Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul

 Matthew 10:16-33

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

They are to expect hardship, to trust in God's care, and to fear no one.

Why?

To be a Christian there are many pressure and challenge comes on, even the persecution, don't afraid them, God is with us, everything happens is under the authority of the Lord. So our life is on the hands of the Lord.

Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves for this world full of evil and anti-Christ. We have smart to identify them, the walk on the right way.

Because of Jesus we will be persecuted, and do not worry about saying something, the Lord will speaking to us through the Spirit.

Nothing can be hidden forever, everything in the darkness will be disclosed. God is the fire, the light, and the king. Nothing can hide before the Lord.

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做門徒是艱難的。

門徒會遇到，如羊進入狼，面對人要靈巧像蛇，面對神要馴良如鴿子。基督徒最容易起爭執的是自己的家人，其次是君王、外邦人，對外邦人則要做見證，反而在會堂內沒有交待要做見證，會堂中的審理沒有公正。保羅在法庭中爭辯，可以做見證。

福音本來就是與世界的價值觀是對立的，所以人需要悔改，福音到的地方會引起紛爭。如果我們傳的福音與世界的人所喜歡的，那麼就是有問題了。門徒會被排擠。

罵耶穌是別西卜，靠鬼王趕鬼，耶穌都如此了，我們成為耶穌的門徒怎麼可能會比耶穌好。門徒不會得到世界認同，不會得到人群的稱讚。愛心工作會讓人喜歡，但是門徒不是僅做愛心工作。而是要傳講神的道，這是人所拒絕的。我們如果不傳福音，就是不是主的門徒。

掩蓋的事，暗中的事，即耶穌告訴他們的，要去房頂宣揚出來。福音一定會被人知道，神的道不會被捆綁的。福音一定會傳開。那些人不能殺我們的靈魂，雖然可以殺我們的肉體。若非父的允許，我們不會遭受任何傷害，比麻雀更貴重。門徒的堅持，一定得到成果，神的稱讚。

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How?

Be strong and encourage! For the Lord is going before us.