Through Faith – part 1

Genesis 15:1-6

March 23, 2014

 

As you know we are studying through this book of Genesis.

We are calling this study “The Gospel According to Moses”

 

It is far more than history or sentimental stories.

Moses has us on a theological journey

To show us the very gospel message of God.

 

• In Adam we saw the tragic reality of sin.

• In Noah we saw the terrible reality of judgment.

• In Abram we see the terrific reality of salvation.

 

And in studying Abram’s life we have quite easily been following

That great verse of salvation recorded in the New Testament.

 

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”

 

Salvation is first “by grace”

And then “through faith”

 

And no one can at this point refute that Abram was saved “by grace”

• He was a pagan idolater

• He was a barren wanderer

• He was a worldly entrepreneur

 

And yet God chose this man.

• God called him

• God promised him Canaan

• God protected that promise for him

• And God pruned Abram of all things that would get in the way of that

promise.

 

Thus far, we have seen tidbits of faith from Abram,

But the overwhelming reality that we have seen is that

Before Abram was ever a man of faith, he was first a man of grace.

 

Abram was saved “by grace”

 

Well, this morning we move ahead and

We begin to look at the second part of this salvation in Abram’s life.

 

We begin to look at the “through faith” part of Abram’s salvation.

 

If someone asks WHY God saved Abram? The answer is “by grace”

If someone asks HOW God saved Abram? The answer is “through faith”

 

We have actually been studying this same reality on Sunday nights

As we have studied the book of Galatians.

 

Job 25:4 “How then can a man be just with God? Or how can he be clean who is born of woman?”

 

Bildad actually asked that question of Job, and it was a good question.

It is a question you had better know the answer to.

 

• Bildad wasn’t debating the sinfulness of man.

• Bildad wasn’t debating the necessity of righteousness.

• Bildad just wondered how a sinful man was supposed to get it.

 

And that is a good question.

Well that is a question that the Bible began answering

All the way back in the days of Abraham.

 

And that is that man is justified by faith before God.

And that is the part of the story we have now reached in Abram’s life.

 

We’ve seen the grace that saved him.

Now let’s look at the faith that justified him.

 

There are four main points to this chapter. (we’ll look at a couple)

#1 PERSEVERANCE REWARDED

Genesis 15:1-5

 

You will notice right off the bat that Moses says, “After these things…”

And that is very important transitional statement.

 

Everything in Genesis builds on top of itself.

You actually find yourself in a great bit of trouble when you start cherry picking stories and studying them out of context.

 

The “things” Moses is referring to is Abram’s decision

To forsake the world and entrust his prosperity to God.

 

As we mentioned God has been systematically

Producing and pruning Abram’s faith.

God first gave him faith, and then God began to grow that faith.

 

And it was actually very early on when God proved to Abram

That He had the ability to bless him and the ability to protect that blessing.

 

And the real defining moment for Abram

Came in the previous story back in Genesis 14.

 

To make a long story short, a war broke out in the area

And Lot was kidnapped as a result of it.

Abram then went and rescued Lot (a feat Abram should never have been able to accomplish) and when Abram returned he was met with a choice.

 

Abram was confronted by two kings.

1) The King of Salem (a picture of Christ)

2) The King of Sodom (a picture of Satan)

 

The King of Salem brought a blessing, the King of Sodom brought a bribe.

 

And the reason this was such a defining moment for Abram

Is because Abram had been a very worldly man his whole life.

 

Abram loved the world, Abram pursued the world, Abram sought to acquire the world.

 

And yet at this moment he had a choice to make.

To either accept the blessing of God or the benefits of the world.

 

Well you remember that Abram chose grace.

He refused the bribe of the king of Sodom and instead

Chose to give a tithe of all his possessions to the servant of God.

 

Abram was letting go of the weeds in his heart

And pledging to let God be his portion and provider.

It was a monumental step of faith.

 

And one that we should easily understand.

When we examine the gospel message throughout the New Testament,

It is true that the New Testament routinely asks us to “believe”.

 

But “believe” is NEVER the first word used.

 

When John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness:

Matthew 3:1-2 “Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 

When Jesus began His earthly ministry:

Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 

When Peter preached at Pentecost:

Acts 2:38 “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

 

When Paul preached in Athens:

Acts 17:30-31 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

 

The point is that repentance always precedes faith.

 

Part of the process of accepting the seed of the gospel

Is first removing the weeds from the heart that will choke it out.

 

There are many people in the world today who try to

Skip the repentance part and move directly to the believing part.

 

But God not cohabitate with idols in your heart.

He demands, not just a throne, but the only throne in your life.

 

If He cannot be Lord, He will not be Savior.

Repentance must occur.

 

And that is precisely what Abram did.

He removed the weeds.

He allowed the Lord to have his heart.

 

And because of this, he is now ready for the next step of salvation.

 

Abram is ready to believe the promise of God.

And God is ready to offer the relationship.

 

First comes some tremendous reassurance.

“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”

 

Now at first that may seem like a strange statement,

But not when you consider the decision Abram just made.

 

He just turned his back on his usual way of getting ahead.

He just left his worldly security behind.

 

In short, he quit banking on the world system

And put all of his surety on the back of God.

 

And anyone who has done that

Certainly knows the type of anxiety that can come with it.

 

For a parallel, Abram just did what the Rich Young Ruler would not.

He agreed to forsake his possessions for the sake of something greater.

 

Now you also remember that when the Rich Young Ruler left Jesus,

It got the disciples to thinking.

 

Matthew 19:27 “Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?”

 

Can you detect the anxiety in Peter’s question?

Well Jesus assured Peter that they would be rewarded for their sacrifice, and that is precisely what God is doing for Abram here.

“Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great.”

 

God was promising to protect the interests of Abram

And to prosper him accordingly.

 

Abram did not make a costly decision with the king of Sodom, Abram made the smartest decision of his life.

 

Placing his future and his hope on the back of God

Was the safest thing Abram ever did, and God is reminding him of that.

 

Any time we forsake the world there is a natural anxiety that grips us.

It is the fear of relinquishing control.

 

But Jesus addressed that specifically.

Matthew 6:25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

 

Matthew 6:31-33 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

 

It can be scary to step out on God and forsake this world,

But God is reminding Abram that He can carry the load.

 

Asaph said:

Psalms 73:25-28 “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.”

 

God will teach Abram to say the same.

God is rewarding Abram’s decision to leave the world and stick with Him.

 

But no sooner does God say that,

Then does Abram reveal his biggest hurdle.

 

(2-3) “Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.”

 

Now understand this.

• Abram is not doubting if God can give him a great inheritance…

• Abram is not doubting if God will give him a great inheritance…

 

God has already proven those things to Abram.

Abram is merely questioning the purpose of it since he has no heir.

 

GET THIS:

Abram is not doubting God, Abram is doubting Abram.

He doesn’t think that he can be the man God just spoke of.

 

Ever feel that way?

You know God can, you just don’t know if you can.

You know God is powerful, you just know you are weak.

 

Abram was analyzing the promise of God while looking in the mirror.

And if you analyze the promises of God while looking in the mirror,

You won’t believe them either.

 

But don’t analyze God’s promises in front of the mirror.

Instead analyze God’s promises in front of the window.

 

(4-5) “Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

 

God told Abram to quit looking in the mirror

And start looking out the window.

 

Look at these stars Abram!

Is there anything I can’t do?

 

Abram, I’m going to bring forth one

“from your own body, he shall be your heir.”

 

God was promising to do in Abram

Something that Abram could never do for himself.

 

And listen, that is the great God we serve!

 

Are you limited? Of course you are.

If it were up to you to secure the intentions of God you’d be in a world of hurt.

 

But it is not what you do for God, it’s what God does through you.

• When God says you are – you are

• When God says you can – you can

• When God says you will – you will

• When God says you must – you must

 

Abram had forsaken the world that he might obtain God,

And God was rewarding that commitment

In a way that Abram never even thought possible.

And just to make sure you understand exactly where we are.

This is God’s proposal to Abram.

 

I’ve told you that the call of God is very much a process in a person’s life.

 

Often times God begins by revealing pieces of Himself,

And giving tastes of His goodness.

 

He breathes enough life into the dead man

To give the dead man the ability to see what this life is all about.

It is not full blown salvation, it is merely a taste, a courtship.

 

But then, after God has revealed Himself,

Then comes the offer or the proposal.

 

And that is the moment where salvation either occurs or not.

 

Everything in Abram’s life so far has been God leading up to this moment.

• He’s been revealing more and more of Himself…

• He’s been giving Abram tasted after taste…

• He’s been showing Abram what a life with Him will be like…

 

And now it is time to make the offer.

That is what God is doing here.

 

And please understand that is all grace.

 

From the second Abram entered the scene,

Until verse 5 of this chapter it has been all grace.

 

God has been offering something to Abram that he did not deserve.

It is all “by grace”.

 

BUT for salvation to be reckoned, faith must be involved.

And that is what we see next.

 

Perseverance Rewarded

#2 PARDON RECKONED

Genesis 15:6-7

 

If you want to talk about amazing and far-reaching verses, try these.

