I'm going to pray. Because I need it.
Yeah, I'm going to pray. Because I need it.
This is our Texas morning is pretty heavy.
So yeah, just pray with me. Jesus, we thank you that.
Your word is living and. Active The writer of Hebrew.
Says that it is. Sharper than any.
Double edged sword. That it divides.
Soul and spirit, bone and marrow which when I read.
That Lord I'm. Just I just I I guess what I.
Take from that is that your word?
It works that when your spirit is breathed out, Lord and
proclaim Lord it. Actually accomplishes what you
set. It out to accomplish.
Which is? The redemption.
Of all your people back. From the Kingdom of darkness,
Lord and so Lord, you know my weaknesses up here.
I don't have to sit up here and name them.
You know, my weak, you know. All the, all the.
Things that have been barred in my soul and.
Despite it all, Jesus, despite it all, I just pray.
I pray that you. Would you Would you use me?
This is a hard text. This is a hard word and a hard
rebuke. From Jesus, but it is.
Still good it is still your. Word Lord.
And it's still like Hebrews says, it will accomplish what
you set it out to accomplish. So Lord, would you just.
I just pray for your spirit. To enter this place, Lord.
Fill me with your spirit. Fill me with boldness, Lord, I
pray. Against the enemy.
Who will seek to distract me or seek to?
Make me feel like I'm foolish up here.
Maybe I am. Foolish, Lord, but you.
Use the foolish things to to shame the wise.
So if I'm foolish, let me be foolish.
For that I pray that in. Jesus name.
Amen. OK, so we have been army
crawling. Through the book of Mark.
And we have asked the question if God.
Were to come down right and dwell among us, and and and be
with us. What would it be like for God?
To to to be in. Public And I praise the Lord
that we don't have to wonder that we have an account of that
in the book of Mark. So if you.
Haven't been with us. Let me catch you up.
I keep turning my iPad off. I'm sorry Y'all, let.
Me catch you up to speed. With.
What's going on here? All right.
So two weeks ago we talked about.
Jesus casting out a demon out of this man.
Who the disciples? They just they were rendered
powerless against. Jesus tells his disciples that.
This type of demon, or just demons in general can only be.
Drawn out by prayer now last week after Jesus has that.
Conversation with them and demonstrates that to them, they
they they hit the road and they they begin walking somewhere
else and as they're. Walking the disciples, they
begin to argue. Amongst themselves, among who,
who's the greatest among themselves, right?
Maybe this is a result? Of not being able to cast out
the demons, so they're trying to see.
Like, all right, Like. I almost got them, but.
Like I was closer than. You were, you know, like they're
trying. To argue about.
Who's the greatest you know? Maybe that's it.
Maybe it's. Interpersonal conflict, right?
You've been rolling with these same dudes for like 3 plus
years, like. And y'all are just arguing.
Maybe that's what's happening. Whatever the case, we see that
Jesus he he takes the opportunity to show them that
true greatness. In the Kingdom of God.
He He takes the. Time to show them what?
True. Greatness in the Kingdom of.
God really is, and Jesus defines true greatness as those who
serve. The least of these?
Right. He puts a He takes his child.
Who would have been the the? Lowest of the low.
In the the pecking. Order of society, He puts a
child. Right in front of him and.
For the I, I imagine. Jesus has his hands on the
child's shoulder and and Jesus says you want to be great.
You need to serve one of these. Greatness in the.
Eyes of Jesus comes. Only as we lay our.
Lives down and serve. Now, this week, we roll up to
our. Texts I.
Think in the middle of. The same lesson.
And the reason why we will find ourselves.
In the middle of this lesson for a second week.
Is because of disciples they. Just they still don't get it.
Or to put it more clearly, they are blinded.
They are. I don't know if.
It's arrogance. I don't know if it's pride, I
don't know if. It's because they're just so,
like Jesus is so. Familiar.
To them, but they just. They still don't get it, and I
feel really comfortable saying that we're still in the middle
of this lesson. Like Jesus is still teaching
them a lesson. Because the way that our text
starts, I feel really comfortable.
To claim that the. Disciples they just.
