Pass Through

Communion

Luke 22:14-18 “When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.””

May 29 1997, after much waiting, I asked Monica to be my bride. (she said yes)

i’ve been thinking about that alot as our daughter is now engaged, as we look toward our 25th anniversary this summer, it’s got it on my mind.

An engagement is a promise of something to come.

Jesus’ words here to his disciples echoes the words of engagement. In this 1st century Jewish context they would have heard language that was traditionally reserved for a man committing to take a bride. A promise to go and prepare a place…then return and bring her home.

Jesus is about to do the work of preparing a place. As we will talk more about today, Jesus lived out the Kingdom of heaven. He is about to pour his blood and give his body to do just that.

And so in this time of rememberance, we are a bride in anticipation of our groom coming to take us home. He gave his life that we might now eternal life, today and forever more.

Luke 22:19 CSB

And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Luke 22:20 CSB

In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Pray

Announcements

men’s breakfast this sat

valentines feb 11

Worship night Friday 17th

Epic lunch 18th - sign up in the back or online

Children’s ministry need

Kids

Sermon

Oops: There is a kingdom God is establishing on Earth as it is in Heaven that we were created to cultivate (careful of works based salvation…but)

I love talking to Caleb about his camp plans.

I used to direct camps all the time. And I love it.

I didn’t love it after my first one.

Lori and I

We were sure we knew what we were doing.

We couldn’t trust someone else to do it like we felt called.

We were the ones who had prayed and sought God for vision and what we wanted to accomplish.

We planned all the games, programs, small group times, I was the speaker, we handled all the logistics

God did great things…but we were exhausted, there was all kinds of issues, and we agreed we would never do it that way again.

We met that fall and came up with a plan.

We came up with a list of people we could ask to help…with everything. We came up with back up people.

We gave them instructions as to the mission and vision of the camp

We trusted them to do it.

The actual week of camp…we watched Seth kill it running the program. Corey nailed the games and rec stuff. Ahren shared a message that was awesome. Our cabin leaders were stunned at the impact they could make in students lives.

I got to work with a few kids who wanted to make videos for share for fun. Something I enjoy.

Lori and I each would share a few thoughts at campfire each night...

We both had energy to support cabin staff when dealing with issues, or logistical challenges that popped up, because we weren’t overwhelmed with the details.

At the end of the week, we looked at each other and were like, “huh…that was fun. Let’s do that again.”

Summary

The past several weeks we have been looking at how Jesus, in his life with his disciples, was creating disciple-makers.

We started by recognizing that the most important thing disciples can do is make disciples.

That all he did, his actions, were preparing his followers to do what he did.

That Jesus prioritized people. His disciples, the crowd, the lost, he was all about practicing and prioritizing relationship.

Then the last two weeks we saw him show them what obedience to God looked like and how to live by his example.

We talked about how our obedience will be driven by what we choose to set our eyes on

We talked about having a good eye…if we see God as good and generous, if we believe the story he is telling is good we will trust and obey.

last week we specifically focused on watching Jesus and others who represent him well to see how to live.

In all of these things, we concluded that we are called to follow Jesus in doing these same things for others.

We set the example in prioritzing disciple-making

We prioritze people, not just those on the inside, but the lost, lonely, and outsider.

We show others how to see God’s story and trust it, and

We set the example of following Jesus for those around us.

Today we pick up there and look at what this is all for, what are we called to accomplish as disciple-making disciples? What’s the end game?

Here’s the cool thing, God’s call on us, what Jesus shows his disciples…is the same one we started with from creation.

Genesis - tend the garden, be fruitful, blessed to bless (delegation, ambassadorship)

Two kingdoms begin to form...

God’s kingdom of the open hand (blessing passes through)

ours of the closed hand (blessing is grasped)

Exodus 19:6 “and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.””

- Kingdom of priests of the open handed kingdom (delegation, ambassadorship)

John 4:34 ““My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work,” Jesus told them.”

- Jesus priority is to be God’s representative. God has delegated to him the work of ministry.

