Unarmed Truth
Notes
Transcript
Sent Out - Vs 5-7
Sent Out - Vs 5-7
A. Your Mission - vs 5-6
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.
1. Specific to you
a. Jesus sends them to the Jews
b. Paul was sent to the Gentiles
c. Who do you need to reach
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
2. Will succeed
a. Comes from God
i. Through Holy Spirit
ii. How preachers find their way
b. God sees it before you do it
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
B. Your Message - vs 7
As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
1. The Kingdom
a. Kingdom of God
i. There is a choice to make
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
ii. Not all about the good stuff
iii. People are dying and going to hell
b. Relationship
i. A better way
Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
ii. A better relationship
2. There is a reckoning
a. Judgement
i. Didn’t go away
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
ii. We can pass by it
iii. We can participate in it
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
b. It is near
i. As near as death
ii. As near as the second coming
iii. Also as near as living in it now
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Freely - vs 8 - 12
Freely - vs 8 - 12
A. Don’t take anything with you
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—
1. Don’t take provision
a. Don’t take what belongs to you
b. Can’t be about what I bring
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
c. What I give, has to come freely of what i received
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
2. It must all be from God
a. All the miraculous things
b. All the message
B. God is our provision
1. Must be seen in the World
a. I need nothing from them
b. What I have is from God
c. What’s your Angle?
Watching a movie yesterday - kept asking, what’s your angle?
C. The Gospel
1. That and nothing else
but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.
a. Healing for the Message
b. Bringing attention to the Kingdom
2. Just want to talk Truth
And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
a. What that Truth has done for me
i. not about the miracles
ii. About the relationship
b. Where that Truth has brought me
i. Not a million dollars or better “life” circumstance
ii. But a better life and a better living
Motivation - vs 13 - 20
Motivation - vs 13 - 20
A. The Kingdom - 13 - 16
“If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.
2. Worthy
a. Ready to receive
b. Pour out your blessing
c. Means it will cost me for the unbeliever
1. Not about what people think -
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.
a. Will Receive/wont receive
b. Don’t waste time where not welcome
i. Tough to do with people we love
ii. Doesn’t mean we can’t invest time for later
Imagine this - Robber breaks into your home, steals your stuff, then you have to defend them, walk them through the process and try to get them acquitted
B. Words Will Come - vs 16-20
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues.
1. You will be put on trial
a. Don’t worry, God has equipped you
i. Gospel Only
ii. Don’t have to remember anything else
b. Wolves see to destroy and devour
2. Don’t get bogged down in the argument
a. Worthy vs. Unworthy
b. Be ready to move on
c. Don’t push yourself into Martyrdom
i. No need to fall on your sword for sake of arguing
ii. Why Discernment of worthy vs. unworthy so important
d. Besides am I in it for my martyrdom or for God’s glory and Gospel
Had a student late a couple times, took the hit for him - He never learned the lesson and ended up getting kicked out. Yet a black mark for me was for nothing. Same for Gospel, don’t die where it will never be used for the Kingdom’s glory
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
D. Only Endure - vs 21-22
1. Endure ridicule
a. God won’t be mocked
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
b. People’s foolishness will be displayed in time
2. Enduring means continue sharing
a. Not for benefit
i. Get into Church
ii. My benefit
b. Benefit people
c. Benefit the kingdom
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
i. Ambassadors do not go for their benefit
ii. Benefit is only for the country/Kingdom
iii. Stop trying to save people to Church and save them to Jesus
Conclusion:
Unarmed Truth means I don’t do it for my benefit but for the benefit of God, the Kingdom and people. We must have that in mind for all the tithe and numbers in the Church mean nothing if people are not saved to Christ, just another social club. But we are more than that, we are more than conquerors, we must care nothing for our own gain, only for the gains of the Kingdom so that we may save as many as we can before they pass or before the Lord returns. I want to close with the Words of Paul as he definitely understood unarmed Truth better than most, in Col 1:24 it says this
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.