WEBVTT

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 Well, last week, we were in Matthew 9, 35-38, and we saw the heart of Jesus for the harassed and helpless, those without a shepherd.

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 And we saw His compassion. He's moved by that.

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 And He called us to pray. To pray that God would send out laborers into His harvest.

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 And again, I don't know if that had any effect on you this past week of the people that you normally encounter,

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 maybe someone at PDQ or Walmart or Festival or in your gym, and you're like, man, maybe they are a sheep without a shepherd.

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 We've been praying this week that God would raise up laborers into His harvest.

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 Have you been praying that?

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 And if you've been praying that, has it occurred to you that you are one of the laborers to be sent into His harvest?

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 This morning, we're going to take a high-altitude view of Matthew 10, which means this.

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 We're not going to be able to get into a lot of the detail.

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 But what I want to help you see is the calling and the commissioning of the twelve apostles in all of Matthew 10 glory

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 so that you can feel the full thrust of what Jesus is calling these band of twelve to.

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 And so we're not going to get into the nitty-gritties of everything,

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 but I want to help you see the significance of what Jesus calls them to.

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 Because the same Jesus that called the twelve to go to the last sheep of Israel

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 is the same Jesus who's calling us to go to the city.

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 The one who sent the apostles is the one who sends us.

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 The apostle Paul talks about this sending-ness as being ambassadors for Jesus Christ.

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 We are ambassadors for Christ to this city.

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 We will represent Him.

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 And so what we're going to do is we're going to walk through Matthew 10,

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 and I want you to see five aspects of Christ's commissioning of the twelve,

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 and I'm going to seek to aim it at us.

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 And so here are the five things, the five aspects.

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 First is you be sent.

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 It's the first thing you need to realize.

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 You be sent.

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 You've been sent.

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 You be sent.

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 You be aware.

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 You be brave.

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 You be devoted.

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 And you be generous.

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 And so would you open up your Bibles if you haven't already

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 and open to Matthew 10.

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 I'm going to read through Matthew 10, 1-15

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 to help you to see that you are sent.

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 I'm really going to spend most of the time in this section on the first eight verses,

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 but I'm going to read the whole thing for you.

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 1-15.

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 And He called to Him His twelve disciples

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 and gave them authority over unclean spirits to cast them out

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 and to heal every disease and every affliction.

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 The names of the twelve apostles are these.

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 First, Simon, who's called Peter,

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 and Andrew, his brother,

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 James, the son of Zebedee,

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 and John, his brother,

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 Philip and Bartholomew,

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 Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector,

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 that's the one writing this,

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 James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus,

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 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot,

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 who betrayed Him.

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 These twelve Jesus sent out,

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 instructing them,

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 Go nowhere among the Gentiles

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 and enter no town of the Samaritans,

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 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel

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 and proclaim as you go,

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 saying,

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 The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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 Heal the sick.

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 Raise the dead.

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 Cleanse lepers.

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 Cast out demons.

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 You received without paying.

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 Give without pay.

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 Acquire no gold,

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 nor silver,

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 nor copper for your belts,

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 nor bag for your journey,

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 nor two tunics,

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 nor sandals,

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 nor a staff,

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 for the laborer deserves his food.

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 And whatever town or village you enter,

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 find out who is worthy in it

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 and stay there until you depart.

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 As you enter the house,

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 greet it.

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 And if the house is worthy,

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 let your peace come upon it.

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 But if it is not worthy,

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 let your peace return to you.

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 And if anyone will not receive you

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 or listen to your words,

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 shake off the dust from your feet

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 when you leave that house or town.

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 Truly I say to you,

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 it will be more bearable on the day of judgment

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 for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah

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 than for that town.

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 This is the account of the actual calling

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 and sending of the 12 apostles.

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 And again,

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 I'm just going to focus on the first eight verses here,

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 but there's a couple things

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 that I really want you to notice.

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 Let me ask you a question.

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 Close your Bible for a second.

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 Can you name the 12 disciples,

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 the 12 apostles off the top of your head?

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 It kind of goes,

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 for me it goes something like this.

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 Well, there's Peter and Andrew,

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 James and John,

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 then there's...

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 And Judas Iscariot.

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 And so when you can remember

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 just half the apostles,

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 you're kind of like,

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 huh, what does that mean?

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 You know what?

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 You should actually be encouraged by that.

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 Do you know why?

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 The apostles were just ordinary Joes.

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 Not too memorable.

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 Very much like you and me.

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 Working class guys.

