Don’t You Quit Now

Imagine that you’re looking at your company-issued smartphone and you notice an e-mail from LinkedIn: “These companies are looking for candidates like you!” You aren’t necessarily searching for a job, but you’re always open to opportunities, so out of curiosity, you click on the link. A few minutes later your boss appears at your desk. “We’ve noticed that you’re spending more time on LinkedIn lately, so I wanted to talk with you about your career and whether you’re happy here,” she says. Uh-oh.

It’s an awkward and Big Brother–ish scenario—and it’s not so far-fetched.

Attrition has always been expensive for companies, but in many industries the cost of losing good workers is rising, owing to tight labor markets and the increasingly collaborative nature of jobs. (As work becomes more team-focused, seamlessly plugging in new players is more challenging.) Thus companies are intensifying their efforts to predict which workers are at high risk of leaving so that managers can try to stop them. Tactics range from garden-variety electronic surveillance to sophisticated analyses of employees’ social media lives.

And I believe if Jesus Christ, my LORD and Savior, analyzed some of our Spiritual lives, he might too appear at the desk of our hearts questioning whether or not we too are happy with this walk…

Transition To Body

Authority of the Apostles

Matthew 10:1 ESV

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.

Mission of Apostles

Matthew 10:7–8 ESV

And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

So They Went Out & Returned Luke 9:6

Luke 9:6 ESV

And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Luke 9:10 ESV

On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida.

Luke 10:17–20 ESV

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Body- Disciples Don’t Quit because we

Shrewdly And Sincerely Seek Lost Sheep (Matt. 10:16)

Matthew 10:16 ESV

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Going to the Lost Sheep…

Matthew 10:6 ESV

but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 9:36 ESV

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Description of Sheep

Matthew Jesus’ Followers are Powerless in Their Own Strength (10:16)

Sheep, like Israel of old (v. 6; compare 9:36), were defenseless against such predators as wolves* (Sirach 13:17). Christians should therefore avoid unnecessarily provoking their opponents (shrewd) while remaining “guileless” (NIV innocent).

Be (Shrewd) Smart As Snakes

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 32.31 φρόνιμος, ον; φρονίμως

pertaining to understanding resulting from insight and wisdom—‘wise, wisely, with understanding, with insight

artfully,, carefully, cleverly, coolly, deliberately, intelligently, , keenly, knowingly, smartly

Serpents Though Crafty But their Venom Brough Healing

Serpents are connected with venom and medicine. The snake's venom is associated with the chemicals of plants and fungi that have the power to either heal or provide expanded consciousness (and even the elixir of life and immortality) through divine intoxication.

Because of its herbal knowledge and entheogenic association, the snake was often considered one of the wisest animals, being (close to the) divine. Its divine aspect combined with its habitat in the earth between the roots of plants made it an animal with chthonic properties connected to the afterlife and immortality. The deified Greek physician Asclepius, as god of medicine and healing, carried a staff with one serpent wrapped around it, which has become the symbol of modern medicine. Moses also had a replica of a serpent on a pole, the Nehushtan, mentioned in Numbers 21:8.

Numbers 21:8 ESV

And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”

Shrewd But Not Cunning (trickery or craftiness)…

2 Corinthians 4:1–2 ESV

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

Be Patient & Do Not Get Tired

Galatians 6:9–10 ESV

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Be Pure As Doves

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 88.32 ἀκέραιος, ον

pertaining to being without a mixture of evil and hence to being pure—‘pure, untainted.’

The dove is commonly seen in Christian art with Mary as a symbol of care, devotion, purity and peace.