They don't understand. And maybe they just don't.
Care because of their response. To Jesus.
Teaching about greatness, right? How?
Like parents? No.
Kids Where the kids at kids raise your hand when you're How
would you? Respond right to your.
Parents telling you hey, you. Shouldn't do that.
Don't do. That right, you would.
Assume that they would say. Like, OK, yeah, you're right.
You know. But that's not how.
That's not how the disciples. That's not how the disciples.
React to being corrected. By Jesus, so if you're able.
Let's stand for the reason of God's.
Word and we're going to see. How the disciples?
React to Jesus teaching. As a note, I'm only.
Going to read the first half of our text that we're.
Preaching in that We're preaching in because it'll make
sense. I want this.
I want this text. To fall on us rightly.
So we're going to read right now.
We're going to read. Verses 38 through. 41 this.
Is the word of the Lord So after being corrected, right after.
Jesus being like. Hey y'all, you got it wrong.
Listen to the next word out of the disciples mouth, John said
to him. Teacher, we saw someone driving
out demons in your name. And we tried to stop him because
he wasn't following us. Jesus says don't stop.
Him, because there is no one who will perform a miracle in my
name who can soon. Afterwards speak evil of me.
For whoever is not against. Us is for us and whoever gives
you a cup of. Water to drink in my name,
because you belong to. Christ, truly, I tell you.
He will never lose his. Reward.
All right. You guys can be seated.
Do. You guys get what's happening,
right? Jesus is like Jesus sits, the
disciples, down he goes. You know, I'm not angry, I'm
just disappointed. And he begins to correct them.
And after being told and corrected and set straight, you
would think the disciples next word would be.
Yes, Lord, you're right, I'm. Gosh, I'm yeah.
I'm so sorry. Or teach me, teach us, teach us
how to obey. But no the next.
Words out of. Their mouth is they.
Begin to snitch on somebody else.
They begin to tell on somebody else.
They they snitch, they take. Tattletale.
If you don't know what snitching means, they tattletale and
deflect towards someone else. Right.
It's like being told off by your parents.
Kids and responding by saying. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear you.
But such and such did this over here.
Do you see what they're? Doing family this response
clearly. Lets us know the disciples they
just. Don't get it.
They don't understand. They don't.
Pick up what Jesus is. Putting now.
Jesus has just showed them what true.
Greatness in the Kingdom looks like and instead of stopping and
realizing that they. Still have a lot to learn, they.
Snitch on a dude. Who just healed the demon?
Now. Jesus is a good and patient
teacher, so he uses the opportunity to teach a lesson.
But as I have studied this what I have.
Found is that the snitching done by the disciples.
It actually reveals an. Ugly belief that they that they
have about. Themselves in the Kingdom of
God, in fact. What it reveals is that.
They don't actually understand what the Kingdom of God is.
Maybe they might got like a little glimpse of what it is,
but they don't. They don't get it still.
And they have too high. Right.
They don't get the Kingdom and they still have a.
Too high a view of. Themselves in that Kingdom they
have much more to learn and. Luckily, Jesus is his response.
Reveals what they are missing. Now.
What is Jesus's response? About the Kingdom of God.
Like what? Like what does this response
reveal about? The Kingdom of God well.
It. Reveals that the Kingdom of God
is big. It reveals that the the.
Kingdom of God is. Expansive, it reveals that the.
Kingdom of God it has. Power, but the biggest?
And I think the most important thing to this text that.
Jesus's response to the disciples reveals is that the?
Kingdom of God is not tribal, it's not tribal.
Do you guys know? What I mean when I say tribal.
All right, let me put it another way so you can understand me
right. The Kingdom of God is not
cliquish, right? The Kingdom of God isn't.
I mean, I love the nominations, but it's not denominational.
Right, the. Kingdom of God.
It isn't Republican or Democrat. And I'm not, you know, making a
statement there. Just saying the Kingdom of God,
it isn't mono ethnic. The Kingdom of God isn't only
reserved for Calvinists right? The Kingdom of God is not only
for married couples. The Kingdom.
Of God. It is global.
