Mission (NOT) Impossible
Snapshots of Jesus and His Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted
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· 2 viewsWe share the same mission as the first disciples.
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I was talking to some teenagers this week who told me their favorite films are the Mission Impossible Series. With the most recent technology and a flexible plan, Agent Ethan Hunt and Team plan a mission that to most seems impossible to accomplish.
The Great Commission sometimes looks impossible as we gaze at it as individual Christians. When we realize we are part of a bigger picture working a perfect plan from God with imperfect but other willing teammates it helps us know that it can be done.
We can share the Gospel.
We can see friends and loved ones come to Christ.
We can make an eternal difference.
Your mission should you choose to accept it is to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. This message will not self destruct in 15 seconds...
READ PASSAGE…
The 12 Disciples are also called Apostles here.
Jesus changed their lives:
Matthew, Mark, Luke: Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, Volume 1 Instructions for the Short Term Mission to Israel (10:1–15)
Simon (who is called Peter)—a successful businessman in the fishing industry, who was regularly in a leadership position.
His brother Andrew—a person highly sensitive to God’s leading, but overshadowed by his brother Peter.
James son of Zebedee—left a successful family business to follow Jesus, but was the first apostle martyred.
His brother John—had a fiery temper but also a profound love for God.
Philip—never quite one of the inner circle, yet took a leadership role among the lesser-known apostles.
Bartholomew—known for his outspoken honesty (he is probably the one called Nathaniel in John 1:43–51).
Thomas—a skeptical rationalist, but eventually had one of the most profound theological understandings of Jesus’ identity as the God-man.
Matthew the tax collector—formerly a traitor to his own people to save his neck and make money; became a missionary to them by writing his Gospel.
James son of Alphaeus—either younger, shorter, or less well-known than the other James; was faithful throughout his life, but never given much recognition for it.
Thaddaeus (or, Lebbaeus)—also called Judas son of James, often confused with Judas Iscariot and didn’t develop much of his own reputation.
Simon the Zealot—before accepting Jesus as Messiah, a guerrilla warfare fighter who wanted to bring in God’s kingdom by force.
Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him—his love of money and power may have drawn him to abandon and betray even his closest friends.
Jesus gave “Apostolic” or “Sign Gifts” to confirm to the Jews the message was legitimate. V. 1
The Apostles had special gifts from God to accompany their Good News Message.
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
As Ye Go, Preach. Present Imperative.
Go to the Jews First in this First Great Commission.
After the Resurrection, Jesus broadens the commission… The Great Commission includes everyone...
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE???? It’s possible with the power of God in us…
Christianity is the only world religion that is evangelical in the sense of sharing good news with others. Islam converts by force; Buddhism, without the benefit of a theology; Hinduism doesn’t even try. -Mortimer Jerome Adler (1902–)
As Ye Go, Preach. Present Imperative.
The Kingdom of Heaven is At Hand (near).
Word Pictures in the New Testament Matthew 10:7
The summary message is the same as that of the Baptist (3:2) that first startled the country, “the kingdom of heaven has drawn nigh.” He echoed it up and down the Jordan Valley.
John preached it.
Jesus preached it.
These disciples preached it!
We Share the Same Mission as the First Disciples.
We Share the Same Mission as the First Disciples.
Here is the Mission:
People Are Lost. 6
People Are Lost. 6
Word Pictures in the New Testament Matthew 10:6
The sheep, the lost ones. Mentioned here first by Matthew. Jesus uses it not in blame, but in pity (Bruce). Bengel notes that Jesus says “lost” more frequently than “led astray.”
This is a compassionate observation.
This is a caring observation.
A Sheep LOST in the field of the world.
This is not spoken in a condemning type way. They are already condemned and they are already lost.
Lost include:
The young adult wondering what life is all about.
The young woman using her body to try and find love. Or tattoos and piercings to find acceptance or get a little more attention.
The boy smoking by the creek, getting a hit behind the shed, and hanging out with other addicts.
The money hungry business owner.
The workaholic with no time for anything if making money is not involved.
The educator who says there is no God.
The politician who thinks government can solve man’s problems.
People are broken, hurting, searching, and wondering……
Steve Green wrote, People Need the Lord
Everyday they pass me by
I can see it in their eyes
Empty people filled with care
Headed who knows where
On they go through private pain
Living fear to fear
Laughter hides their silent cries
Only Jesus hears
People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door
People need the Lord, people need the Lord
When will we realize people need the Lord?
We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right
What could be too great a cost
For sharing life with one who's lost?
Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear
They must hear the words of life
Only we can share
People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door
People need the Lord, people need the Lord
When will we realize that we must give our lives?
For people need the Lord, people need the Lord
People Are Lost.
The Kingdom is Near. 7
The Kingdom is Near. 7
"Ninety-five percent of all Christians have never won a soul to Christ.
Eighty percent of all Christians do not consistently witness for Christ.
