Reckless Abandonment

The center of God’s will is never the safest place.

One of the greatest misnomers and severest contradictions often said in the local church is, “The safest place for me to be is in the center of God’s will.” It may be the best place but it is never the safest.

It may be the best place but it is never the safest.

One missionary in PNG wrote last month, as his wife was recovering from a life threatening case of Bacterial sepsis, “It’s an encouraging sentiment...Too bad it’s wrong.

Watch this and you will see what I mean.

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STAND WITH ME TO HONOR GOD AND HIS WORD

Matthew 10 CSB

1 Summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 5 Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan town. 6 Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9 Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts. 10 Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the worker is worthy of his food. 11 When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 Greet a household when you enter it, 13 and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it; but if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. 16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. 17 Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts and flog you in their synagogues. 18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour, 20 because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you. 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 A disciple is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household! 26 “Therefore, don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops. 28 Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. 30 But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 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. 40 “The one who welcomes you welcomes me, and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me. 41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Reckless Abandonment

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Reckless Abandonment

Today’s sermon title is a perfect description of that video.

Today’s sermon title is a perfect description of that video. The text we read is the Biblical requirement of every Christ follower to do the same.

Reckless - yes Karen and the PNG missionary appeared to lack proper caution. Yes, a woman with 40 cases of malaria, or a man who moves to murderous neighborhood of Chicago are seen maybe as people who, to their own demise, cared nothing about the consequences of their decisions.

Reckless Abandonment

But they went with Abandon

Reckless - yes these two missionaries and millions of other Christians over the centuries were thought to lack proper caution and were seen maybe as people who, to their own demise, cared nothing about the consequences of their decisions.

Abandon - giving up control of their lives to another person, Jesus who died for her. They gave up their lives with the intent of never again claiming a right to that life or to demand of God some preferences and comfort in that life.

Abandon - yes Karen and the many like her gave up control of her life to another person, to Jesus who died for her. Yes Karen and the many like her gave up their lives with the intent of never again claiming a right to that life or to demand of God some preference in that life.

The text we read is the Biblical demand confronting us with the same truth which confront them. The truth that every Christ follower must commit to live on mission with the same approach.

David Platt said, “The most glorious reason you exist is for the proclamation of the glory of God to the ends of the world.”

v.1 - Jesus delegated his ministry to his disciples because it was never intended for Him, their leader, to do all the work of ministry. In order to learn how to do ministry and how to tell the gospel, they had to do ministry and go tell the gospel. The same is true for each of you.

I spent 9 months after high school going through the JTPA practicing how to weld, but our instructor drilled it into our heads that the real school started once we left the building and started working as a welder. We could not spend our lives in the school building and ever expect to become a qualified welder.

Why does Matthew begin this chapter with Jesus’ commissioning of the 12 disciples? What is the point he tries to make? Back in Jesus told these people to follow Him, and He would make them into people who reach other people in need. Between that verse and v.1 we find Jesus teaching them, as says, what it looks like to reach lost people in need. Jesus being the master teacher knows that in order to learn they had to do.

Jesus delegated his ministry to his disciples because it was never intended for Him, their leader, to do all the work of ministry. In order to learn how to do ministry and how to tell the gospel, they had to do ministry and go tell the gospel. The same is true for each of you.

V.1 & 7-8 - tells you what to do. It gives you your ministry and your message.

The lepers of their day were the outcast. They were avoided at all cost. They were the untouchables, the stinky, the filthy, the disgusting. But Jesus said go to them and heal them.

The lepers of their day were the outcast. They were avoided at all cost. They were the untouchables, the stinky, the filthy, the disgusting. But Jesus said go to them and heal them.

The lepers of their day were the outcast. They were avoided at all cost. They were the untouchables, the stinky, the filthy, the disgusting. But Jesus said go to them and heal them.

The lepers of their day were the outcast, the stinky, the filthy, the disgusting. But Jesus said go to them and heal them.

Go Take Care of Needs No Matter How Awful or Ugly

The lepers of their day were the outcast, the stinky, the filthy, the disgusting.

Go find the people with the greatest Needs in your community and minister to them. To reach the nations begin at home. Jesus detailed an inside out approach to missions.

Go take care of sick people

Go take care of dying people

Go help poor people, orphans and widows who can’t help themselves

Go talk to those who are dirty and despised (like they are your best friend)

Give them a simple message

What you are experiencing is not a part of God’s original plan of perfect harmony.

- Everyone is guilty of sin, wanting their way instead of God’s way, even you. - the only result of sin is death for forever separated from God.

Jesus came to live a life you could not, one without sin, meeting God’s plan of perfection. He died a death on the cross you should have died, one that to took God’s punishment/judgment for sin for you, he rose again three days later to do what we could not, to beat death and live forever. He did all that to have the right to give you back the life God wants for you.

You can have that life if you believe this truth and if you will change your mind about your sin and wanting to live the way you want. Just ask Him to forgive you and trust Him to do it.

