What chance does a lamb have amidst a pack of wolves?
Obviously, under normal circumstances, none!
But nothing about Jesus’ commands appears normal from the outside of the church looking in. Though the world might admit that churches are good for helping the vulnerable ‘lambs’ of society, they scoff at the thought that these pitiful souls be sent out to change the world.
Jesus, however, did exactly that. He sent his disciples out to preach the coming of the Kingdom, beginning with these words: “Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luke 10:3).
Before baptism, we were like sheep going astray, but we returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls (1 Peter 2:25).
To reject the preaching of the Gospel is to remain in the “flesh.” Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into the world to bring Life. He said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life” (John 6:63).
It can come as a shock to a man, having fled to the safety of Jesus’ fold, that he suddenly finds himself an envoy commissioned to go back and preach to the wolves—“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).
If “the mindset on the flesh is hostile towards God” (Romans 8:7), should we be surprised when someone hostile towards God is also hostile towards His ambassadors?
Not at all!
We are indeed “lambs in the midst of wolves,” but so was Jesus. John the Baptiser declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29).
The wolves have always been at war with The Lamb of God. He is victorious in their midst, and so are we.
“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful” (Revelation 17:14).
John Staiger
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