Mimi and Mark chapter 6. What a mighty God we serve.
Mark, 6 together. Today.
Is an exciting session for many reasons.
And one of those reasons is that, as we come to the word of
God, and as you've been with us week after week after week, We
are now entering into a new era with the ministry of Jesus
Christ. We have spent many weeks and
months. exploring and beholding through handful of chapters,
Jesus Christ, preaching healing Delivering rescuing rebuking
with a variety of people before him and with a diversity of
scenarios and situations, but as we come to, what we're going to
read today, for the first time, we are going to witness, and we
are actually going to see the closest Disciples of Jesus
Christ. Being commissioned to multiply
and expand what exclusively belonged to Jesus for so long.
After being sorely rejected in Nazareth, the Lord now is ready
to delegate, his disciples to give him a portion of his power
and to send them out on a short-term Outreach to really
replicate the activity that you. And I have become so familiar
with And they are going to take what Christ was doing.
And reflect it in different parts within the boundaries of
Israel. Now you and I hearing that my
think to ourselves, okay, that's great and that might make up for
a great Bible study, but it's very difficult for that kind of
subject to hold applicable truths, right?
And I would say not, right because all scripture is
breathed out by God and it is profitable, all of it, including
Jesus giving Specific Instructions to his disciples as
they are prepared to head out on Mission.
For the first time in this way. And the only group who really
will not benefit from what is about to be set from this point
on is for those who do not have their life set on seriously
serving God. I'll tell you up front that this
will have no relevance to you. If you are a person who has not
prioritized playing your part in God's Grand drama of redemption
in our world. But if you are a person who has
this Burning Desire, who is orchestrated your life around
everything, serving the purpose of you serving God, then I can
assure you that as we draw from this, well of Truth, it will
enrich Each that Holy ambition, you will feel blessed because
what we're going to read in a moment is actually in some way
directions for us as much as they are, for the disciples.
And these directions are for those who seriously want to
serve God and I want to read it first and I want you to see it
first and then we're going to look at five, five of them five
things that you can apply to your life.
If you have this ambition to say, Lord with my life, I want
to be as effective as possible because these principles will be
applied and can be applied, no matter what you do for the Lord.
No matter where you go for the Lord, no matter what member you
are in his body. All these things are sufficient
and they're good and you will be blessed by them.
I'm sure, again for those who have no concern and have
different desires, this will be a dread to you, but I pray that
even if you are in this place and you are in that place,
something would touch your heart.
You know, we just pray but I really want to pray again and I
really want to pray because I believe in prayer.
And one of the things that a preacher fears is coming on the
pulpit, without the help of the Holy Spirit. some might be able
to depend upon their oratory skills or the charisma, not this
leadership. You know, I was Charles Spurgeon
when he would get up from the front Pew, to the pulpit who
would say to himself. While trembling inside, I
believe in the Holy Spirit, I believe in the Holy Spirit, I
believe in the Holy Spirit, Because he knew that he needed
the Holy Spirit and I want you to just join with me as I ask
God that just anoint this time in a special way.
Lord, we do ask in reverence That you would help us in this
time, lord. We believe in the Holy Spirit
and we believe that the Holy Spirit has been given for the
sake of demonstrating power and that the message heralded would
not be heralded void of that strength and that Grace Lord,
with everything in our hearts, please bless this delivery and
may the reception be equally blessed.
Lord help us see the beauty of Jesus, his wisdom, his glory,
and let it be something that will cause us to worship Lord.
We set aside any confidence in the flesh and we look to you now
in desperation in Jesus name we pray.
Amen. Mark 6.
Verse 7, here's what God's word says.
And he called the twelve and began to send them out, two by
two. And gave them authority over the
unclean spirits. He charged them not to take
nothing for their Journey except a staff, no bread, no bag no
money in their belts, but to wear sandals and not put on two
tunics and he said to them whenever you enter a house, stay
there until you depart from there.
And if any place will not receive you and they will not
listen to you when you leave shake off the dust that is on
your feet, as a testimony. Testimony against them.
So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.
And they cast out many demons and Anointed with oil, many who
were sick and healed them. Five directions given by Jesus
Christ for the serious servant of God.
And the first observation that we have to make, is this?
And I'm going to organize it that Servants of God will do
number one, a serious servant of God will value.
And cherish Christian partnership will value and
cherish Christian partnership. We cannot Overlook the fact that
when Jesus sends out the 12, He organizes them in groups.
He did not send them out individually, he pairs them and
he releases them. As six different partners. now,
you would think Lord if you really want to reach more people
and cover more ground, send them out one by one and you can just
do so much more that way. But clearly by Jesus doing this
implies that, there is a foundational philosophy at work
here. If you and I want to be serious
about Kingdom work, and here it is.
Christian service. Must be performed with Christian
company. Christian service must be
performed with Christian company.
This is Christ idea, and that must be our conviction.
Listen carefully, there is no such thing as an effective
servant of God. Who dismisses the regular
companionship and the co laboring efforts of other
believers. And the primary means by which
God has given to Believers in order to know this Advantage is
through the local church, a body of Believers that someone can
connect and serve with that is his means of which you and I can
come as a home base and the from that home base Enjoy the
blessings that come by going to by 2 2 by 2 not just the number
two, but the idea of partnership you know, whenever I meet
somebody who is flimsy with their interaction and conviction
with the local church, it's indicative of many things.
