SACRIFICE IS ONE OF OUR LORD’S TRIALS, PLACED BEFORE THE  ECCLESIA AS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE! THE ABILITY TO SACRIFICE IS ANOTHER ONE OF MAN’S MORE DIFFICULT TASKS TO ACCOMPLISH NEXT TO SURRENDERING! MAN’S SACRIFICES COME IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS, BUT ALL WILL MEASURE THE DEPTH OF THEIR  TRUST, COMMITMENT, LOVE, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND MOST OF ALL FAITH IN YESHUA’S PROMISES!

SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION!

Matthew 19:16,21-22 KJV
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? [21] Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. [22] But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

OBSERVATION!

We hear Pauls cry to man in Romans 12:2  “Be not conformed to this world.” Echoing throughout time from this verse! And then a strong spiritual admonition being   uttered from Mark 4:19 KJV
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

These warnings give men a spiritual look at their character and the depth of their faith and the willingness to fully comply and exercise their trust in Yeshua’s promises offered within Matthew 6:9-13 KJV
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. [10] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. [11] Give us this day our daily bread. [12] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

We find in these verses all of Yeshua’s promises being called upon to comfort shield and provide for those who willingly sacrificed!

Matthew 18:18-19
[18]Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
[19]Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

We cannot ask for any greater understanding of what is offered in return when we willingly step away from conformance and all the worldly comforts, luxuries, and self-indulgences it offers, which only leads to having  our spirits, and souls, captured and maintained in the clutches and captivity of Satan and his lies! Matthew 10:28 KJV
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

What many do not realize is how they can function as slaves of Satan but give the appearance of being spiritually righteous but their souls and spirit are ensnared and belong to Satan! We find the answer of it is possible in

Ezekiel 33:4,9
[4]Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
[9]Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

The answer is Yahewa allows them to function in their iniquity till they die as they have chosen their path.

COMMENTARY OFFERED BY MATTHEW HENRY (1664-1714)

Matthew 10:28. Note, it is the duty and interest of Christ’s disciples, not to fear the greatest of their adversaries. They who truly fear God, need not fear man and they who are afraid of the least sin, need not be afraid of the greatest trouble.

The fear of man brings a snare, a perplexing snare, that disturbs our peace and an entangling snare, by which we are drawn into sin and, therefore, it must be carefully watched, and striven, and prayed against.

Be the times never so difficult, enemies never so outrageous, and events never so threatening, yet need we not fear, yet will we not fear, though the earth be removed, while we have so good a God, so good a cause, and so good a hope through grace.

Yes, this is soon said but when it comes to the trial, racks and tortures, dungeons and galleys, axes and gibbets, fire and faggot, are terrible things, enough to make the stoutest heart to tremble, and to start back, especially when it is plain, that they may be avoided by a few declining steps and therefore, to fortify us against this temptation, we have here, [1] A good reason against this fear, taken from the limited power of the enemies they kill the body, that is the utmost their rage can extend to hitherto they can go, if God permit them, but no further they are not able to kill the soul, nor to do it any hurt, and the soul is the man.

By this it appears, that the soul does not (as some dream) fall asleep at death, nor is deprived of thought and perception for then the killing of the body would be the killing of the soul too.

The soul is killed when it is separated from God and his love, which is its life, and is made a vessel of his wrath now this is out of the reach of their power.

Tribulation, distress, and persecution may separate us from all the world, but cannot come between us and God, cannot make us either not to love him, or not to be loved by him, Romans 8:35,37.

If, therefore, we were more concerned about our souls, as our jewels, we should be less afraid of men, whose power cannot rob us of them they can but kill the body, which would quickly die of itself, not the soul, which will enjoy itself and its God in spite of them.

OBSERVATION!

Now it would be remiss of me not to bring forth this truth! You are about to hear Yeshua’s words for all to hear!

“Look not for peace, but division (Matthew 10:35), I am come to set men at variance.”

This effect of the preaching of the gospel is not the fault of the gospel, but of those who do not receive it.

When some believe the things that are spoken, and others believe them not, the faith of those who believe condemns those who believe not, and, therefore, they have an enmity against them that believe.

Note, the most violent and implacable feuds have ever been are those that have arisen from differences in religion, no enmity like that of the persecutors, no resolution like that of the persecuted.

Thus Christ tells his disciples what they should suffer, and these were hard sayings if they could bear these, they could bear anything.

COMMENTARY OFFERED BY MATTHEW HENRY (1664-1714).

Christ has dealt fairly and faithfully with us, in telling us the worst we can meet with in his service and he would have us deal so with ourselves, in sitting down and counting the cost.

You are here told from whom, and by whom, you should suffer these hard things. Surely hell itself must be let loose, and devils, those desperate and despairing spirits, that have no part nor lot in the great salvation, must become incarnate, here such spiteful enemies could be bound to a doctrine, the substance of which was good will toward men, and the reconciling of the world to God no, would you think it? “I did not come with a view to give them peace, peace in heaven they may be sure of, but not peace on earth” Christ came to give us peace with God, peace in our consciences, peace with our brethren, but in the world you shall have tribulation.

Note, They mistake the design of the gospel, who think their profession of it will secure them from, for it will certainly expose them to, trouble in this world.

You must expect to be apprehended and arraigned as malefactors. Their restless malice is resistless malice, and they will not only attempt, but will prevail, to deliver you up to the councils (Matthew 10:17,18), to the bench of aldermen or justices, that take care of the public peace.

Note, A deal of mischief is often done to good men, under the colour of law and justice. In the place of judgment, there is wickedness, persecuting wickedness, Ecclesiastes 3:16. They must look for trouble, not only from inferior magistrates in the councils, but from governors and kings, the supreme magistrates.

To be brought before them, under such black representations as were commonly made of Christ’s disciples, was dreadful and dangerous for the wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion. We find this often fulfilled in the acts of the apostles.

You are as sheep among wolves, that is frightful, but Christ sends them forth, that is comfortable for he that sends them forth will protect them, and bear them out.

But that you might know the worst, he tells us particularly what you must expect 

You must expect to be hated, Matthew 10:22. Ye shall be hated for my name’s sake: that is the root of all the rest, and a bitter root it is.

Note, Those whom Christ loves, the world hates as whom the court blesses the country curses.

If the world hated Christ without a cause (John 15:25), no marvel if it hated those that bore his image and served his interests.

CLOSING OBSERVATION!

Wicked men are like wolves, in whose nature it is to devour and destroy. God’s people, and especially his ministers, are like sheep among them, of a contrary nature and disposition, exposed to them, and commonly an easy prey to them.

It looked unkind in Christ to expose them to so much danger, who had left all to follow him but he knew that the glory reserved for his sheep, when in the great day they shall be set on his right hand, would be a recompense sufficient for sufferings as well as services.

Robert a humble obedient servant to Yeshua and his Father in heaven Yahewa. And all of God’s children say Amen and Amen in the name of Jehovah our creator and provider of all things righteous and Holy.