Introduction
In this world, we face many challenges and the influence of dark forces. Often, we find ourselves wondering how to share the good news about our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus teaches us through His word to be bold in proclaiming our faith. We should tell the world about Him as the Son of God, His miraculous birth by the Holy Spirit through the Virgin Mary, His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world, His burial in the tomb, His miraculous resurrection from the dead, His miraculous ascension to heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father, and His future miraculous return in glory with His army of angels to take His bride. Additionally, we must recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. Are we actively praying for missionaries and supporting the evangelistic work of the Holy Spirit in spreading the good news about God’s beloved Son, the Lord Jesus?
Comments Matthew 10:24-27 and Matthew 12:26-30
In Matthew chapter 10, we see the Lord Jesus empowering His apostles and sending them out to perform miraculous healings in His name. After granting authority to the apostles, the Lord Jesus teaches them about four key principles of discipleship: instructions for service, preparedness for tribulations, the meaning of discipleship, and the spiritual rewards that come with it. After the time of the apostles, the Lord no longer grants this kind of authority to anyone. Instead, a new era begins, where miracles are performed through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In this section, we will highlight the importance of being a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus by demonstrating boldness in faith and supporting the work of the Holy Spirit in spreading the good news. To illustrate these points, we will comment on two passages from the Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 10:24-27 and Matthew 12:26-30.
Matthew 10:24 A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master;
In this verse, “disciple” applies to the believer, “teacher” to the Lord Jesus, “servant” to the Lord Jesus, and “master” to the Father. In the Bible, we could notice that sometimes the Lord Jesus calls Himself a servant of the Father.
25 sufficient for the disciple that he becomes as his teacher, and the servant as his master. If they called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household!
In this verse, “of his household” refers to the believers.
26 Therefore, you should not fear them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed; and hidden, that will not be known.
You should not fear those who speak against God, those who try to find proof against His birth and resurrection. Believe by your heart, not by your mind.
“for nothing is covered … and hidden …” There have been talks against the Lord Jesus from the beginning, and people have spread the word of lies. However, the truth about the Lord Jesus, that He is the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit through the Virgin Mary, crucified and died for our sins, and that He rose again on the third day in the body, cannot be hidden. The world will see the Lord Jesus again, and they will know the truth when He comes to judge the world.
27 That which I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and that which you hear in the ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
This verse mainly refers to the understanding of the Word when you read or hear it. The Lord speaks in the heart, not in the thought of reason. The first thought that comes into your heart, not the thought that you are thinking, bring that thought forth.
Many Christians today do not believe in or judge the manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s gifts, including the miracle of Holy Spirit baptism through speaking in tongues. In Matthew chapter 12, as the Lord Jesus confronts the leaders of His time, He teaches us that His work and ministry are accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit. As the Son of God, He is one with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must ask ourselves: Do we recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in the world? Do we support the spreading of the good news? Do we believe that, in the name of the Lord Jesus, many miracles are still performed in the world through the gifts of the Holy Spirit? These include the salvation of souls, Holy Spirit baptism with speaking in tongues, and miraculous healings of both body and spirit.
Matthew 12:26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? On account of this they will be your judges.
“By whom do your sons cast them out?” In these verses, we understand that the older generation passed on the teaching of casting out evils from the previous generation. But now their children’s generation is corrupt. The old way of their practice has been changed; the new generation cannot cast out demons anymore (See Acts 19:13-20). Nobody out of their group rose up to have the duty as the old generation did. And now, the Lord Jesus has the power and authority over the evil spirits, but He is not part of their group. The Pharisees fear the shifting of authority away from them. For people to see that someone outside of their group can perform the authority over evils, they can’t let this happen. For them, the shift of authority has to be stopped, and the Lord Jesus must be destroyed.
28 However, if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Even when the Lord tells them straight, they can’t believe it. Darkness covers their eyes. When you serve the dark, you cannot see the light. The conclusion of verses 24 to 29 is that the Lord wants them (the Pharisees) to admit that their children do not use the power of God to do their work (they lost the authority) and acknowledge that the power and authority over the spirits belong to the Lord Jesus. They lost the power, and when they saw the Lord’s power, they did not recognize the Lord Jesus; they walked parallel with God, not with God anymore. That is why they can’t see the authority the Lord has shown among the people.
29 Or how can one enter into the house of the mighty, and plunder his goods, except he first binds the mighty? And then he will plunder his house.
This verse is straightforward. However, you can also apply it to the heart of a person. If you let the wishes of this world be the main thing that occupies your mind, then it is, as the Bible says, they have tied you up, and all the bad thoughts enter into you. Therefore, do not occupy your mind with things to build treasures on earth that you cannot take with you; rather, stay in prayer and invite the Lord to be with you in your daily living.
30 The one being not with Me is against Me, and the one not gathering with Me scatters.
This verse relates to the baptism in water, in the name of the Father, Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus has been an example for us, and He has been baptized in water. Only accepting the Lord Jesus is not enough to secure a place to be close to the Lord; we also need to be baptized in water. When we do that, we acknowledge the Lord in public and become children of God. And, when we immerse ourselves under the water, we go through the gate of this world and enter the gate of heaven with Christ.
Conclusions
In conclusion, we must believe that our God is One in the Trinity of God: God the Father, God the Son (the Lord Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. As believers, we are called to be baptized in the water in the name of the Trinity of God and to seek the baptism in the Holy Spirit to ensure that we secure a place in the household of the Lord Jesus. Furthermore, the role of the Holy Spirit on earth is to testify about His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, and to bring souls into the Kingdom of God. As believers, we must pray for God’s mercy to guide us in discovering our calling to serve the Lord Jesus and in supporting the mission of spreading the Good News throughout the world. We should also pray for those working in mission fields and offer our support as the Lord directs us.
As we witness the Holy Spirit’s work in the world and observe miraculous events, we must refrain from speaking against the Holy Spirit’s miraculous actions, particularly regarding the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which is the eternal gift given to all who believe. While being unaware of the gift of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and other Holy Spirit gifts is one thing (see Acts 19:2), speaking against the gifts of the Holy Spirit is a grave sin (refer to Matthew 12:24 and Matthew 12:32).
Meditation Tasks
- We invite all readers to reflect on both water baptism and baptism in the Holy Spirit. We also encourage you to read our articles titled “Water Baptism for a Christian” and “Holy Spirit Baptism for a Christian.”
- Pray and seek the Lord’s guidance in helping to spread the good news in the world about the Lord Jesus as the Son of God and the only way to eternal life.