And one of the things that it's synced signals that is that this
person is not serious about serving God.
This person is clearly not serious about serving God.
And you might say, well, no, because there are some people
who really made great efforts to serve God, who are not
consistent with their fellowship and accountability with other
believers. And I would say that might be
true. But no matter who, that person
is how gifted they are, how intelligent they are, that
person's labor will be limited. It will be limited.
The Holy Spirit tells us in the Book of Ecclesiastes, Two Is
Better Than One. Two Is Better Than One.
And when he says that statement through Solomon's writings, he
follows that statement with the Glorious advantages that come.
When a person trust in God's wisdom that doing anything solo
is, always lesser than doing it. With the way God intended you to
do things, including how you serve him.
And so, I want you to turn there.
Quickly, Ecclesiastes. Chapter 4.
And I want you to see how Two Is Better Than One.
The serious servant of God will cherish and value, Christian
partnership. Cliches 4:9.
Two are better than one. And here's the first reason,
because they have a good reward for their toil.
The first thing that partnership promises is greater fruit in
your labor, greater fruit in your labor.
And I think for those who are members of this church, that one
of the strongest examples of that is understanding how the
mechanics operate here. It is absolutely impossible for
the things that are occurring here to function without the
participation of every single one of you.
Everybody knows that including the Declaration of God's word.
So many things need to happen in the background for this to
happen more than once a week but more than the obvious
practicality of Helping Hands being present, when you choose
to be a part of a body of Believers, you not only have
access to that, you have access to wisdom and support And
Council and encouragement and so many other things resources and
creativity that will only sharpen you in what you do for
God, and who God called you to be as a man or a woman of God.
And so as iron sharpens iron, right?
When we come into this place consistently and we meet with
one, another consistently, there is a polishing that occurs that
cannot be known if you do this solo.
And I can expand on these things so much more, but I want to just
go from one to the next. Look at the second thing.
The holy spirit says in verse 10, for if they fall one, will
lift up his fellow but woe to him.
Who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up.
Here's the second gift that partnership assures us that when
and if we do fall, we will be helped. now, the way this
argument is made is brilliant, because it shows that the only
way you and I can expect Swift assistance from other people who
have Christ like convictions is that if you fall in their
presence, If you tumble in close proximity because it's possible
to be alone and fall and there are some people unfortunately
who deliberately distance themselves from other believers
for whatever reason that are unjustifiable.
And such people have no right to expect Brothers, our sisters
coming to their aid. If they do fall, because they
made the decision long ago to be distant, this blessing is only
secured when you have a firm conviction, that you will stay
close to the fold. And what a secure thing.
It is to know that what I inherit when I go to buy two,
when I lock arms with other Saints, is that when I am
overcome in any way, emotionally physically, physically, I praise
God, for the moments, where people here throughout the past
few months, I've had surgeries or different things, and they
were able to come here with Believers and Believers are able
to help them in practical ways. This is what a speaking of
physically, emotionally spiritually.
When you have this two-by-two mentality, you will know this
blessing. I mean, I know we're in
Ecclesiastes but just come with me quickly to acts and put your
hand there and Ecclesiastes for, but go to the other side of your
Bible and acts for. I want you to see something.
So wonderful. So precious to me.
In Acts 4. the church was being introduced to persecution very
early on in there is in its Inception and here we see That
Peter and John were before the council they were arrested and
they were warned, they were warned by the religious Elite,
not to go out and to preach in this name anymore.
So after being arrested, look what they do.
In verse 23 of chapter 4, when they were released, they went to
their friends. They went to their friends and
reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
Isn't it incredible? These Mighty Apostles after
being in a very hostile environment.
New as a reflex, we must go to the Brethren and we must share
what had happened to us. We must open our hearts and
declared the threats that are looming over us and the dangers
that await us, Apostles did this my friend, do you have friends?
Do you have a group of believers?
That you can come to when there is war against you.
When there are trials that are overcoming you and to spill your
soul and say this is what's happening in my life.
Well I think I'm okay. Oh really you're better than the
apostles you're stronger than Peter and John obviously.
No. They came to their friends and
they open their hearts and I want you to see what their
friends did and verse 24. And when they heard it, they
lifted their voices together to God.
Peter and John come in. This is what the Pharisees are
saying, this is what the Sanhedrin are planning were in
trouble. And here's what true friends do.
Here's what to buy, two promises.
All right. All right, let's pray, let's
pray. Let's seek God.
And they lifted their voices to God and the Holy Spirit came and
shook that place. And they were emboldened.
They were emboldened to continue to speak the word of God.
Do you have that believer? Do you have?