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 Ordinary guys called to do something extraordinary.

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 They're just guys.

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 And so, you can't name the 12 disciples?

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 That's okay.

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 They're ordinary guys.

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 Let that say something.

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 You're an ordinary Jane or Jo yourself.

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 And your God has called you to something extraordinary.

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 To proclaim a message.

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 The gospel.

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 That alone can change a person's eternity when believed.

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 But there's more.

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 Something else I want to point you to the 12.

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 If you look at them,

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 you're like, okay,

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 there's a bunch of fishermen here.

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 And then when you read

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 Matthew was a tax collector.

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 And then you read that Simon the Canaanite.

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 Well, he was actually a zealot.

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 What you got to realize is

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 these are ordinary Joes.

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 And some of them had very different backgrounds.

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 You know what a zealot was?

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 He was an ultra-nationalist in Israel.

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 So, could you imagine an ultra-nationalist

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 saddling up to Matthew,

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 the former tax collector

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 who was raising money for Rome?

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 So, the ultra-nationalist would be,

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 you did what?

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 You were what?

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 You were giving money to the people we want out?

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 So, you know what the little lesson is for us?

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 You know what Jesus does?

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 He calls ordinary people

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 with very diverse backgrounds

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 and He unites them together

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 on a mission that's all about Him.

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 That's what He's done here.

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 That's what He's doing here.

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 He's uniting ordinary people

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 with diverse backgrounds

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 and He's uniting us together

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 and placing us on a mission

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 to proclaim Him to this city

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 and to this world.

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 When we see the calling of the twelve,

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 you've got to know that

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 hey, these are ordinary guys.

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 Some with very different backgrounds

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 and Jesus is calling them

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 on a mission to go.

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 They're not all the same,

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 but they're united

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 by the same Savior.

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 And in verse 2,

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 we see for the first time,

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 this is I think the only time in Matthew

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 that the disciples are actually called apostles.

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 Now, if you're not familiar with that word apostle,

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 it comes from a Greek word

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 that means to send out.

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 Sent out ones.

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 And in the New Testament,

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 that word apostle

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 is applied to a variety of people

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 throughout it.

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 And so, it can be used of people

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 just being sent out generally

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 to give a report from one church to the next.

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 It's used of Jesus Himself

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 in Hebrews 3, chapter 1,

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 to talk about the apostle and high priest.

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 And it's here talking about the twelve.

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 And so, the way that I like to,

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 that's helpful for me to refer to the twelve

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 as apostles is

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 they are the twelve capital A apostles.

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 They are uniquely called by Jesus

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 for a unique work in salvation history.

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 These are the men that Jesus is going to

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 build His church upon.

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 And when we read in Acts 1,

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 when Judas has died

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 and the early church is looking to replace him

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 with another apostle,

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 do you know what the requirements of an apostle are?

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 Do you know what they insist on?

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 There were two.

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 The man that was going to replace Judas,

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 he had to have walked with Jesus

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 from the baptism of John

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 all the way to the ascension of Jesus.

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 So he would have been an eyewitness

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 to Jesus' ministry.

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 He would have heard all that Jesus taught.

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 But that's just the first requirement.

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 The second requirement is this.

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 He would have had to be an eyewitness

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 to Jesus after His resurrection.

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 That's what was required for an apostle.

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 They played a unique role.

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 They were uniquely called by Jesus Himself

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 to this task.

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 So for us, what that means is,

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 hey, we're not capital A apostles.

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 But we have been sent by Jesus.

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 The God of the Bible is a sending God.

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 That's what He's been doing

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 ever since the beginning.

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 He sent out His people

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 under the old covenant, Israel.

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 He sent them into the nations

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 that they would declare God's glory

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 among all peoples,

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 among all nations.

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 The nations would see Israel

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 and they would say,

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 whoa, what a God you've got.

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 Psalm 67 was a psalm Israel would sing.

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 God had sent them to the nations.

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 So under the old covenant,

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 Israel was to be God's representatives

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 on earth to the nations.

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 Under the new covenant,

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 which is the promise,

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 the relationship God established

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 through the blood of Jesus.

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 Under the new covenant,

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 God's new people, the church,

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 we're His representatives

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 to the nations now.

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 And the word that the Apostle Paul

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 used for that in 2 Corinthians 5

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 is we're His ambassadors.

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 We represent Him.

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 We speak for Jesus.

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 You know what's amazing

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 about 2 Corinthians 5?

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 The Apostle Paul talks about,

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 well, we have received

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 the ministry of reconciliation.

