Sunday Service 1/27/19

Okay, so you think so what why are we watching Domino's in church while there is a connection and if you suppose with me just for a moment that this family goes off into their day normal day that they're having and they know that dinner is regularly served at 6. And so they go off knowing that and they know that for whatever reason it's Dad's night to cook and so that you saw dad being at home being the cook there through Domino's and let's just say that the original plan before Domino's was enacted was that there's going to be a steak dinner Dad's doing all the prep everyone knows dinners at 6 that the original plan that takes place but it turns out that before dinnertime happens is Lil Bit of a change in the plan dad decides to order Domino's and he sends out the dinner bell notification. I like the humor in there. I like the urgency especially of the coming home early everything your cheer team your boyfriend.

Saying something right there, right you drop that complex math problem that you're probably never ever use in life and you rush home because of the good news that you receive at. Domino's is is about to arrive for dinner. Now, you're still saying what is this have anything to do with today's sermon it is it is it was stration. Hopefully grasp God's plan on Earth and I'll show you why and in just a moment and maybe more specifically to grasp God's working and the kingdom of God and so in a one way, I'm I'm using an illustration for more time and I'm saying the kingdom of God is like a Domino's commercial follow me still talk about the kingdom of God, which makes up the Book of Luke chapter 10, which is our our study our passage for this morning and yet if you look at the way that God has worked in history his plan and purpose in the Bible, you will undoubtedly see that he chose a special family which became a special chosen Nation that's nation of Israel and It's always his plan to bless the nation prophecy shows just how much and how far-reaching that is. What great things were in the store for the special chosen family or Nation. It's all God's plan if he's going to bring it to pass until like the Domino's dinner plan. The fathers in charge of a God the father is in charge of it. If you look at the New Testament and as a new testament on Jesus comes to be the Savior into the awaited Kingdom on Earth and in some areas in the gospels, you do see a taste of the Kingdom in Jesus's life, but I waited Kingdom on Earth with all the Fulfillment of what we see in prophecies. Never happened. It's still pending. It has been postponed. It has been delayed. If you follow my illustration is steak dinner is still pending. The plan still holds true that that's going to happen. But the Kingdom on Earth that will take place has been placed on Holt and God and His grace during our time offers salvation to everyone who will believe in Jesus Christ of the Jew and Gentile alike. It is special and it came as a new revelation to the Apostle Paul. If you want the details, look at Paul's letters look specifically at Ephesians 3, this is something that was on prophesied. This is a special thing the Apostle Paul says and so the dinner bell notification is not just for the family. It's for everybody now the boyfriend can come to the whole math class could come to