This is this true in your life? We come back to Ecclesiastes and
we see a third blessing that partnership opens up for us and
Ecclesiastes 411 again, if to lie together, they keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone? Here's the third blessing that
partnership offers it promises comfort and Company. when you
have the presence of other like-minded, Christ, filled
people, it keeps us from emotional mental and spiritual
hypothermia. It's very difficult for you to
feel your Zeal crystallizing or being overcome by the chill of
discouragement. When you are constantly around
those whose hearts are alive in Christ, when you have the active
presence of people in your life, you will know warmth a warmth
that will cause your heart to be softened.
That will give you hope for tomorrow that will assure you
that you are loved and cared for That cannot be realized if you
are sporadic. That cannot be realized.
If this is not a discipline that cannot be realized unless you
are consistent. And this is what we were
promised. If you look at the early
churches practice, constant Fellowship was was the thing.
When you study the book of Acts and you see how people went out
to minister and to different parts of their Known World,
there was partnership, there was constant visiting homes and
local churches. It was just that was the nothing
was done individually. At least as a standard.
And so you have to understand something that there is warmth
there is warmth. And you know what happens in the
most simplest of ways. Can I tell you how it happens to
me? I can walk through those doors.
Come into this place on a Wednesday or Friday night and
just the presence of believers. It's enough to awaken my faith
and to bless me is that not true?
Is that not true? Thank you for agreeing with me.
Isn't it true that you just the sight of you in this place here
at walk to now 2:00 on on a Sunday.
It just rejuvenates. Me it blesses me.
And then add on top of that when you sing and out on top of that
when this place fills up with the voices of Fellowship.
Oh, You can't get that on Instagram.
You'll never get it. Because warmth comes from close
proximity. Thinking that you can warm
yourself on a fire on a screen that you project from your
phone. No matter how realistic it is,
we'll never be able to deliver the same way that when you come
and you put locks together in light that thing of flame.
Same goes with church, watch on the screen, all you want, it can
be real, it can be HD. And now with this goggles, that
you'll be able to put on and be an avatar and show up to service
God help us There's a fourth blessing.
You think I'm done? Look at verse 12 of Ecclesiastes
for, and though, a man might Prevail against one who is alone
to will withstand him. A three-fold cord, is not
quickly broken. Here's the final, but not
limited to this blessing, mention pertaining to
partnership. There is a greater resistance
and warfare You know, I know criminals out there in our city
are becoming more and more bold and Reckless, but I think some
of them still have sense that if they were to choose the option
between attacking a crowd or attacking somebody who's walking
alone in the night, they're going to go with the ladder and
we think about spiritual warfare.
The scriptures prescribes the principles to tell us that it's
up to us how we experience Warfare.
And one of the ways in which you can ensure greater strength is
when you do this thing with fellow soldiers, Your mind is
less vulnerable, your emotions are less accessible when you are
constantly surrounded by eyes and hands and hearts who will go
to war with you when they know that you are out in the field.
and when you are in a trench and bullets are whizzing by your
head, who's in your Foxhole, the serious servant of God will
value and cherish Christian partnership, but we come back to
Mark and we realize Point number two, instruction number two.
Principle number two. Found in verse 8, He charged
them not to take nothing. For their Journey, except a
staff, no bread, no bag no money in their ballots, but to wear
sandals and not put on two tunics.
The serious servant of God. We'll learn how to continually
depend on God. Undoubtedly, this particular
charges unique to the disciples in this instance because of the
uniqueness of the mission and the brevity of the mission there
is, there was no time to prepare.
There is no time to make provisions and extra Provisions.
But that doesn't mean that there is not a Timeless.
Truth tucked in here for us. Why would Jesus specifically
order them not to look back and not to reach anywhere to add
anything to their inventory? But to Simply, Wow out
immediately. The answer is simple because
they were to learn absolute confidence in God to provide for
them as they committed to serving his son.
They would learn absolute confidence in God, as they have
absolutely determined to serve the Glorious, Son of God.
And that is what the Lord wants to teach him as you prioritize.
My kingdom, I'm going to show you how I'm going to provide for
you along the way. Now, listen, when you make it
your ambition, to live for the glory of God, especially for
those who are in full-time Ministry, that endeavor can be,
very daunting for many reasons. And the main obvious General
reason, is that serving God will entail for you.
To wait on God and to look to God day by day, there are
certain seasons in serving God where you will be pressed.
And this is not just for the full-time preacher.
As for any servant of God, you will be pressed and tempted to
turn your attention, your resources, your time away from
God, and on something else for the sake of self-preservation.
And in those moments where you are worried about the
necessities of life, even here's my charge to you based on this
principle and 100 different promises.
God will honor you. As you honor him, God will honor
you as you honor him and it is quite amazing how he finds a way
to not just keep you afloat, but cover every need that you have.
And if you don't think that, this is what Jesus means, then
turn quickly to Luke 22 and look at verse 35.
This is at the end of Jesus ministry, and he's giving final
instructions and preparation for his departure.
And when he looks at his disciples after hinting, and
clearly preparing them for this transition in their own lives.
Look what he says in Luke 22, 35.
And he said to them when I send you out with no money bag or
knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?
They said, nothing. Nothing.
And then he goes on to tell him. Well now I'm telling you to
actually equip yourself, write the following verse gives him
new sets of instructions, which which informs us that his
initial set of instructions is not just permanent Universal,
rule that you and I as Christians need a pledge
ourselves to self-induce suffering or lack, Right.
