by Corey Jackson
First published on Luke Alliance’s Substack account
Matthew 10 is not the passage most Christians associate with mission. It is intense, unsettling, and rarely presented without softening its edges. Yet it follows directly after one of Jesus’ most familiar teachings about mission: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Go therefore into the harvest fields.”
In Matthew 9, Jesus calls us to the mission field, reminding us that it is harvest time. In Matthew 10, he follows to make sure we understand that following Jesus on this call to make disciples of the nations will not be easy. To join Jesus in making disciples of the nations is to be led into vulnerable places. It is also to discover opportunities for deep spiritual formation as we follow him through valleys of the shadow of darkness, trusting his promise to be with us. And, in the final section of the chapter, Jesus assures us that there are rewards for those who join him on the vulnerable edge of mission.
As we consider this passage, we should keep the faces and stories of the persecuted Church before us. When we think of “the persecuted,” it can be easy to imagine random Christians somewhere far away. But these are not strangers. They are our church family and our friends—people who are following Jesus into some of the hardest contexts in the world. The question, then, is not merely what we think about their suffering, but what we would do if they were our own family.
The Call
Matthew 10 begins with two important calls: the call to Jesus and the call to his mission.
The disciples in verse 1 are first called “to Jesus.” This distinction is essential. They are called to Jesus before they are called to his mission. God’s general call is extended to everyone. He reveals himself through nature, friendship, human creativity, and the many gifts he has given to the world. As Isaiah 55 reminds us, his invitation is free: “Come to me and receive my life. Come receive the good news without price.”
Yet God also calls his children to know him in a special way. He opens our eyes and enlightens us to his truth and grace. It is like the scales falling from Paul’s eyes on the road to Damascus. After being unable to see clearly, he suddenly encounters the reality of who God is. Every Christian has received this revelation of grace through the Holy Spirit. This special calling is the beginning of the road of discipleship.
Then, after calling the disciples to himself, Jesus calls them to his mission.
The twelve disciples received a unique calling. They were given special authority in God’s kingdom. Their names are written on the foundation stones of heaven. Some wrote Scripture, and they witnessed the resurrected Jesus in the flesh. In these ways, they were uniquely appointed.
But Jesus also calls all Christians to be his disciples, in the lowercase “d” sense. As disciples, we are called to follow him, pattern our lives after him, and make decisions in light of his life and teaching. Every Christian is called to devote his or her entire life to Jesus’ mission. We all have a special calling because we have been bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
There are not “the called” and “the uncalled”. There are only the obedient and the disobedient.
Colossians 1:13–14 describes the life changing story of every Christian: God “has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” We have been redeemed by the blood of the Son and brought out of darkness into his glorious light. Every one of us has been called to Jesus and, therefore, called to obey him and join his mission.
But Jesus tells us that following him into mission will lead us, just as it led him, into vulnerable places.
The Vulnerability
Matthew 10 describes several forms of vulnerability that accompany the call to follow Jesus. These vulnerabilities are not merely theoretical; they are realities faced by Christians around the world.
Social Vulnerability
Jesus sends them out not to the nations first, but to their own people in Israel. But importantly, he sends them out among “the lost sheep of Israel.” These were people who shared the disciples’ cultural background but did not believe what they believed about Jesus. Being among people who are culturally familiar, but who differ from us in core matters of faith can be one of the most vulnerable places we find ourselves.
Later, in verse 16, Jesus warns that some of these sheep are not sheep at all; they are actually wolves. The implication is that some of those in your immediate society will not only be unkind in their disagreement with you about Jesus, but they will also come after you to hurt you just because you are a Christian.
In China, you may not know that every citizen has a social score in the eyes of the government. If you are a pastor or lawyer viewed as a troublemaker, then you can find it difficult to buy a bus or train ticket. The Christians who continue to worship God in house churches or who educate their kids about Jesus, or who share the Gospel with others, are doing so illegally. Nonetheless, Christians continue to press on in the face of this totalitarian control.