everybody's invited even if we are not Jewish or Israelites everybody is invited during this time of Grace and what still need about it as it's not a to two or more for 599 sort of deal Ephesians 2:9 tells us that it's not by works, but it's a gift of got and we can come to something. That's so much better than a pizza dinner. Even if Domino's is your favorite pizza. because we can receive salvation by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ and it might make a little bit more sense is Domino's illustration as we look into Luke chapter 10 in so I invite you to turn there as we look at this offer of the Kingdom where they Jesus says preach that the kingdom of God is at hand or is amongst you even what we're doing is we're continuing Jesus's Trek on the road to Jerusalem and we're tracking his ministry his teaching and his movements as he sets his face to go to Jerusalem Jerusalem. The next thing that takes place is the sending out of the 72, but we continue to see his Resolute determination his steadfast desire to accomplish the will of the father as he goes to Jerusalem end of this chapter is really need to see the incredible joy that Jesus has in living out and seen the will of the father accomplished. It's a Luke chapter 10. Shows the next step in Jesus's Trek to Jerusalem, which really shows that he had some very careful planning involved in his steps in his his his desire to go toward Jerusalem. And so I asked you and Luke chapter 10, you'll probably see that there's maybe three or four headings is at least three main events that take place. This could easily be three different sermons. But as work working our way in our calendar year for Easter and the resurrection will take about 1 chapter / Sunday answer if we're doing this morning as we look at Luke chapter 10 in the first segment is about Jesus sent the sending in the returning of the 72 eluga Note 7 verse 1. They're going out to buy to Luke 10:1 says after this the Lord of pointed 72 others and he sent them on ahead of him to buy to and every town in place where he himself was about to go. Know Jesus has a plan involved in all the steps that he's making as he goes on the road to Jerusalem. He sends these out a 32 different groups to all the places that he plans to go to before he arrives in Jerusalem. So he's going towards Jerusalem, but there's some work to be done first. And so he sent these guys out ahead of him. And here's what he says to them as they go out verse 2, and he said the Harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few therefore pray earnestly to the lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into his Harvest. Go your way behold. I am sending you out as Lambs in the midst of wolves. Can we know moneybagg? No knapsack? No sandals and greet. No one on the road. Whatever house you enter. First. Say peace. Be peace be to this house that have a set of pieces there your peaceful rest upon him, but if not, it will return to you and remain in the same house eating and drinking what they provide for the laborer deserves. His wages do not go from house to house whenever you enter a town and they receive you eat. What is set before you heal the sick in it and say to them the kingdom of God has come near to you. But whatever you went to a town and they do not receive you go into its streets and say even the dust of your town that clings to our feet. We wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this but the kingdom of God has come near I tell you will be more bearable on that day for Sodom then for that town and is beginning of this commissioning. If you will of Jesus sending out these 72 and their purpose and what they need to go after her some neat things and they're also some challenging things that we see here. Now, first of all and what may stand out to you most is that Jesus says the Harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few now. This is true of Jesus's day when he sends out the 72. I don't know if you had more than 72 that he could get together to go out and preach this message of the Gospel of the Kingdom out today in our time a similar reality is true. There is a incredible Harvest people who can come to Jesus Christ by simple faith in him and yet the laborers Are few and so Jesus needs all of us to share Christ because there are so many out there who do not get no and if you're not the one to go out and share then and application of this already is that you can be praying for those who would go out not to share the gospel of the Kingdom. But to share the gospel the grace of God in Jesus Christ the kingdom of God aspect ear and I would never want to put that certainly what I am not trying to do today as we look at the gospel of the Kingdom that is being preached in Luke chapter 10. But I really do believe that this is a special message for their time that the kingdom of God is near a kingdom that was going to take place on Earth for the nation of Israel in fulfillment with all of the Prophecies of the Old Testament in the message that goes out we can see the details of it in these vs. It goes out with power and with Miracles are real it more contacts and just a moment even the demons are going to respond and then submit to these that go out and so it goes out with power and miracles the same way that God has always worked with his special chosen Nation the nation of Israel Jews who demand a sign have that sign is an authentication of the message that is going out now think think critically with me Is is this the same thing that we do? Do we go to our neighboring cities and towns and you can only enter one home and we wish the peace upon them that I would like I said, okay. Well, maybe that's a bad example that do do pastors and do missionaries do exactly the same thing that they're doing that thing with me on this passage. We do send out our missionaries. Yes, they go to foreign countries, but they don't go like this that you can see the details there do they really go out and take no clothing with them. We're about to have her missions conference come up here like you just go out and you certainly will they go with a plan and a purpose. They take a lot of luggage on the road. Do they go without any money? No, they come to raise money so that they can do the ministry over Seasons. They go and greet. No one on the road now everybody on the road since their goal and purpose of the only one to every single house to share the gospel. And so maybe you're following with me a little bit here. I think the more than you study this passage. Parallel passages in the other gospels. I think you'll come to the conclusion that this is really a one-time occurrence of them being sent out to share this message of the Gospel