There's context here. This was a teaching moment and
this is what he wanted to teach them when I sent you out and
deliberately told you not to accompany yourself with any
other Advantage. Practically speaking did you
lack nothing? And here's what I want to tell
you, your confession will be the same if you serve God long
enough, Serve him long enough and be willing at any moment for
him to send you where he would want to send your keep you where
he would want to keep you and you will have this glad
confession when you look back lord, I lacked nothing.
Absolutely nothing. I'm telling you, when you serve
God, there will be many. Who will discourage you, you can
make more money. You're more gifted.
You can go into this Avenue, you can go into this kind of field.
But I have to tell you. There is no greater Adventure
than serving the lord Jesus. It's an adventure, it is not
stale. It is not predictable.
It is not routine. You can make it that way.
But oh, when you daily say, Lord, just let me let me be used
by you. What a joy it is to see how he
authors your life, what a joy it is when he brings like-minded
people with you, what a joy, it is when he provides a work for
you. Do you know how I know that he
will give you a work if you're desperate to serve him because
he told us that the laborers are few the Harvest is great.
It's right. The laborers are few.
And so we see here that there was a call to trust and as we
are about to look here, one of the means, if not the main means
by, which God does come through is through people is through
other people directly and indirectly.
Look here at verse 10 and he said to them wherever you enter
a house, stay there until you depart from there whenever you
enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.
This may seem like a strange command but it is a beautiful
hint at the humility and the careful wisdom of the master.
And it brings us to our third point, the serious servant of
God. Will value and cherish Christian
partnership. The serious servant of God will
learn how to live dependently on God.
Three, the serious servant of God will pursue contentment.
Will pursue contentment. Here's a lord, essentially
saying, the following whatever lodging Providence, leads you
to, as you go out and serve me and my name, Ensure yourself
that you will remain there and refused to seek another place.
No matter how much more appealing or luxurious other
options, Maybe this may seem like a petty thing but it's very
important as a principle because it holds two purposes one for
the messenger and two for the message that such Behavior would
convey. And when we think about the
first Purpose By staying still, you know what would happen for
the disciples, they would learn contentment and not get caught
up in the pursuit of things that would ultimately distract them
from their main focus which was to preach the word of God. you
know, naturally when these guys would have the authority of
Christ on them, casting out devils and Healing The Sick,
they would attract people and they might even attract host and
invitations to something that is more Prosperous.
Something that is more honorable somebody that is more beneficial
materially speaking and what the Lord is saying.
No, wherever you go, wherever Providence leads, you park there
and stay there and don't get caught up looking for the next
best thing wherever you go learn to be content and learn to
focus. Your efforts on Ministry Above
All Else. And though this is specific
again zoom out, understand the principle serving God.
Without contentment being satisfied with your lot, as
god-ordained is an extremely difficult and disorienting
thing. You rob yourself of joy.
You you cut your Effectiveness and so many pieces and so many
limitations and there are other problems that come with that.
The Lord wanted these people his disciples to be single-minded
single died, focused. And listen, contentment is not
her natural disposition you and I know that.
That is why Paul says, I can do all things through him.
Who strengthens me? Do you know what that means in
context? It's not, it's not meaning that
you can bench a certain amount of weight Or that you can, you
know, make a certain amount of money in your business.
God will help you. He will bless you in all things.
But the context, there is Paul, just finished saying I have
learned the secret of being and facing plenty and hunger,
abundance and need. I can do all things through him.
Who strengthens me. Because of my inner restlessness
to continually covet and to organize my life, to be driven
by comfort and pleasure. It requires the power of Jesus,
in me to be satisfied in all seasons.
To actually tangibly feel a bleed be content.
And that is really a secret to effective service to God.
Because even the most faithful of God's servants can be driven
off course, when they allow discontentment to take the
driver's seat. And to determine their decisions
and their planning and what they do with their time, be careful.
If you were easily distracted by toys, Or by experiences.
If you are ultimately motivated by upgrades and all these
trivial things, I have to tell you boldly, you will be of
little use for God's work. You will not be cut out for the
maximum potential of God's work. It is not to say that we can
enjoy things, that is not what Jesus is trying to convey.
It's a more about distraction than anything else and you, and
I cannot profess a desperation for God to use us in any way
that he would want to use this. If we're not ready to go, where
you want us to go or stay, where you want us to stay, or give up
what he would want us to give up.
And sometimes Jesus will tell you to travel light and
sometimes like in Luke 22, he'll say, be wise and prepared and
save up. And be careful how you go about
this. It's all about, being sensitive
to his holy spirit. But pursue contentment, but
there's something else to this command.
In verse 10. This charge communicates
something. About the manner in which the
servant of God must conduct himself.
Think about it this way. Imagine going to somebody's
home. You enter into a village, you
greet it, right? Matthew 10 says you greet them
and you stay there, if they are worthy and if they are worthy,
you remain there until you depart from that town, what
would it look like if after being invited and hosted by
somebody who is worthy to get up and leave when you get an
invitation to go elsewhere? It's offensive.
