2.4.8 1.20.2019 Mark 2.13-17 Deep Impact

These are not hard! They’re easy. They are, or should be the pleasures and joys of Christian living. They are opportunities to prepare us for the hard things to which we are called.

• These are all easy. They are opportunities to prepare us for the hard things to which we are called.

Yes, I said

Yes, I said hard things. We are called to do some hard things.

Hard things

We are called to do some hard things.

▾ Engage: Success as a disciple means having deep impact on the lives of others. It is not easy. It is hard work.

Engage: Success as a disciple means having deep impact on the lives of others. It is not easy. It is hard work. It requires frequent trips outside of our comfort zones. Here is a quote from marketing genius Seth Godin:

It requires frequent trips outside of our comfort zones. Here is a quote from marketing genius Seth Godin:

Success comes from doing the hard part. When the hard part is all you've got, you're more likely to do it. And this is precisely why it's difficult to focus. Because focusing means acknowledging that you just signed up for the hard part. Seth Godin

Success comes from doing the hard part. When the hard part is all you've got, you're more likely to do

it.And this is precisely why it's difficult to focus. Because focusing means acknowledging that you just

Expand:

Expand: Jesus signed up for the hard part.

signed up for the hard part. Seth Godin

Jesus signed up for the hard part.

Mark 2:13–17 ESV

13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

• Expand: Jesus signed up for the hard part. Because His mission was so crucial that to have deep impact

Because His mission was so crucial He realized that to have deep impact required doing specific things in specific places to accomplish specific ends. His labor was not always appreciated nor was it understood. Sometimes it was resented and eventually it was resisted and rejected. Yet His interaction with the lost and the least, the forgotten fallen altered the course of history.

Mark 2:13–18 ESV

required doing specific things in specific places to accomplish specific ends. His labor was not always

Mark 2.13-18

Excite: You will not have impact because of talent, good looks, popularity, sense of humor, wit, intelligence, preparation, or even your gleaming pepsodent smile.

appreciated nor was it understood. Sometimes it was resented and eventually it was resisted and rejected.

Yet His interaction with the lost and the least, the forgotten fallen altered the course of history.

You have to sign up for the hard part

• Excite: You will not have impact because of talent, good looks, popularity, sense of humor, wit, intelligence,

Then You can have deep, lasting impact because Jesus makes it possible.

preparation, or even your gleaming pepsodent smile. You can have deep, lasting impact because Jesus

makes it possible.

Explore:

Jesus shows us and enables us to have deep impact.

• Explore: Jesus demonstrates and enables us to have deep impact.

Explain: Let's look at the trademarks of a life that signs up for the hard stuff so that we can live with deep impact.

• Explain: Let's look at the trademarks of a life led with deep impact.

▾ Body of Sermon:

1 Instruction

1 Instruction 13

Verse 13 Jesus models persistent teaching. He was

Available

Approachable

Authoritative

2 Invitation

Verse 14 details the particulars that it takes to invite someone

Who

Levi

Where

at work (call it his native environment)

How

conversation direct invitation

What

He did!

3 Influence

▾ 3 Influence 15-16

is described in verses 15-16

Influence is about

3.1 Addressing the the sin of sinners.

Addressing the the sin of sinners.

3.2 Addressing the criticisms of critics.

Influence necessitates

Addressing the criticisms of critics.

▾ 4 Intent 17

4 Intent

Verse 17 shows us that intent requires

Triage

Intent requires

Targeting

Committed to our Calling

• Having a deep impact on your family, friends, community, workplace, or school is not really about talent it's about presence. Persistent presence. Not rudely or intrusively but engagingly.

about presence. Persistent presence. Not rudely or intrusively but engagingly.

• Jesus had deep impact because it was His mission. His Passion. His purpose. He had deep impact because He cared. He cared enough to sign up for the hard thing.

He cared.

• Do you care about the lost enough to make your life a lesson in practical, Godly living? Do you care about the lost enough to invite them to worship, study, pray with you… or even to just be your friend? Do you care enough about the lost to be present with them gaining influence? Are you willing to live on purpose, intentionally choosing your target?

lost enough to invite them to worship, study, pray with you… or even to just be your friend? Do you care

enough about the lost to be present with them gaining influence? Are you willing to live on purpose,

intentionally choosing your target?

• This kind of impact is faithfulness. It is attractive. It is revolutionary. It changes the world. You can have this impact.