of the Kingdom. I would makes it even more a real is that you see later on the 12 disciples come to occasions where they can't cast out demons even later on left people are being healed and the end of the ministry of the Apostle Paul or as a dispensationalist and that we have is a church. We see a transition taking taking place and you can know the end of Paul's life. There are no healings happening. There's there's a transition away from even these kind of things. I'll get it I don't to put God in a box of that's never my intent, but you look at the original context to your in the message that's going out as one of preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God being near a Jesus there in Jesus planning to usher in that Kingdom had that planned continued had Jesus Christ been accepted as the Messiah and so we use in biblical terms of The kingdom of God of the Kingdom of Heaven regularly and sometimes we use it to designate the overarching the general sense of the term of of God's Reign Over All of creation of his Kingery Kingery rule over all of the Affairs of mankind and that is certainly true and and has been true and will always be true. God has a kingdom Annie Raines Supreme Over All But as you look at Luke chapter 10, this has all of the features of being the promise to the nation of Israel that they were expecting as they were hoping would happen. And so it's more Focus than simply God's authority over all of creation there preaching a message about God's kingdom coming to Earth for Israel with Israel at the centerpiece of everything that is taking place a kingdom on Earth that prophecy said to have the son of David on his throat Jesus of the lineage of David. He came to be the Messiah would rain on that throne and if they accepted him believed in him Return and enacted his kingdom on Earth at that time, but there's a rejection that you see in the early chapters of the book of Acts. This is a kingdom that has all of the activities what is real at? The center has a temple a priesthood a huge land mass with Jerusalem being the center where all nations are going to fly to Jerusalem are going to have to come to Jerusalem for for blessings for forgiveness for peace. And if they don't Jesus Christ is going to rule with an iron rod. And so I think we should recognize a distinct plan that is happening in the life of Jesus in continuity with God's plan for the nation of Israel in Luke chapter 10, but that doesn't mean that we take oh take it to step aside was okay. Well, yeah. Okay, right Caleb, you know, that's really specific for his real. Let's not do much with it. Now, there's so much we should do with this passes me food convicting for our lives with that understanding and with that now, it doesn't make this passage any less serious for us as people that come with the Bible with a dispensational framework. We should be talking about our King. We should be talking about his kingdom regularly all the time. We should see Jesus Christ is raining even now even if there is no observable Kingdom on this Earth at this moment that still coming is anticipation for that and jobs working with the nation of Israel, but we should be about Jesus who is our King. What scripture tells us is seated at the right hand of God even now and we should be even more excited because for the grace of God during the time in which we live even as Israelite people we can come to God we have equal access and I have to be a special chosen Nation for God we can come and believe in Jesus Christ and his blood bring Salvation to all who believe if you want to see how special that is read Ephesians chapter 2 repulsive. Look at this is something totally unique. Now, there's one body everybody can have access to even though we didn't have the Privileges or the blessings of the nation of Israel as we see Jesus as he wants to rain in our lives as well. And so even today we know that Jesus is plant and his purposes are being carried out. We can say we can look at scriptures. Say what his physical Kingdom on Earth is still pending and yet it will take place in. So I've often use this slide you seen this before when we talked about the kingdom. We can recognize there's a universal kingdom of God is always in control scripture prophecy tells us that there is a Messianic mediatorial if you want to use the the Theologian to sort of words a kingdom on Earth that will still take place in the future. And so Jesus coming to Earth and the message of the kingdom was promised and still will happen. But as we as we attracted first chapters of Acts, we see a rejection was he got hold off this Kingdom on I noticed you look at the Apostle Paul. He is not afraid of using Kingdom language. He uses it regularly. He speaks of the kingdom of God saying that it's something that the body of Christ will inherit something future what that looks like in the future x with God's kingdom is on Earth or it's just God's kingdom. There's there's room two to talk about to discuss. I would love to get to meet with you have a cup of coffee and talk Kingdom we can talk for hours on it. That's an exciting thing for me. So if you ever want to talk more Kingdom, we certainly should but Paul use it regularly. He's talking about the body of Christ inheriting the kingdom song about the kingdom of God not being something about eating and drinking and it's not a matter of me or talk or words, but a matter of power behind the kingdom of God. That's all we know from Luke chapter 10 that God's plan and purpose with Israel, which was being announced for the kingdom of God has come near to you will take place and that's what makes this time and which we live so special and so if you come back to my Domino's commercial my Domino's example, like I do think it is helpful in the gospels and Luke chapter 10. We see the original plan. Let's say that there was a state dinner was the original plan the whole family went off to do their their tasks of the day to school to practice to work. They near the plants. They expected the Fulfillment of the original plan to come home for dinner at 6 to is that awesome spread of a steak dinner? But it was a delay in the plan and something new something improper set a new notification went out something that is still happening today where everybody Jews and Gentiles alike are invited and are welcome and it's awesome and it's more exciting than rushing home to Domino's pizza and what such good news. We should be excited about that and we should be. With the same passion with the same excitement to be 72 going out to share Kingdom coming on Earth. We can go out and say hey look at Jesus Christ has done something exceptional something incredible and you can have a part of it through faith in