The apostle Paul built most of his theology on verse 6 alone.

 

For the first time we get saving faith from Abram.

He has just moved from TASTING to TRUSTING.

 

• He is done feeling God out…

• He is done listening to the proof…

• Abram is seen enough and heard enough…

Abram is all in.

He is entrusting all that he is to God.

He now believes in God and what God will do.

 

Now that is a good thing.

At the very least it is DESERVED.

 

One would certainly say that after all God had done for Abram,

The very least he could do is believe God.

 

Nothing about this faith is backward or out of order or bizarre.

After all God has done for Abram in the last 4 chapters,

Abram SHOULD believe God.

 

That is only right.

 

ABRAM IS DOING WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE DONE

Romans 4:18-22 “In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.” Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

 

Abram wasn’t just sentimental…

Abram wasn’t just intellectual…

Abram believed God.

 

• He’d seen God graciously offer a promise…

• He’d seen God graciously protect that promise…

• He’d seen God prepare him for that promise…

 

Abram believed God.

 

And if the story ended there, it would be a perfect happy ending to a perfect story.

BUT…

 

There is so much more here than just that.

“he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

 

WHOA! STOP THE CAR!

 

God did what?

God “reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

 

What was Bildad’s question?

Job 25:4 “How then can a man be just with God? Or how can he be clean who is born of woman?”

How can a man be just with God?

How can a sinful man be vindicated in the sight of a holy God?

 

And please understand the issue at hand here.

I find that so many today fail to understand this foundational issue.

 

Today we often talk about being saved.

And people often think that they are saved from hell,

And saved so that they can go to heaven.

 

And they think this is the whole point and purpose of salvation.

 

Now it is true that being saved does rescue you from hell and grant you access to heaven, but that is not the point nor the purpose.

 

The purpose of salvation is to save you from sin,

So that you can be righteous.

SALVATION IS ALL ABOUT OBTAINING RIGHTEOUSNESS

 

That is the goal

That is what we are after

 

Just like Bildad said, righteousness is what matters.

WHY?

 

Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,”

 

If you don’t have righteousness, you are under God’s wrath and judgment

The quest is for righteousness.

 

And here we learn that if you give God faith,

He will then give you righteousness.

 

Righteousness is granted “through faith”

 

Hebrews 11:1-6 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

 

FAITH IS THE ONLY CURRENCY GOD ACCEPTS

 

In fact, God trades righteousness for faith.

 

He does NOT trade in “works”

“Works” are without value to Him.

 

Isaiah 64:6 “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

 

Even good works are detestable to God.

He only trades righteousness for faith.

 

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY?

• Why doesn’t God trade righteousness for works?

• Why doesn’t God trade righteousness for good intentions?

Why faith?

 

Romans 4:16 “For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,”

 

Justification is by faith so that salvation can be by grace.

If God justifies by works then salvation is not by grace, but by works.

And if salvation is by works then God gets no glory.

 

Furthermore only those with the Law can be saved, since only they know what to do, and Gentiles are excluded from salvation.

 

That is what Paul meant when he said:

“so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,”

 

God chooses to justify men by faith and not works

Because then salvation is by grace and available to everyone.

 

And that is a beautiful reality.

 

Here Abram was:

• A pagan sinner

• A barren wanderer

• A worldly entrepreneur

 

And yet God graciously gave this man righteousness

Simply because he believed God.

 

That is the gospel message right there.

That is “By grace are you saved through faith,

and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

 

When Abram gave God faith, God gave Abram righteousness,

And Abram was no longer a man in danger of the judgment of God.

Now, what this passage won’t tell you

Is in fact clearly explained in the New Testament.

 

And that WHY GOD WAS ABLE

To give perfect righteousness to a sinner like Abram.

 

The New Testament explains why God is able

To give perfect righteousness to a sinner like you and me.

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

 

The fancy word is “IMPUTATION”

 

God took the sin of Abram and imputed it to Christ,

So He could take the righteousness of Christ and impute it to Abram.

 

That is why Jesus said:

John 8:56 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

 

The reason God could give righteousness to Abram

• Was because 2,000 years after the time of Abram, Christ would

come to this earth and live a perfectly righteous life.

 

• Christ would then take upon Himself Abram’s sin and suffer for it.

• All of Abram’s pagan idolatry…

• All of Abram’s worldly ambitions…

• Every sin Abram committed…

Christ would pay for it 2,000 years later on the cross.

 

• And in return Christ would give His righteousness to Abram.

Righteousness would be “reckoned” to Abram.

 

And by now you realize that we are not so different from Abram after all (though none of us would claim to have faith as great as he)

 

But Abram looked ahead 2,000 years to the payment of his sin,

We now look back 2,000 years to the payment of ours.

 

It was on the same cross where Christ bore Abram’s sin,

That He also bore our sin.

 

And in exchange He credited His righteousness to our account.

 

He did NOT trade His righteousness for your good works.

He traded His righteousness for your faith.

 

IT WAS THE MOST GRACIOUS OFFER EVER GIVEN.

If you would give God faith,

He would give you righteousness and you would be saved.

And this morning it is that very offer that we celebrate.

We are here to partake of the Lord’s Supper.

 

• We have before us the bread which symbolizes the body of Christ.

• And we have the juice which symbolizes the blood of Christ.

Together they remind us of the death of Christ.

(His payment for our sin)

 

He bore on His body our sin and took in His body our punishment.

And when we give Him our faith, He gives us His righteousness in return.

 

We come periodically to this table to remember that very fact.

• To make sure none of us begin to think that our works really are important.

• To make sure none of us begin to think that our sin wasn’t really that bad.

• To make sure none of us begin to think that righteousness is easy to come by.

 

We come back to the cross and remember.

 

Before we do, we have a time of preparation.

1 Corinthians 11:26-29 “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.”

 

We are commanded not to partake in an unworthy manner.

 

That does not mean we are commanded to be worthy to partake.

None are worthy to partake – that’s really the point.

 

The point is HOW we partake.

That we partake in a worthy manner.

 

YOU PARTAKE IN FAITH.

 

• You partake with the understanding that it was this sacrifice that allowed you to obtain righteousness and be called a child of God.

 

• You partake believing that what Christ did was successful.

 

• And you partake in a grateful heart knowing that if He had not done this for you, it would not have been done.

 

We are about to have a time of preparation,

It is a time for you to examine yourself.

 

• Have you left the world as Abram did?

• Have you believed God as Abram did?

• Are you trusting in Christ alone for your righteousness?

 

Abram Chooses Grace

Genesis 14:1-24

March 16, 2014

 

As you know we are working through what we have called

“The Gospel According to Moses”.

 

It is a study of the book of Genesis.

Far from a history book, Genesis is

Moses’ gospel message to the children of Israel.

 

By highlighting God’s work in the lives of certain individuals,

We have been able to see the God chooses to work with humanity.

 

In Adam – the tragic reality of sin

In Noah – the terrible reality of judgment

In Abram – the terrific reality of salvation

 

And again, just to remind you, Abram teaches us far more than faith.

Abram’s life is not just about faith, but is about salvation.

 

Salvation is not just about faith.

Faith is the requirement of the sinner who comes to God.

But that is only half of the equation.

 

Long before faith ever enters the scene,

We first must recognize God’s part, which is grace.

 

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”

 

And this reality is certainly true in the life of Abram.

 

Abram has such a sparkling reputation for his walk of faith, that many times People forget what type of person Abram was when God chose him.

 

• Abram was a pagan idol worshiper

• Abram had a barren wife

• Abram loved the world

 

All of that has been seen repeatedly in our study of Genesis.

 

And as we saw all that, it became exceedingly clear that Abram

• Was not a righteous man

• Was not a capable man

• Was not an interested man (not seeking God)

 

If it were not for the grace of God toward Abram,

You would never know about the tremendous faith

We so often see displayed in the New Testament.

Abram was saved “by grace…through faith”

 

And thus far we have yet to get to the faith part of Abram’s life.

That will primarily come next week in chapter 15.

 

Now we have seen tidbits of faith from Abram.

• He did leave Ur of the Chaldeans

• He did trust God with his inheritance, letting Lot choose first

 

Abram’s faith is present, and it is growing.

And in chapter 15 Abram’s faith will become saving faith.

 

Genesis 15:6 “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

 

Right now Abram is TASTING God.

In chapter 15, he will begin to start fully TRUSTING God.

 

And this too is an act of grace toward him.

God has granted Abram his faith, and God is growing and shaping that faith, until it is saving faith.

 

This is a gracious work God does in the lives of all His children.

Which is why we say that even our faith is a gift to us from God.

It is “not of yourselves”

 

But we have yet to embark on a study of Abram’s faith.

Right now we are still in the “grace” part of the equation.

 

And to try and really simplify what we have seen.

 

We saw God’s grace to Abram:

THROUGH GOD’S PROMISE

• God spoke to Abram and promised to give him an inheritance and descendants as numerous as the dust of the earth.

 

• Abram didn’t deserve it, Abram couldn’t have achieved it, but God was promising it.

