For us there are two things here: human fear, and Christ's Divine dissuasives from it.
I. Our fears. Happily they are not, in this country at least, of the kind that beset these first Christians, and especially these first Christian preachers. Our fears are those which may be called normal; which, at any rate, are continual, and widely entertained by Christian people. They may be divided into two kinds: those which respect this world, the temporalities of our life; and those which respect the world to come and our spiritual state in relation to it. As regards the world and its affairs, something depends on temperament in the way individual men take things. Some go through life much more anxiously than others; they are of quicker apprehension, more hopeful, or more timid, or more sensitive. As a matter of fact, no one can doubt that some people do take a great care about worldly things. We must never forget that the noblest and fullest victory over care and fear of every kind is to be gained only by looking to, and living for, a higher world.
II. Observe how the dissuasive, the "fear not," of this passage, is supported and commended by our blessed Lord Himself. It is not merely a word of kindness and well-wishing. It is a strong argument, built up on facts and assurances of the utmost worth for the purpose for which they are used. (1) The limited character of human power, and of the power of circumstances, is, when vividly apprehended, a great dissuasive from fear. Just so much unfriendliness, or hostility, or wrong, or annoyance of any kind; and then, "after that there is no more that they can do." (2) With God is the unlimited power. And this is another reason urged in the passage in support of the Divine dissuasive, "Fear not." "He is able to cast both soul and body into hell." There is no limit to His power except the moral attributes of His own nature. (3) In one word and this is another support of the general dissuasive He is "our Father." There is a special, a higher care over us. "Ye are of more value than many sparrows."
A. Raleigh, The Way to the City,p. 271.
References: Matthew 10:31. R. W. Evans, Parochial Sermons,vol. i., p. 134.Matthew 10:32. Three Hundred Outlines on the New Testament,p. 15.Matthew 10:33-42. Preacher's Monthly,vol. iii., p. 20. Matthew 10:34. Ibid.,vol. ix., p. 321; J. Keble, Sermons on Various Occasions,p. 120; J. C. Hare, Sermons in Herstmonceux Church,vol. ii., pp. 245, 265; Spurgeon, Evening by Evening,p. 365.Matthew 10:34-38. H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit,vol. vi., p. 379. Matthew 10:34-39. Homiletic Magazine,vol. viii., p. 260. Matthew 10:35; Matthew 10:36. J. C. Hare, Sermons in Herstmonceux Church,vol. ii., p. 281.