It is cosmic. It is.
Far reaching it's. The invading of heaven on.
Earth and what Jesus reveals. When?
He says to his disciples. Don't stop him for.
Whoever is not against us. Is for us.
What Jesus reveals when he. Says that Is that the?
Kingdom that Jesus has ushered in.
It expands. It expands.
Far. Beyond this group of 12.
It it expands. Far beyond the 12.
It's the global and the cosmic takeover of the.
Kingdom of darkness. That's what Jesus is
instituting. And we can be confident.
Right that. It is the Kingdom of God at work
in this gentleman's work of casting out this demon.
Because whose name does John say that he's?
Using Go ahead, you can say it. Jesus.
Right, Jesus, He's. Doing the work of the Kingdom,
overthrowing Jesus name whose. Authority.
Is being used to do. This you can say it.
Yeah, Jesus's authority, which. Means listen closely family.
What Jesus has. Set out to accomplish right and
calling men and women to himself, rescuing them from the
Kingdom of darkness and bringing them into the.
Kingdom of Light. And employing them in the.
Battle of Pushing back the forces.
Of that dark Kingdom is. Actually happening, it's.
Actually happening. Notice that this man is.
Using the authority of Jesus. In casting out a demon.
Right. It's evidence.
It's evidence that this unnamed man who.
Is not one of the. 12 He has placed his.
Faith in the Lord. Jesus Christ, He is believed.
On Jesus. And it is in Jesus name that the
demon is murked murdered. Killed.
Cast out however you want to say that.
Jesus response shows us that the.
Kingdom of God is not tribal. Amen.
All right, now, fortunately this week I had to attend a funeral
and at the funeral it was held. At another church and as a
pastor. Pause as a Christian.
Who still struggles? With the sin of comparison.
I hate and I I I like literally hate that.
Walking into this church, the first thing that popped.
Into my mind was comparison. Right.
Would they preach how I would? Preach, would they, minister?
The way that I would minister. Would they lead people to Jesus
the way I would lead? People to Jesus, you know,
tribal mentality. I went in with a tribal
mentality. Right.
And that's until Pastor Brown from Hope Elam began to
minister, right? That's until the worship leader.
Who sang a song like she sung a song that I?
Literally, I literally. I felt like it transported me to
the very throne of God. That is, until I witness people
believe on Jesus. That is, until I saw.
This man and this. Church provide a level of care
that I have. Never seen a church?
Provide ever. Including ours.
I literally walked away believing.
And this is this. Isn't a prophecy.
So relax. I really I.
Literally walked away. Believing that if God ever.
Closed the doors of our. Church that our.
City would still be filled with a joyful expression.
Of Jesus, and I believe that because the Kingdom of God is
not tribal, it's not. Frontier what I believe Jesus
is. Trying to tell us this morning
is that the Kingdom of God is. Bigger than?
Anything that we could build? Here.
And I know sometimes it's. Hard to hear, right?
Because we love our church. I love our church.
We love these people. We love what we're doing, but
hear the hear the words of the Lord.
This morning when he says don't stop him, don't hinder them for
whoever is not against. US is for us.
All right. So that's that's what.
That text revealed, so that's what.
Jesus response reveals about the Kingdom.
Do you want to know what the story reveals about the
Disciples? It reveals that when not.
Checked devotion to Jesus. Can turn into tribalism and
when? Tribalism is left unchecked.
It sprouts all. Sorts of evil and corrupt.
Things you know, like being mad that someone is casting out a
demon in another another dude. You know, the jealousy, jealousy
that this man's. Exorcism worked and ours didn't.
So we're going to try and stop. This really good work.
That he's attempting to do just because he's not one of us.
You understand that's what's happening, right?
Right, just a few verses. Back the disciples they weren't
able to. Perform the same work that they
see someone outside. Of their group do.
This is why John brings the. The the request to to Jesus.
This is why John. Snitches on this dude, right?
But Jesus reveals that this request.
And this misunderstanding is not small.
And Jesus, he realizes. That the disciples, they don't
fully grasp the nature and the the, the, the.
Radical seriousness of their discipleship.