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 We've been reconciled to God

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 through the Gospel.

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 And we've been entrusted

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 with the ministry of reconciliation,

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 which means we proclaim the Gospel.

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 And you know what is amazing

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 about what Paul says?

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 Paul talks about it as this.

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 When we preach the Gospel,

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 it's God making His appeal

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 through us.

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 It's amazing.

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 So what I want you to help you

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 to see here is in this

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 calling of the 12,

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 the commissioning of the 12,

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 is that yes, Jesus sent them out

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 and He has sent us out.

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 God wants to make His appeal

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 through us to the people of the city.

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 He wants to call them to Himself.

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 Which brings us to this

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 different piece of this,

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 starting in v. 5, 6, and 7.

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 I want you to see the primary thrust

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 of the calling and commissioning

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 of these disciples.

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 The primary thrust of their mission

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 was to proclaim,

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 to announce,

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 to declare,

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 to make something known.

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 You might have noticed

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 that Jesus kind of limits

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 the scope of this ministry,

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 this mini-mission

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 that He's sending them out on.

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 We read that in v. 5.

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 Go nowhere among the Gentiles

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 and enter no town of the Samaritans,

00:12:53.980 --> 00:12:55.539
 but go rather to the last sheep

00:12:55.539 --> 00:12:56.439
 of the house of Israel.

00:12:56.500 --> 00:12:57.000
 That's kind of like,

00:12:57.059 --> 00:12:58.000
 why would you do that, Jesus?

00:12:58.079 --> 00:12:59.000
 Why would you put limits

00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:00.559
 on the Gospel going out?

00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:01.699
 Why would you want to do that?

00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:04.159
 Well, we do know that

00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:05.379
 at the end of Matthew,

00:13:05.459 --> 00:13:06.220
 Matthew 28,

00:13:06.339 --> 00:13:06.879
 Jesus says,

00:13:07.699 --> 00:13:08.579
 go to everyone.

00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:11.480
 Go make disciples of the nations.

00:13:12.659 --> 00:13:14.019
 What He's doing right here

00:13:14.019 --> 00:13:14.879
 is very important.

00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:16.159
 You see,

00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:17.319
 what He's doing right here

00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:18.340
 is Jesus is saying,

00:13:18.860 --> 00:13:21.600
 go first to My people Israel.

00:13:22.020 --> 00:13:23.480
 Go first to the ones

00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:24.620
 who've been given the Scriptures.

00:13:25.100 --> 00:13:26.120
 Go first to the ones

00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:27.420
 who should be anticipating

00:13:27.420 --> 00:13:28.300
 My arrival.

00:13:28.740 --> 00:13:30.040
 Go to them first.

00:13:30.460 --> 00:13:32.560
 Go to those who are lost sheep

00:13:32.560 --> 00:13:33.200
 wandering,

00:13:33.780 --> 00:13:34.800
 sheep without a shepherd,

00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:36.240
 and declare to them,

00:13:36.560 --> 00:13:37.940
 the shepherd king has come.

00:13:39.040 --> 00:13:40.120
 The kingdom has come.

00:13:40.840 --> 00:13:42.060
 And the king has come.

00:13:42.800 --> 00:13:43.720
 Declare to them.

00:13:43.720 --> 00:13:46.220
 And so the apostles going out

00:13:46.220 --> 00:13:47.680
 in declaring that the kingdom

00:13:47.680 --> 00:13:48.639
 of heaven is near

00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:50.200
 and the king has come.

00:13:50.580 --> 00:13:51.420
 Do you know what that does?

00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:53.100
 It functions two ways.

00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:54.980
 It gives Israel an opportunity

00:13:54.980 --> 00:13:55.800
 to respond.

00:13:57.100 --> 00:13:58.180
 And by and large,

00:13:58.300 --> 00:13:59.440
 most will not respond.

00:14:00.580 --> 00:14:02.000
 And so it also functions

00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:02.620
 as judgment.

00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:05.480
 You've been given an opportunity

00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:05.899
 to hear,

00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:07.019
 but you didn't hear.

00:14:07.379 --> 00:14:08.519
 And so the Gospel then

00:14:08.519 --> 00:14:09.580
 goes to the nations.

00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:12.120
 We see that played out

00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:13.580
 all through the book of Acts too.

00:14:13.580 --> 00:14:16.940
 in Paul's modus operandi

00:14:16.940 --> 00:14:18.259
 of mission work

00:14:18.259 --> 00:14:19.860
 around the Mediterranean basin.