To follow Jesus, you will be socially vulnerable. When your life is society is negatively impacted, we need to remember we are following Jesus who also embraced social vulnerability.
Financial Vulnerability
Jesus also tells his disciples not to take gold, silver, or copper with them. They are not to build their mission around possessions or financial security.
This teaching challenges cultures in which success is measured by how much a person owns or earns. In Jesus’ kingdom, faithfulness is measured not by what we possess but by what we are willing to give up. Following Christ may mean not knowing how we will be paid, making less to remain honest and healthy, or becoming more available to the work God has given us.
In these countries, Christians have lost homes, income, and loved ones to imprisonment or death. Some have also lost emotional stability as they walk through these difficult seasons. Their lives remind us that financial security cannot be our highest value. To follow Jesus is to become financially vulnerable, just as he embraced financial vulnerability for our sake.
Physical Vulnerability
Jesus speaks plainly about floggings and death. Following him may mean that, like him, some of his followers will be beaten, tortured, or killed.
In Burma, many families have lost homes and churches because of civil war and natural disasters. In China, Iran, and India, Christians are frequently mistreated for the sake of the gospel. Some followers of Jesus are called to put their very bodies and lives on the line for him.
This vulnerability is a recognition that Jesus himself embraced physical vulnerability. His followers may be called to do the same.
Legal Vulnerability
Jesus also warns his disciples that they may be brought before courts, governors, and kings. He knew that his children would sometimes be caught in unjust legal systems where the powers of the state would be turned against them.
In totalitarian states such as China and Iran, this can take the form of “lawfare”—the use or manipulation of legal apparatus to persecute Christians and other religious minorities. Laws may be written or enforced in ways that allow governments to control churches, criminalize evangelism, or punish parents for teaching their children about Jesus.
It can be easy to hear that Christians are breaking the law and wonder whether they have brought persecution upon themselves. But we must look more deeply. What happens when the law says that a church must submit to an atheistic organization in order to operate? What happens when sharing the gospel can lead to prison, or when educating children about Jesus is treated as a crime? What happens when continuing to worship Jesus can result in death?
In such cases, Christians may have to resist or reject unjust laws to follow Christ. And when believers in persecuting countries make these difficult choices, we should not merely ask why they do it. We should ask, “How can I have their backs? What can I do to help them?”
Family Vulnerability
Perhaps the most painful vulnerability Jesus describes is the possibility of rejection by one’s own family. He warns that following him may bring division between siblings, parents, and children. He came not to bring peace in the sense of avoiding all conflict, but a sword that exposes the deep divisions created by allegiance to him.
Where, then, can we find refuge? Not always in our families. Jesus teaches that our truest family is found in him as our brother, in God as our Father, and in one another as sisters and brothers.
This is why the question matters: What would you do if this was your family?
That question became personal through the events that eventually led to the founding of Luke Alliance. Relationships and friendships opened a door to advocacy during a crackdown in China. Prayer, injustice, and opportunity came together, and a friend was eventually released. It was a moment that felt like a modern-day Schindler’s List—a glimpse of what might happen if we pursued this work strategically and intentionally.
The story also revealed how much more remained to be done. When two well-known believers were arrested, 36 people were arrested with them. Their situation is not isolated. Across China, hundreds of prisoners have spouses, children, churches, and friends who need support. The trauma is extensive, and the need for care is profound. In response, Luke Alliance developed a counseling and trauma-healing arm.
We must expect these vulnerabilities, and more, as we follow Jesus. We must also remember that our brothers and sisters around the world are facing them right now. When they become our friends and family, the question changes from “Why is this happening to them?” to “What should I do?”
Yet vulnerability is not the sum total of the story. God is at work first in His persecuted Church. He is growing their faith - so they know him more deeply as they weather these storms. He is also at work through the persecuted Church, extending the gospel into some of the hardest places to reach.
To be continued in October’s article.