The Calling of Disciples of the KING

Opening Illustration

Alert But Not Alarmed!

Opening Illustration

One of the most memorable Olympic Athletes of the 1968 Mexico City Games was a marathon runner from Tanzania. John Stephen Akhwari… Even though he came in last.

Half way through the race Akhwari fell. And badly gashed his calf, and injured his knee... after a few minutes John Akhwari picked himself up. Strapped up his leg. And kept running.

By the time he got to the stadium, the race had long finished. Bandaged, bloody; every step agonizing... the regulation laps around the stadium circuit... And at last, Akhwari crossed the finish line. And finally collapsed.

The small crowd left in the stadium clapped and cheered him on. As Akhwari limped off the track. And finally collapsed.

The next day John Akhwari was interviewed by the world media. The fact is, in every marathon, lots of athletes drop out. With far less reason than Akhwari. They said, why didn't you stop? And Akhwari said this. He said, "My country did not send me 7000 miles here to Mexico City to start the race. My country sent me here to finish the race."

The Christian life is a marathon .. running the race will be tough sometimes .. especially as we try and talk to people about the gospel .. well get battered .. try and live in a Christ-like way and we have to be prepared to be treated as Jesus was treated

This next section in Matthew’s gospel reminds us that godliness attracts a reaction and we must be prepared for that and hang on .. see the end .. cross the line .. even when some of the race brings us to the end of our tether

Review

Last week we were reminded us of the seriousness of the condition of the car crash that is our world .. DEATH.. DISEASE.. DEMONS… we need to see the world as Jesus does ..

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

We need the compassion.

There is a TIME BOUND aspect to this scene and also a TIMELESS aspect too

This is a SPECIFIC HISTORICAL MOMENT .. over 2000 years ago Jesus to wept as He surveyed this blessed nation Israel .. they are SHEPHERD-LESS SHEEP .. the instruction then was “the harvest is plentiful … the labourers are few” … Jesus sends His twelve disciples to the lost sheep of Israel .. they are to declare a message THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS NEAR .. and they are to draw attention to this momentous news with the signs and miracles that Jesus was doing .. healings .. raising the dead.

And over 2000 yrs later on the message is the same “the harvest is plentiful … the labourers are few” but now the MISSION FIELD is the WORLD .. and the message sharpened up .. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” .. “Christ crucified .. buried and alive on the 3rd day .. He is RISEN!

For DISCIPLES then .. and now .. there is a CALLING and a COST

The CALLING of the DISCIPLES of the KING

We're stepping back in time to the very first Christian mission. It's a mission exclusively to Israel. They're leaderless, they're rudderless, they're heading for destruction. .. but they don’t know it

The long awaited Messiah. Here's the good shepherd in person. The Israelites have got scrolls full of promises that this Messiah's going to come, that he's going to heal their diseases, that he's going to make their lame walk, that he's going to give sight to the blind. And now He's here.

How do you get this message out? Jesus the KING calls his 12 disciples. Which I guess is provocative, isn't it? One for every tribe of Israel. .. Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

What do you notice about these guys? They are ORDINARY .. FRAIL .. some of them SMELL .. they’re uneducated fishermen .. one is a despised TAX COLLECTOR .. one will eventually BETRAY Jesus the Messiah, totally disillusioned

Hardly the elite of Israel .. yet the are SENT by Jesus .. hence called APOSTLES (sent ones) and EQUIPPED .. and how!!

7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the labourer deserves his food

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

The Lord will provide .. and give them POWER .. these are the Messiah’s messengers who come with his UNIQUE ability .. make no mistake the KINGDOM has come

And he's sending them out, saying the time has come. Time to repent.

So what do you reckon's going to happen?

Well you’d think that if someone was going to bring you GOOD NEWS you’d welcome them with open arms .. but Jesus knows exactly what will happen … And he spells it out.