To him. So what follows next is a series
of heart. Rebukes.
And correcting from Jesus. Right, Jesus says, Like hey.
You didn't get. OK.
All right. You didn't get it?
OK, we got to we got to go a little deeper now.
And I will. Go out on the limb and say that
this. Might be, yeah, this, this might
be the. Hardest section to.
Swallow that, we've. Ever encountered from Jesus in
the book of Mark? Up until this point.
So this is yeah, This is why I. Wanted to wait to read you the
rest of the the the text. I wanted to set the.
Scene about what's? Going on, I want you not.
Actually, I want us to. Feel the weight of what?
Jesus is is is trying. To teach his disciples, I want
us to understand. What it means to?
Be a disciple of Jesus. We need to realize, like the
disciples, that this life it is joy, it is satisfaction.
But it is not passive. We need to realize, like the
disciples, that there are threats that seek, that that
there are threats that seek to keep.
Us from the Kingdom of. God, but what we will?
Read as we finish out this. Chapter that the biggest threat.
To us, following Jesus. To us enjoying the, the.
Joy of the Kingdom of. God is is.
The biggest threat is US, right? The biggest?
Threat is US, so let's. Read the rest of the text
starting in verse 42 to 50. So Jesus says.
Right. Don't hinder him but.
Whoever causes. One of these little ones.
Right. The, the.
The. People who are doing work.
For Jesus outside of this group, whoever causes one of.
These little ones who believe. In me to fall.
Away it would be better. For him if a heavy millstone
were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
And if your hand. Causes you to fall away.
Cut it off. It is better for you to enter
life. Maimed than to have two hands
and go to hell the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet
and be. Thrown into hell.
And if your eye causes you to fall gouge it out.
It is better for you to enter the.
Kingdom of God with one eye than not have.
Two eyes that be. Thrown into hell where their.
Worm does not die and the fire is not.
Quenched for who excuse? Me for everyone will be.
Salted with fire salt is good, but if salt should.
Lose its flavor. How can you?
Season it have salt among. Yourselves and be at peace.
With one another. Right.
This is the word of the Lord. All right.
And we just read right? We are the threat.
Jesus's main concern? Jesus's.
Main warning is against the. Threat of ourselves and what?
We learned about these. Warnings of Jesus.
Toward the 12 is that you? Can be in the end.
Crowd, right. You can be one of the.
Cool kids, you can be a church. Member you could be a.
Pastor or Church planter and if. Not careful.
You could miss it all together. Jesus wants.
To take his disciples eyes. Off of the man who?
Cast out the demon and direct them toward.
Themselves. Jesus sees that they are.
Very good at observing others. Out there, they're very good at
trying to keep. Things in order out there.
But what they need to? Do what we need to do was watch
ourselves with village villagers.
Vigilance. Vigilance.
It's a hard word. The threat isn't out there,
isn't. Here, it's them.
It's us. So how does Jesus?
Say we do this right. So he moves.
You guys see the movement? Here he's correct.
He moves. From Hey, don't Look Out There.
Don't look out there. Look in here.
So how? How does Jesus say we do this?
What? Warnings does he give us?
So that we can be. Alert in our discipleship.
To him, well, I'll give you 3. If you're a note taker, this
will be good for you first. Jesus says that discipleship
requires. A Kingdom First Mentality or
Kingdom 1st Mindset 2. He says that discipleship
requires. A merciless murking of the
flesh. You guys know what I mean when I
say murk. That's like a.
Hip hop term, I'm sorry. It's like.
Killing. Like killing your flesh.
I'm going to keep murking in there because the Eminem
back-to-back sound good. So that's not, you know.
What I mean? All right, so.
Secondly, getting distracted. He says that discipleship.
Requires A merciless murking of the flesh.
And lastly, discipleship requires an.
Intense resolve to live. Life in such a way that your
very presence, your very existence.
Preserves the world you. Live and operate in.
All right, so let's break these down.
Let's look at the first one. Discipleship requires a Kingdom
first mindset. Now, Jesus, He's already
expounded on this and I've. I've already talked a lot about
this, but in reading verse 42 we see that he still.
