’ statement about the Father’s spirit speaking through the apostles.  Do you notice that Jesus mentioned the Spirit being with the apostles in different locations?  

Jesus said that whether they were in a synagogue or before a governor or a king, the Spirit would speak through them.  This actually did happen to the apostles, as shown in the Book of Acts and in Paul’s letters.  Now, governors and kings didn’t hang out in synagogues; they had their own places.  My point is that Jesus had also expressed to the disciples that the Spirit of the Father would be with them in those places.

Many of us know and will speak of the Spirit being with us, but do we move like the Spirit of the Father is with us?  Do you panic in the midst of trouble?  Do you get anxious in the midst of trouble?

If we were to be honest with ourselves, the answer would be yes.  The question we must answer is whether or not we put our fear and anxieties to the side and move by faith, trusting the Lord. 

In John 16:13, prior to His arrest, Jesus told the disciples, “[The Spirit of truth] will guide you into all truth.”  When it comes to hindrances and obstacles, the Spirit will show us the way.  When it comes to the works of opposition, again, the Spirit will show us the way.  

As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:13, the Lord is faithful to us, and He will make a way of escape to overcome all adversity.  For all of us who believe in the Lord, we must trust the Lord while we are in the midst of wolves.  Rather than giving in to fear in this moment, give in to trusting in God and remain both hopeful and faithful.

None of us has reason to worry because who or what is it that can overcome the Lord? If God is confident that we can endure in the midst of much trouble, shouldn’t we be as well?  I hope these few verses and this study are something that will uplift you today and help you to keep pushing forward.