Called to Raise the Dead!

Matthew 10:5–16 NIV

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Matthew 10:5-16

Introduction: For how many of us is it easy to share the Good News with our friends and family who do not believe?

17 - We have different ideas of Evangelism.

Bible Thumper -

The Evangelism Linebacker

Door to Door Evangelist

Street Evangelists (ie. the bull horn guy)

Evangelism Explosion.

Big Event Evangelism

Crusades

Rebecca Pippert quote - out of the salt-shaker and into the world.

Perhaps with all of the crazy ways and gimmicks we have tried to share the Good News, now wonder everyone is leary of it.

Couple in new members class, “What does the word Evangelism mean to you?” “I don’t like the word.”

Despite all of this, Jesus calls his Church to Evangelism.

18 - The Church has a Charge.

Jesus sends out the twelve. Is this passage just for the Twelve?

Sending of the 72

Great Commission

The Book of Acts

Abraham’s Call - To Bless all Nations

The Story - the Great Rescue of - The Gospel - The Kingdom. - “The Lost Sheep of Israel.”

1. Our purpose is to share Jesus with the world so others may know him, too.

1. Our purpose is to share Jesus with the world so others may know him, too. In this movie clip from Forrest Gump, Forrest and his platoon are under severe attack in a heavy combat zone. He risks his own safety over and over again to save the lives of his friends: http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/forrest-gump/i-gotta-find-bubba. God has a purpose for keeping us on earth and not taking us immediately to be with him in heaven once we become his: to share Jesus with others so they may be rescued from sin and to relationship with God, too. Every believer has been given a mission by God to advance his kingdom and get back his lost children. We may never become a world-renowned evangelist or pastor. But we are all called, nonetheless, to share whatever it is we do have: be a witness, to testify of our own experience with the living God, to proclaim what we know is true in order to rescue a dying world.

We are a church on mission - Pictures of our mission trips this past summer. What if we brought that same missional mindset to our community around us?

1. “Go on a mission trip. Walk next door” (Canon J. John, a popular evangelist in Great Britain, Twitter post, November 2016). Every Christian can be and should be a missionary, regardless of our vocation or our location; everyone everywhere needs to hear the gospel.

We are a church on mission - Pictures of our mission trips this past summer. What if we brought that same missional mindset to our community around us?

Each Mission Trip - There were times of work/serving, and there were times of worship, and there were times of hangin’ out having fun together.

Missional Community - The Disciples were a missional community.

What is the best model?

19 - Jesus is our model for the Church.

What is the model. - Mike Breen Discipleship Culture - The Octagon

20 - Person of Peace

Passing Relationships - Sprint

Permanent Relationships - Marathon

21 - Presence - Jesus Gave them Authority

22 - Passing Relationships - Sprint

Permanent Relationships - Marathon

23 - Proclaim - Helps Identify the person of Peace - Share the Good News - Freely Give what you have been freely given

24 - Power - Demonstrate the Good News - Freely Give what you have been freely given.

My wonderment? - Does Jesus want us to heal and cast out demons and raise the dead.

Yes - this does take some training, but when this happens people get a foretaste of the Kingdom -

Mostly a shifting of our world view,

Now, but not Yet - Because

a healing does not happen does not mean it is not God’s will or God does not care about you - Fullness will come when he returns, but healings, demon expulsion, resurrections are sign-posts that can open eyes to the reality of the Kingdom.

Pray with Confidence in Jesus’ will - Trust Him for the big picture.

Do not underestimate simply blessing people service - There is not always an opportunity to heal, deliver, or resurrect dramatically. Bless with the Good News and with Service.

Preperation: Walking with People in relationship - People are not projects, and our lives should be about mission - not just to get people to cross a line.

Team Sport

Perception: Feel the Temperature of where someone is at and be of encouragement in where they are at.

25 - Perception: Feel the Temperature of where someone is at and be of encouragement in where they are at.

Conclusion:

We do Global Mission Trips - But we are also on mission to our neighbors, co-workers, fellow students, friends, etc.

Mission - Build Disciples, Grow in Faith, and Serve in Christ’s Name.

Speak the Good News, and Demonstrate the Good News

Visions - Everyone using their gifts for Evangelism.

My wonderment? - Does Jesus want us to heal and cast out demons and raise the dead.

It requires Organization, Community, and Mission.

Yes - this does take some training, but when this happens people get a foretaste of the Kingdom -

Why? Organization - We are inviting you to find your gifts and to find a place in the Organization of the Organism.

Mostly a shifting of our world view,

Why We are inviting people into Life Groups, Children to Sunday School, Youth to Youth Group - To foster community that grows followers of Jesus.

Now, but not Yet - Because

a healing does not happen does not mean it is not God’s will or God does not care about you - Fullness will come when he returns, but healings, demon expulsion, resurrections are sign-posts that can open eyes to the reality of the Kingdom.

Why Missional Communities - To foster community that is on Mission.

Pray with Confidence in Jesus’ will - Trust Him for the big picture.

Do not underestimate simply blessing people service - There is not always an opportunity to heal, deliver, or resurrect dramatically. Bless with the Good News and with Service.

Trust God to provide -

This is not for everyone, for all times - Suggest a very short-term trip and reliance that God will provide what they need from people of peace. - When he sends out the 72 they take money along - longer trip.

The principle - Trust God to provide for the mission.

Find the person of Peace -

Reference the Reformed Confessions:  The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Canon’s of Dort: Head II, Article 5,