And Jesus makes it clear that this call is ours…and we are going to be held accountable to that call.

Ugh: God will hold his people accountable to bringing the kingdom of love

Matthew 25 and Luke 19 Jesus tells a parable that is familiar, and though there are many applications…sometimes I’m inclined to miss Jesus’ main point

In both settings, his disciples were looking for the kingdom to just take control NOW

Let me read the Matthew version and give us a couple quick points

Matthew 25:14-18 ““For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. In the same way the man with two earned two more. But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.”

Matthew 25:19-23 ““After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’ “The man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’”

Matthew 25:24-30 ““The man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ “His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money back with interest when I returned. “ ‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

First - negative example

It’s not a conquest…it’s an investment.

second - Luke they all get the same amount, but invest differently

third - The kingdom coming is not a flash in the sky, but a process with an end point, not to stop and wait for, but to work toward (open hand relationship…not closed hand control)

So the point: God’s open handed kingdom (relationship) comes not through closed handed means (control), but he entrusts (relationship) the work of ministry to his people over time.

Aha: Jesus, as a man, Embraced this delegation, practiced it, and multiplied it

Jesus modeled this for his disciples. When God became flesh, he showed us what we were to be about. Let’s look at how Jesus responded to being a...

Delegate of the Open Hand

Jesus Embraced Kingdom Delegation

John 4:34 ““My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work,” Jesus told them.” .

John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.”

Luke 22:42 ““Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.””

Do you see the theme?

Who has a greater right than the son of God to say, MY WILL BE DONE!

But that isn’t his mindset.

Jesus shows us how we are to order our lives. Not around what we want and need…but around God’s kingdom purposes.

We’ll come back to apply this in a few.

Jesus Practiced the Work of the Kingdom

John 4 - sharing good news with Samarians

John 6 - Fed 5,000, sharing himself and teaching the kingdom of the open hand

Every page of the gospel accounts is dripping with Jesus practicing...

Let me read a longer section and hear all the practice. I’ll touch some points at the end.

Matthew 9:18-22 “As he was telling them these things, suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” So Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him. Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years approached from behind and touched the end of his robe, for she said to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I’ll be made well.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” he said. “Your faith has saved you.” And the woman was made well from that moment.”

Matthew 9:23-26 “When Jesus came to the leader’s house, he saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly. “Leave,” he said, “because the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. Then news of this spread throughout that whole area.”

Matthew 9:27-31 “As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he entered the house, the blind men approached him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them sternly, “Be sure that no one finds out.” But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that whole area.”

Matthew 9:32-33 “Just as they were going out, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to him. When the demon had been driven out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!””

What do we see? What does the kingdom of the open hand look like?

Healing, restoration, connection

This is 1 section.

We can get really fixated on orthodoxy (right thinking). And it matters!

that word is familiar…but if we miss orthopraxy…right doing.

John 3:16 will preach. Believe the right thing and get eternal life.

But we forget that right belief unapplied isn’t right belief.

James hits at the heart of this:

James 2:14-17 “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.”

This is not a works based salvation, it’s about being delegates of the open handed kingdom.

Jesus modeled the work of ministry…and then he went a step further

Jesus Multiplied the Delegated

Going back to Matthew 9, that long section we just read, Jesus caps that marathon of kingdom bringing with this phrase:

Matthew 9:35-38 “Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.””

It takes more than one.

The next passage in Matthew is him commissioning the 12 and sending them out to do the work as well. They were to do good, healing and restoring, and then:

Matthew 10:7 “As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’”

AS YOU GO do the work of ministry, tell them what they are seeing is the Kingdom of heaven.

On his last night with the disciples, he tells them:

John 14:12 ““Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Whee: We can now follow his lead

How do we then, who believe in him, who love Jesus, who are a part of this kingdom of the open hand, practice what we believe?

We follow his lead.

We embrace our role as delegates. Paul says:

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

We are to share that story of the one who knew no sin, becoming sin so we could become righteous…that’s the greatest love story ever…

But ambassadors, delegates, also represent the one that sent them by doing what they would do...