 

THROUGH GOD’S PROTECTION

• You will remember that Abram immediately jumped at the promise of God, but when a few dark clouds appeared on the horizon, Abram threw the promise behind his back and headed for Egypt where he traded off his wife for momentary prosperity.

 

• However, God would not let Sarai be corrupted, or Abram forsake his inheritance.

 

• God intervened, sent a plague on Egypt and sent Abram back to Canaan.

 

• God was graciously protecting the promise.

THROUGH GOD’S PRUNING

• God had made a massive promise to Abram, and yet Abram was content to settle for less than what God had promised.

 

• God promised a son, descendants, and a mighty nation.

• Abram was content with a nephew named Lot.

 

• In fact, despite God’s requirement that Abram leave his relatives and his father’s house, Abram had still hung on to Lot.

 

• Without a doubt Abram expected Lot to be his heir.

• But God had bigger plans, and so God had to prune Lot from his life.

 

• The nephew had to be removed to make way for the son.

 

It was pruning, it was painful, but it most certainly was only done

For the purpose of increasing Abram’s fruit.

 

Jesus said:

John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”

 

And that is what God was doing to Abram.

God was graciously pruning him, that he might be even more fruitful.

 

Well this morning we are still looking at GRACE,

And to a degree we are still looking at PRUNING.

 

However there is a difference.

When God pruned Lot, God really did it without any help of Abram at all.

God just orchestrated the events and took care of it.

 

But here, Abram will have to make the choice of

Whether or not he will let go of the weeds that will get in his way.

 

Sometimes pruning consists of God removing things (like Lot),

Sometimes pruning is when God asks us to remove things (here).

 

First, TURN TO: LUKE 8:11-15

You are most likely familiar with this wonderful parable given to us by the Lord.

 

I would like to jump to the end of this (and the next parable)

To make sure you understand the point.

 

Luke 8:18 “So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”

 

The point of the parable of the sower is in fact listening.

How do you listen to God?

 

Now some, as you see, don’t listen at all.

(12) “Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.”

 

They are the hard soil, and when the word comes, it just rolls right off their back.

Obviously they produce no fruit, they never even took the seed.

 

Some, do listen, but they don’t listen well.

(13) “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.

 

They hear all that is said about the blessing,

But fail to hear anything about the requirement or the hardship.

 

So when a little hardship hits, they bale and also produce no fruit.

 

Then we have some who listen well, and understand what is required, they just don’t believe what they hear, in the sense that they don’t think the blessing is as good as God says it is, and they trade that blessing for earthly treasure.

(14) “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”

 

And then of course we get the good listener, who listens carefully, believes what he heard and thus produces fruit.

(15) “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”

 

And I bring that illustration up to you because this morning

Abram is going to have to choose what to do with the weeds in his heart.

 

Jesus identified those weeds as

“the worries and riches and pleasures of this life”.

 

And according to Jesus those weeds will

Choke out the word and cause a person to be unfruitful.

 

And we know these are weeds that have been thriving in Abram’s life.

A little reminder?

 

When Abram and his dad left Ur of the Chaldeans…

Genesis 11:31 “Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans in order to enter the land of Canaan; and they went as far as Haran, and settled there.”

 

We asked what did they do there?

Genesis 12:5 “Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the persons which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan.”

 

They got rich, they bought slaves, they accumulated the world.

James 4:13-17 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

That was Abram.

 

And even after God called Abram to this new land of promise,

We still see these weeds growing in his life.

 

What was it that caused Abram to leave the land of Canaan? Famine.

I think that would classify as “the worries” that Jesus was talking about.

 

When Abram came out of Egypt, we read about him:

Genesis 13:2 “Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold.”

 

The point being that Abram has been a man who loves the world,

Who loves the “riches and pleasures of this life”

And who “worries” about them.

 

But as Jesus taught us, this is a weed that must be dealt with

Or Abram will never produce the fruit that God intends.

 

Matthew 6:19-24 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

 

That is a familiar passage from the Lord.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth”

In other words, quit planting weeds in your garden.

 

Why? Because “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

 

Your heart follows your treasure.

 

And then the great reality.

“No one can serve two masters…You cannot serve God and wealth”

 

NOTHING HINDERS THE FRUITFUL LIFE

LIKE A LITTLE LOVE OF THE WORLD.

 

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

 

• And the reality is, if you desire to be fruitful…

• If you desire to fulfill all that God has in store for you…

A little pruning will have to occur.

 

And this is certainly going to have to happen in Abram’s life.

God isn’t going to make Abram poor,

But he is going to MAKE ABRAM CHOOSE which he wants.

 

This choice occurs here in chapter 14.

 

Now if you have read through Genesis (and most of you have),

This is another of those stories that can cause you to scratch your head.

 

It sort of stands out from the norm, kind of like the story of

The tower of Babel or of Noah getting drunk.

 

It just seems strange.

That is why you must keep it in context of the flow

Of what Moses is teaching us.

 

Moses is reminding us of how God called a sinner like Abram

Then pruned and shaped on him until he was the father of faith.

 

This event was a monumental day in the life of Abram

As to the type of man he would become.

 

For today, Abram would have to choose the benefits of the world,

Or the blessing of God.

We will find that Abram chooses grace.

 

Incidentally, that is a choice that you have to make as well.

• You must choose the benefit of the world or the blessing of God.

• You must choose the weeds or the fruit.

• You must choose this life or God’s life.

 

In short you must choose if you are going to live in the flesh,

Or if you are going to live in grace.

 

Three things here.

#1 A MAJOR DELIMMA

Genesis 14:1-12

 

Now I really hoped to take turns with us all reading these names out loud.

(No one ever said Bible reading wasn’t an adventure)

 

But because of the difficulty of names, and the way they are recorded, the whole story can be a little confusing to understand, so let me see if I can make it clear to you.

 

In verses 1-3 Moses is reminding the children of Israel of a war that occurred in the days of Abram.

 

(1-3) “And it came about in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). All these came as allies to the valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).”

 

Now, to move further, verses 4-9 explain the reason for that war.

 

(4) “Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but the thirteenth year they rebelled.”

 

Here is what happened.

There were 5 kings who served Chedorlaomer,

And they served him for 12 years.

 

That meant they had to pay some sort of tax or duty to him and were in his subjects.

 

But after serving him for 12 years,

In the 13th year they had enough and the rebelled.

 

These 5 kings were:

• The King of Sodom

• The King of Gomorrah

• The King of Admah

• The King of Zeboiim

• The King of Zoar

 

So these five had enough and the all banded together

To form a sort of coalition to resist Chedorlaomer.

 

Now when they revolted Chedorlaomer took counter measures.

He then took three more kings and formed a coalition of his own.

 

• The King of Shinar (Babylon)

• The King of Ellasar

• The King of Goiim

 

And he with these other 3 kings went on the war path,

Seeking to pillage, plunder, and wipe out any rebellion.

 

And verses 5-7 give a brief description of Chedorlaomer and his three friends on the war path.

 

(READ 5-7)

And really you just need to see that these men were lethal,

And no one seemed to be able to stand against them.

 

And that brings about the battle previously mentioned in verses 1-3.

(READ 8-9)

 

So we have Chedorlaomer and his 3 friends,

Squaring off in battle against the 5 kings that revolted against him.

 

As Moses says, “four kings against five”

 

So there is the war, and there is the reason for the war.

 

Verses 10-12 show us the result of the war.

 

(10-12) “Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell into them. But those who survived fled to the hill country. Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food supply, and departed. They also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed, for he was living in Sodom.”

 

To make a long story short, the four kings defeated the five.

And when the Chedorlaomer was looting the towns,

He kidnapped Lot and all the possessions of the city and departed.

 

So there is the real point of the story.

Moses told you all that, to tell you this – Lot was kidnapped.

 

That is the MAJOR DELIMMA

#2 A MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE

Genesis 14:13-16

 

So now the story continues with word of this defeat

Reaching the ears of Abram.

 

(13) “Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were allies with Abram.”

 

Incidentally, this is the first time we see the word “Hebrew” used.

It literally means “one who crosses over” (as in the river)

 

The people of the land recognized Abram as a stranger in a foreign land.

 

Hebrews 11:9 “By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;”

 

And now this outsider has lost a nephew

And one who escaped the battle has come and told Abram.

 

And this is where the story gets interesting.

 

Might I remind you who has taken Lot?

The King of Elam named Chedorlaomer.

 

• The same Chedorlaomer that held 5 other kingdoms in subjection for 12 years.

• The same Chedorlaomer that squashed down the rebellion of all 5 kings combined.

• The same Chedorlaomer that also squashed the Rephaim, the Zuzim, the Emim, and the Horites.

• The same Chedorlaomer who also conquered all the lands of the Amorites and the Amalekites.

 

My point?

This is no pushover who has taken Lot.

Thus far no king or no coalition has been able to stand against him.

 

That is what makes Abram’s response seem a little hasty.

(This is a David and Goliath type battle)

 

(14) “When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.”

 

Now we don’t know the size of the armies of Chedorlaomer and his 3 friends, but I think it is safe to say that it was bigger than 318.