The gospel addresses both their physical need and their spiritual need because both are effected by sin. The gospel is given to us to give to them.

Give w/o Caring What You Get In Return

v. 8b - Eternal Forgiveness. Eternal Life. Eternal Rewards. Love of the Father . Jesus reminds the disciples they did nothing giving them a right to not go and give it away.

Don’t hoard what you have been given. Church is not a Savings and Loan. Church is not a secret society of comfort and pleasure where only a select few know the password. You and I have been given the most precious gift in the entire universe from the One who controls the Universe for the purpose of giving it away.

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Money, Debts And

Nowadays people can be divided into three classes:

the Haves,

the Have-Nots, and

the Have-Not-Paid-for-What-They-Haves.901

Nowadays people can be divided into three classes:

the Haves,

the Have-Nots, and

the Have-Not-Paid-for-What-They-Haves

v.9-10 - Jesus did not want his disciples to carry any provision. This would test their faith in God’s providence.

God’s design is for His Haves to help the Have-nots without His Haves worrying about what they have after the Have-nots have because without God we are all have-nots.

This chapter is a confrontation of most of Americanized Christianity. Most Americans with any sense would not give when they hardly have any to give. Most Americans with any sense and a little extra resources would hold onto them, just in case. Most Americans would not waste a vacation to go on mission.

Christians are not meant to be most Americans. He not only wants your faithful giving He also wants your fearless going.

Run to the Danger not Away from It

v. 16 - He uses the word Therefore, like saying wake up, don’t miss this point. Wait, isn’t a shepherd supposed to protect the sheep from danger? Yet, the Great Shepherd says that he sends His sheep into the very heart of dangerous places.

v. 34-36 - Wait, isn’t Jesus supposed to be the Prince of Peace who gives the kind of peace we can’t even understand? Yet, the Prince of Peace says he came to earth to bring a sword.

Many in church wrongly believe that when we “accept Jesus” it ensures for them a life of prosperity and tranquility. Jesus tells His followers to do what goes against the common sense of the world.

Be a foolish sheep- loving others and compassionate without caution

Be a smart snake - being cautious with the Truth and by the Spirit around danger

Be an innocent dove - being unpolluted by fear in the flesh when facing danger

v.12-14 - When you go door to door or to another country:

Yes people will be upset when you knock on their door at dinner time. Yes people will cuss you when you interrupt their Saturday ball-game. Yes people will throw you in jail or even torture and kill you when you speak the name Jesus in their country.

Eternity Necessitates Decision

v.12-14 - When you go door to door or to another country:

Keep the END in mind - Eternity Necessitates Decision (yes people will get mad when you knock on their door, but go for no - so they don’t go to hell)

Greet them the way you would want - courtesy and respect

Greet them in peace with peace

Accept the NO with Joy - Next Opportunity

A Holy Spirit combination of all three

Trust the Sovereignty of God in your life - if you go to another country, yes, people might torture or kill you but remember - v.29-31 - nothing happens outside of God’s will

Our ministry and our message are not always welcomed, but our spiritual awareness about the condition of lost people compels our sacrificial obedience Christ in the face of danger.

Most of chapter 10 is Jesus leading His followers out of their place of security but chapter 10 ends with Jesus leaving His followers a promise for eternity.

Know the Risk is Worth the Reward

v. 40-42 - Jesus assures His followers that any service done for Him would not go unnoticed. It is apparent that Jesus assumed his disciples then understood the fact of rewards for kingdom work.

This is again a confrontation of Americanized Christianity. Kingdom service - service to a king is almost a foreign and hated concept. We have a declaration of independence, but even though your birth certificate or your legal documents say you are a citizen of America, that was overridden by the blood of Jesus if you are born again. Kingdom service is rewarded with kingdom rewards.

The truth of the Bible is this: What we sow and serve for the kingdom will determine what we reap from the King.

- promises that if you follow Christ well, especially to the harshest places and serving the harshest people, our heavenly reward will eclipse our earthy sufferings.

Conclusion: When the Holy Spirit speaks to our consciences about being missions central Christians who he wants to make JFBC a missions central church:

When the Holy Spirit speaks to our consciences about being missions central Christians to build a missions central church:

Will you choose comfort or choose the cross?

Will you remain a casual fan or become a committed follower?

Will we choose our maintenance of the church that we want or choose Christ’s mission to be the church He wants?

Will we be indecisive in our hearts or undivided in our church?

Walk out of here today asking the right question: “What should I give up to God for the advance of the gospel?”

Remember Karen’s Words:

“When God calls there are no regrets…I wasn’t called to a place I was called to Him…To obey was my objective. To suffer was expected…I was called not to comfort or to success but to obedience. There is no joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him. His glory my reward.”

Invitation to Respond

Will You Choose God’s Glory?

You heard the simple message of the Gospel. If you have not changed your mind about your sin and having your way will you now?