Decision Making on Mission

Welcome 

Good afternoon saints! I’m hoping very soon, we will be saying, good morning! I’ve been thinking alot about how we can be better position to reach those in our local community and one of the low hanging fruit is finding a new location that can allow us to meet in the mornings. I believe God has answered that prayer and today after service, I’d like to take you all to our new potential location for worship service. It’s down the street in what I would consider a prime location. I believe this new change has a significant potential to allow us to reach more people. So, please stay back and check it out with us.  

Introduction 

We are continuing our series in the Gospel of Matthew. We are spending at least 8 weeks looking at Matthew 10 and 11. The heart of the series is that Jesus has sent us on mission into our local communities. Our daily life is a mission field. And as he sends us out, he warns that we will be scorned and rejected. But he also promises to sustain us.  

Over the past three weeks we’ve looked at being sent on mission, opposition to mission, and fearless on mission. 

Today, we will look at decision making on mission.  

You guys ever watch a movie where the good guy is bent on only being good. But then the bad guy finds a weakness like abducting a child, or a parent of the good guy to force him to do the bad he tried to avoid.  

The good guy is always faced with the decision-making dilemma of what to do. But more often than not, the good guy always forsakes his moral values for the sake of saving a life.  

Faith with Jesus isn’t all that different. There might be no abduction taking place but we are nonetheless face with the decision-making dilemma of choosing between our loved ones and the moral and ethical values that Jesus demands.  

What is your weakness that will force you deny and walk away from Christ? 

We are going to look at Matthew 10:32-39. Because of the heaviness of this text, I’d like to stand to honor the reading of the scripture.  

32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. 34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household., 37 The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it. 

Let us pray.  

Jesus doesn’t make it easy to follow him, does he? He promises opposition from society, and now in our passage for today he promises opposition from our closest and most cherished relationships. He’s found our weakness and he’s forcing us to make a decision on whether we still stay the course or shift.  

We do have to acknowledge that the context in which Jesus says these words are different from ours today. The weight that these words carry is heavier when Jesus said them than they are today when we hear them in an air-conditioned room without fear of a mob. 

Most of us grew up in households where Jesus was not foreign nor hated. So, the face value of these words can appear to lack substance. 

But we would be mistaken to think it doesn’t apply to us.  

This section of Jesus’ teaching must be handled with care because it can be abused and used as a tool of manipulation.  

It was the Pharisees who told the people of Israel not to care for their parents but instead tithe to the temple.  

One of the important tools of biblical hermeneutics – a big word for how you interpret the scripture, is considering how other passages in the scripture provide a clearer understanding of a particular passage. So, when we seek to understand how Jesus words in 10:32-39 applies to us today, we must keep in mind three things: 1) that Jesus already instructed us to be wise and innocent; 2) that honoring parents is part of God’s command; 3) that we are told in Romans 12 if possible, as far as it depends on us, to be at peace with all people. 

So, when Jesus talks about conflict and prioritizing him over family, he is not telling us to go start trouble. He is not telling us to use his teaching as an excuse to cut people out of our lives.  

But what he does want us to understand is that there is a relational cost to being on mission.  

Jesus gives four choices that we get to make, and our decision will point to the level of relational cost that we are willing to suffer for Jesus.  

The four choices are 1) confess or deny, 2) conflict or peace, 3) worthy or not, 4) find or lose. 

Let’s look at the first choice. 

Confess or Deny 

Let’s look at 10:32-33 again, it says “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.” 

This is not a one-time confession or a one-time denial. This is a pattern of life confession and a pattern of life denial.  

Jesus is keeping it real. He is saying “if you’re down with me, then I’m down with you”, but “if you ain’t, you can go to hell.” Literally.  

He is looking ahead to the day of judgment and he wants us to keep the big picture in mind as we go on mission. The mission can get messy. It can get hard, make us want to quit and turn our backs on Jesus.  

But Jesus is saying here if you keep going, I gotchu. It will not be in vain.  

There is no confessing Jesus in private but not in public. If your partner loves you in private but in public act like y'all are just friends, that shouldn’t be your partner. Unless y'all are just friends with benefits and in that case, that’s a different conversation.  

But Jesus doesn't want to be a friend with benefit. He wants that exclusive relationship.  

He is saying if you can’t give me that exclusive relationship where people know me and you are together, then we’re not seeing eye to eye.  

Jesus wants that exclusive relationship because of what he requires of those in relationship with him.  

I don’t know a man who has ever left his wife and family for a side chick. She doesn’t get that commitment level.  

If you can’t stand publicly with Jesus, it is difficult to do anything else that he requires. 

What does it mean to publicly confess Jesus? It means to stand on business when it comes to his moral and ethical values. It is to be bright shining light when the world around you is dark. And in this context, the world around you is family and friends. 

The choice we have is to either confess Jesus or deny him.  

Here’s our second choice.  

Conflict or Peace  

Look at 10:34-36, ‘Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.’ 

Raise your hand if the phrase “I did not come to bring peace but a sword” is confusing? ‘ 

There are two ways to look at peace when it comes to Jesus. There is the peace with God and there is the peace with people.  

The death and resurrection of Jesus gives us peace with God. Those who don’t believe in the God of the Bible are at war with him. There is no peace. Faith in Jesus ends that war and brings peace.   