 

The obvious observation is that Abram is way overmatched.

But Abram goes to war.

 

And then, the unthinkable happens!

(15-16) “He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.”

 

Now if you don’t see the miracle here,

Then you are not looking hard enough.

 

Melchizedek will certainly see it here in a minute

As he recognizes that God must certainly be with Abram.

 

But the point is that Abram just defeated someone

He never should have been able to defeat.

 

Abram just dispossessed a king he never should have been able to dispossess.

The Major Dilemma, The Miraculous Deliverance

#3 A MONUMENTAL DECISION

Genesis 14:17-24

 

Now I don’t have to tell you that the first 16 verses

Were really just for the point of getting to this situation.

(All that to tell you this)

 

First you must notice that Abram is instantly confronted by two kings.

 

(17-18) “Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High.”

 

So Abram is confronted by two kings.

1) The King of Salem

2) The King of Sodom

 

LET’S SEE THE CHARACTER OF THESE TWO KINGS.

 

We know about Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7:1-3 “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.”

 

Melchizedek was a righteous man,

Who was actually a foreshadow of Christ.

 

Just as Melchizedek was both king and priest without being of the tribe of Levi,

So also Christ was both king and priest without being of the tribe of Levi.

So we know about Melchizedek.

 

We also know about the King of Sodom.

(We don’t know him specifically, but we know about his city)

 

Under his leadership this city

Would become the poster child for immorality.

 

• It would become a city so depraved that angels could not safely stay at the square.

• It would become a city so depraved that God would not even be able to find 10 righteous among them.

• It would become a city so depraved that God would make an example out of them for the ages.

So I think it is safe to say that we are dealing with two kings

Who are opposites in every possible way.

 

One would foreshadow Christ’s kingdom.

One would foreshadow Satan’s kingdom.

 

THE SECOND THING WE RECOGNIZE ABOUT THESE TWO MEN IS THAT THEY EACH BROUGHT SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO ABRAM.

 

The King of Salem brought a blessing.

(18-20) “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

 

Melchizedek recognized the favor of God on Abram.

 

Melchizedek understood that the only reason Abram was victorious

Was because “God Most High” was with him.

 

The important reality here is that grace was now visible on Abram’s life.

It was apparent even to those around him

That God was in fact blessing this man.

 

And Melchizedek recognizes this blessing and repeats it.

He brought a blessing.

 

The King of Sodom however brought a bribe.

(21) “The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.”

 

Now it may just seem like a nice gesture on this king’s part,

But Abram knew exactly what was going on here.

 

He understood that if he took anything from the king of Sodom,

Then he would look on that as a favor.

(Many of you have seen The Godfather)

 

Abram would be indebted to him.

 

This man was a manipulator.

He offered the world, but there were always strings attached.

 

And so you see that these men are in fact different,

Offering different things.

 

One is offering the blessing of God.

One is offering the benefits of the world.

And Abram will have to choose which he wants.

Abram will either choose to pursue the grace of God, or his own flesh.

 

And I remind you again that Abram had a history here.

The Abram back in Ur or Haran would have taken the money without thought.

 

After all, Abram raised Lot, and that is what Lot did.

He learned it somewhere.

 

But God is pruning Abram, and it is time

For Abram to choose who he is going to serve.

 

Abram will either have to recognize the value of grace and follow God

Or embrace the value of gold and become like all the rest.

 

Well, the blessing is that you and I know what Abram chose.

ABRAM CHOSE GRACE!

 

To Melchizedek

(20b) “He gave him a tenth of all.”

 

Abram tithed before titheing was commanded.

This wasn’t a required ordinance, this was a gift from the heart.

 

Abram willingly parted with his possessions as a way

To say thank you to the God who had been so gracious to him.

 

Abram loved God and chose to place his future in God’s hands.

(Abram will give a sacrifice along this same line later, with his son)

 

To the King of Sodom

(22-24) “Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ “I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.”

 

Abram was letting the king of Sodom know that

He would not be indebted to him.

 

Abram was making a declaration:

• I know where my blessing comes from, and I will stick with Him.

• I know who secures my future, and I will trust Him.

 

Abram forsook the wealth of the world

That he might obtain the grace of God.

 

 

This was a monumental moment in Abram’s life.

• Abram decided to pull the weeds from his heart, and let God have it all.

• Abram decided that he was going to be a follower of God Most High.

 

He wanted grace.

 

And friend that is a decision that each of us must make in our own lives.

The reality is that you cannot love God and wealth.

You cannot take this world and the next.

 

Now that old devil, like the king of Sodom,

Will come offering you all sorts of worldly attractions,

But there are always strings attached.

 

Someone once said, “Give the devil an inch, and he’ll want to be your ruler”

 

You must be willing to part ways with him.

 

On the other hand there is God, who offers you grace.

But get this – He also demands to be your ruler.

 

The difference is that the grace He offers

Far outweighs the momentary pleasure the devil offers.

For God loves you and the devil does not.

 

Abram saw that.

Abram knew where he was in life.

 

• He had a God who had chosen him

• He had a God who had protected him

• He had a God who was looking out for his best interest

 

And Abram is now deciding to put it all in His hands.

He rejected the wealth of the world that he might pay a tithe to God.

 

Which do you choose?

The goods of the world or the grace of God?

 

Abram chose grace, I recommend you do the same.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

 

Straight Talk for Shepherds – part 2

Matthew 10:24-31

June 19, 2011

 

When last we met, we studied a very difficult truth.

 

Jesus revealed what sort of value

A shepherd in search of His sheep has in the world.

And the answer is that they have no value.

 

Paul himself said:

Romans 8:36 “Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

 

1 Corinthians 4:9 “For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.”

 

1 Corinthians 4:11-13 “To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.”

 

And of course if those passages are not enough,

We only need to listen to Paul as he recounts his hardships.

 

2 Corinthians 11:24-29 “Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?”

 

It is obvious that what Jesus spoke was true, especially for the apostles.

Indeed it has also rang true for countless thousands

Of His followers around the world.

 

Those who follow Him suffer with Him.

 

Matthew 16:24-25 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

 

TURN TO: LUKE 14:25-35

 

One could almost get the idea from the gospels

That half of the time Jesus was calling sinners to Himself,

The other half of the time He was discouraging them from coming.

Both are true, for Jesus wanted the follower who would count the cost,

Understand the value, and follow anyway.

 

Remember it was the rocky soil who followed without counting the cost

And who didn’t make it to the end.

 

Jesus is looking for someone who will endure through the adversity.

 

So Jesus is telling them what they can expect.

Again, He does not tell them this

So they can decide whether or not to follow, that is not an option,

He tells them this so they won’t be shocked when it happens.

 

And so Jesus is answering some misconceptions about following.

We have seen the first 5.

 

#1 DON’T BE DUMB (16)

• Understand that wolves are present, be wise in your behavior.

 

#2 DON’T BE DECEIVED (17-18)

• Don’t think men will love you, they won’t.

• They will hand you over.

• Arrest, scourging, and imprisonment will occur.

 

#3 DON’T BE DISTRESSED (19-20)

• God will give you what to say.

• He will help you be successful in your mission.

 

#4 DON’T BE DISCOURAGED (21-22)

• I know it will be hard, but eternal life is found on the other side.

 

#5 DON’T BE DISTRACTED (23)

• Don’t ever quit, regardless of how many times you get run out of a city.

 

These were the first five misconceptions or responses

That Jesus dealt with.

 

Let’s look at the next 4 here.

#6 DON’T BE DELUDED

Matthew 10:24-25

 

By deluded I mean self-deceived.

James 1:22 “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

 

Thus far Jesus has talked about several types of deception.

 

He has told us not to be deceived about men.

“they will hand you over”

In some regard He has told us not to be deceived about God.

God will let them – for a testimony

God won’t abandon you

 

He has told us not to be deceived about family.

Brother will betray brother

Children their parents and a father his child

 

He has told us not to be deceived about the severity of hardship.

Some will be put to death

 

There are all sorts of deception that He has warned us about.

But perhaps the greatest deception we face is self-deception.

 

We have the propensity to delude ourselves.

 

And without a doubt one of the main ways we do that

Is by convincing ourselves that we are more important

Than we really are.

 

WE ARE AN EGOTISTICAL SOCIETY

 

Tom Pennington recently preached a sermon on pride in which he quoted from a book called “The Narcissism Epidemic”. Here is what he said:

 

“Our culture’s focus on self admiration has caused a flight from reality to the land of grandiose fantasy. We have phony rich people with interest only mortgages and piles of debt, phony beauty with plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures, phony athletes with performance enhancing drugs, phony celebrities via reality TV and youtube, phony genius students with grade inflation, a phony national economy with eleven trillion dollars of government debt, phony feelings of being special among children with parenting focused on self-esteem, and even phony friends with the social networking explosion. But perhaps nowhere in human history has human pride run freer, and we all see it to our shame, than on the internet with the “me” generation. It began with blogs and my-space, then came facebook, which now has 5 hundred million users worldwide. And of course there is youtube which blatantly invites us all to “broadcast ourselves”. And twitter has given everyone the chance to broadcast a running commentary on their lives. It gives the illusion that there are dozens perhaps even hundreds of people who really care what you’re doing right now.”