Has more to say, so I do too. As I begin.
As I as I. Began Right to tell you.
Oh. My gosh, I cannot even.
And as I begin excuse. Me to tell you.
What more he has to say this? Might be a first for me.
Actually, this is a first. For me, I don't think I've ever
said this. OK, so raise yourselves.
You ready? Don't be like your pastor.
Yeah, don't in this way. Don't be like your pastor.
Don't give in to. The lie of tribalism.
Don't do it. I love our church.
I've been. I was here.
Since we birthed this thing. But don't believe the lie that
Frontier Church is the best church to ever be planted in the
history of churches. One that's just, not.
True. It's not true.
And two, it's not godly. In fact, in verse 42 Jesus warns
us that this. Type of mentality, this tribal
mindset that I've just explained.
Can cause. People to fall away from.
Jesus, it can. Cause people to fall.
Away from the faith. Now how that?
Happens. I'm not sure because.
The text doesn't tell us right. But what we see, the warning
that we see Jesus say, is that it can.
Happen God's Kingdom like I've said.
Before it stretches. Far beyond the doors of one
church movement, Far beyond the the the, the confines of one
church denomination. Far beyond one church
expression. Far beyond one.
Philosophy of ministry, it stretches.
Far beyond one group right now. Now that sounds.
Good, right? But where is?
Jesus pulling this from. Right, Jesus.
Just like observing what these disciples.
Are saying and then like he's just making this up.
This is a new idea. That he's making.
Up. Well, no.
Like Jesus, Jesus knows his word.
Right this. Kingdom First mindset that we.
See Jesus teaching his disciples.
In response to someone outside. Of their group.
Performing signs and wonders. It's actually a fulfillment.
It's a fulfillment of an. Old Testament Prayer by Moses.
In the Book of Numbers, and I want to show you this real
quick. I want to nerd.
Out a little bit, so just please just.
Just hang with me, we got numbers on the screen.
But before we go there. In in Chapter 11 of of Numbers,
God tells Moses that he's going to appoint. 70 elders to help.
Moses do the work. Of ministry, right?
Because Moses is. He's tired of people complain.
And he just needs some. Help.
So Lord's like hey. Hey bro, I'm going to help you.
I'm going to have you appoint 70 people.
To help you. And what happens is that they
are instructed to come to A. Specific place to receive the
Spirit, the spirit that rests. On Moses, God is going to take
some of that. Spirit and just pluck it.
On those On those 70 dudes. But what happens?
Right. Is only 6068 of them come?
Maybe 2 invitations got. Lost in the mail, I'm not sure
but only. 68 of the dudes. Come.
So what about the other two, right?
Do they not? Receive the spirit.
Right. Do they miss out just because
they didn't? Come to the specific place.
Do they miss out because they aren't a part of the group even
though right God had? Called them not at all.
In fact, this is what. Happens numbers 1120.
Yeah, there we go. So two men.
Had remained in the camp, right? They didn't get the invitation.
One named I'll Dad, the other named me Dad.
I know that's a. Gosh.
The spirit rested on them. The Spirit rested on them.
They were among those listed but had not gone out to the tent.
And what happened? Guys, they prophesied in the
camp. You guys getting a?
Hint of what's going on. Here.
What's also striking about this verse here?
It's just like in our our Texan mark.
There's also. Someone who snitches when they
see the works of God. Done.
Outside of this group, right, Joshua?
Right. The mighty man of God, Right,
Joshua? He runs the Moses and he begins
to snitch and he tries to. Tell Moses to stop these men
from prophesying, because they aren't with the.
Others, they aren't with the group.
But family, listen. Listen to Moses, response verse
29. But Moses?
Asked him. Are you jealous?
On my account, if only listen to Moses.
Prayer He's praying right? If.
Only. All the Lord's people were
prophets. And the Lord would.
Place his spirit on them. Do you see what's?
Happening. Do you understand?
Why Jesus instructs the disciples not to stop the man
from casting? Out the demon in Jesus.
Excuse me? Casting out the demon in Jesus
name what we see, I'm going to read.
