Shaking Off The Dust | Westside Eagle Observer

"And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" Matthew 10:14-15 (read v. 5-15)

Is there ever a time to shake off the dust from our feet and move on? Is there a time when we leave one location or ministry and move on to another?

When Jesus sent out the twelve apostles to preach the Gospel of the kingdom, He also told them that they should shake off the dust from their feet as a testimony against any who would not receive them or hear their words. Jesus did the same when He later sent out the seventy (Luke 10:1-16). He also told them: "He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me" (v. 16). The Apostle Paul did this when he and his message were opposed (Acts 13:51; cf. 18:6).

And why did they shake off the dust from their feet? It was a testimony of God's coming judgment upon that place for the people's rejection of Christ and His life-giving Word. As Jesus said, "It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" (Matthew 10:15).

Again, why? Because only in Christ Jesus and His shed blood is there forgiveness of sins and life eternal -- if Christ and His Word are rejected, there can be no salvation (Acts 4:12). Only the severe judgment of God awaits them!

Why else were they to shake off the dust and move on? Jesus said, "When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes" (Matthew 10:23).

This command of the Lord Jesus to His apostles raises some very difficult questions for us to at times prayerfully consider: 1. Have we preached Christ's Word in a place long enough? Have we reached out with the Word of God? 2. Have we been received? And, has the testimony of God's Word been accepted? Does it appear that any are interested in hearing God's Word from us? 3. Are there other places to go and preach the Gospel? Or, are there other ways in which we can actively be spreading God's life-giving Word and contributing to the growth of Christ's Church? 4. And finally, based upon honest answers to the above questions, is it time to shake off the dust from our feet and move on in our service to Christ?

If the Word is rejected and there are others in need of hearing that life-giving Word, a time can come to shake off the dust as a witness against the unbelieving and move on to another place or another ministry where the Word is received. Such is always a difficult decision to make, though sometimes those who reject the truth make it for us by forcing us to leave.

And, when the Word of Christ is rejected and we have little choice but to shake off the dust, "it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city" or place!

Give us the wisdom, O Lord, to boldly proclaim your life-giving Word to lost sinners but also to know when it is time to shake off the dust and move on. Amen.

Editorial on 06/28/2017