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Overcoming Our Fear Of Man By Jeremy D. Joy |
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In contrast to “The Great Commission,” which was for “all the world (Mark 16:15), “The Limited Commission” was for “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6), but it was limited only in its scope, not in its value to disciples then and now. It served as a crash course to prepare the apostles for the work of preaching including “The Great Commission” approximately two years later and it serves as a handbook on evangelism for us today. There are some statements made by Jesus that we sometimes use out of context although the point we are emphasizing may be valid. Remember that Matthew 10:5-42 describes the short-term mission of the apostles to preach to the Jews. Everything should be interpreted with that frame of reference and the application should fall within these clearly defined parameters. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Jesus warned the apostles about persecution, but He also encouraged them to continue the bold proclamation of the truth. They should not fear man because the worst that man can do does not compare to the worst that God can do. The fear of man should not hinder our evangelism either. Do we miss opportunities to share our faith with others because we fear rejection or fear jeopardizing our relationship with someone? Who do we fear more: God or man? It is doubtful that we would be physically injured or killed for sharing our faith today unlike the apostles who died for the cause of Christ. The worst that might happen to us is that our ego might be bruised. We must overcome our fear if we want to be successful in spreading the good news about salvation. “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). The apostles would have to publicly acknowledge their allegiance to Him sometimes at their own peril. Their true allegiance would be revealed under pressure. It is a mistake to limit the statement of Jesus to a one-time confession of faith prior to baptism. The apostles would confess Jesus through their preaching and in the courts of law. Likewise, our claim to belong to Jesus should be continuous. Are you confessing Jesus by sharing your faith with others? Are you confessing Him even when you are under pressure? The principles that Jesus established will enhance our personal evangelism if we will apply them. Determine to overcome your fears and share your faith with others!
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