This what we see. Happening is that Moses?
Prayer right for the Spirit. To rest on all of.
God's people. It's coming true.
It's like actually coming true. Moses was a great man.
Amen. He's a great man.
But y'all, someone better than Moses has stepped on the scene,
right? And this this this once.
Desperate prayer of Moses. Is actually it is.
It's happening. It's happening.
It's being fulfilled. And we get to witness it, right?
As we see this man, nameless man.
Whose place is faith in? Jesus, he's called.
On the name of Jesus. He uses the authority of Jesus.
He steps outside the 12. And he heals another man by the.
Spirit of God. So like Jesus.
Looks at it, he says, don't hinder.
Yo-yo, yo-yo. Don't.
Don't stop him. Like it's actually happening.
Jesus is saying that there will be many who will do great things
in my name. They will stretch far.
Beyond U-12, So don't stop them. Because my reign it is global.
My reign it is. Cosmic and Jesus says and.
He then then he moves on and he warns he.
Said and if you do, if you do hinder them, if you remain
arrogant. And you?
Hinder others who are. Attempting to do my work in my
name and your efforts. Cause them to.
Fall away and give up. You place yourself in direct
opposition to God, and if you do that, it would be better for you
to drown. Yourself than to stop one of
these ones that I've. Called That's the seriousness
that Jesus is bringing to the text.
Discipleship with Jesus requires a.
Kingdom. First mentality.
That's the first one. Let's move on to the second
let's. Move on to the second because
discipleship to Jesus right it. Also requires A merciless
murking. Of the flesh.
You guys know what mercy means, right?
You understand? We were there, OK?
Sweet. Now I'm all.
For let go and let. God, I am.
I am. I recognize.
I recognize that I am. Saved by grace through faith.
That we are saved. By grace through faith that
there's. Nothing that we can do.
To earn God's. Love.
And so there's nothing that we can do.
To lose. God's love my.
Standing with Jesus is secure. But it's interesting that Jesus.
Turns his attention away. From out there.
Right. Like I've already said toward in
here. And Jesus begins to list. 3
warnings within this one warning.
About how our flesh. Can be a stumbling block to
entering the Kingdom of God. And now we know that.
Scripture I I just have to say this.
Scripture forbids like bodily. Mutilation and I can give.
You a list. Of scriptures that say that.
But. What Jesus is using he's he's
exaggerating. He's.
Using He's using strong language to make a point, right?
So he's not actually saying cut off your hand and your foot and
your Gaga with your eye. That's not what he's actually
saying. But don't let that take away
from the importance of what he's.
Saying Jesus says this quote and if your hand causes you to fall
away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter.
Life maimed than to have two hands and go to hell.
The unquenchable fire, meaning that if the.
Things that you are tempted. To do.
Right. Your hands.
The things. That you are tempted to do if
they like. Contrary to the way of.
Jesus, don't simply find a. Way to manage your actions.
Right. You cut that sucker.
Off at the root. Why?
Because although that sacrifice and that hardship of.
Cutting that thing off. Is hard sacrifice and hardship.
Are better than hell, but then he goes on.
If your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter life.
Lane than to have two feet and be thrown into hell, meaning.
Right, that if the places. You go your feet, right?
The places you go in the spots you.
Frequent. Whether in line in life or
online if those places like. Contrary to the way of Jesus,
right? If they, if they.
Caused you to stumble. Don't simply learn how to.
Domesticate your temptation. No, you need to slaughter it at
the source. Why?
Because, although it would require difficulty.
And pain, difficulty and pain are better than hell.
And lastly, he says quote, if your eye causes you to fall
away, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter.
The Kingdom of God with one eye than to have.
Two eyes and. Be thrown into hell where their
worm does not die and the fire is not quenched meaning.
Right. That if the.
Things you see your eyes. Or the things you look at, or
the things that. Hold your gaze.
Cause you to live. Contrary to the way of.
Jesus. Don't Simply put a leash on it
and tame it. You know you need to murk it,
right? You need to murk that thing at
the place of his origin. Why?
