May 8, 2022 Sunday Worship Service (Steve)

I'm talking about. Jesus, and his apostles.

And as we speak about Jesus and his Apostles, I couldn't help. But think about the young fellow that's sitting next to me. Over here, saying his heart out this morning and gets me all excited because he is singing as loud as he can. And I think that causes me to sing as, as horrible as it is, but as soon as loud as I can, and it doesn't matter, but we got the angels in heaven, listening to us, and we certainly have the Lord listening to us, and we're grateful that we can worship Him in spirit and Truth today. And we think about that passage that Roy read to us during the Lord's Supper. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. I believe that with all my heart and I hope you do too. And I want you to think about that favor, that Grace that you've been showered upon with that. Jesus has provided for you by virtue of the Cross and so he provides us. No condemnation.

But we need to keep reading. We need to keep reading. For those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit and soul, when we continue walking according to the spirit. That is the word is spirit provided teachings. There in those things that God desires us to do not perfectly, we all fail. we all said, but we get up. We repent. That is we change your minds about the actions that cause us to send and we keep going on and we still have therefore, there is no condemnation to those in Christ. Jesus. Can I get an amen? Amen is right. We're happy to be here. We're happy. We're happy to know that. There is no condemnation with us and that's a blessing because all spiritual blessings are found where Among his people in Christ. Exactly. Right. And we're grateful for that. We ought to be happy about that. I hope that brings a smile to your face because what I'm about to say now, won't.

Just kidding. Well, as we think about that. Passage that are brother Kayden just read and thanks came for reading that you did well as always. And we think about this is the first time in his ministry. It's now 18 months into his ministry. That means a year-and-a-half. That means he has a year-and-a-half left. And it's interesting because at the end of the chapter near the end of the chapter and Luke 9:51. It says an Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem. He said his face toward Jerusalem. But now, this is the first time in his ministry that he's called his twelve, the apostles, his disciples to do work for him. Up to this point, you're and a half into his ministry. He's been doing all the teaching but doing all the preaching. He's been doing all the healing. He's been doing all the healing of the demon-possessed casting out demons. He's been doing all of that. And you remember? Just a few chapters before this. That Jesus came to his own town in Galilee. And was rejected. Not once, but twice. And so now he feels the heat, he's feels the pressure because he knows Jerusalem is right around the corner. Year-and-a-half away. You know what? That means, the Jesus. He's got a death sentence. A year-and-a-half, he's going to die. And so he's got work to do and so he picks his 12. He gets them ready. And now it's time to give them some practice to get him some work to do and what better time than to do it now while he's still in Galilee. You see he's going to be leaving Galloway. But before he goes, this is his hometown. This is his home region. He wants to go back and give those people a second chance. After all they rejected him twice, right? And what is Jesus? Say that ate a prophet is not without honor except. We're in his hometown.

Headed home. And so he remembers the rejection and he wants to go back and give them some help, and he wants to provide them the gospel. But now, he's going to divide his ministry up in 12 Parts. He's got 12, Apostles, 12 and bassadors, and now it's their turn to go and preach the gospel to the people of Galilee, to go through all the villages there in and to Proclaim Jesus Christ, and to work miracles. And by so doing they confirm what they're preaching as being true because of the truth of the Miracles. You can't deny the power of the Miracles there for you, the power of the message. What does that mean? If both are from God, and the guys who are preaching that message, they're God's spokesman said it can't be argued that. So he's going to be sending them out to buy to. We talked a little bit about that in our Bible class this morning. And so as we think about the rejection of Jesus in Galilee, I want you to understand that the people that rejected Jesus, it wasn't because of what he was preaching. In fact, they amen his preaching. They heard him talking to synagogue and they said, hey, we're happy to have him here. It wasn't because of the Miracles that he worked, they believe them. No, man can do these things except God be with him. They knew he was God's spokesman. But there was one thing that really got to them. They got offended offended. Have you ever been offended? Yeah, we've all been offended. But the Lord calls us not to be offended. Or at least not to be easily offended. We need to understand that their world operates in the world weigh and God operates in his way, and we're in God's way. And so we operate, according to God, knowing that the world operates in a direct opposite fashion than the spiritual realm that were in.