Tell verses 13 through 16 go on with this and then we see some of the results as well to You chords in what are you betzaida for? If the mighty Works done in you had been done in Tyre and sidon, they would have repented long ago sitting in sackcloth and Ashes but it will be more bearable in the Judgment for tyre and sidon them for you and for you could burn them. Will you be exalted to Heaven you should be brought down to Hades the one who hears you hears me and one who rejects you rejects me and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me Jesus warns those who do not receive this message of the Kingdom. Those who reject the 72 consequently reject Jesus, which means they reject God As well and it's simply shows that there's a greater accountability for those who know people who have heard the message of Jesus the message from his disciples the message of the king of are even more accountable because it was preached to them and they rejected I almost even wonder maybe some of these people that heard this message with the very ones in the early chapters of Acts. We hear Paul for Shih Tzus me hear Peter preaching the early chapters of Acts take a look at the times of refreshing are coming upon you the kingdom is at hand receive it and they rejected. I wonder if those are some of the same people who once again go and reject that message is saying here is that the more you know, the more you account the more accountable you are so it's going to be worse for them on the day of judgment received the results and verse 17 The 72 return with Joy saying Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name. And he said I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven behold. I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt. You never the last do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you but Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. That's really awesome to see the joy that filled the 72 as they return. It's awesome to see the joy of Jesus Christ, which is the very next thing look look at this. Don't miss the joy of Jesus Christ here in the same hour. He Jesus Rejoice in the Holy Spirit and said I thank you Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them two little children. Yes Father for such was your gracious will all things have been handed over to me by my father and no one knows who the who the son is except the father or who the father except the son and anyone who to whom the son chooses to reveal him and then turning to his disciples. He said privately what are the eyes that see what you see for? I tell you that many prophets and Kings desired to see what you see and did not see it and to hear what you hear and did not hear that. We cannot miss Jesus Christ as he sets himself resolutely toward Jerusalem in to see him and knock the planet purpose that God had sent him to do to fulfill the word of God to accomplish that mission that he had and in the midst of it when it's happening. There's incredible. Rejoicing and 50 and praising God for the way that he works in a how God carries out his plan which isn't the way we would they look you you reveal this to children whether to innocent person or actually even children that he hasn't contacted. I think it's just referring to his disciples personally people that wouldn't be the most learned people. They're the ones that witnessed this prophets and Kings wanted to and yet they were privileged to have this opportunity. What a knee position that his disciples were in it and what a privileged position you and I are in as we're able to look back into the Bible and see how these things transpired Jesus Christ accomplish what he did on Earth and how we still got to complish. What is to come it's awesome and that's just scratching the surface of this passage. I hope you continue to study it but can't step away from this chapter until we talk about the parable of the Good Samaritan, which is the very next thing and it answers a crucial question. Who is my neighbor on this one either because we studied in the summer 2016 with Argo series. I love this Parable and and as you look at it, this is perhaps the most well-known Parable within the church and outside the church. I think this is a Search for us to talk to people that really don't even know anything about the Bible. They might even say hey to your being a Good Samaritan was like I know where that came from a lot of people anymore, but it comes up as a bridge for us to talk about it. So just this week my wife was you know, helping me and looking out for what I was doing. The passage is a look at this article that came up a General Colin Powell has a flat tire. Is he going to his doctor's appointment and he gives a shout out to someone who's a good Samaritan goes out on social media Facebook Twitter and all that kind of stuff pretty neat example for us to even talk to people about the Bible about things of God. So people know all about this and it's kind of cool so you can read more about it later on find it if you want, but let's take one fresh. Look at this Parable here. Luke chapter 10 verse 25 says the following and behold a lawyer set up to put him to the test saying teacher. What should I do to inherit eternal life and he said to him what is written law? How do you read it? Lawyer answered you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself, and he said to him you've answered correctly do this and you will live but he desired to justify himself said to Jesus and who is my neighbor. Now first 27 already gives us the application of this witch hat which was true, which is true in Jesus's day is true for us today and is true for all time. What is our goal in life? What should we be doing? Love the Lord Our God with all of our hearts and mine and we love God by loving people in our life by loving others loving our neighbors and we begin to pick up on the person who that's asking this question is is a lawyer. He knows that the law of the nation of Israel and he's trying to put Jesus to the test and then the verse 29 it shows that something is not really right with this guy. He's trying to justify himself in and I Wonder If we're honest Maybe there's something not entirely right with us in terms of applying this in our lives to the people that are our neighbors. I want to present everywhere were trying to justify ourselves as well. And so Jesus tells this powerful Parable verse first 30 Jesus replied A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell among robbers who stripped him and feed him and departed leaving him half-dead now by Chance the priest was going down that road and when he saw him he passed by on the other side so likewise a levite when he came to the place and saw he passed by on the other side. What are Samaritan as he journeyed came to where he was and when he when he saw him he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds pouring on oil and wine. How many set him on his own animal and brought brought him to an in and took care of him and the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to The Innkeeper saying take care of him and whatever more you spend Time Warner pay you when I come back. So which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers? He said the one who showed him Mercy. Jesus said go and do likewise. I wonder if he was so still justifying himself such as he can't even say Samaritan. I wonder what what's wrong with this guy hearing the story. And maybe we can bring it to our time as well to our lives because of Jesus were telling this Parable today to you. And I think it's challenge by a lawyer who want to justify and somebody tells it and we're listening to this to this Parable. What would be the examples that he uses today where it says priests and Levites the half dead man and the Samaritan plugin.