But the death of Jesus does not procure peace among all people. If anything, it brings conflict. And that conflict extends to our most cherished relationships. For some of you that’s your family. And for others, it's your friends.  

For some of you know what that’s like. You had to cut off some friends when Jesus saved you.  

It’s important to note that the bible is clear that as long as it depends on us we should be at peace with all men. Romans 12:18.  

When Jesus was arrested according to Matthew 26:52, he told Peter to put his sword away because “all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” 

Jesus is not advocating of Christians seeking conflict. But instead conflict will find us and our choice is to decide whether to embrace it or turn it away? 

Those closest to us might disagree with our lifestyle choices, they might ridicule us for our moral stance, they might look down on us for how we spend our time and money.  

It is inevitable that because we belong to Jesus, the choices we make will invite scrutiny.  

If we are faithful on mission, then we have chosen conflict over peace.  

C.S. Lewis once wrote of love “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless—it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable....the only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers…of love is Hell.” 

Amazing quote isn’t it?  

We can speak of conflict and peace in the same way by saying, “To confess Christ at all is to invite conflict. Confess Him openly, and you will certainly face misunderstanding, rejection, and possibly hostility. If you want to make sure of keeping your reputation and comfort intact, you must keep silent about Him. Speak of everything else—your work, your hobbies, your opinions—but not of Jesus. Wrap your faith carefully in vague spirituality and polite silence; avoid all confrontation; lock it up safe in the casket of denial. But in that casket—safe, quiet, respectable—it will change. It will not be tested; it will become lifeless, hollow, and powerless. A faith hidden to preserve peace becomes no faith at all.” 

When we publicly confess Christ, conflict, even among our closest relationships, will come.  

Will we choose peace or conflict? 

Here’s the third choice Christ offers.  

Worthy or Not 

Look at 10:37-38, “The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” 

If you haven’t gotten the memo yet, Jesus really doesn't want to be a side dish. He wants to be the main course. 

The choice we have to make is not whether we are worthy of Christ or not but is he worthy of us? Is he worthy of being the most important person in your life? Is he worthy of your enduring of suffering and pain?  

To carry or take up your cross is simply to be willing to experience pain, and the unpleasantness of life that comes because of Jesus. The cross was a symbol of punishment in the Roman world. It was the most barbaric form of death. It was not a quick death. It was slow and excruciating.  

Is Jesus worthy of suffering or the troubles that come with following him? If he is, then you are worthy of being his disciple.   

Is Jesus worthy of greater love than you have for those closest to you? If he is, then you are worthy of being his disciple.  

I do want to be clear though. Jesus is not advocating for dishonoring and deprioritizing those who are closest to us. The 5th commandment is clear about honoring parents. Paul is clear that “if a Christian man doesn't care for his household he is worst than an unbeliever.” 

Jesus simply wants to be #1 and your parents, friends, family, can be #2.  

Friends, there is a cost to following Jesus. But it is not a greater cost than the price he paid for our salvation and redemption. 

Here’s the final choice Jesus lays out. 

Find or Lose 

Look at 10:39, “Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.” 

Will you live your life trying to find it, or will you live willing to lose it for Jesus? 

Will you live your life trying to find it by not publicly confessing Jesus, will you find your life by avoiding conflict and choosing peace, will you find it by not choosing Christ as worthy over all else? Or will you live willing to lose it by publicly confessing Jesus, will you lose it by choosing conflict over peace, will you lose it by choosing Christ as worthy over all else?  

When you try to self-preserve your life, you end up losing it. You lose it because you chose the temporal over the eternal.  

When you are willing to lose your life, you end up finding it. You find it because you chose the eternal over the temporal. 

Your body may die, your ego may be bruised, shame may wear you down, disappointment may consume you, but nothing anyone does, can destroy your soul.  

The eternal life with Christ is far better than the temporal life without. I’d rather live this life with Christ, suffering and all, than without Christ and without suffering and pain.  

Apostle Paul told the Pastors at Ephesian Baptist Church in Acts 20, “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there, 23 except that in every town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me. 24 But I consider my life of no value to myself; my purpose is to finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.” 

Damn all that may happen to me, I am focused on living the life that God has called me to live is what he’s saying.  

He was willing to lose it so that he might find it.  

Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of Apostle John whom I mentioned two weeks ago that he was burned alive because of Jesus. Here’s a brief account of what happened the day he died in 155 AD. 

“Because of his age, the Roman governor gave Polycarp a final chance to live. He told him “Swear, and I will let you go. Reproach Christ!” Polycarp turned to the governor and boldly declared, “Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I  blaspheme my King Who saved me?” 

Choosing to be willing to lose your life means choosing to identify with Christ at all times, choosing to experience the side-effects of identifying with Christ, and choosing to value life with Christ over life without.  

Conclusion 

As we wrap up, on the mission field of life, we will encounter moments when we must make a decision on Christ. Will we confess or deny, will we choose peace or conflict, will we find him worthy or not, and we will we choose to find our life or lose it? 

There’s not straddling the fence with Jesus. We’re either in a committed relationship or we’re not.  

If you’re sitting here today and you know you’re not yet in a committed relationship with Jesus, that can change today.  

If that’s you, I want you to close your eyes, and confess to Jesus that you have not being committed to him. Tell him you repent of your uncommitted ways. Ask him for his ever-present forgiveness. 

If you prayed that, please come talk to me and help you take the next step.