That what people say? Nothing should be surprising to us. And we should not be offended because that's the course and Way of the World. The Bible tells us men will wax worse and worse. They'll get more depraved as time goes on if you can think of sins. Now, think about sins and have yet to be invented. Well, that's on the way as men get worse and worse and worse. And that's just the way it is foretold in God's word. Think about the final phase of the Galilean Ministry were thinking about the final phase of the preparation of the Apostles. First of all, their call to faith in Christ. Remember along the sea Shores. Jesus is walking one. Come follow me guys. I make you Fishers of Men. And so they began to follow Jesus. Why well, they knew about him from John, they knew about his baptism out in the Jordan in the wilderness. So they knew that he began to have a following and so by faith. They realize that this is the one This is the one that the word of God has told us about and then second of all, they're called the full-time discipleship. They're called. And then they go back home and they tell their families about what's going on. And I'll Jesus comes in contact with him again. He says, all right, put your nets down. And I want you to walk with me and I want you to be with me for the next three years. And so they're called the full-time discipleship. And now they're also called to Apostle ship. That, is there going to be his official Messengers. That's what an apostle means. Apostolos $0.01 and they're going to be the messengers, a spokesman for Jesus Christ. And that's spokesman would be an ambassador. And so they're the ambassadors of Jesus Christ on behalf of Jesus Christ, and they're called both in the limited commission, which is what we're reading about that. They're going to go to the area of Galilee and preach the gospel. That was limited. But afterwards, when Jesus rose from the dead and spent 40 days with his Apostles that he gave them the Great Commission. Okay, you did a limited commission. Now, you're going to be doing a Great Commission. Not because it's so great. But because of the significance of it there, now going to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Not just, not just you. But they're going to go into all the world and Luke gives us a great idea that when he says, you'll be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the world will be going into the all the world to do all of that. And so that was their calling, that's what they were called to do by the Jesus Christ. So that they have a few weeks.

Jesus gives him some time off to rest up and they come back and they told Jesus about all the things that they've done, all the demons that they've cast out all the people, that Dave healed, all the things that they've done, the message that they talk. The people that they have converted and perhaps, even the people that rejected their message. And so, we're talking about 12 very ordinary. 12, very ordinary men that have an extraordinary message and extraordinary message of salvation. And God has given upon their shoulders to deliver this message of good news of Salvation in Christ, Jesus.

Twelve ordinary men, you would think that God would have gone to all the universities and picked the brightest people and pick those who were Scholars those who put their time and their efforts into study. But it wasn't like that. He wouldn't. He picks fishing pictures fisherman. He picked up, and he said, I want you you to be the ones. I just think about that. You have these 12 or Gary men facing the scholars of the day. Both Jews and Gentiles, and these are the brightest Minds among the people. And yet they confounded. The brightest minds of the day with that message because the Holy Spirit was guiding them. The Holy Spirit was speaking through them. The Holy Spirit was giving them the words to preach. That's what Jesus told him in a limited commission. He said, don't worry about what you're going to say. What you going to say or speak in that hour for the holy spirit will give you the words to speak in that hour. And so with confidence, they could go about and in boldness. They could go about preaching the message of Jesus Christ. So, the people were not offended because of his preaching, the people were not offended because of the Miracles cuz you couldn't be offended at that. They were offended because Jesus said you need to change your ways.

He said, you need no longer to be stuck in sin. But to follow me, you need to repent. Number that was the primary focus of his message, repent for the kingdom of God, of the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, repent and turn from your sins, turn from your wicked way. And just imagine the Jewish people who are in The Gallery at this time hearing Jesus, itis. Does a Satan Bible class? They stood up and said we're juice. We're the chosen ones of Israel. God chose us. We're not Sinners. Oh yesterday. In fact, they were the worst kind of sinners. Compared to the Gentiles. And I love how the book of Romans lays that out for us. You know, and Romans chapter 1, Paul says it's the gospel of God's power to save, both, Jew and Gentile. And then he goes into a long Litany of sins. A long list of sins that the Gentiles were guilty of. First and foremost, they were not thankful to God. Because of their own thankful. This, their sins got worse and I became more depraved overtime. And someone from the Roman Church was reading Paul's letter. Now picture pictures of setting picture. This building is being the church where the people in Rome and I one side. You got the Gentiles and one side. You got the juice. And whoever is reading the Paul's letter to the people out loud. He's saying this all about the Gentiles. You guys are filthy, elf, and filth and foul and filthy and fill them self has Bill Cosby used to say, I just imagine that you was on this side. They're Wicked the dogs. After all the Gentiles. And then you could just hear a pin drop when in Chapter 2, the reader begins talking about the Jews. You old man. Who think you are above said, and who are judgmental. You are just as guilty. And then he goes through a Litany of things that the Jews were guilty of. And then he comes into chapter 3 and he says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and we need Jesus Christ. It's so now he says from the rest of the passage or the rest of the book that we're all in this together. Let's work together as June Gentile, but let's put aside Julie Gentile. Let's work together as Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Why? Because we're saying? We're saying both Jew and Gentile and no one is better than the other. And so we find here that the apostles were placed first in the church, according to 1st Corinthians 12:28, right? First place in the church, the apostles and Prophets and then teachers and elders. And then he talked about placing Miracles and gifts and Supernatural Powers as well in the church. These things existed in the first century Church. And so the apostles were given power and authority as we just read and Luke chapter 9 in verse 1.

That is Power Authority, over the safety. Cos the demons ruler who sent the demons into the people. And these Apostles come by and they kick the demons out. So I was talking about really the power of Satan has been defeated. And remember in Matthews account. Jesus said, and I saw Satan fall from Heaven. Like a shooting star.

So is power just dropped what? Because even you my Apostles have defeated Satan? But I find it interesting, really find it interesting in the next.

Luke chapter 9 verses 7 through 9 answers. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him.

