You Can’t Leave Home Without It

Luke 9:1-6

9 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And

whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Introduction

The phrase "you can't leave home without it" is a famous advertising slogan conceived by the renowned advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather in 1975. It was introduced as part of a campaign to promote American Express Travelers Cheques.

Initially, the slogan was "Don't Leave Home Without Them," referring to the travelers cheques. Later, as American Express began to emphasize their credit cards, the slogan evolved into the more widely known "Don't Leave Home Without It."

The campaign was incredibly successful and featured actor Karl Malden as the spokesperson for over 20 years, making the phrase one of the most recognizable and enduring in advertising history.

Addressed a real fear - danger carrying money

Focus on the benefit - ease of access

Psychological appeal - not stranded and in control

What is necessary for ministry today?

Space?

Sound?

Social Media?

Supplies?

Safety?

These things are convenient, but they are not critical.

They are important, but they are not necessary

Background

He chooses twelve of them in Luke 6:13 and calls them apostles (sent ones).

Their mission served as an apprenticeship for their ultimate mission (Luke 24:45-49)

45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The importance of this mission for the later transmission of the Gospel traditions cannot be overestimated. During this period they recounted time and time again “the things that have been fulfilled among us” (1:1), things they had seen Jesus do and heard him say and which he explained to them (8:10). The mission also provided time for the disciples to reflect and discuss, “Who is this” (8:25) who teaches and does these things? No doubt, they would frequently be asked, “Just who exactly is this Jesus of whom you speak?”

Their mission was to go to people.

Their message was the good news of the kingdom of God (the rule and reign of God in the hearts of men and in the world)

This is for a particular time and place in Jesus’ ministry, because later he tells them, 35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” 38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”

Antithesis

The church is largely distracted by:

Political Polarization

Consumer Culture

Digital Divide

Petty Preferences

Sermon Points: Before you leave home, make sure you’ve got:

Power - vv. 1-2

9 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

Power = dunamis = the ability to get something done

Authority = exousia = the right to get something done

This is derived power because it comes from above

He gave them power

This is demonstrative power because it was shown to them by Jesus

Calms the storm with a rebuke

Casts out a legion of demons into the swine

Heals a woman with an issue of blood

Raises a young girl from the dead

Because of the testimony of Scripture, we know what this power is that they received…the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:8, “You shall receive power when the holy spirit comes on you to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the whole world.”

In 1959, French and Raven, two social psychologists, identified five bases of power in their paper, “The Basis for Social Power.”, they have since added two more.

Legitimate Power - derived from a formal position or a title in an organizational structure

Rewards Power - the ability to influence others by giving them positive outcomes

Coercive Power - the ability to influence others through threats or punishments

Expert Power - power that comes from being a specialist in a subject matter

Referent Power - comes from a leader’s charisma and ability to inspire others.

Informational Power - comes from being the smartest one in the room

Connection Power - the ability to network with influential people

None of these explanations accounts for what happened to the disciples when the power of God came upon them.

ACTS 4: Peter and John (By what power did they do this?)

Acts 4:13 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

Application:

Perhaps the church's problem is that we are too dependent on the wrong sources of power.

Black power

White power

Political power

WE NEED HOLY GHOST POWER

Holy Ghost power:

Can put demons to flight

Bring life back to the dead

Produce boldness to declare God’s truth to worldly powers

God wants us to break into the kingdom of darkness with the message of His kingdom of light, and it does not require

Position or a title

Coercion or expertise

We don’t even have to be the smartest or most connected people

Transition: Jesus is teaching his disciples at the genesis of their mission in the world, not to be dependent on worldly acumen or acclaim, that’s why he tells them:

Partnership - vv. 3-4

3 And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.

Take nothing for your journey.

No staff = protection

No bag = personal belongings

No bread = provision

No money = purchasing power

No tunics = contingency plan

When you’re focused on worldly possessions, you tend to overlook Divine providence

They are distractions because the more you have, the more it requires of you to maintain it.

They are magnets towards self-centeredness and self-righteousness

They are false measurements of success

And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.

He said, “Do not take anything for your journey, he did not say, “Do not take anything from your journey.”

The system of care Jesus highlights is one of interconnectedness fueled by radical hospitality.

John 13:34 - love one another

Galatians 5:13 - serve one another

Ephesians 4:2 - bear with one another

Ephesians 4:32 - forgive one another

I Thessalonians 5:11 - encourage one another

I need you, you need me…

Application:

Begin ministry with your eyes and your arms wide open to the people God may send to help improve our situation.

When working in the kingdom, we cannot afford to become a closed community.

Transition: The mission God calls us to cannot be accomplished alone, but the flip side is, we don’t need everybody!

Persistence - vv. 5-6

5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them. And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Even Jesus recognizes that there are some people who can help you, but are not willing to help you.

Not everyone will want to hear the good news of the kingdom.

What kind of people don’t want to hear the good news of the kingdom of God?

Jesus answers the question in Luke 8 when he speaks about the seed that fell along the path.

Some fell on the path and was trampled over by men and eaten by the birds

Some fell on the rock and withered away

Some fell on the thorns and was choked out

Some fell on good ground and produced fruit

Some people have stony hearts and others have crowded hearts

Misconceptions about the Kingdom's nature.

Pride and self-righteousness, particularly among religious elites.

Love of money, power, and worldly comforts.

Fear of social repercussions or a desire for human approval.

Prejudice and ingrained cultural/ethnic animosities.

Hardness of heart due to unrepentant sin or preoccupation with worldly concerns.

If the ground represents the heart of men, the seed represents the good news of the Kingdom, then we are the sowers.

It’s not our job to get the ground ready, its our job to sow the seed.

He will bring about the harvest.