00:14:21.639 --> 00:14:22.780
 What we're reading here

00:14:22.780 --> 00:14:24.680
 is what John describes

00:14:24.680 --> 00:14:25.600
 in John 1.

00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:28.120
 Jesus came to His own,

00:14:28.220 --> 00:14:29.600
 but they did not receive Him.

00:14:30.040 --> 00:14:31.200
 He came to the Jews

00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:33.259
 and they didn't have eyes to see.

00:14:33.379 --> 00:14:34.840
 They didn't have ears to hear.

00:14:35.420 --> 00:14:38.220
 And so those who did receive them,

00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:39.240
 He gave right to become

00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:40.060
 children of God.

00:14:40.059 --> 00:14:43.879
 And so Jesus sends His apostles

00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:45.739
 out to this specific group of people

00:14:45.739 --> 00:14:46.899
 to give them opportunity

00:14:46.899 --> 00:14:48.159
 as well as to say,

00:14:48.539 --> 00:14:49.859
 you had your opportunity.

00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:51.639
 I'll now go to the nations.

00:14:53.859 --> 00:14:56.779
 And so that go that we read about

00:14:56.779 --> 00:15:00.379
 in verse, I believe,

00:15:01.299 --> 00:15:02.199
 where is that go?

00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:02.959
 In verse 5,

00:15:03.219 --> 00:15:03.639
 go.

00:15:04.419 --> 00:15:05.659
 Nowhere among the Gentiles.

00:15:05.659 --> 00:15:08.799
 That go will move from Israel

00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:10.799
 to the nations in Matthew 28.

00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:14.919
 In verse 7,

00:15:15.219 --> 00:15:16.899
 notice what they're going to be doing

00:15:16.899 --> 00:15:17.799
 while they're going.

00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:21.620
 And proclaim as you go.

00:15:23.100 --> 00:15:24.439
 Announce as you go.

00:15:24.699 --> 00:15:26.100
 Declare as you go.

00:15:26.459 --> 00:15:27.299
 And what do they declare?

00:15:27.699 --> 00:15:30.279
 The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:32.259
 The kingdom's come.

00:15:32.259 --> 00:15:35.639
 And implied in that message

00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:37.259
 is the King has come.

00:15:38.379 --> 00:15:40.059
 What's pretty cool is that

00:15:40.059 --> 00:15:41.159
 this is the same message

00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:42.779
 that John the Baptist preached

00:15:42.779 --> 00:15:43.759
 in Matthew 3.2.

00:15:43.860 --> 00:15:45.100
 It's the same message

00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:46.580
 that Jesus Himself preached

00:15:46.580 --> 00:15:48.000
 in Matthew 4.17.

00:15:48.860 --> 00:15:50.620
 The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:52.279
 The King has come.

00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:53.519
 The shepherd is here.

00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:57.179
 Be reconciled to the shepherd.

00:15:59.500 --> 00:16:02.080
 Our calling to represent Jesus

00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:04.100
 we take our cues

00:16:04.100 --> 00:16:05.420
 from this calling here.

00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:07.639
 If their primary calling

00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:09.340
 was proclamational,

00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:11.520
 our primary calling,

00:16:11.780 --> 00:16:13.080
 our primary responsibility

00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:16.180
 is to proclaim Jesus as well.

00:16:16.580 --> 00:16:17.960
 And so we proclaim good news.

00:16:18.060 --> 00:16:19.240
 Remember when Jesus sent out

00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:20.000
 the apostles here,

00:16:20.300 --> 00:16:21.120
 He hasn't died.

00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:22.100
 He hasn't raised.

00:16:22.420 --> 00:16:23.000
 And so He's going,

00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:26.040
 go, declare that the kingdom of heaven

00:16:26.040 --> 00:16:26.480
 is here.

00:16:26.860 --> 00:16:28.420
 What we get to proclaim is this.

00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:30.940
 The kingdom of heaven is here,

00:16:30.940 --> 00:16:32.900
 but look at what the King has done.

00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:36.700
 The King, the long-awaited one,

00:16:36.780 --> 00:16:39.320
 came, lived a perfect life,

00:16:40.260 --> 00:16:41.860
 died a substitutionary death.

00:16:41.980 --> 00:16:43.160
 He died for sinners.

00:16:44.020 --> 00:16:45.760
 And then He was raised from the dead.

00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:47.040
 He's reigning on high.

00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:48.480
 And one day He will come back.

00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:50.460
 That's what we get to proclaim.