It's rude. And more than that, if you stay
in that Community long enough and you have this habit of
bouncing one place to the next. And dismissing people's
hospitality and their care for you.
You risk, muddying. Your testimony and planting in
people's minds that you might have different motives.
You might be doing this for something else.
And so Jesus, here is brilliant. Jesus Lord, we love you.
This is amazing because the Lord here, cares about social
etiquette, He actually cares about how you interact with
people in different context. How you enter into a place?
How you exit a place? All these little intricacies are
important to the Holy Spirit especially for the person who
cares about their testimony for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The true servant of God does not limit their witness to the depth
of their Doctrine. Or their theology.
No people who care about their witness are also disciplined and
educated and how to interact with people.
They are not unnecessarily offensive.
They are not people who are just powerful orders.
Know, they actually they think about how they communicate what
to say, what not to say. And sometimes you meet some
people who are extremely insightful, spiritually, they
seem to have a colossal intellect but they stink with
pride. And they have a sense of
superiority. And what happens with all that
knowledge, what happens with all that Vigor, what happens with
all that, amazing ability to present something, it just
dissipates. So, the true servant of God will
avoid the appearance of evil. They will they will ensure that
their steps are led by God's wisdom has provided here.
And I challenge you to read the Bible and to look deeper into
see that God does. In fact care about what I'm
seeing. What I'm saying he does So there
is a pursuit of contentment, if you want God to take you far, if
you want God to keep you long, then there needs to be this
settled learning. Lord and all things.
Help me believe that I have a beautiful inheritance and helped
me more than that to trust that there's nothing that will
satisfy me more than doing the will of the father.
You will go far for God's kingdom.
If that is something that you apply, but it's not just
contentment. Nor is it just conduct that the
Christian will exercise, if they are serious servant of God?
No, Jesus instructions here. Require the disciples to apply
something else look here in verse 11.
And if any place will not receive you and they will not
listen to you, when you leave shake off the dust that is on
your feet, as a testimony against them.
The serious servant of God, will not just pursue contentment and
all places at all times, they will also apply and exercise
discernment. Discernment.
This is what Jesus is saying, when you come to a place, you
need to be able to identify who is receptive.
And you need to be able to identify who is not receptive.
And this kind of awareness would determine many things.
It would determine whom they would serve, where they would
stay. And when it was time to move on,
they were to expect rejection, right?
We learned last week that they witnessed with their own eyes,
Jesus is Hometown, kick him out. And Jesus.
He was preparing them that you too will know, resistance, you
too. Will know obstacles.
You will know opposition be prepared for that and by
informing them about that in advance.
They needed to be trained about how not to throw their Pearls
Before Swine. And the Lord listened, he
amplifies this principle in Matthew chapter 10.
When he says the following in verse 11 and 12 and whatever
town, or Village you enter Matthew 10, 11, find out who is
worthy in it and stay there until you depart, as you enter
the house greet it? And if the house is worthy, let
your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let
your peace return to you. So they're discernment had to be
Beyond just Their audience. Their discernment.
Also need to be applied about their Association and Jesus
says, you need to be able to develop A screening.
So that when you come into a place, you can determine who is
worthy to host you and who is not worthy to host you.
Now, what does that mean, worthy?
Like, if they give enough of an honorarium if they have social
status, absolutely not the worthiness here.
That Jesus teaching on is simply this receptivity, Receptivity to
the message of the Gospel receptivity, to the truth that
you want to declare receptivity to you.
As a representative of Jesus Christ, you need to be able to
see. Is this person a person of peace
and if they are a person of Peace then stay there and more
than that are they worthy in terms of Integrity?
What is their life? Like because you being in their
home can again send a message to others by your simple
association with them. Do you agree with their life?
Do you agree with what? What they do.
Do you agree with how they conduct themselves?
You needed all to say, you need to be able to discern people.
And this again, reinforces that true servant of God.
Servants of God are selective and discriminating.
I know discrimination is a bad word but if you understand his
definition is simply to decipher discriminating.
Yes, we're supposed to be very careful with our associations
unless we put ourselves in compromising situations or
positions that will weaken our witness.
Now listen it's much easier to know. it's much easier to know
when to move on when you deal with a non-believer who is
either cursing you or saying all these derogatory things to you
or simply just walk away from me that doesn't require much right
but there are people who still tempted to and I've seen it with
my own eyes just continue to Hound on people that want
nothing to do with the gospel, and they had a endangering
themselves in one way or another.
All that to say that our call to discernment is beyond our
Evangelistic efforts are called to discernment is even within
the household of God. Because as much as this is about
going out there, you know this very well, people will come in
here. They will come in here and when
they come in here we have to be equally careful.
To be able to determine who is worthy and who is not worthy.
Everybody is worthy. No, I'm not saying it like that.
who will be receptive and who in fact might be a danger You might
not believe this, you might think that is Harsh.
Because there are some people who even in Christian circles
and I believe they're saying this from a pure heart
innocently, even out of a place of love and care.
Brother, we can't give up on him brother.
We can't give up on her and yes that's true.
There is a there is a persistence in our love and
service. But that is not totally true.
Because the same holy spirit that tells us to love and serve
and reach out and, to be patient as the same.