Jesus tells this Parable in a way that removes any valid excuse from these people and the reason for not helping. But I have to think that this person is Levi. We're probably looking for reasons to not help this guy that looking at the legitimate Jewish law excuses to not touch a man or even go near if you don't have a priest, Levi, I do work in and around the temple. I cannot become unclean because of the Jewish laws and and and dead thinks so I better not touch him. I better pass by on the other side. If you noticed Jesus regularly says, he's going down from Jerusalem to Jericho most likely these guys are going off duty. Now, maybe they want to be unclean as they go home to their families. But their main excuse any valid excuse that might have been Justified was taken away.

And then culturally we know a little bit of the situation from the rest of the Gospel Four says from our contact Stephen James and John want to call down fire on a Samaritan Village that reject Jesus. There's animosity and John 4. We know between the Samaritans and the Jews. Racial racially-charged situation that Jesus puts here. It was culturally Unthinkable for the Samaritan to help a Jew or for the Jew to help a Samaritan and yet it's so powerful because the people are going down or actually juice and we could see that this man was most likely a Jew who was on the road and they don't even help their own. Current the wrong people think I once again critical Ian and realistically about our time. In the current events that we see happening within the past few years think about the social issues of our day thing by the racial issues of our time which are still very significant. There are plenty of them in our time and how this speaks to our lives in the way that we respond to those issues in our life and even the post that we might like or Post ourselves during our time, but how does it speak to our lives in our situation? I wasn't even speak to this last weekend. New York's disgusting terrible decision to enact abortion an expandable Russian. How does it speak to that? Cuz I think it goes beyond even the racial issues of our time. Couldn't apply to the precious unborn babies.

No, excuse will ever justify taking the life of an unborn baby. But I wonder if this teaches us to step in and some regard to be the Good Samaritan to be the Samaritan for the cause of unborn babies in the United States of America. I think there's ample application for us there.

I think about our attitude just bring it home even closer think about our attitudes toward people and maybe if you would ask yourself what which character are you in this parable?

And if it's the levite or the priest, do you have some sort of supposed excuse to not be a neighbor to somebody? Maybe it's not a racial excuse. We got beyond that. We don't feel racism. You know, we're Believers in Jesus Christ. We set that aside. But maybe we have a financial excuse. Maybe we have a time commitment excuse to not be. Involved to not be a neighbor this Samaritan cared for the man witch costume.

Cost of two days wages. We know from the parable costume, whatever he did and then returning to cover the expense. It certainly cost him time. Time is money here and United States of America. Are we not willing to sacrifice our time to show love to our neighbor and friends? I don't think any excuse that we could try to justify in our lives would ever cut it with Jesus Christ. No, excuse is good enough. I was recently challenged to think of of myself as the one who was beaten and left for dead. And I think of Jesus as the Good Samaritan, I don't know that this is a prophetic Parable. I kind of doubt it. You know what he does say I will return and that's where the thing and he pays the debt and that's beautiful and all that. But if you think of Jesus as the Good Samaritan character and you was the person who was beaten and left for dead is no one cares, even if all your supposed friends walk along on the other side of the road when you're in whatever situation you aren't even if nobody seems to care. You can know with absolute certainty that Jesus Christ cares that he stops that he takes his time. I even gave his life for you.

Is not powerful Jesus really is the ultimate example of the Good Samaritan because when we were powerless to move on he came in to save us. And now he invites us to be like him and to show love like the Samaritan and so as the focus of the parabola goes and really the application that Jesus would have for his time and for us today, who is my neighbor who is your neighbor? Jesus says go and do what the Samaritan did and it's so countercultural. It's so against the grain and it's so difficult but it is so powerful. If we do if we go out and we live this type of thing a tent over to do is run by singing Broken Vessels powerful song. It's about you and it's about me being set free by God's Amazing Grace by seeing his work in our life and I hope that has the lyrics say I like that you can see the love in Jesus's eyes that he lay down his life to raise up broken lives and he wants us to do the same and so we can ask him as the lyrics says to take our lives of the world will see his And you and I met the love of God be seen in us as we love our neighbors as we love ourselves.