Faith That Serves
Notes
Transcript
Mark 6:7-13
Mark 6:7-13
Years ago I read a book entitled “Mark These Men” by J. Sidlow Baxter. In this book were bibliographies of people in the scriptures he had preached upon and their circumstances. Some men were marked as having made bad choices in their lack of faith;
The Man who played the Fool, Saul
21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”
The Man who was rebuked by his Ass, Balaam
27 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
But others were marked by making good choices of faith in their circumstances;
The Man who Braved the Lions, Daniel
23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.
The Man who helped Carry the Cross, Simon of Cyrene
26 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.
But in this book, one of the groups of people that are not preached upon are the apostles, a special group of men chosen by Christ to build upon the foundation of faith in serving Him. Tonight I want to “mark these men” with a “Faith that Serves.”
Text; Mark 6:7-13
7 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.
8 He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts—
9 but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.
10 Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.
11 And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”
12 So they went out and preached that people should repent.
13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.
Jesus has just left Nazareth for the second time being rejected by his own people and He marveled at their “unbelief”. He began to make a circuit in the surrounding villages teaching and puts his interns [apostles] into clinical’s. It’s time for them to test their faith by their serving.
1. Team Effort; 7
1. Team Effort; 7
Evangelism, ministry, missions, christianity is not a solo work. Family means more than one, so Jesus sends them out as teams/two by two for several reasons.
First, it is safer and wiser.
9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.
The law required two witnesses to verify a matter.
15 “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
The adversary is ruthless opponent that needs teamwork with Christ
Unclean Spirits- demonic spirits, principalities of darkness that oppress, influence, and blind the hearts of men.
There is cosmic conflict between God and Satan and the apostles are an extension of Christ in that battle. Therefore Christ has given them power to overcome unclean spirits so that would show God’s compassionate love for the people and also authenticate the message of apostles that it is from God.
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
The church needs to work this way today, together as ambassadors for Christ is better than being islands apart!
2. Team Faith; 8-10
2. Team Faith; 8-10
It doesn’t say how Jesus paired these men, but their faith had to work together to serve Jesus in a way that would bring a message of assurance and not doubt.
According to James Edwards, “True service of Jesus is characterized by dependence on Jesus, and dependence on Jesus is signified by going where Jesus sends despite material shortfalls and unanswered questions.… They must trust him alone who sends them” (Edwards, Mark, 181). Little provisions require big faith in God to meet your needs.
They were to depend upon Jesus for daily provisions through the hospitality of those in the villages they were bringing the “Good News” too!
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
[10] Jesus wanted them to stay where they first got an invitation. Regardless of what the situation looked like, trust God instead of looking for better accommodations according to your own standards. Remember Elijah
9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”
3. Expect Rejection; 11
3. Expect Rejection; 11
They should expect rejection. Jesus had just been rejected a second time by his own people, the apostles needed to be prepared for the same.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!
How they were to handle rejection. If a household, synagogue, or village would not offer hospitality or listen to their message, they were to leave there and to shake the dust off their feet. Jews did this when they left Gentile territory to show that they were dissociating themselves from it. This would tell Jewish listeners they were acting like pagans in rejecting the disciples’ message.
The more a person knows of truth and rejects it, they become more guilty by truth in the judgment!
47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
There is a time that we are to share as God gives opportunity but then there is also a time to move on. Always see where God is working and thats where we go.
4. Be Faithful to the Message; 12
4. Be Faithful to the Message; 12
Repent- Repentance is both the change of mind and the actual turning of one’s life away from sin and toward God
John the Baptist preached it, Jesus preached it and so should the disciples and believers today preach repentance!
3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
5. Be Victorious; 13
5. Be Victorious; 13
Because of their “faith to serve”, God honored that faith with victory over demons, sickness and healed many. And in the process increased the faith of these men, that one day it would be said of them that “they turned the world upside down.”
Close;
“Faith that Serves” is simply trusting God at His Word.
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.