 

I don’t think there is really any arguing that we are a generation of people

Who is enamored with ourselves.

 

The problems to such views of self are obvious throughout Scripture.

 

And here Jesus reveals it as a problem,

Because a lofty view of self-importance

Leads us to be shocked when we are actually allowed to suffer.

 

Now, I certainly do not want to undo what we have already said,

That God has tremendous value on you.

We have already seen Jesus speak of our worth.

In a moment we will hear how God values us more than many sparrows.

 

It is not about value.

We are valuable in the sight of God,

For He spent the precious unblemished blood of His Son on us.

 

But don’t get worth and importance mixed up.

 

We are valuable to God, as based upon the price He paid for us,

But don’t assume that means God has placed you in a trophy case

Where no one will ever dent or ding you.

 

We are valuable, but we are not collectables.

 

So don’t assume that somehow God is too enamored with you

To allow you to suffer.

 

Don’t assume that somehow you are too important to the kingdom

To be martyred.

 

Don’t assume that you are not expendable.

 

And that is what Jesus tells the 12 here.

(24) “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.”

 

Here Jesus gives a short illustration about the natural order of all things.

Who is more important, the disciple or the teacher?

Who is more important, the slave or the master?

 

(I used to tell the guys in my dad’s shop “The Law of the Totem Pole”)

 

And obviously we understand the point.

Jesus is the teacher, He is the Master, we are but a disciple and a slave.

 

WHO IS MORE IMPORTANT TO GOD’S PLAN, JESUS OR US?

Obviously it is Christ.

 

So first we learn our place.

Jesus is more important than us.

 

In fact say that, “Jesus is more important than me.”

Whose reputation is more important?

Whose happiness is more important?

Whose glory is more important?

Whose will is more important?

Whose time is more important?

 

Good, we all know our place.

Now, let’s move on.

(25) “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master.”

 

Please notice the “It is enough”

 

God isn’t asking any more from you than this.

 

You aren’t asked to be better than Jesus at anything (that’s good)

You aren’t asked to be less expendable than Jesus ever.

 

All God wants is what?

For you to be like Him.

 

Romans 8:29 “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;”

 

That is why Paul prayed:

Philippians 3:10-11 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

 

So we know that the only objective is for us to be like Christ.

 

And then comes the fact of the matter.

“If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!”

 

• In other words, if they would do this to Jesus, and He is far more important than us, what makes you think they won’t do it to us?

 

• Even more, if God would allow them to do it to His Son, what makes you think God won’t allow it in our lives?

 

You see, we live this life sometimes with this self-deluded notion

That God never intended to let anything bad or hard into our lives.

 

We certainly don’t think we deserve it,

And the problem is that we spend our lives trying to avoid it

Actually believing that God would never want anything like that

To happen in our lives.

 

But that just isn’t true.

If God would allow it for Jesus, He certainly will allow it for us.

 

We are not too important for bad things to happen in our lives.

 

LET ME GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES

 

1 Kings 19:10 “He said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

 

Do you know who those prophets were?

Me neither.

 

They were men of God, who faithfully preached the truth,

And who were martyred because of it,

And their names aren’t even recorded in the Bible.

 

They were great men, but they were not untouchable.

 

Hebrews 11:36-38 “and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.”

 

There again, great men and women of God

Who suffered as much as one can, and we don’t even know who they are.

 

The point is that this whole thing is not about us.

• It is all about God.

• It is all about Christ.

• It is all about His kingdom.

 

It has never been about our comfort or our prosperity.

Don’t delude yourself into thinking otherwise.

 

Don’t be Dumb, Deceived, Distressed, Discouraged, Distracted, Deluded

#7 DON’T BE DEFEATED

Matthew 10:26-27

 

Now this is an interesting statement.

 

After being promised that these people will arrest us and scourge us

And betray us and kill us and call us Beelzebul,

Now we get a strange command.

 

“do not fear them”

 

We know what they will do, and we know they will be successful,

Yet we are told not to fear them.

WHY?

 

“for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.”

 

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

It means that someday the truth will come out,

And God will make everything right.

We call it vindication.

 

We actually talked about it a couple of weeks ago on Sunday night,

That God will vindicate His people.

 

Colossians 3:1-4 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

 

Right now the world doesn’t see who we are,

But some day it will be revealed.

 

Remember the church at Philadelphia?

Revelation 3:9 “Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie — I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.”

 

Jesus is promising that we will be slandered and arrested,

And scourged, and tried, and killed.

But rest assured we don’t lose in the end.

 

Some day all will be made known and all will be revealed.

And those who are God’s will be revealed as God’s.

 

Matthew 13:41-43 “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

 

We all know that.

But since we know that we are victorious then,

We are called to live like it now.

 

(27) “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.”

 

If we are winners in the end, then don’t act defeated in this life.

 

If we really believe that the faithful of God win in the end,

Then go out and be the faithful of God.

 

It is a hypocritical notion to claim victory in the end,

And yet to live in defeat during this life.

 

2 Timothy 1:7-12 “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

 

• There is no excuse for a Christian too afraid to speak the truth.

• There is no excuse for a Christian walking in timidity.

• There is no excuse for a Christian concealing the message of the gospel.

 

We win in the end, so live like it now.

Don’t be defeated.

 

#8 DON’T BE DESTROYED

Matthew 10:28

 

And just by the title, I would think we are all in agreement with this one.

 

But what we get here is some very unique perspective.

 

For up until now, we have been told some pretty difficult truths

And then Jesus has told us not to fear them.

 

I don’t know about you, but that is a difficult concept.

 

How do I keep from letting the fear of persecution silence me?

 

Maybe I want to speak from the housetops.

Maybe I want to proclaim it in the light.

But how do I overcome my fear?

 

FIGHT FEAR WITH FEAR

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

 

We call it perspective.

We have to look at things eternally not just temporally

We have to look at things spiritually not just physically

 

And the fact remains that there is

More than one death that can occur in a person’s life.

 

There is the first death that we all experience.

Then there is the second death that is for the lost.

 

Revelation 20:11-15 “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which isthe book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

 

Now we spend a lot of time and effort and resources

Trying to post-pone the first death today.

We eat right…

We exercise…

We get checkups…

We take medication…

We endure treatment…

 

And some even determine to keep silent about their faith

To try and postpone the first death.

 

But Scripture is clear that the first death

Is not the one you ought to be trying to avoid.

 

It is the second death that we must seek to avoid.

 

HOW DO WE AVOID IT?

 

Jesus already told us.

(Verse 22) “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”

 

Now this is clear.

If you do not endure to the end…

If you fall away…

Then you won’t be saved.

 

DID THAT MEAN THEY LOST THEIR SALVATION?

No, it means they never had it.

 

1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.”

 

Those who fall away reveal that their faith was never genuine,

For genuine faith endures to the end.

 

And that is the same point Jesus is making here.

You could choose to avoid conflict and to avoid persecution and to avoid hardship, and that might help you postpone that first death.

 

But if you do, rest assured there is a second death

That is coming which is far worse.

On the other hand, you could live faithfully on this earth

And that might very well cause the first death to come prematurely,

But you will be safe from the second one.

 

BE MORE AFRAID OF THE SECOND ONE.

 

Don’t be destroyed

#9 DON’T BE DISHEARTENED

Matthew 10:29-31

 

Now at this point Jesus gives us some much needed comfort.

Because by this point in the game we all could be feeling

A little bit like pawns in the game.

 

When we read that God is sending us out like sheep to be slaughtered,

It doesn’t make us feel all that valuable.

 

And that is why Jesus offers this final truth.

(29) “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.”

 

Jesus points out a seemingly worthless bird.

Worth less than a penny.

In fact you can get two for a penny.

 

“And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.”

 

God even watches those insignificant birds.

 

And God cares for you more than that.

(30-31) “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”

 

• God cares for you so much that He has numbered every hair of your head.

• God cares for you so much that He watches you continually.

• God cares for you so much that He will never abandon you.

 

Yes the mission is hard.

Yes the mission is dangerous.

Yes the mission can lead to death.

But that does not mean that you are not valuable to God.

 

Psalms 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones.”

 

I know we don’t have time to go through it,

But it is interesting when you read the book of the Revelation.

 

The judgment begins with the opening of 7 seals.

The first four are difficult, but nothing in comparison to the end.

DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE JUDGMENT REALLY CRANKS UP AND GETS SEVERE?

After the 5th seal.

WHAT IS THE FIFTH SEAL?

 

Revelation 6:9-11 “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ” How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.”

 

DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

 

God rips the veil away that hides Himself from the earth,

And men go running begging the mountains to fall on them

And to hid them from the presence of the One sitting on the throne.

 

In other words, God gets enraged,

Motivated by the blood of His martyred church.

 

Those who serve Christ are valuable to Him.

 

And so Christ comes back to where He started.