Holy Spirit, who says that there are sometimes where enough is
enough and you need to move on. Let me prove that to you Titus
Chapter 3. And Titus Chapter 3 Verse 10.
Look at these simple instructions, one of many Paul
says, as for a person who stirs up the vision after warning him
once, and then twice have nothing more to do with him.
We're not talking about the world here, we're talking about
the church. We're not talking about the
streets, were talking about the assembly.
Have nothing more to do with them knowing that such a person
is Warped and sinful he is self-condemned.
You know what, that teaches me that I by the grace of God in
his word and through his holy spirit need to be Discerning it
of to look at a person and to evaluate their life.
Long enough to determine this person is so warped and so
sinful to the degree that they are no longer worthy to pursue
at this time, I know that might sound shocking but it is true
because here the danger is by tolerating such a person by
ignoring such a person. You put the rest of the
congregation at risk of being hurt by such a person. and so
again not just the preacher but the church as a whole must be
able to understand what is being said here because if we're not
careful, Our limited time are limited efforts are limited
energy. Can, in fact be wasted by
somebody or some people who have no issue devouring all that you
are with no intention to change. So he says have nothing more to
do with this person. Have nothing more to do with
this person. This is a call to scripture
saturated and holy spirit. Prompted wisdom to know when to
shake the dust, off your feet and to leave people in God's
hands. Leave people in God's hands at
the give ourselves to those who are worthy.
To those who will receive to, those who are more open.
And I've seen in many ways where people.
Don't know how to just stop and Trust in the sovereignty of God
because they think that they can actually do something to change
somebody. You can't, you can't and the
discernment part is, when do you stop and when do you move on
that? Will make for an effective
servant of God? And we come to the last point.
The last point is pretty It's pretty obvious.
But before we get there, depending on your translation
you might have seen something in verse 11 that I didn't read.
In verse 11, you'll find this more in the King James or the
new King James, it's added assuredly, I say to you, it will
be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment
than for that City whose who has that in their translation.
It's a manuscript difference. But when you go to Matthew,
you'll see that this very same truth, is added in the account
that Matthew gives about the same instructions that Jesus
gives to his disciples. So it's not completely omitted,
but I think it's worth pausing. I think about that.
Sodom. And Gomorrah is an example
throughout the Bible. Of an example of judgment that
will come upon evil and perversion.
I mean think about the Judgment that Sodom and Gomorrah received
and yet Jesus can say that for the person or the town or the
city that is exposed to the truth that is powerfully
presented and yet rejects it. Their judgment will be more
severe than that of Sodom and gomorrah's.
How can that be? It just goes to show what great
of a crime. It is to hear the gospel and to
witness the power of the gospel and to still decline it in the
eyes of God. This is a severe violation.
And in this specific dispensation, you had the
Apostle who that unusual authority over demons and
unusual authority over sickness which made this penalty.
Even more profound But he's an even says that at the final day
of judgement, there will be degrees of punishment in the
same way that there will be degrees of reward for the
Believers. It will be more tolerable for
Sodom and Gomorrah. I don't think people understand
just how serious the transaction of truth is.
We look at a vessel of clay and we see probably his weaknesses
is stumbling of words, whatever the case may be, but understand
that the gospel is the most precious thing.
And it cost the blood of Jesus Christ and to be able to hear
that, and then to turn your back on that.
Oh, God says, Sodom and Gomorrah their judgment.
Will be tolerable more than that person's judgment.
The servant of God will exercise discernment will know that they
are limited in many ways. And that people have different
heart, postures and conditions. So they know where to go, where
to stay who to deal with and when not to.
But lastly they will remain. They will remain
compassionately, truthful and verse 12.
Jesus says, Or is told of what happened to the disciples after
Jesus said. So they went out and Proclaim
that people should repent, and they cast out many demons and
Anointed with oil, many who were sick and healed them.
So, after all these practical instructions, Jesus now says go
and they go and the priority of their mission was a message.
The priority of their mission was a message.
Right, the disciples were not to get caught up in community
service. They were not to get overly
involved with alleviating suffering or to providing
practical material needs. Now, there's no doubt.
They were to be practical. They were, they were casting out
demons, they were Healing The Sick, they were actually
administrating help in that way. But never at the expense of
eliminating, the presentation of the truth.
That Rings. True Redemption.
And I think that's important for many Ministries today.
Who have much more emphasis on practicality than the profession
of faith that we have. We have to be very careful.
They went out with a message and everything that they did was to
point to that message. And the message of hope, the
message of saving, the message of redemption and salvation was
a word that you don't hear a lot today.
Repent. Repentance change the way you
think about God, change the way you think about Sin, change the
way you think about eternity change the way you think about
life. Change the way you think about.
In fact, just give everything up and come to God's word and say I
agree with this. That's repentance that's
repentance. So, the disciples didn't just go
into town and tell people about the love of Jesus.
No, they went into town to, they told him about this Jesus.
And yes about his unusual. Kindness mercy and Grace.
But that, that would change you. And this is what they preach and
this is what they did, and that part should bless us, you know,
why? Because despite being warned by
Jesus, right before this, that you will come against hostility,
you will come against resistance.