You'll be welcomed by some. Some will accept these followers of the KING and enter into His PEACE .. others will reject the messengers and the message

So FOREWARNED is to be FOREARMED … Jesus says BE ON YOUR GUARD .. watch out .. BE ALERT … BUT don’t be ALARMED .. expect the push back from people .. this is a SPIRITUAL BATTLE .. COSMIC CONFLICT

Read from verse 16. It's a bit like the zoo. Have a look what he's saying. "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." He's saying it's a jungle out there. It might be Israel, they might be meant to be the people of God. But when you go out to the towns of Israel you'll be surrounded by people who want to make a meal of you. So be smart. As well as innocent.

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And I guess Peter and James and Andrew and John and the other guys are saying, What have we got ourselves in for?

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ead from verse 16. It's a bit like the zoo. Have a look what he's saying. "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." He's saying it's a jungle out there. It might be Israel, they might be meant to be the people of God. But when you go out to the towns of Israel you'll be surrounded by people who want to make a meal of you. So be smart. As well as innocent.

"Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you'll be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles." V.17-18

But he says, Don't worry. DON’T BE ALARMED .. Verse 19. Because you're not on your own. And the reality is, God is with you. He says "When they arrest you don't worry what to say or how to say it; At that time you'll be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

Jesus is telling his apostles they're going to do what he's been doing. That they're going to be treated the way he's treated.

Cast your eye down to v.24 … A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!

But when it happens, here's the guarantee - they're not alone. God's with them. And he'll give them exactly the right words at exactly the right time - not to get 'em off the hook. But to be faithful witnesses of Jesus.

I suspect we've often got an over sentimental sort of idea about what it means to be disciples of Jesus. And it's partly because a lot of us grew up in a generation where Australia was a so-called Christian country. We were part of the silent majority. Or at least, that's what it seemed like. But that's long gone, isn't it? We're not a Christian country any more. We're a SECULAR society. Missionaries are sent to Australia. And if we're going to be serious about following Jesus, you've got to understand we're not going to have it anything like as easy as it's been in the past. And it's going to take a firm decision. And a firm commitment. And being determined to be Christian is going to be seen as being divisive.

Illustration

Militant Moslems are focused on destroying every other religion .. western Christianity is in the cross hairs, "Get rid of the Christian filth. Shout to Allah, Allahu akbar."

And they're not just singing about it; they're committed to doing it .. KILLING Christians all over the world

The COST for the DISCIPLES of the KING

In the FAMILY

That's the picture Jesus paints in verses 21 to 39. He knows what lies ahead for himself. And He knows what lies ahead for his disciples. It's a terrible picture… all men will hate you because of me. They'll be so keen to get rid of you that even family members will stand against you. And betray you.

Which Jesus says will mean you've got to stick with it through tough times. And make sure you're still standing at the end.

That's how it was in first century Israel. Have a read through Acts ..it’s the history of the early church. So much of what you read in the gospels is there in the Acts of the apostles. That's how it was a hundred years later in the Roman empire where their idea of Saturday afternoon sport was throwing Christians to the lions and tigers. And they weren’t the mascots .. they were the REAL DEAL.

And as Jesus spells it all out, the question is, do you still want to be in it? Because the stakes are high!

People these days like to think they've got the teachings of Jesus pretty well sussed out. And they've got this wishy washy sort of sentimental idea that it's all about being nice. Or that if you're a good person, everything will go okay. Or that Christianity is somehow meant to be all about tolerance.

I haven't seen anybody make a cute T-shirt out of verse 34. Not peace BUT a sword But if you're going to take Jesus seriously, you've got to take it on board. He says,

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter in law against her mother-in-law - a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.

And then he adds this. "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."

Now if you've fallen for the sentimental sort of good time Christianity, this is pretty "in-your-face" isn't it? Because Jesus is saying that following him is going to fly so fundamentally in the face of Israel, is going to fly so fundamentally in the face of the world, that it's even going to divide families.

Illustration

A friend of mine told me of a Jewish girl Shelly. She knows first hand exactly what Jesus is talking about. Because when she decided she wanted to follow Jesus, her dad publicly disowned her. He was one of the big guns at the local synagogue. And he made it public that Shelley was now a non member of his family.

Which means becoming a Christian wasn't something Shelley did lightly. She was written out of the will. She was barred from family events. When she married her Christian husband a few years later, her dad wouldn't come to the wedding.