Remember where we started

Genesis, we were to be tenders of the garden, those who keep God’s kingdom growing and flourishing.

Humanity started the closed handed kingdom...

And so God chose the family of Abraham to be a kingdom of priests…delegates of the open handed kingdom.

They slipped into the same kingdom of control

But God was always planning to enter the story himself. To bring the open handed kingdom to life for us to see it and Believe not just in the person of Jesus, but the kingdom he represents!

When Peter wrote his first letter to the churches he quotes right from God’s words to the people of Israel:

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

And so we do what we saw Jesus do. We act as citizens of the open handed kingdom. Delegates, delegated the role of receiving and giving...

But let’s not miss the last point in our application:

Jesus multiplied.

I just read from John 14, about his discples doing what he did but we see it all the way through.

I keep saying that the most important thing disciples do it make disciples.

That is not a call to make converts. The call is to share the kingdom, and invite others to join the kingdom.

Look again at the great comission:

Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Do you see the multiplication of kingdom?

Teach them to observe all I have commanded you.

Yeah: Will you receive, practice, and multiply what has been delegated?

We often lament how the world is getting worse. I think it’s possible is where we look.

Yes, we may have moral decay in new ways in our culture. But a few hundred years ago, we actually bought and owned people as property.

Followers of Jesus put an end to that in most of the western world.

There is always a war looming, but that’s the testimony of world history.

In every conflict, followers of Jesus have helped rebuild and restore

The kingdom of the closed hand is always at work. But so is the kingdom of the open hand.

One of the tragedies in the Ukraine/Russia war is that the Ukrainian military has a need to keep their troops fed. They often do this by taking possession of the food supplies in the towns they go through.

I’m not speaking at all to this issue. It’s a reality of closed handed kingdom at work. War is a real thing…and it has consequences

But the result is entire communities left hungry in the wake of those trying to protect them.

My friend Andy who is the president of A Jesus Mission was sharing with us how followers of Jesus pulled together trucks, and people and food and are literally following the Ukrainian military in order to resupply these towns.

To date they have distributed 2.5 million pounds of food.

People are eating in the open handed kingdom

Every tragedy caused by the closed handed kingdom, by those who seek to establish their empires, is an opportunity for the kingdom of the open hand to shine.

I used big examples…but those happen every day.

it causes loneliness, abuse, poverty…and all can be impacted by one follower of Jesus with an open hand.

So let me ask you this.

How are you receiving the calling of delegation for the kingdom?

How does your life bring that kingdom into existence in the world around you?

What is one thing you could do this week that would be accepting the delegation from Jesus to bring the kingdom of God to life? For a neighbor? Friend? Stranger? in the church?

Who are you discipling to do what you do for the kingdom?

Do you serve the homeless? Who can you bring along?

Are you a leader in the church? Who are you developing to do the same?

Have you learned a few things about marriage and parenting? How are you helping those earlier in the journey?

WORSHIP TEAM

We’re going to take a few more weeks in this look at the life of Jesus in this area of how he made disciple-makers, and how we can become disciples who make disciple-makers.

Then starting in March we begin the walk toward the cross.

From the beginning, God has delegated to his people the work of the kingdom. Of bringing his character, his love, his grace to bear. Jesus gave us the perfect example and called us to join him.

To join him in being kingdom ambassadors, accepting this delegation from the Father.

To join him in doing the work of the ministry of the kingdom of the open hand.

To join him in inviting others to that same call. Inviting them to join us in the work, for the work, the blessing, the calling, to pass through our hands and into next.

This morning, as there is every week, our prayer team will be up front, ready to pray with you.

Maybe you are recognizing for the first time your need to know Jesus. They would love to share that story and pray with you.

Maybe you are seeing your call in a clear light this morning and you know what you need to do…but maybe you’re scared, maybe not sure what the next step is. Come and let them pray for wisdom and courage as you

Or maybe this morning you are burdened with another prayer need for yourself or someone else. Come and let them pray for and with you.

Pray