They still, they still dug their heels and they said we're still
going to obey you. And we're still going to preach
this message. How much more today?
How much more today regardless of what the seculars are saying
that, you know, we're living in a post Christian world And what
people need, what people really need is messages on
self-healing. Inner healing.
And self-esteem. Because there is now this this
wave of propagating mental health and Trauma.
And I'm not saying that those things are not true to some
degree, but it's come to the point where salvation is
apparently reflecting on your past and confronting things that
had happened and to acknowledge it.
And to realize that you were a victim in one way or another,
that's not the gospel. That's not the gospel.
This is what they preached repent.
No matter what happened to you, no matter what you did, you need
to repent and you need to come to Jesus Christ.
Will forgive you. Once you realize is that your
repentance is genuine and true, and these men were not
intimidated. Obviously, they could not, that
could not even think about the threats or whatever was coming
about their way. And we shouldn't be concerned
about the trends in the threats that they hold.
Anyway, our message is not bound to a certain time.
It's not limited to this culture.
It's not any point open to be adjusted for any reason. the
serious servant of God will hold firm to that for the time is
coming when men will not endure sound teaching They will not
endure it, but they will accumulate for themselves
teachers right to satisfy their itching ears.
What a way of phrasing that they will not endure sound teaching,
meaning, perhaps, at one point, they could have tolerated it.
But now, at this point, there are no longer able to tolerate
it. This is to offencive it's too.
It's too controversial enough and maybe even for some this is
getting boring. The Bible boring to you.
Can you endure it? They cannot endure sound
teaching and so they accumulate for themselves teachers to
scratch their itching ears. And what's our motivation?
The same motivation as these disciples.
Whatever is before me, whatever is happening around me.
I'm going to just do what Jesus called me to do.
If he said go and preach repentance, I'm going to preach
repentance. That's it.
It's very simple to serve God. We have made it complicated.
And here's the conclusion that we can make notice verse 13.
And they cast out many demons and Anointed with oil, many who
were sick and healed. But you got to connect that with
verse 7. Again, and he called the twelve
and began to send them out, two by two, and gave them Authority.
Gave them Authority on the short-term Mission, they needed
a special dose of authority to fulfill this particular part in
Christ plan and when it came to the Great Commission he says
don't you dare go out until the gift of the father has bestowed
upon you. Wait upon the holy spirit which
tells me that any point in Ministry.
I and you are continually in need of God's grace, to
strengthen us to equip us to do what he needs to do in us before
we even do anything for him, Authority power, a touch from
God. Not just human Ingenuity, not
just my own efforts, but something that God grants from
his own hand. And that tells me with all the
things that I just heard and all the things Beyond those five
directions, I will know a help from God, I will know some kind
of Grace that will lift me up and take me where I can't go in
my own flesh. And so what a way to cap off all
of this, we need the authority of God, we need his help.
We need something beyond the natural and this is something
that he is willing to provide my friend this afternoon.
Are you a serious servant of God?
I hope you are. If not I hope you'll be inspired
to be because there's no other way to live our dear brother and
Pastor just mentioned that he has come to give us life and
life abundantly. And if you are a Sears servant
of God, you will cherish and value Christian partnership.
You will you will understand that there is a contentment to
be learned and understood. You also realize that there's a
discernment to be applied. You also know that there is a
Timeless truth that must be compassionately conveyed.
And finally, you also realize that there is something to be
known in the place of Reliance on God, In All Seasons at all
times. This is my message to you may,
God help us follow him and honor him, especially in these final
days. Let's pray.
And worship team. I know you have songs ready, but
if we can sing at some point that classic, I have decided to
follow Jesus. No turning back after a message
like this and even hearing those statistics early on, I think,
It's worth declaring to God. Again I will follow you, no
turning back so keep that in mind as we prepare to sing in a
moment, but our hearts are bowed.
In the presence of God Almighty who has reminded us of our
mission and purpose on Earth and it was given us all that.
We need to be effective though. We do, pray in this place that
you would renew that ambition and that you would help us
indeed, wherever we are to apply the things that we heard.
Lord, we ask for a fresh touch from the Holy Spirit.
Fresh touch from the Holy Spirit.
Lord, we do not dare think that this ministry will go anywhere
apart from his help. We will be succumb to so much
mess. Fears doubts.
Fleshly conflict. Unless your word.
Is embedded in our hearts, and your power is energized.
In our being Lord help us. Help us value this community.
Help us care about who we are in every place that we find
ourselves in not just in this church.
But when we go to the restaurant for lunch, and we deal with
waiters and waitresses, when we go and see her extended family,
when we go to work, Lord, help us.
Help us really know who to find that is worthy and went to move
on. When we need to move on, Lord,
determine our every step and let it be effortless.
Let it be a Grace because your yoke is indeed easy.
Your burden is indeed light. And so Lord, if there is any
sense in which somebody feels overwhelmed by these
instructions, Lord, let them know that your powers behind
every command, ready to be dispensed and provided.
And so we rejoice in you and we want to honor.
You may you be blessed. Lord.
May you be blessed by our response.