Do you have didn't go out? We Apostles went out. Yeah, he says he heard everything that was done with the being done by him. Well, what he means is by the authority of this man, Jesus, they were preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in the name of Jesus Christ. They were working miracles by the power and the authority, that Jesus gave them by the name of Jesus Christ by his authority. Remember the, what the Bible tells us in Matthew chapter 28, in the Great Commission, go, therefore, and Make Disciples of all Nations, baptizing them, in the name of the father, in the name of the Sun, and in the name of Allah, by the authority of the three. That is by the authority of God. You go and make disciples and you baptize them and you teach them, you let them keep growing in Christ. But the problem is like, the folks in Nazareth. We get offended. We get offended, we get offended because sin is called out. And I'm not going to placate it. Me as a gospel preacher. Minister of Jesus Christ. I cannot hold back on what sin is and what sin is not. I need to preach about that. because we all said, And if we don't know what we're doing is sinful, but that's my problem. Your problem, but certainly my problem cuz I have not let him know to you what it is. That's wrong. What it is that needs correcting. We all need to be corrected, remember? God corrects all those whom he loves. He wouldn't be a good father if you didn't correct people, but how did he correct people through the preaching of the Gospel? Until we find here, the significance of God's word and what it means as we think about being followers of Jesus Christ. So we have to understand that. Now, here are the touch Rock heard of all that was done by him and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead and by some that this was Elijah who had appeared and by others, that one of the prophets had Arisen again. Here, it said, John, I have beheaded, but who is this?

A groom. I hear such things. Who is this? That's a great question. There's similar questions in the Bible about who is Jesus Christ and he brings it to the floor here. And he says, who is this man? Who is this guy? Named Jesus? Why is he so significant among his disciples? And why is he gaining a following in my city? Doesn't he know that I am a king? No, you remember. Herod's dad was Herod the Great. And Herod the Great heard about the birth. Of a king. You remember the story. We just got done with Christmas not too long ago and it was a birth of the king. There was one born King of the Jews and Herod. The Great said, what? I'm the king. No one else is King. And if one is born King of the Jews that I'm going to put an end to it. And so, he went out and he slaughtered all the babies. Two years old and younger trying to kill Jesus. And yet we can see the Divine activity, the Divine Providence at work and God protecting his seed Jesus, the Christ, Our Savior from death. Working behind the scenes and so we find here. This reminds me of what Peter was talking about next chapter 5, where the send Henry comes to the apostles and it said, did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? This Authority and look, you have filled Jerusalem with your Doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood on us.

People get offended at that. You remember the story of? Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ. Where he said that the Jews had put Christ to death while there was an uproar throughout the world, among the Jews, they were offended. Because Mel Gibson said that but Mel Gibson did not make up those words. Those words are found in God's word. What those who were offended forgot or were ignorant about was that it wasn't just the Jews who were guilty. It was the Gentile Romans and for that matter, you and me. Since he died for your sins and my synth, that's who Jesus is. And this morning as you think about, who this man is Jesus Christ. He is the savior of your soul. He's the one that died for you. He's the one that had resurrected because of you. He had you in mind. I want you to make it personal. I want you to come to Jesus Christ. Today. I want you to understand just how valuable Jesus is in your life that without him. You cannot see through a lot. But with him, you have everything including eternal life. We have every are all spiritual blessings found in Christ Jesus. It doesn't get any more beautiful than that. It's so as we consider who Jesus is, we consider the fact that he is the one that said this. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. Posting say that Churches of Christ did not say that. Jesus himself said that.

You believe that. We believe it because Jesus said it. Jesus said it stands, there's no way around it. And so, he that believes and is baptized shall be saved. Their begins, a wonderful journey of Life, a life in Christ. Jesus. A wife that is spiritually centered upon God, the source of all things that we have in our lives and what a beautiful story that is, that's good news, and it'll make us be like the apostles to go out into the world and to teach others about Jesus Christ to bring others to Christ, to give them the opportunity that you have now. And how many on that day when we all stand before the Lord? And how many would say? I wish you told me about him?

It's important, whether it's important to share the gospel. It's important to be the gospel that is, to live your life as the gospel tells us to live to let our light. So shine before men to be the example that they see Christ Living in US. And of course, is living in us, how can we not share the gospel with others? The good news of salvation for them? We can't be like the Jews and just hold it in for ourselves. We've got to share it with the Gentiles. We've got to share it with everybody. And that's the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that it is for everybody but those who reject those who deny those you put off. This man's blood is upon them. Because he has done everything in his power to bring you to the truth. And all you have to do is say, I believe I agree and I will do what Jesus says and so he that believes in is baptized shall be saved. You can do that today, not be ashamed, be confident and be assured of your salvation. Knowing you've done the very thing that God wants you to do. And be happy because of all the accounts ever read about what salvation the people afterwards had Joy. They had not before but after. Perhaps you have done that. You've lost your joy. You've lost your way. We said the Bible calls us sheep because we're like sheep and that we go astray. Where stinky smelly people? We go astray just like the Sheep, but we need a shepherd. We need Jesus. Who was our Shepherd to bring us, back to the fold and he says, come back, come back and be a part of the fold. Be a part of his kingdom to church today. You can do that by faith while Together We Stand and sing.