Monday, November 4: Mat. 10:16–23 (23rd S. a. Trinity)
We are inundated in our society with warnings about treacherous and ignorant people that are about to destroy our way of life. Beyond the fact that it is never good to feed oneself a steady diet of outrage and fear, it is also the opposite of what our Lord tells us. Jesus tells us that persecution will come, but we are not to worry about it. He says: “do not worry about your life” (Matt. 6:25). And again, our Lord says: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you” (Matt. 5:11).
Here in chapter 10, Jesus tells us what the people of His Church will have to endure. We will be torn up like sheep among wolves. The world will hate our perspective on everything because our worldview is shaped by Christ. They will try to silence us. And we are not called to mount a counter attack when it comes to defending the Gospel. Don’t worry about whether or not you will succeed in persuading anyone. Bear witness to the Gospel as God will give you the words and works you need. It doesn’t have to be eloquent. God will fit the words to His purposes, and He has taught us what deeds of love look like in Christ. We do not need to worry about our enemies. Our Lord will care for us.
Collect: Absolve, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy people from their offenses, that from the bonds of our sins which by reason of our frailty we have brought upon us, we may be delivered by Thy bountiful goodness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
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