Love, Grace, Divinity, Holiness, Sacrifice, Messenger, Hopefulness, Purification

Honor Christ the LORD as Holy in your Defense…

1 Peter 3:13–15 ESV

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

{

Disciples Don’t Quit Because we

Shrewdly And Sincerely Seek Lost Sheep

and we Utilize the

}

Power Of The Holy Spirit’s Presence (Matt. 10:17-20)

Matthew 10:17–20 ESV

Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Not being presumptuous with the “comfort” of this world

Depending Upon Christ’s Presence & Power

Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Commission of Christ (Matthew 9:37–10:42)

We live in presumptive safety in this world, being surrounded by its comforts. Christ’s presence and power aren’t needed in such situations, or so we think. But when you go to danger, when you’re a sheep in the midst of wolves, you need His presence and power more than anything else. You’re acutely aware of your utter dependence on Him.

The Surpassing Power Belongs to God & Not Us

2 Corinthians 4:7–12 ESV

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

We Have The Same Spirit of Faith

2 Corinthians 4:13 ESV

Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak,

{ We Don’t Quit because we

Shrewdly And Sincerely Seek Lost Sheep,

we Utilize the

Power Of The Holy Spirit’s Presence,

while Pursuing

}

Opportunity Amid Ironic Betrayal And Opposition

Matthew 10:21–23 ESV

Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Matthew 10:22 MSG

There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don’t quit. Don’t cave in. It is all well worth it in the end.

Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Commission of Christ (Matthew 9:37–10:42)

When we go into the world doing good deeds and helping people with their needs without saying anything about Jesus, the world is fine with that. But when we go into the world doing these same things and telling people that Jesus is the only way to be saved from sin, death, and hell, then the world will respond much differently. We will be betrayed, we will be hated, and we will be persecuted.

Misunderstood by Those Closest to You

Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Commission of Christ (Matthew 9:37–10:42)

If you follow Christ, you will almost certainly be misunderstood, and the people you least suspect, even family members, may turn on you.

Gospel of Mark Rendering of Jesus Calling the 12 Apostles

Mark 3:20 ESV

Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat.

Mark 3:21 ESV

And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

Mark 6:4–6 ESV

And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

Gospel Offensive When Challenging Tradition & Culture

Matthew Divided Families (10:21–22)

The gospel is offensive to those who reject its demands or whose culture or tradition it challenges.

Matthew Divided Families (10:21–22)

In a culture dominated by honor and shame, in which the opinion of family members was paramount, such a threat demanded an incomparably high allegiance to Christ

Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Commission of Christ (Matthew 9:37–10:42)

However, whether it’s your family, the government, or the religious establishment, you will be hated from all corners. People simply will not like you when you proclaim Jesus. But why will they hate you? Because the world hated Jesus, and our lives are identified with Him.

endure- to maintain a belief or course of action in the face of opposition, stand one’s ground, hold out, endure

William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1039.

Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Commission of Christ (Matthew 9:37–10:42)

This warning doesn’t mean that we seek persecution, or that we foolishly or heroically pursue danger; we don’t seek to be hated. Instead, we seek Christ and proclaim Him, knowing that opposition will come.

{

We Don’t Quit because we

Shrewdly And Sincerely Seek Lost Sheep,

we Utilize the

Power Of The Holy Spirit’s Presence,

while Pursuing,

Opportunity Amid Ironic Betrayal And Opposition.

This is made possible as a consequence of the

}

Disciple’s Dangerously Deep Relationship With Christ

Matthew 10:24–25 ESV

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

Illustration: In Rev. Dr. Frank Thomas’ book “Surviving A Dangerous Sermon” he states:

Very plainly and simply, a dangerous sermon is a sermon based in the preacher’s moral imagination that upends and challenges the dominant moral hierarchy that operates in the church and/or cultural context of the preaching event.

A dangerous sermon challenges unjust moral orders and dominance hierarchies and the resulting misallocation of freedom, resources, assets, and legitimacy. A dangerous sermon disrupts the legitimacy of the oppressive moral order that operates smoothly, efficiently, and often silently in the economic, political, cultural, and religious structures of a given society. The bottom line of the dangerous sermon is the position and benefits of the “winners” at the top are challenged in light of the process of systemic delegitimizing and orchestration of the deserved “losers” at the bottom.