Because although it will be hard and it would hurt.
That pain is better than hell. Now let's talk about the
elephant in the room. OK, I think you know.
Let's talk about the elephant in the room.
We've just. Witnessed Jesus talk about hell
three times, back-to-back to back.
In fact, this is the first time that Jesus.
Mentions Hell in the book of Mark.
And surprise surprise, he doesn't use it as an example for
those outside. The church to scare them into
the church. That's a whole another sermon.
Right, he uses the. Warning of hell toward his.
Closest followers. To show them that the to show
them the seriousness. Of the call of discipleship.
He uses the example. Of unquenchable fire.
To show the severe consequences of our sin.
One left. And check what they can.
Cause I'm going to probably. Frustrate a lot of you right now
and I'm sorry, not sorry, but. You get what I'm saying?
Just to be clear, our church we believe that hell is a real
place, right? But but.
I don't have AI, don't have nearly enough time to go into
the nuances of this. We're going.
To put out a podcast. This week explaining our.
Position on that and. What we'll do is we'll.
Put some questions on on our. Social media where you can ask
questions about that. But the case.
That I'm trying to make is this. Actually, the case that Jesus.
Is trying to make is this. The threat?
Toward your discipleship to. Him is you.
It's us. And our and in our.
Discipleship to Jesus it will require.
Us to make some radical sacrifices, but he's worth it.
Amen. Amen.
All right. Lastly.
Discipleship requires an intense resolve to live life in.
Such a way that your very existence preserves the world
you live. In and operate in.
All right, so let's go. Back to verse 49 to 50, because
I've said a lot. Maybe you've forgotten Jesus
says this for everyone. Everybody say everyone.
Everyone will be. Salted with fire, salt is good.
But if salt should lose its flavor.
How can how can you season it? Have salt among yourselves.
And be at peace with. One another now, now salt.
Back in Jesus day. Was much more than seasoning.
That you put on chicken. Right.
And I don't even know if they ate chicken.
Back in the day, but. I assume they did.
Its primary use wasn't seasoning right, but it was for
preserving. Food so that it wouldn't go bad,
I went down. A crazy rabbit.
Hole this week in salt. Preservation.
So. I feel like I'm an expert now.
And the reason why they had to use salt was because they didn't
have electricity, right? And without electricity, you
couldn't just. Pop your lamb chops in the
fridge. So what they?
Had to do was take salt, right? You take salt, you.
Coat it and whatever. I can I like.
Literally have. So much information on this.
You coat on the outside, right? And whatever.
Stick to the to. The outside of the meat, that's
what. That's how much you need it.
So they coat the meat. In in salt because the.
Salt. It reduces the water.
Activity in the meat and so when the water.
Activity is. You know how mold?
Grows with moisture, yeah. It it.
It reduces the microbiome. So anyway, one video I watched.
Actually said this. And this was amazing one video.
I watched, said and. This was this was fascinating.
It said that once you. Salt meat.
It could. Literally last for an eternity.
I don't know if the lady's a Christian or not, but.
I was like, that's interesting. I'm like, I get it.
I get it. That's what Jesus is trying to
say. What Jesus is saying is that
everyone. Who seeks to be his.
Disciple will be preserved like salt, like salt.
But by fire meaning. That as we.
Persevere in the face of hardships, right?
He's. Giving this warning to his
disciples who are going to go on.
And eleven of the 12. Are going to be martyred for
him, right? So he's giving them a warning.
As we. Persevere in the face of.
Hardship we will be preserved until eternity.
But Jesus doesn't. Leave it there.
He says that if we lose our saltiness, what?
Good are we meaning that our saltiness is meant.
To stay salty because it is us who.
Have the responsibility to preserve.
The people around us meaning. That our Christ likeness is.
Used by God to preserve people toward eternity.
Look at your neighbor real quick in the right or left.
And say stay salty, stay salty. This is what Jesus is warning
he's saying. Hey, stay salty.
And these three warnings, right? Of Kingdom first of this.
This, this merciless, just like killing of the flesh and this
saltiness, these three warnings are meant to play on themselves.
Right. So if we.