Now as we sing together with one voice in Jesus name, we pray.
Amen. Let's stand church.
I have this too far. I decided to follow Jesus.
No, not yet. I sincerely ask this, I'm not
trying to be corny. I'm not trying to feed off of
what was just song to play on your emotions but I'm sincerely
asking you as soberly as possible in this place.
Have you really decided to follow Jesus?
Sincerely genuinely. Can you recall a time where you
made a choice? I want to follow Jesus.
Now, you might be about person who says, I don't remember the
time where I made a decision. Well, that's fine.
Are you now following Jesus? That's more important than
anything else. But for the person who is not
concerned, the person who may not even thought about that
question and how it applies to their life.
Listen, everything is at stake with that question.
Being answered in one way or the other.
Have you made a Conscience decision to say, this Jesus who
came into this world, 2,000 years ago and who died on the
cross was, not an empty performance, was not something
that held no purpose or significance to me.
I now realize that he died for me that he was buried and rose
again for me and that he beckons, and he calls me to
himself. And now, I will decide to follow
Jesus. This is how you follow.
You heard what was just preach you repent.
You make a decision today that you will now.
Realize he is Lord. He is savior, this is sin.
What I have been doing, how I've been living, I turned from that
and I turned to God and I want to follow him and I want to live
for him and I want to enjoy him and I want to see him and be
with him for all of eternity. I'm telling you today, make that
decision to follow Jesus. I'm calling you today because
tomorrow is not promised And you don't know, if you'll have
another chance to receive this invitation.
I'm telling you this today, because the days in which we are
living have been predicted by the prophets and the Apostles of
old we are in the final seconds of human history.
I don't know the date and nobody has a right to give a date, but
I have been instructed in you have as well to look at the
signs of the times. And when you understand that
these signs line up with the truths of the Bible, to lift
your head up because your Redemption is nigh, but that
Redemption is only for those who are redeemed.
You cannot look up with confidence and expect Christ to
come back in your favor. If anything you have every
reason to be terrified. Because he is a righteous judge
and he has been good to this world for thousands of years in
this time of Grace, this window of opportunity for the worst and
the most filthy of Sinners to come and to be washed and to
have everything that was held against him, be eradicated by
one moment of confession that time is dwindling down and when
it comes to a finality the mission of Christ will be
changed and the change will be this you will be judged for
rejecting my grace. And so I call you today to flee
from the Wrath to come. I call you today to understand
that you have any mortal part of who you are, you will live for
eternity and you will either live in the presence of God's
pleasure or you will be under God's Wrath Without End.
And the way in which you can transfer one status to the next
is upon one thing and that is you acknowledging Christ as Lord
and you acknowledging that, if you come before him now and
repent and believe on his name that you will be closed.
In his righteousness, you will be forgiven of everything, the
Unspeakable things, the private things, the perverse things will
in one moment be dealt with and you will be justified in the
sight of God. And so today is the day of
salvation, listen, hear me clearly.
This is not the time to play Church in America.
Our nation is crumbling. Souls are being sealed in their
faith of Disobedience and Rebellion with the culture in
The Narrative of our time. And so even if you are in this
place and you are a minister or you're planning to be a minister
here, my heart from a fellow brother be bold, be Unapologetic
Chic this Authority from heaven and let God clothes you with
power so that when you go out into this world you will not be
able to easily ignored men and women.
See, this is a man who has met with something or someone apart
from this life and yes, we have met with someone who has created
life and creating This world and created you and created me.
His name is Jesus and he wants to save you.
He wants to deliver you. I pray to God that you are
unable to come into this place week after week and not even be
slightly convicted. May God have mercy on your soul.
If that is the case we want to do everything that we can to
make sure that in these. I just was so stirred by those
statistics, that's why I'm keeping you here longer than I
usually do. It's just the times that we're
living in are unbelievable and then we can still find it in
ourselves to to minimize our church services to fast as
possible. TED Talks, it's just not going
to work. It's not going to cut it for
this generation. We do need a Revival and that
Revival has to come first from the preacher, who has been
baptized with power from on high.
And a knows, the word of God who loves the word of God, and loves
the people that he sees week after week and loves the
visitor. Who comes in and loves the
neighbor, and loves the persons who was on the streets, it's out
of my system. Give your life to Christ.
Give your life to Jesus Christ. Stop playing the fool with God.
He cares for you and he wants you, and he has a purpose for
you, but more than anything else, it's for God himself.
He wants you in his bosom forever and ever Lord, I pray
with all of my heart and my with my brothers and sisters who have
been a menning, everything that was said, Lord pour out your
Holy Spirit, pour out your Holy Spirit, not just here, but in
every church, every Pulpit Lord in this crisis.
Our oh God. We pray that you would raise up
profits that you would raise up men and women who would take the
call of God. Seriously, and who would take
the partnership of the ministry? Seriously and say, oh God, I
will do what I need to do to play the 2 by 2 and to serve my
brother. And to be encouraged by my
brother for the sake of the greater, cause help us.
Lord, help us what we looked, and we thank you for this
glorious time in this place in Jesus name, we pray.
Amen, and amen. Be blessed.
See you