Thomas, Frank A.. Surviving a Dangerous Sermon . Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition.

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 93.68 Βεελζεβούλ

the name of the Devil as the prince of the demons—‘Beelzebul

Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Commission of Christ (Matthew 9:37–10:42)

The danger of our lives increases in proportion to the depth of our relationship with Christ.

Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Commission of Christ (Matthew 9:37–10:42)

Everyone who wants a safe, carefree life free from danger should stay away from Jesus. The world responds with hostility to Him. So as we are conformed to Christ more and more, the world will respond to us more and more as they responded to Him. If you want to avoid being betrayed, hated, or persecuted, then don’t become like Christ!

Christians Prone to Sick Back & Settle for Religious Routine

Exalting Jesus in Matthew The Commission of Christ (Matthew 9:37–10:42)

We are so prone to sit back and settle for religious routine and comfortable Christianity, because it’s safe. And the world likes us in that mode. As long as we live lives just like everyone else—going to church on Sunday and keeping our faith to ourselves—we will face little risk in this world. The only problem is that we will know so little of Christ. But when we do know Christ, and when we’re becoming like Him and proclaiming Him, things will not be easy for us. The more Christ is manifest in your life and in your family, the harder it will get for you in this world. This is what Jesus said in Luke 6:40: “Everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Does that frighten you?

You will become like the One who was mocked, beaten, scourged, spit on, and nailed to a cross. And all of this brings us to the question we must ask, namely, do we really want to be like Christ?

The Bible Says…

Galatians 1:10 ESV

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Friendship with the World = Enmity with God

James 4:4–6 ESV

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Resist The Devil

James 4:7–8 ESV

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

{

We Don’t Quit because we

Shrewdly And Sincerely Seek Lost Sheep,

we Utilize the

Power Of The Holy Spirit’s Presence,

while Pursuing,

Opportunity Amid Ironic Betrayal And Opposition.

This is made possible as a consequence of the

Disciple’s Dangerously Deep Relationship With Christ

}

Transition To Close- Viewing Replicas of the Master

MANY people during and/or after our worship services on Sunday watch a previously recorded version of of the message somewhere on one of our streaming platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, or our church’s website. When I speak on Sunday mornings, the messages are streamed, recorded, and made available immediately once the worship experience is over. People each week watch the message. What they see is a recording of the original sermon which is the master. There is a master, stored on our Vimeo platform, that holds the original recording; then there are the copies online that are made available to people who want to listen to the sermon again or share it with someone else. All that people can watch are the replicas of the originally streamed recording. The replicas of the master sound like the master, look like the master, and feel like the master, but they are not the master. However, they are so much like the master, it’s as good as having the master itself.

Jesus is the Master, but what He wants to do is copy Himself onto His followers, so that when people see you or me, they are getting a recording of the Master, as we are committed to following our Master who has all authority. This is the essence of discipleship.

Evans, Tony. Tony Evans' Book of Illustrations: Stories, Quotes, and Anecdotes from More Than 30 Years of Preaching and Public Speaking (p. 77). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

The Apostle Paul said it this Way:

Philippians 3:8–11 ESV

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

For to This You Have Been Called

1 Peter 2:21 ESV

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

All Who Desire To Live A Godly Life in Christ Jesus

2 Timothy 3:12 ESV

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Greater is He That Is In You Than…

1 John 4:4 ESV

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

In this World You Will Have Tribulation…

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Close- God Is Dangerously In Love with His People

In 2003, Beyonce Knowles titled her solo debut album- “Dangerously In Love”

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:17 ESV

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Cast All Your Anxieties on Jesus

1 Peter 5:7 ESV

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

The God of All Grace Who Has Called You…

1 Peter 5:10–11 ESV

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Thanks Be To God!

1 Corinthians 15:57–58 ESV

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

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