He begins by telling them they are worthy,

And now He reminds them that they are valuable.

 

The world may not value you.

In fact the world will hate you.

But rest assured you are valuable to My Father and worth much to Me.

 

So look past the difficulty and focus on eternity

And rise up and be My witnesses.

 

The call is the same for us.

• Don’t live in fear and defeat,

• Rise up and confess Christ

• And go look for His lost sheep,

• Knowing that your work is valuable to God!

 

Matthew 9:36-38 “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

 

Straight Talk for Shepherds

Matthew 10:16-23

June 12, 2011

 

If you’ll remember, we left off last week

With Jesus telling the disciples how infinitely valuable they were to Him.

 

He Gave them Power

He Gave them the Plan

 

And He told them they were so valuable that whoever didn’t listen to them,

It would be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah

In the day of judgment than for that city.

 

Christ so desperately wants the lost sheep found

That He puts a high value on anyone who will search for them.

 

And it was vitally important that He reiterate that to the 12.

For in our text this morning they will learn about their value in the world.

 

And as we said last week, they have no value.

Those who go into the world to search for Christ’s sheep will be hated.

 

The world just doesn’t value someone

Who works for a God they have rejected.

 

So here Jesus tells the twelve what they can expect.

 

If you ever wondered what true ministry is like, this is it.

Jesus doesn’t sugar coat it.

 

Many people begin ministry expecting it to be this glamorous road,

Where everyone admires you and looks up to you.

 

At least at first:

The disciples followed Jesus because He was the Messiah.

They expected Him to be gloriously powerful.

And they expected to be the same for following Him.

 

IT IS THAT TYPE OF THINKING THAT JESUS IS WARNING THEM OF

 

Many today jump on the Jesus train under the same false pre-tenses.

They expect ministry to be glorious, and easy.

 

However, that isn’t the case.

The world hates Jesus, and so it stands to reason

That the world will hate the cause of Jesus.

 

WE MUST LEARN THE COST, SO WE AREN’T CAUGHT OFF GUARD.

And the fact is, that whether you are following Jesus

Or serving in His name, IT IS NEVER EASY.

 

Remember the men earlier who wanted to follow?

Matthew 8:19-22 “Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”

 

Jesus was always upfront with His followers,

He wants us to know the truth, and count the cost.

He wants His followers to be willing to endure.

 

Jesus wants us to know the cost of true ministry.

BUT IT IS NOT AS THOUGH HE IS GIVING US A CHOICE.

 

The choice is made in whether or not we initially follow.

But once we decide to follow, we no longer have a choice.

 

Matthew 10:5 says, “These twelve Jesus sent out…”

It doesn’t say He asked for volunteers.

 

Jesus doesn’t tell us the dangers so we can make a choice

About whether or not we want to obey.

 

He tells us how difficult it will be, so when it happens

We won’t be confused and discouraged.

 

So this sermon is not about giving us an option,

This sermon is about preparing us for the inevitable.

 

And so here Jesus warns us against 5 responses we may have.

#1 DON’T BE DUMB

Matthew 10:16

 

Movie: “Forest Gump”

When Forest gets to Vietnam, his commander gave him some advice.

He said, “Try not to do anything stupid, like getting yourself killed.”

 

REALIZE THE DANGER, AND DON’T DO ANYTHING DUMB.

 

This is not so different from what Jesus is telling His disciples.

He wants them to be aware of the danger they are in,

So they don’t do anything dumb.

 

First, He reveals the DANGER.

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves;”

And this is very insightful.

 

Up until now we may have been getting a pretty high view of ourselves.

Jesus has lost sheep, and I am going to get them back.

He wants me to shepherd His flock.

So now, as a faithful shepherd, I will go get those lost sheep.

 

And then Jesus reveals something very important.

WE ARE SHEEP TOO!

 

Romans 8:36 “Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

 

• That means that we are just as prone to wandering…

• We are just as defenseless…

• We are just as mindless…

• We are just as helpless as those we are looking for.

 

He is sending us out, but we are far from invincible.

The same dangers that plagued the lost sheep can get us too.

 

That is why we read of passages in the Scriptures

About protecting ourselves.

 

Ephesians 6:13 “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

 

We are doing a shepherd’s work,

But that does not mean we aren’t sheep ourselves.

 

And since we are sheep, we must be on guard.

Because we are “sheep in the midst of wolves”

 

Picture a pack of hungry wolves.

Picture a sheep in the middle of the pack.

 

THAT DANGER IS THE SAME DANGER A CHRISTIAN FACES.

 

Don’t assume they will love you, because they won’t.

They are out to devour you, they are out to kill you.

 

First, He reveals the danger.

Second, He gives SOUND ADVICE.

“So be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”

 

Be smart and be out of reach.

 

“Be shrewd as serpents.”

 

We know about serpents.

Genesis 3:1a “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.”

 

In Egyptian hieroglyphics,

The serpent represented wisdom.

 

And Jesus tells us to be wise or shrewd like they are.

 

Understand that there are people looking to crucify you,

Don’t provide the nails.

 

Ted Traylor on being interviewed by the news.

 

He said, “If somebody from the news calls your house, and wants to ask you a question, don’t say something stupid. Don’t say something dumb.”

He went on to say, “E-mail’s have killed us, because we get mad and just (type away) and then press SEND!”

He said, “Every Baptist ought to have a warning light on their computer when they did that that just flashed, STUPID, STUPID, STUPID.”

 

Today we could add things like TWITTER

 

His rationale was simple.

Don’t give the world a hammer to beat you in the head with.

 

Peter said it like this:

1 Peter 4:15-16 “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.”

 

Peter knew suffering was certain enough

Without us giving added reasons to make it occur.

Don’t be dumb and cause yourself added grief.

 

• This doesn’t mean we stay quiet about our faith…

• This doesn’t mean we avoid dangerous areas…

• This doesn’t mean we avoid controversial topics…

IT JUST MEANS THAT WE DON’T MAKE THINGS FOR OURSELVES

 

Be smart about what you say and do.

There are people who will take your tongue and hang you by it.

 

SO WATCH WHAT YOU SAY UNLESS IT IS THE HILL TO DIE ON.

Then tell them to let the hammers fly!

 

And

“be…innocent as doves.”

Be innocent.

In other words, don’t give them opportunity to convict you.

 

This is precisely what Paul had in mind when he wrote the qualifications for an overseer or a shepherd of God’s flock.

1 Timothy 3:2 “An overseer, then, must be above reproach…”

 

1 Timothy 3:7 “And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

 

We can all think of preachers who lost their innocence, and their ministry.

 

For goodness sakes people, the world is wolves,

And they are seeking to kill us. Don’t be stupid.

 

It isn’t even that hard to imagine today.

Imagine if you decided to run for president. (and where a threat)

 

Within a few hours the opposing party would have dirt on you,

Like you couldn’t imagine and it would be all over the news.

 

How much more would the god of this world, seek to bring down someone who is out to rescue the sheep back from him?

 

So the first thing Jesus tells them, is don’t be dumb.

#2 DON’T BE DECEIVED

Matthew 10:17-18

 

Jesus says here to look out for, or beware of men.

 

They will hand you over…

 

This is a very simple message.

When you are out there, don’t let your guard down.

 

People today are often shocked by the hatred of the world.

 

Even in Scripture this happened.

Psalms 44:9-16 “Yet You have rejected us and brought us to dishonor, And do not go out with our armies. You cause us to turn back from the adversary; And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves. You give us as sheep to be eaten And have scattered us among the nations. You sell Your people cheaply, And have not profited by their sale. You make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to those around us. You make us a byword among the nations, A laughingstock among the peoples. All day long my dishonor is before me And my humiliation has overwhelmed me, Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, Because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger.”

 

They were absolutely shocked that they were hated,

And that they were treated poorly.

 

Consider Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 20:7-8 “O LORD, You have deceived me and I was deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; Everyone mocks me. For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, Because for me the word of the LORD has resulted In reproach and derision all day long.”

Jeremiah was shocked, but he shouldn’t have been.

 

Listen to what God told him when He called him.

Jeremiah 1:19 “They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.”

 

AND WE SHOULDN’T BE SHOCKED EITHER.

 

John said:

1 John 3:13 “Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.”

 

Peter said:

1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;”

 

Don’t be deceived into thinking that the world is on your side.

 

John 17:14 “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

 

We are going in an opposite direction of this world.

They lust after sin…We crave after righteousness

They love darkness…We are children of light

They are of the evil one…We are of our heavenly Father

They are headed for judgment…We are headed for glory

 

SO DON’T BE DECEIVED ABOUT THEM.

“They will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.”

 

Don’t expect leniency.

(not even in religious institutions, i.e. synagogue)

 

They will hand you over. And God will let them,

“as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles”

 

Luke says it like this:

Luke 21:12-14 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. “It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. “So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves;”

 

Sometimes the only way to witness to a king is to stand trial before him.

God used this to allow Paul to witness to Festus, Felix, and Agrippa.

 

Don’t be dumb Don’t be deceived.

#3 DON’T BE DISTRESSED

Matthew 10:19-20

 

Now, what do we mean when we say distressed?