Were to read it back where they would read something like this,
this is my. Paraphrase version of everything
that. Jesus is saying Jesus says hey,
stay salty, don't lose your. Saltiness I lost my.
Place where am I? Oh, here we go.
Don't lose your saltiness. You were called to person.
To to be preserved. And to act.
As a persevering preserving. Excuse me, agent.
To your neighbors, to your Co workers, To your roommates, To
your children, To your. Spouse.
And in your. Art and in your.
Business and so on and. So forth.
Jesus says that. Jesus says that he says I'm
using you. To save the world, right?
It's my word, but I'm using you to save the.
World but you must. Remember that it starts with.
You. So.
Watch over your life with. All diligence.
Watch over your life with. All care.
And if there's anything that. Causes you to stumble.
Or if there's anything that causes you to sin, don't.
Simply domesticate it. Don't domesticate it, but you
need to kill it. Because of the consequences of
sin. They are great.
And once you have done business with yourself, remember that the
Kingdom. That I have built and that I am.
Building. It will stretch far beyond.
Anything that you can comprehend.
And because of that, I will raise up others outside of your
group to do my work. And it will look different and
it will be expressed differently.
But remember if they are not. Against you.
They are for you. This is what?
Discipleship looks like in the. Kingdom.
And that's what Jesus is. Trying to get across his.
Disciples. That's what Jesus is.
Trying to get. Across to us.
But as I close, I mean, we're gospel.
Believing Church and Jesus, Jesus.
Kingdom is one of good news of work that has been done.
Amen. So yes, we have work to do in
our discipleship to Jesus, but really, it's.
Just a response of what's? Already been done.
It's a result of the love that. He has shown us, you know that,
Jesus. Is your perfect example of this.
You do know that the reason? Why Jesus can hold his disciples
and hold us to this standard of discipleship is because.
He has done it for us in the most.
Complete way possible. Right, Jesus had a Kingdom.
First mentality. So much so that when sin seemed
to take, excuse me, so much so that when sin seemed to have
taken. God's good creation captive.
He willingly. Volunteered to rescue it back.
Paul says that he had a. Kingdom First Mentality.
So he. Laid aside his preferences so
that the will of God. Can be accomplished.
I mean Jesus. Mercilessly, mercilessly merged
his flesh. So much so.
That when tempted to step off the road of.
Suffering that. Lay before him in the.
Cross he prays unceasingly with. Drops of blood, Lord Father.
Not my will, but yours. And he, He.
He. Goes to the cross and he
literally he dies. Jesus, he lived a life full of
saltiness. So much so that when death
thought that it had the microbiome of the case sunken
deep into. His body the the power of the
Spirit it resurrected. Him a new life.
Amen. A life that was salted.
And preserved for eternity. A life that offers this
preserving reality. To anyone who would look to him
and say yes, Amen, I give my life to Jesus.
Do you know? Christian that we are preserved
for eternity. And if this is your reality,
then hear the call of Jesus toward us today.
For this Kingdom. Discipleship when he says have.
Salt among. Yourselves and be at peace.
With one another, let's pray. Lord, we thank you that.
Yeah. I feel like there's just so much
I could have said Lord. And so I think my prayer is that
just something would be helpful would.
Have been helpful this morning if there are people in this.
Room Lord who are trying to follow you, Lord?
And the road is hard. And it feels like they, if
they're being, they're being salted with fire.
Lord, I pray that. Even in this moment.
Lord, you will let them know, Lord, that you are preserving
them for eternity. You will not.
Let them fall away, Lord, if there's anyone.
On the side of my voice. Who has yet to believe?
On you, Lord. Who has yet to to have?
This is the reality, Lord, I pray that right now that they
will say yes to you, Lord. And in it all, Lord, I.
Pray that this hard word of. Jesus, would it not leave?
Us here will we? Will we take it with us?
Will we? Ask you questions, we.
Have the boldness to even. Disagree, Lord, to wrestle with
you. Or because you are more.
Concerned. You're less concerned with right
answers, Lord, and you're more concerned with the relationship.
So would you do that in Jesus name?
Amen.