00:16:51.680 --> 00:16:53.020
 It's all about Jesus.

00:16:53.820 --> 00:16:54.960
 It's all about Him.

00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:58.500
 Going back to the harvest metaphor,

00:17:00.139 --> 00:17:03.139
 the harvest is plentiful,

00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:04.200
 but the labors are few.

00:17:05.860 --> 00:17:10.200
 This proclamation that we are to announce

00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:12.120
 about Jesus,

00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:15.519
 this is the primary tool

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:18.279
 with which we labor in the harvest.

00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:23.420
 This is the sickle of the harvest.

00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:27.180
 This is what we declare

00:17:27.180 --> 00:17:29.660
 and people respond to.

00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:32.559
 And when people respond to the Gospel,

00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:36.119
 they have been reaped unto the Lord of the harvest.

00:17:36.579 --> 00:17:38.079
 They've been reunited to Him.

00:17:40.460 --> 00:17:43.059
 And so our responsibility is to declare.

00:17:44.660 --> 00:17:45.700
 Think about it this way.

00:17:45.700 --> 00:17:50.100
 The moment you believed in Jesus,

00:17:51.340 --> 00:17:52.860
 your conversion

00:17:52.860 --> 00:17:57.180
 was your commissioning.

00:17:57.620 --> 00:17:58.799
 That's how you've got to think about it.

00:17:59.340 --> 00:18:01.039
 When you were converted to Christ,

00:18:01.299 --> 00:18:03.000
 you were commissioned by Christ.

00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:04.220
 And so just imagine,

00:18:04.340 --> 00:18:07.240
 let's say at the moment of your conversion,

00:18:07.819 --> 00:18:09.759
 this passport from heaven

00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:11.480
 drops down into your hands.

00:18:12.039 --> 00:18:13.319
 And you open it up

00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:14.519
 and it says,

00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:17.059
 citizen of the kingdom.

00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:20.460
 And there's this big blood red stamp

00:18:20.460 --> 00:18:21.579
 saying approved.

00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:22.559
 You're official.

00:18:23.180 --> 00:18:24.019
 You're part of the kingdom

00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:25.519
 based upon the finished work of Jesus.

00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:27.139
 And then you flip that over

00:18:27.139 --> 00:18:28.220
 and do you know what that says?

00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:30.740
 Authorized.

00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:33.160
 Blood red stamp.

00:18:33.660 --> 00:18:34.720
 To proclaim.

00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.119
 Commissioned.

00:18:36.259 --> 00:18:36.859
 To go.

00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:38.519
 Your conversion

00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:39.839
 and your commissioning

00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.039
 happened at the same time.

00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:43.079
 When he met Jesus

00:18:43.079 --> 00:18:44.399
 and he responded in faith.

00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:46.720
 All this to say,

00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:47.839
 you've been sent.

00:18:48.879 --> 00:18:49.980
 It's who you are.

00:18:51.240 --> 00:18:52.139
 You be sent.

00:18:54.779 --> 00:18:55.740
 Now there's one thing

00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:56.980
 I'd like to draw out more

00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:57.920
 and it's the relationship

00:18:57.920 --> 00:18:59.379
 between verses 7 and 8.

00:18:59.380 --> 00:19:02.580
 And proclaim as he goes

00:19:02.580 --> 00:19:03.620
 saying the kingdom of heaven

00:19:03.620 --> 00:19:04.260
 is at hand.

00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:05.260
 Heal the sick.

00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:06.000
 Raise the dead.

00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:06.940
 Cleanse lepers.

00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:07.960
 Cast out demons.

00:19:10.600 --> 00:19:11.660
 What's the relationship

00:19:11.660 --> 00:19:12.760
 between the two of those?

00:19:13.840 --> 00:19:14.260
 Furthermore,

00:19:14.600 --> 00:19:15.740
 do we have authority

00:19:15.740 --> 00:19:16.540
 today

00:19:16.540 --> 00:19:17.540
 as believers

00:19:17.540 --> 00:19:18.860
 to exercise,

00:19:19.320 --> 00:19:20.400
 to cast out demons,

00:19:20.980 --> 00:19:22.680
 to heal the sick,

00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:24.260
 to raise the dead?

00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:25.900
 Is that authority ours?

00:19:25.900 --> 00:19:28.000
 The quick answer is

00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:29.120
 yes it is.

00:19:30.300 --> 00:19:31.340
 But here's what you need

00:19:31.340 --> 00:19:31.940
 to realize.