In other words, don’t worry.

 

Now, I know we said to be careful what you say and do,

And don’t give the world an opportunity to beat you.

We said don’t underestimate the power of the enemy.

 

But in doing this, don’t be so worried,

And so afraid that you fail to do anything at all.

 

WHY?

“for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.”

 

Luke says it like this:

Luke 21:15 “for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.”

 

You don’t know what you would say now, but “in that hour” you will.

God will make sure the words come to you.

 

But even at that, this promise was made to the apostles.

We don’t even have to fret this, for we have the New Testament.

 

And that is not the only reason we don’t have to worry.

(20) “For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of you Father who speaks in you.”

 

THAT IS HUGE!

The Holy Spirit will speak for us.

• The One who knows the hearts of all men…

• The One who convicts the world of sin righteousness and judgment…

• The One who guides us into all truth…

• The One who glorifies Jesus…

 

HE WILL SPEAK

Certainly we don’t have to worry.

 

Jesus tells them,

There is a good possibility they will be arrested and punished.

But when that happens, don’t worry about what you will say.

 

DON’T WORRY ABOUT BLOWING YOUR WITNESS,

DON’T WORRY ABOUT SOUNDING DUMB.

 

Don’t be so gripped with the fear of failure that you refuse to try.

And did He ever come through!

Acts 4:13 “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.”

 

We are going out into the world, and we should be cautious,

Because the danger is real,

However, don’t be so afraid of failing that we don’t go,

Because God is our strength.

 

If He is on our side, speaking through us, we cannot fail.

So don’t let the danger deceive you,

But don’t let the danger cause you to do nothing either.

 

Don’t be dumb, don’t be deceived, don’t be distressed.

#4 DON’T BE DISCOURAGED

Matthew 10:21-22

 

Now, at this point, if you are human, and I’m assuming you are.

You are probably giving this ministry thing a good second thinking.

• We are sent into enemy territory.

• We are all but promised that some will be captured.

• Persecution will occur, but God will be present.

 

At first, that sounds pretty rough,

Some must be thinking, “But that’s suicide. You’ve got to be kidding.”

 

He has said,

I’m putting you in very grave danger, you can’t expect safety,

They will capture you, and scourge you, and take you before kings,

But don’t worry when you get there, you’ll know exactly what to say.

 

That doesn’t sound very promising to me.

 

I wanted Him to say, “But when you are handed over, do not worry about being killed, for I have given you the super Holy Spirit force field, and anyone who touches you will be immediately vaporized, and they will set you free with their apologies.”

 

But the fact that all He promised was we would be told what to say,

Doesn’t sound very reassuring does it?

 

That is why Jesus points out this next point.

Now He continues to tell them the truth, that the danger is real,

And the deception is even worse.

 

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name…”

Then Jesus says, “But Don’t Be Discouraged.”

”but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”

 

He promises us that salvation is on the other side.

Don’t be discouraged to face death,

For all they can do by killing you is speed up your salvation.

 

Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

 

It is true, that if you follow Jesus in this world, it could cost you your life.

 

However, He tells us not to allow that fact to discourage us,

Because by enduring to the end, you will secure your salvation.

 

It takes being focused on the eternal.

 

So as we are Christians in enemy territory, Jesus tells us:

don’t be dumb, don’t be deceived, don’t be distressed, don’t be discouraged.

#5 DON’T BE DISTRACTED

Matthew 10:23

 

The danger we will face, is absolutely true, it is coming.

But in the midst of all the danger,

WE CANNOT ALLOW THAT TO STOP US.

 

YOU SEE FEAR IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH.

YOU CANNOT WALK IN FEAR AND FAITH AT THE SAME TIME.

 

Now does that mean you can’t be afraid while you walk in faith? No.

 

Jesus was very grieved the night before He was to be crucified.

He was fighting the human instinct of survival.

 

Luke 22:39-44 “And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.”

 

He was aware of the danger,

And part of His humanity didn’t want to proceed,

But the blessing is that Jesus didn’t allow Himself to get distracted.

 

Despite wanting to quit, He said, “yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

 

Milton Horner – “Man I hear that Christians are being killed right and left over in some of those third-world countries. I want to get in on some of that.”

 

All I could say was, “I don’t.”

I’ll be honest with you folks, I am in no hurry to be a martyr.

“I am a natural born coward.”

 

Martyrdom doesn’t excite me, any more than it excited Jesus,

But He doesn’t ask you to be excited, He only wants you to be focused.

 

He says, don’t allow your fears, and don’t allow the opposition

To distract you from doing what God has called you to do.

 

“whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next…”

Just keep going.

 

“you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.”

 

In other words, the search for lost sheep never ends this side of eternity.

We search with our dying breath!

 

Ministry is no cake walk.

To the world, a Christian looks weak.

 

That is exactly how a sheep looks to a wolf.

But if you want to be the minister God has called you to be,

You will be anything but that.

 

It is no easy calling, but it is the only calling that ends in glory.

 

Matthew 9:37-38 “Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

 

It is fitting that we conclude this thought with the Lord’s Supper.

For after studying that the Lord asks us to lay down our lives for Him,

We remember that He already laid down His life for us.

 

IS THERE ANY WAY WE COULD SAY NO?

 

In fact, that is partly what taking the Lord’s Supper is all about.

1 Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

 

Partaking of this is a confession.

It is similar to that of James and John.

Mark 10:37-40 “They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. “But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

 

When we partake of the cup, we are saying the same.

Christ gave His life for me, I give my life for Him.

 

As is customary this morning before we partake,

We will have a time of preparation.

 

The Search for the Sheep – part 2

Matthew 10:1-15 (5-15)

June 5, 2011

 

Last time we met we began this new section in Matthew’s gospel.

We said we were moving from the section on Jesus’ POWER

To the section on Jesus’ PURPOSE.

 

We read in chapter 9 that Jesus was overcome with compassion

Because of the pitiful state of the sheep of Israel.

 

Now we read in chapter 10 that Jesus is sending out the twelve

In order to find the sheep that are lost.

 

We saw three things in the first 6 verses.

#1 THE POWER HE SHARED

(1) “Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority…”

 

• These men did not go on their own authority.

• These men did not stand on their own ability or credentials.

• These men were messengers of the king.

And they went with all the authority of the king.

 

#2 THE PEOPLE HE SUMMONED

• At least 4 fishermen

• A tax collector

• A terrorist

• An imposter

• A breast baby

 

Jesus intends to use ordinary people to accomplish His divine mission.

 

#3 THE PLACE HE SENT THEM

(6) “but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

 

And as we said then, Jesus was not here excluding the Gentiles,

For we know He had compassion on them as well.

 

But this mission was not a global mission effort,

This was about those same sheep Jesus recognized in chapter 9.

This was about the flock of God.

 

And so the first order of business was not getting new sheep,

But rather finding all the sheep that were missing.

This was a shepherding effort.

 

That is what we saw last time.

Let’s continue our study of this chapter here.

 

 

The Power He Shared The People He Summoned The Place He Sent Them

#4 THE PLAN THEY SHOULD FOLLOW

Matthew 10:5-8

 

We already saw last week that the twelve were not supposed to go to the Gentiles, but to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

 

But one thing that certainly must not be overlooked

Is that they were to “go” to them.

 

We hear a lot today in church growth books

About all the ways you can get people to come to you.

 

Perhaps the most popular of the last decade is “Purpose Driven Church”

 

Part 4 of this 5 part book is entitled

“Bringing in a Crowd”

 

And in the 5 chapters of this section there are all sorts of recommendations

That you can use to do this.

 

In regard to the SERVICE

• Make it as Easy as Possible to Attend

• Improve the Pace and Flow of the Service

• Make Visitors Feel Comfortable

• Create an Attractive Atmosphere

 

In regard to the MUSIC

• Sing a new Song

• Speed up the Tempo

• Update the Lyrics

• Replace the Organ

 

In regard to the PREACHING

• Plan your Titles to Appeal to the Unchurched

• Preach in Series

• Preach for Commitment

 

These are all tactics that are marketed, used, and followed in order

To help the church with the problem of bringing in a crowd.

 

But the problem is that Jesus never said to bring in a crowd.

If you will notice in the gospels Jesus often avoided the crowds.

 

Jesus never said to bring them in,

He told us to “go” to them.

 

The sheep are lost, if they knew the way back to the pen,

Then they wouldn’t be lost. It is our mission to go find them.

 

But that is not all Jesus said.

(7) “And as you go, preach, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 

There again, “going” is expected.

But “going” alone is not enough.

“as you go, preach”

 

WHY PREACH?

Romans 10:14 “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”

 

Like it or not, God has chosen His divine method for calling

The sheep back to Himself, and that method is preaching.

 

• Listen, I’m all for humanitarian aid.

• I love medical camps in regions that don’t have access.

• I think hospitality is a great thing.

 

But none of those are sufficient to bring a lost sheep home.

The truth must be preached.

