Read Matthew 10
Matthew 10 records an occasion when Jesus gave His disciples a practical course in witnessing. Months before He commissioned them to go into all the world with the gospel He made sure they had some first-hand experience sharing their faith.
Jesus gave them specific instructions about where to go, what to do, and what to say. “Go to the lost sheep of Israel and proclaim this message, ‘The Kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give” (Matt. 10:6-8). Then, three times in the final paragraph Jesus challenged them, “Do not be afraid” (see verses 26-31).
To this day, fear is still the biggest barrier to witnessing. We fear failure – some won’t respond favorably. We fear personal rejection – friends might withdraw from us. We fear disclosure of our ignorance – someone might ask Biblical questions we can’t answer. We fear being hypocritical – some might accurately accuse us of not walking our talk.
Jesus provided a two-step solution to conquer the fear of witnessing. First, overcome fear with fear. He said, “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” (v. 28).
We overcome the fear of men by fearing God more. There’s going to be a judgment day someday “…for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed” (v. 26). Now that’s’ a frightening thought! Can you imagine standing before God and viewing a documentary about your life in which the deeds done in darkness will be shown and the words spoken behind backs will be broadcast? How awful to view a replay of the occasions when you failed to tell others about salvation simply because of cowardice.
While “perfect love casts out fear,” fear is a legitimate, bottom line emotion that often motivates us to duty. Solomon said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” It’s often the beginning of witnessing too. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:11).
Secondly, Jesus told His disciples, “When you’re fearful remember that God is with you. Not one sparrow falls to the ground outside your Father’s care.” “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows”! (v. 31)
You are not alone. God will accompany you and anoint the words you speak. And just maybe your witness will be received favorably and you’ll experience the joy of leading another to Christ.
Years ago, my mother phoned me so happy that she was choking back tears. She was 83 years old at the time and called to inform me that my cousin Deannie had accepted Christ. Mom’s first words were, “Bob, Dean Lint was baptized today!” Deannie was a well-educated teacher but had always been somewhat of a cynic about spiritual matters. My mother only had a high school education but she loved Deannie and had bravely talked to her several times about the Lord—but to no avail. That week she resolved, ‘I’m going to talk to Deannie one more time.” She grabbed her Bible, drove fifteen miles to Deannie’s house and opened to her the Scripture…again. Only this time for some reason known only to God, Deannie’s heart softened and she gave her life to Christ. My mother choked back tears to joyfully report, “Dean Lint was baptized today! Can you believe it?”
The Bible tells us there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people. If you never share your faith because of fear, you’re missing out on the joy of seeing God anointing your testimony and someone you love being saved. Jesus promised, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward” (Matthew 10:42).
** If you are enjoying this study through the book of Matthew with Bob Russell, be sure to check out Bob’s “Falling In Love With Jesus Again” Bible Study DVD and resources for your small group or church.
