Sermon Tone Analysis

Prayer:

Predominant Emotion solemnity

How humbling that the God of all creation invites us to colabor with him in the plans and purposes of redemption.

That He has entrusted us with the ministry of reconcilation.

We are ambassadors of Christ, God making His appeal through us.

That we are witnesses, or as Matthew writes here… sent ones.

May we not leave here feeling condemnation or guilted in action

But leave with a Holy Spirit conviction that this purpose is for us today, and a new fire to join God in the eternal work of proclaiming the Gospel as we live, work and play.

The Strenuous Life

Before president, he forsaw that the American People, were growing fat and lethargic on the backs of the industrial revolution.

For the first 100 years as a nation they had strived, worked, and built a wealthy, successful nation.

Now this new generation was enjoying the fruits of those labors but losing the purpose and satisfaction that hard work provides.

So as Governor he gave a speech in 1899 entitled “The Strenuous Life” in an attempt to rouse the American People out of their Lazy Boys and back into the game.

I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, of labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph.

Church, I believe we, much like the American People of the late 19th century, have forgotten the doctrine of the strenuous life?

Are we guilty of living by the doctrine of ignoble ease?

Have we forgotten that the blessing of our religious liberties, the plethora of options with churches on every street corner, and the surplus of resoruces ranging from books, music, conferences, and podcasts, are intended to equip us for the work, (the strenuous life) of ministry rather than mold us into consumers of religous commodities gourging ourselves on calorie after calorie and growing little by little spiritually obese?

A life of ignoble ease.

Here’s the Point: We are called to the strenuous life.

To live as Sent Ones.

Ambassadors.

Witnesses.

Co-laborers.

God has blessed us, so that we may then be a blessing ( the call of abraham).

We are called to the strenuous life.

Not one of ignoble ease

Because as TR said, “out of the strenuous life we win the splendid ultimate triumph.”…

As we look at our passage today I want us to see 3 specific facets of this strenuous life.

#1— The Call of the Strenuous Life (majority of our time).

#2- The Consequences of the Strenuous Life

#3- The Courage required for the Strenuous Life

Read Matthew 10:5-15

The Call of the Strenuous Life

The Call of the Strenuous Life: to a Person

Matthew 10:1 (ESV)

And he called to him his twelve disciples...

We don’t know how long the disciples had been following Jesus before he sent them out , but we do know they had been with him.

They heard the Sermon on the Mount, they witnessed Him heal, cast out demons, and proclaim the Gospel.

They saw him calm a storm, and even witnessed him raise a girl to life.

So before they attempted to kick down the gates of hell on mission for Jesus, they first and foremost were called to a life of proximity to Him.

This is so significant for us, because our fruit of doing for God is directly tied to our abiding in Him.

The task that Christ has called us to (as we will see shortly), is a supernatural one.

We cannot rely upon our own natural abilities, instead we need POWER that only comes from embracing our weaknesses and tapping into His strength.

That power comes from proximity.

Now of course, in our passage Jesus “calling to himself” these 12 was extremly literal.

He summoned them.

Told them to come in close.

Huddle up guys.

But he didn’t call them in a vacuum he called them from relationship and proximity.

So the call of the strenuous life begins with a close, personal relationship with Jesus.

Are you walking in proximity with Jesus?

Are you close enough to hear His call if he summons?

Are you cultivating a sensitivity to the voice of God by feasting on His Word in personal worship and devotion?

Are you submitted to the Jesus through His Body, the church, in such a way that others can affirm and confirm God’s call upon your life?

The pattern we see in the Book of Acts!

The Call of the Strenuous Life begins with a call to a Person?

So often we are well aware of what Christ has saved us from, but we ignore the treasure troves of what He has saved us for… namely a personal relationship lived out through proximity to Jesus.

The Call of the Strenuous Life: to a Place

He told them exactly where to go.

To the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

This wasn’t mere bigotry and I can say that with authority because, later he tells these same apostles (minus Judas) to go to all nations in Matthew 28.

We see after his resurrection him commanding these same to be His witnesses in Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation for the JEW first and then to the Gentile.

God shows no partiality (Romans 2:11), but the Gospel came to the Jew first then the Gentile.

Throughout the Gospels and especially the book of Acts we see Jews and Gentiles putting faith in Christ.

SO the grand scope of God’s heart is the redemption of peoples from every nation, language, and tribe.

But in this particular comissioning it was to a particular place.

What is your place?

Do you view yourself as Called to a Place?

There are two specific things I’d like to share with you regarding this call to a place.

Place by Providence

First, regards the Providence and Sovereignty of God.

Oftentimes as a missionary I would come across such poverty and suffering that I would really question God’s Providence?

Meaning this… why this little one and not me?

I didn’t choose to be born to a wealthy, white, American family.

That little one didn’t choose to be born destitute, impoverished and in a society that labels her as less than with no upward mobility.

My takeaway from those musings is that in one sense we have very little control over place.

So… I believe in a sense that your place is exactly where you find yourself now due to the providence and soverienty of almighty God.

Wherever you live.

Your neighborhood.

Your grocery store.

Your kids school.

That is your place.

Do you view yourself as a “sent one there?”

Do you live the strenuous life there?

Wherever you work.

Your office park.

Your co-workers.

Your clients.

That is your place.

Do you view yourself as a sent one there?

Do you live the strenuous life there?

Wherever you play.

Your boating club.

Golf Course.

Gym that you workout at.

Restaurants you frequent.

Do you view yourself as a sent one there?

Do you live the strenuous life there?

YOUR PLACE IS PROVIDENTIAL… and it is yours.