Soul Winning #4

[irishman]

Soul winning

Mt. 10:16 ?Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.?

?I Send you? God?s commission to all of His children.
?I send you forth? We are to go forward; passing obstacles;
Even going ?against the grain?
?As sheep? In the Shepherd?s care;
Harmless as sheep; Sheep are followers, not leaders.
No sheep would ?take the lead? of the flock, as many other creatures do.
?In the midst? Must go among them to win them.
Walking in the multitudes.
?Of wolves? The wolf was the deadliest enemy to sheep; the greatest threat at that time.
?Be ye therefore? A certain expectation;
?Therefore? see what it is there for. Because of this?etc.
?Wise as serpents? The most subtle of all creatures (Gen. 3:1).
?Subtle? implies trickery, but not so here:
The word ?subtle? carries the winds of deception; Christ did not encourage guile and trickery, but wise dealings. He would have us to be wise rather than subtle, yet the devil is wise in his subtley.
?Harmless as doves? Probably the tamest of all creatures.
The dove symbolizes peace;
It also symbolizes the Holy Spirit.

When we are ?God sent? we are in His special care;
When we are ?God sent? we have a special commission;

The Shepherd is the only hope for the sheep?s survival.
The sheep is totally dependent on the shepherd; he can do nothing by himself.