2026-02-15 Pastor Sam Wingerd "Go Make Disciples, Part 3" Matthew 9:35-10:42

Jesus’ compassion defines the mission field: the lost appear as sheep without a shepherd, and the harvest proves plentiful. The calling of the twelve clarified an ongoing task—teach the gospel, meet needs, heal, and raise the dead—while the commission framed how to go: in delegated authority, trusting God to provide, seeking those whose hearts God already prepares. Statistical and cultural notes underline a ripe field locally and among younger generations; rising Bible engagement and large youth gatherings point to openness that needs faithful witnesses.

Courage and wisdom form the posture for witness. Disciples go out “as sheep among wolves,” called to be shrewd like snakes yet harmless like doves, avoiding needless theological brawls while standing firm in truth. Opposition can come even from family; persecution tests commitment but does not overturn God’s justice. Assurance comes with the promise that secret things will be revealed and that human threats cannot touch the soul; God notices the smallest details—even the fall of a sparrow—and holds ultimate authority.

God supplies covering and presses for public allegiance. The call to acknowledge Christ openly carries eternal consequence: public confession and denial bear weight before God. Taking up the cross demands counting the cost, surrendering lesser securities to gain unsurpassed life. The paradox remains—clinging to comfort loses life, while sacrificial obedience discovers true life. Illustrations of bold witness and costly obedience, including modern testimonies and the story of Jim Elliott, dramatize wholehearted surrender: giving what cannot be kept to gain what cannot be lost.

The summons ends with a clear charge to readiness: look for whom God places across daily paths, seize open doors, and let God’s love overflow into broken lives. Practical examples show that simple questions, small gifts, and steady presence unlock openings for the gospel. The mission rests on God’s compassion, provision, and justice; believers must go with courage, humility, and a willingness to pay the price required to bring others into God’s kingdom.

---

Key Takeaways

• 1. God's compassion fuels the harvest Jesus views the lost as sheep without a shepherd and longs for workers to reap the harvest. Compassion motivates outreach more than strategy; when compassion governs action, evangelism seeks the vulnerable and the ready rather than the comfortable or prestigious. Responding from compassion reshapes priorities, directing resources and presence to neighborhoods and hearts that feel forgotten. [32:22]
• 2. Go with courage, not fear The commission sends disciples into risk—“sheep among wolves”—but calls for shrewdness and harmlessness, not timidity. Courage recognizes hostile environments yet refuses reactive violence or shame-driven silence; it practices prudent engagement while preserving integrity. Courage reorients the fear of people into reverence for God, making bold witness a measured, faithful act. [39:19]
• 3. God provides covering in persecution Promises that hidden things will be revealed and that human threats cannot touch the soul remove the tyranny of popular opinion. Divine awareness of every sparrow and hair affirms personal value amid hostility and assures righteous vindication in God’s timing. This covering frees proclamation from self-preservation, enabling truth to be spoken without craving approval. [42:54]
• 4. Public commitment demands costly surrender Acknowledging Christ publicly and taking up the cross require tangible losses and deliberate choices. Commitment means risk—rejection, job loss, family strain—and yet it reorders identity around Christ instead of safety or acclaim. True allegiance finds life through relinquishment, turning temporal loss into eternal gain. [49:09]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [07:39] - Worship and Opening Words
• [08:40] - Prayer for Presence and Blessing
• [21:50] - Testimony: Family Recovery
• [31:21] - Making Disciples: Overview
• [32:22] - Compassion and the Harvest
• [33:16] - Calling of the Twelve
• [35:25] - Commission: Authority and Provision
• [36:12] - Local Mission Field & Trends
• [39:19] - Courage Amid Opposition
• [42:54] - Assurance: God's Covering
• [49:09] - Commitment and Counting the Cost
• [58:32] - Jim Elliott: Costly Obedience
• [70:39] - Closing Prayer and Call to Go

Bible reading
Matthew 10:26–33 (ESV)
“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

---

Observation questions

1. What specific promises does Jesus give to his disciples about how God sees and values them?
2. According to the passage, what are the two possible responses to Jesus that people can make publicly, and what are the consequences of each?
3. What examples from the sermon illustrated the idea of “giving what you cannot keep to gain what you cannot lose”? [58:32]
4. How did Jesus describe the posture his followers should have toward those who oppose or threaten them?

---

Interpretation questions

1. Why do you think Jesus contrasts the fear of people who can only harm the body with the fear of God who holds eternity?
2. What might it look like in daily life to “proclaim on the housetops” what God has whispered to us in private?
3. How does the story of Jim Elliot and the other missionaries help us understand the relationship between commitment, risk, and eternal gain? [58:32]
4. In what ways can the assurance that God values us more than sparrows change how we respond to opposition or rejection when sharing our faith?

---

Application questions

1. Where have you recently felt hesitant to acknowledge your faith openly because of what others might think or do? How can God’s promise of presence and value free you from that fear?
2. What is one practical way you can be more attentive to the people God places in your path this week, like simply asking “How are you?” and listening for an open door? [56:35]
3. Is there something—a relationship, a comfort, a reputation—you’ve been clinging to that Jesus may be asking you to surrender for the sake of his mission? What would it look like to release it?
4. Who in your life right now is “like a sheep without a shepherd,” and what is one step you can take to compassionately engage them with the gospel? [32:22]
5. When have you experienced God’s provision or covering in a situation where you took a step of faith in sharing about him? How does that memory encourage you for future opportunities?
6. What would it look like for you to begin each day with the question, “God, who can I show your love to today?” [56:35]
7. In what area of your life do you need courage to be “shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves” when talking about Jesus with those who may be skeptical or resistant? [39:19]