We need to be clear. It's not that Jesus is against loving your family. Coz he's not. I mean, Jesus is even in favour of loving your enemies. But the sad fact is, when it comes to the choice, sometimes you're going to have to stick with Jesus. And the enemies you're loving end up being members of your family. Who reject you; because you're a Christian.

Maybe it’s been tough for you .. or IS tough for you .. home is the place where you are known for who you are and there’s the challenge of what you SAY and what you DO .. sometimes people think you are too FANATICAL .. I used to think that about my older sister .. always at church .. singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School .. in the youth group .. leading the youth group .. always wanted me to go .. come to TEEN TIME you’ll love it .. I used to give her a hard time .. especially when my friends said “What’s wrong with your sister?” Man .. it was EMBARRASSING .. then she paid for me to go to a youth camp .. and I was converted .. and we worked on our parents and younger sister

But a bit of sniggering .. being the butt of jokes .. called names and laughed at .. the opposition is heating up and churches are targeted by some hostile people these days .. religious freedom is becoming more precarious .. do you still want to be a DISCIPLE?

is slight compared to Shelley .. compared to Jesus

Yet sometimes sharing our faith with the family is scary .. intimidating .. so we don’t .. and Jesus doesn’t let up ..

In EVERY SITUATION

Look at v.37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me… Unless following Jesus is actually incredibly significant. Unless he really is the Son of God. The forgiver of sins. It's a crazy thing to give up the things of this life for the sake of following Jesus; unless following Jesus is the one thing that's fundamental to eternity.

Jesus certainly sees the urgency .. be ALERT .. share the things that you’ve been taught .. v.26-31 So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

But can you see that's exactly the point. The decision Israel's being called on to make as Jesus sends out the 12 Apostles, is do they want to be part of the new Israel. The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Built around Jesus. Or not. And their destiny depends on it.

Verse 32. He says "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before me, I'll disown him before my father in heaven." Or verse 39. "Whoever finds his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

In other words, put Jesus ahead of what other people think; and he'll do the same for you before God at the judgement. … He'll say: she's with me. ..or … He’s one of mine

Or .. if we shuffle Jesus off into a corner and treat him like an embarrassment, and he'll do the same with you. Put Jesus ahead of the things in this life; and you'll find you've got something far more valuable.

So the bottom line is, as these 12 apostles go out preaching to the towns and cities of Israel, they're going with the authority of Jesus. And a message of life and death. And in Israel, Jesus says, the message isn't going to always be welcomed. And because of that, they're going to do it tough.

So to borrowing from our own Prime Minister, they need to be alert. But not alarmed. They need realistic expectations. But they don't need to be afraid.

He says there are wolves out there... so be alert. Be smart. But because you're doing God's work, there's every reason to be confident.

Which is why we need to close with the fact that three times Jesus says to his disciples, don't be afraid. Did you notice?

Don't be afraid of them, verse 26. Speak out loud. And don't be silenced. What you've heard me say to you, shout it from the rooftops. Without fear.

And again in verse 28. Don't be afraid of them. Because the worst they can do is kill your body. Can't touch your soul. If you want to fear anyone, fear God. Who can extinguish both.

And a third time. Don't be afraid, verse 31. God's a God of detail. A God of infinite capacity to care. God's a God who sustains the life of the sparrow. Who gives life and takes it away in his time. So "Don't be afraid. Because you're worth more than many sparrows." God knows how many hairs on your head. So don't be afraid.

Jesus sends his apostles into a danger zone. Called Israel. And the effects are divisive. As the people of Israel are called to make up their minds about Jesus.

We live a long time later. In another place. But the call is exactly the same. And so are the consequences. And we need to see, following Jesus is not just a hobby. Like stamp collecting. Not just an interest like bushwalking. Not just a club. But the fundamental decision on which your eternity rests. In a way that is going to bring division between anyone with their heart set on the kingdom of heaven... and their heart set on the things of earth. Which could mean uncomfortable times.