Less than two percent are involved in the ministry of evangelism.
Seventy-one percent do not give toward the financing of the great Commission."
The Imperative is for us to. Go, preach. Our preaching means more when TRUTH has affected us too.
Christians are already members of the Heavenly Kingdom.
Live like a child of the King.
Have priorities like the child of the King.
Work as a child of the King. We are subjects and Sons to the King of Kings! What is important to our King should be important to us.
Jesus sends these men on a mission trip in this First Great Commission, and they are to “Live of the Gospel.” They are traveling, they are meeting people, they are SENT and they are letting those receiving the spiritual message give to physical needs... We are Sent too. V. 9-10
The church is taught to care for the physical needs of those who are serving the congregations spiritual needs…
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
BTW: This is not a passage saying not to have extra clothes or to not save up your money. This is a passage telling this gospel itinerant preachers to “Travel Light.” They are living by Faith, just as we live.
IF you are living like Satan - it would be hard to be good witness. Would people listen to the message?
Live a right life:
Throw away the drugs, alcohol and vaping stuff.
Stop looking at evil things, lusting and coveting.
Get help for the addiction.
Legitimize your dating or personal relationship by getting married.
Put some clothes on for your social media posts.
Work that job with a healthy work ethic.
Stop complaining all the time.
Be dependable to show up on time.
Stop spending money you do not have.
Offer to help people in need.
Find ways to help in God’s local church.
Evangelism is good news validated by Kingdom Living.
The Kingdom of Heaven is Happening NOW in Heaven.
One Day, Jesus will set up His Millennial Kingdom.
Until Then, live like a member of God’s Kingdom.
We are not perfect. All of us can do better with living and being more like Jesus.
MAY GOD HELP US NOT HAVE ANYTHING IN OUR LIVES THAT HINDER US FROM GOING WITH THE GOSPEL.
The Kingdom is NEAR. GO AND PREACH…
Everyday that passes means there is less time to see others join the Kingdom of Heaven!
We share a more immediate imperative /command than the first disciples.
Some of us need to GET SERIOUS about our Christianity.
Is Jesus really the King of Your life?
Elton Trueblood, the Quaker scholar, once compared evangelism to fire. Evangelism occurs, he said, when Christians are so ignited by their contact with Christ that they in turn set other fires. It is easy to determine when something is aflame. It ignites other material. Any fire that does not spread will eventually go out. A church without evangelism is a contradiction in terms, just as a fire that does not burn is a contradiction.
People Are Lost.
The Kingdom is Near.
Some Will Be Saved. 11-15
Some Will Be Saved. 11-15
Worthy = a commerce term. Setting up the scales to determine worth/value.
New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition (514 ἄξιος (axios))
ἄξιος axios; = (in the sense of to weigh); of weight, of worth, worthy:—appropriate(1), deserve(2), deserving(4), fitting(2), keeping(2), unworthy*(1), worthy(29).
Vs. 13-14… “Receive” is the same word as “accept.”
New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition 1209 δέχομαι (dechomai)
δέχομαι dechomai; a prim. vb.; to receive:—accept(2), accepted(3), receive(16), received(12), receives(15), take(3), taken(1), took(1), welcome(2), welcomed(1).
Hear = ἀκούω akouō; from a prim. word mean. hearing; to hear, listen:
Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).
What makes a person “Worthy” of the Gospel???
Are some people more valuable than others?
Do some people have better qualities about them so they can become Christian?
Are some people more holy so they “qualify?”
NO! NO! NO!
What makes a person “Worthy” of the Gospel???
The WORTHY ONES Accept the Messenger long enough to Hear the Message to Believe it.
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
The Worthy ones qualify themselves for salvation based on their personal faith and decisiveness for the GOSPEL.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
BE SAVED TODAY!
CONCLUSION:
“Be to the world a sign that while we as Christians do not have all the answers, we do know and care about the questions.” - billy graham
“Being an extrovert isn’t essential to evangelism—obedience and love are.”
-Rebecca Manley Pippert
Your mission should you choose to accept it is to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. This message will not self destruct in 15 seconds...
“Give us a watch word for the hour
A thrilling word, a word of power;
A battle cry, a flaming breath,
A word to rouse the Church from rest
That calls to conquer or to death;
To heed her Master’s high behest.
The call is given, Ye hosts arise,
Our watchword is Evangelize.
The glad evangel now proclaim
Through all the earth in Jesus’ Name
This word is ringing through the skies
Evangelize, Evangelize.
To dying men, a fallen race
Make known the gift of gospel grace
The world that now in darkness lies,
Evangelize, Evangelize.
We Share the Same Mission as the First Disciples.
We Share the Same Mission as the First Disciples.
RESPONSE:
May God give me a love and passion for lost people.
May God give me the courage to go and share the Good News this week.
May God help me live like a member of His Kingdom.
I am not a member of God’s Kingdom, I want to be saved today.