 

And again Scripture tells us why:

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

 

• God didn’t say that faith comes by seeing…

• God didn’t say that faith comes by reading…

• God didn’t say that faith comes by touching…

• God didn’t say that faith comes by eating…

 

“faith comes from hearing”

And for this reason God’s people must preach the truth to them.

 

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

The people must be told the truth.

 

The message the disciples were commanded to preach

Is summed up in this statement.

“The kingdom of heaven is at hand”

 

Obviously that was a message pointed at the Jews.

They were the ones looking for the “kingdom of heaven”

They were the ones waiting for Messiah.

 

That is why John came preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2)

 

That is why Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)

And so it is no surprise that Jesus commands the 12

To preach the same thing.

 

Certainly that message would be expounded on.

(See the Sermon on the Mount)

 

That sermon covered everything from what a kingdom citizen looks like,

To the narrow gate by which you enter it.

 

But the point is that they must tell them.

 

We cannot reach the lost sheep if we do not search for them,

And we cannot reach them if we do not call for them.

 

Finding a sheep is of little benefit, if you do not call it home.

 

So Jesus told them to “go” and Jesus told them to “preach”

 

But that is not all.

(8) “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”

 

Now at first glance we all feel like we just hit a major snag.

 

I can’t heal the sick or raise the dead or cleanse lepers or cast out demons.

 

But don’t forget that Jesus specifically gave the disciples

The authority to do these things back in verse 1.

 

Matthew 10:1 “Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.”

 

Now Jesus is just calling them to do what He has equipped them to do.

 

A BETTER QUESTION IS WHY?

One reason would be because He cares about people.

 

But the greater reason is for proof.

 

This is why Jesus worked miracles.

John 5:36 “But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish — the very works that I do — testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”

 

And Jesus gave this same authority to the 12.

He gave it to them so they also would have proof.

 

And Scripture is clear that these were abilities only for the apostles.

 

In fact Paul actually calls them the signs of an apostle.

2 Corinthians 12:11-12 “I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.”

 

In Hebrews the writer indicates that while he could not work miracles,

The apostles could.

 

Hebrews 2:3-4 “how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.”

 

The point is that Jesus commanded them to do this

Because this was the proof of their message.

 

Today we turn to the New Testament and stand upon the authority of God’s word, but they had no New Testament.

 

They preached with authority, and then validated it by working miracles,

Proving their message true.

 

But none the less, what Jesus told them to do is clear.

• “Go”

• “Preach”

• Demonstrate or validate your message.

 

It is a simple plan, yet it is the plan of Jesus and the plan of Scripture.

 

Matthew 4:23 “Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.”

 

Matthew 9:35 “Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.”

 

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

 

And that is the plan we should follow as well.

Go to people

Tell them the truth

Stand upon the authority of God’s written word

 

It sounds simple, yet God has promised to make it effective.

 

The tragedy is that the plan gets roundly rejected by so many today.

Most don’t want to go.

Most don’t want to preach.

Most don’t care to stand upon the word.

 

We think it would be much easier to hang a sign outside that says

“All sheep welcome” and then just wait for them to come to us.

And that might work if the sheep weren’t lost to begin with.

 

The Power He Shared The People He Summoned

The Place He Sent them The Plan They Should Follow

#5 THE PRICE THEY ARE WORTH

Matthew 10:9-15

 

Now in the past I must admit I have always studied this and only recognized the things that the apostles would need to have here.

 

For example:

They would need WILLINGNESS

You won’t “go” and you won’t “preach” if you don’t have willingness to obey the Lord.

 

They would need FAITH

Because Jesus commands them not to take any extra supplies, trusting that it will be provided.

 

They would need CONTENTMENT

Being willing to stay in the same house until they leave the city.

Not looking to upgrade, but to honor the one who initially let them in.

 

They would need CONVICTION

Willingness to recognize an unworthy response, declare it unworthy, and even to shake the dust off of their feet as they left.

 

And obviously every missionary must have those things.

 

But this time as I studied it became apparent to me

That this was not what Jesus was getting at here.

 

What Jesus was doing here was revealing to the disciples

How tremendously valuable they were

As they embarked on this mission.

 

Four times in this text Jesus uses the word “worthy”

 

AXIOS in the Greek, it is a word that denotes value.

 

And notice the first thing Jesus establishes is that the disciples, while on their ministry, are VALUABLE.

(10) “for the worker is worthy of his support”

 

(11) “And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.”

 

(13) “If the house is worthy give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy take back your blessing of peace.”

 

Jesus here is making a point to the disciples

As to just how valuable they are to Him.

 

And certainly this is important.

 

In verses 16-25 Jesus will reveal how valuable they are to the world.

And the answer is that in the world’s eyes they will have no value.

 

• They will be handed over to kings

• They will be betrayed by loved ones

• They will be hated by all

• They will be slandered as followers of Beelzebul

The world will not value them at all.

 

This is true of all who follow Christ.

Romans 8:36 “Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

 

1 Corinthians 4:9 “For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.”

 

In short, it is quite possible that the 12 had a misconception

As to how they would be received.

 

So before they go out Jesus makes it clear.

You will have no value to them,

But you are extremely valuable to Me.

 

And that is the point He is making here.

 

In fact Jesus tells the disciples that they are worthy of two things.

1) WORTHY OF SUPPORT (9-11)

 

Again you would think Jesus would start out by telling them

What to take on the journey.

 

Just as you would think He would have started by telling them where to go.

 

But He started first by telling them where not to go,

And now by telling them what not to take.

“Do not acquire gold, or silver, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff”

 

The idea here is that you don’t have to save up enough

For the entire trip before you go.

 

WHY?

“for the worker is worthy of his support.”

 

Now don’t misunderstand.

• Jesus was not saying they could expect the people to pay them.

• Jesus was saying that He would make sure to pay them.

(obviously using His people)

 

2 Timothy 2:6 “The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.”

 

1 Corinthians 9:7-11 “Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He? Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?”

 

Jesus was promising that they are worthy of support.

He will care for them.

 

And not just money and clothes.

 

Jesus will provide lodging as well.

(11) “And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.”

 

Obviously this is Jesus flexing His muscle as Holy God,

For no man could ever guarantee such provisions.

 

But Jesus does and it is because anyone who is willing to go and serve Him in this manner is worthy of support.

 

If He promises to feed the birds…

If He promises to clothed the fields…

If He promises rain on the just and the unjust…

 

Then certainly those who leave their daily routine to go

And search for His sheep are worthy of their wages.

 

Those who serve the Lord like this are worthy of support.

 

But that is not all they are worthy of.

2) WORTHY OF SUBMISSION (12-15)

 

And this really goes back to the whole authority issue.

They must be obeyed because of the One who sent them.

They travel with Messianic authority.

 

It is no different than when I tell one of my kids to relay a message to another child. They know the command must be obeyed, because “Dad said so”.

 

And certainly the same can be said for these men.

They travel in the name of the King, they must be obeyed.

 

And Jesus here speaks of the degree of their authority.

(12) “As you enter the house, give it your greeting.”

 

This by the way is a different house than the one they are lodging in.

Here the disciples are on door to door visitation.

 

“As you enter the house, give it your greeting. If the house is worthy give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy take back your blessing of peace.”

 

The “blessing of peace” was commonly SHALOM

Which meant peace and blessing from God.

 

And Jesus said to offer that to all who would accept the message.

But for those who refuse it, they get no peace.

 

Isaiah 48:22 “There is no peace for the wicked,” says the LORD.”

 

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT IS WHAT HE IS SAYING?

Look at the next verse.

 

(14) “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.”

 

Jesus is talking about those who do “not receive”

And who do not “heed your words”.

 

You see the idea here is that the message you are preaching

Is not a suggestion.

 

The message you are preaching is a divine command

From the authority of the king.

 

Anyone who rejects the messengers of the king rejects the king Himself.

 

And Jesus says, “as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.”

Commonly a Jew would shake the dirt from Gentile lands off his feet

Before entering the border of Israel.

 

Jesus says it is not the Gentiles who need that treatment,

But rather anyone who will not listen to what you say.

 

(15) “Truly 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.”

 

Now that is a strong statement.

For I don’t remember God being all that fired up

About Sodom and Gomorroah.

 

God rained down fire from heaven upon them for their gross immorality.

God couldn’t find 10 righteous there, otherwise He would have saved the city.

God even turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt for missing that city as she left.

 

And yet God says that anyone who rejects the message

Of His appointed messengers will suffer a judgment

Greater than that of Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

THE POINT?

You guys are valuable to Me.

 

You are so valuable that not only will I meet your every need,

But I will also deal with those who do not listen to you.

 

AND WE ARE LEARNING A GREAT DEAL ABOUT FINDING LOST SHEEP

 

Sheep are lost and they must be found.

That means we must go to them and preach to them and stand upon the authority of the Chief Shepherd.

 

But we also realize that not all of the sheep are lost.

Some have willfully rejected the fold, and do not want to come back.

 

But regardless of the response of the sheep,

Know that Christ highly values all who will go and search for them.

 

Shepherds are Needed

Shepherds are Few

Who will search for the lost sheep?

 

Matthew 9:36-38 “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”