Gospel of Matthew, chapter 10, verse 16
The passage from which this verse is taken is a broadcast speech for an assignment that seems more daunting than appealing. Jesus promises his apostles anything but gold and green forests. People will not accept their message. Those in power will arrest them. They will be put on trial for their preaching. Yet the apostles allow themselves to be sent out and report that the sick are healed and demons are cast out wherever they go. They not only carry with them the threat of being attacked by wolves, but also the promise from Jesus that the Spirit of the Father will speak through them.
This sending out speech is placed in its biblical context before Jesus enters his suffering and death on the cross - and his resurrection on the third day. After the resurrection, when the apostles are sent out again, they carry with them not only the promise of the help of the Holy Spirit, but also the unfailing assurance that Jesus has triumphed over death and that those who belong to Him can expect the same, despite persecution from both mobs and authorities.
Many of the world's Christians face situations where their faith is tested by persecution. We who do not experience the same degree of persecution must stand with them in prayer and by showing concretely that we have not forgotten them, for example by giving them the tools they need to maintain and spread the faith, not least Bibles in the relevant languages.
Henrik Ertner Rasmussen is an expert on Islam and the Church in the Middle East, speaks fluent Arabic and was Secretary General of the Danish European Mission from 1998 to 2018. Together with his family, he was previously a missionary in Egypt and Albania.