Application

But no matter how it unfolds, no matter how much opposition, no matter how much it looks like you're losing, no matter how much the laughter in the school corridors or round the office, over the back fence… no matter what the persecution - Jesus says to his disciples then and he says to his disciples now, make up your mind. Whoever finds his life, whoever hangs on to the things of this life... will lose it. And whoever loses his life for my sake... will find it.

Being serious about following Jesus in spite of all the hype you might hear about it making you healthy and wealthy and wise, can actually make you marginalised and endangered and despised.

Being Christian in the 21st century isn't just an embarrassing business if you're a teenager. Bit uncomfortable. It's a life threatening business. And it has been, right from the start.

Friends .. I think as we live in these days … there is apathy .. we don’t see the URGENCY .. we don’t see the WAR and it’s only as things get hot that we start saying YES this IS worth fighting for .. dying for!

We can also lose sight of the fact that the gospel WILL keep adding to the KINGDOM .. people will be saved .. God is doing it

The opportunities to shout it from the rooftops are shrinking .. staying in the schools to teach Scripture .. having a presence in our community is getting more limited .. expressing the Christian truth at Christmas and Easter .. they are diminishing .. Let’s encourage each other again today no matter where we are to be ALERT .. to BE the people of God .. SHARE the faith with our WORDS as well as ATTITUDE and LIFESTYLE .. to see afresh that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the SPIRITUAL FORCES of DARKNESS .. and they don’t necessarily look like Darth Vader … they can look like a gentle granny who says You don’t need to be so RELIGIOUS .. just be a nice person like me .. they could look like a dad who says You’ll grow out of this CHRISTIANITY stuff .. it’s for old people and kids or they could look like the boss who says Diddle the books or lose your job

Conclusion

Be alert … be wise .. pick the battles .. know your enemy .. love them into the kingdom .. don’t give up Jesus has warned us that this is the way of the world we must stay focussed

Jesus has called us .. and warned us of the COST

We’re not be ALARMED .. despite the ridicule remember what Jesus endured for us .. His humiliation was far greater .. He took upon Himself our sin … He knew that nothing short of the cross would secure our place in the KINGDOM and He didn’t flinch

As took up His cross He encourages us to take up ours .. to PERSEVERE as faithful servants of the MASTER .. KEEP RUNNING THE RACE .. it’s a MARATHON .. focus on the finish line .. because Jesus is the one who rewards us in HEAVEN .. all of us .. all the same … He who will not be ashamed of us

Even to lose our life for the sake of the GOSPEL is not an ultimate SACRIFICE .. losing our earthly lives secures our SOULS and the inheritance that never spoils or fades

Understand the times .. the season we are living in … there is a clear understand that we are in the times when the KING has come .. Jesus has been revealed .. He’s shown us who He is

All authority has been given to Jesus .. .. Jesus is Lord .. Saviour .. Judge

We need CLEAR HEADED CONVICTION as to who Jesus is

A day is coming when ALL evil and sickness will be banished .. the eternal rule of the eternal One has yet to come .. there is time to repent .. time to understand the rules of engagement with our creator .. time to understand the compassion .. Jesus comes to SAVE

Coz at the moment we still live in a world that shows how much it has REJECTED GOD .. has REBELLED against Him

So .. today .. it is HARVEST TIME .. NB .. Jesus says the harvest is PLENTIFUL .. so often I think we are convinced that there is NO HARVEST .. no one is interested in Jesus

Yet .. what is lacking? .. yep .. workers … people are not interested? Or we aren’t doing our job?

And sadly this verse gets misused and misunderstood .. it’s been a favourite of the MISSION societies .. or the BIBLE COLLEGES .. as if the workers are missionaries .. or ministers .. Jesus is talking about ALL of us disciples .. see

This is a hard thing to admit isn’t it .. we’ve dropped the ball .. the church

Harvest is plentiful … workers few … NB .. THEREFORE … what .. build more theo colleges .. get better evangelistic courses going .. beat people with a stick .. no .. Jesus says therefore PRAY .. on the edge of a hard seat .. on calloused knees

Jesus would get up early .. before dark .. to a desolate place to pray .. I guess he did need to pray but we don’t!

Pray earnestly .. for workers .. throw out workers .. you are the answer to your own prayers as well