00:19:32.860 --> 00:19:33.860
 There's a relationship

00:19:33.860 --> 00:19:34.680
 between the two.

00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:37.660
 The message is the primary

00:19:37.660 --> 00:19:39.660
 responsibility of our calling.

00:19:39.840 --> 00:19:41.220
 We're here to proclaim.

00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:44.759
 The miracles attest

00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:45.880
 to the message.

00:19:46.800 --> 00:19:48.180
 They point to the message.

00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:50.080
 And so here's how that works out

00:19:50.080 --> 00:19:50.660
 for us.

00:19:51.600 --> 00:19:53.540
 We are here primarily

00:19:53.539 --> 00:19:55.099
 to declare that Jesus

00:19:55.099 --> 00:19:56.879
 came for sinners.

00:19:57.180 --> 00:19:58.139
 That he's the king.

00:19:58.440 --> 00:19:59.700
 His kingdom has come.

00:20:04.259 --> 00:20:06.480
 And we also take steps of faith.

00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:08.619
 When we become aware

00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:09.639
 of demonic activity,

00:20:10.139 --> 00:20:11.740
 as far as we can discern,

00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:13.899
 we step out in the name of Jesus

00:20:13.899 --> 00:20:16.099
 and we tell demons to be gone.

00:20:17.379 --> 00:20:18.700
 When someone is sick

00:20:18.700 --> 00:20:20.059
 and needing healing,

00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:22.940
 we go and ask in the name of Jesus

00:20:22.940 --> 00:20:23.980
 that they be healed.

00:20:25.080 --> 00:20:26.400
 When someone dies

00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:27.460
 and we're there,

00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:29.240
 we pray that God would raise them

00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:29.900
 from the dead.

00:20:32.340 --> 00:20:33.700
 The authority is ours.

00:20:35.299 --> 00:20:36.519
 Do you know how I know that?

00:20:39.940 --> 00:20:40.940
 Look in your Bibles

00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:42.180
 to Hebrews 2.

00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:42.259
 Hebrews 2.

00:20:42.259 --> 00:20:53.680
 Since, therefore,

00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:55.559
 the children share in flesh and blood,

00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:56.740
 he himself likewise

00:20:56.740 --> 00:20:58.099
 partook of the same things,

00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:58.859
 speaking of Jesus,

00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:01.039
 that through death,

00:21:01.859 --> 00:21:02.440
 his death,

00:21:03.079 --> 00:21:04.119
 that through his death,

00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:06.099
 he might destroy the one

00:21:06.099 --> 00:21:07.619
 who has the power over death,

00:21:07.940 --> 00:21:09.019
 that is, the devil,

00:21:09.019 --> 00:21:12.019
 and deliver all those

00:21:12.019 --> 00:21:13.400
 who through fear of death

00:21:13.400 --> 00:21:15.900
 were subject to lifelong slavery.

00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:17.500
 Would you now flip over

00:21:17.500 --> 00:21:18.720
 to Colossians 2.

00:21:29.160 --> 00:21:31.059
 Verses 13-15.

00:21:32.059 --> 00:21:33.420
 And you who were dead

00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:34.339
 in your trespasses

00:21:34.339 --> 00:21:35.420
 and the uncircumcision

00:21:35.420 --> 00:21:36.099
 of your flesh,

00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:38.179
 God made alive together with him,

00:21:38.819 --> 00:21:39.679
 having forgiven us

00:21:39.679 --> 00:21:40.939
 all our trespasses

00:21:40.939 --> 00:21:42.579
 by canceling the record of debt

00:21:42.579 --> 00:21:43.559
 that stood against us

00:21:43.559 --> 00:21:44.619
 with its legal demands.

00:21:45.159 --> 00:21:46.439
 This he set aside

00:21:46.439 --> 00:21:47.980
 in nailing it to the cross.

00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:49.819
 There's cross talk right there.

00:21:49.899 --> 00:21:50.899
 Now look at verse 15.

00:21:51.579 --> 00:21:53.240
 He disarmed the rulers

00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:54.099
 and authorities.

00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.240
 Those are references

00:21:55.240 --> 00:21:56.599
 to the demonic powers.

00:21:57.799 --> 00:21:59.099
 He disarmed the rulers

00:21:59.099 --> 00:21:59.779
 and authorities

00:21:59.779 --> 00:22:00.980
 and put them to open shame

00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:03.159
 by triumphing over them in him.

00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:04.179
 How did he triumph

00:22:04.179 --> 00:22:05.139
 over the demonic world?

00:22:06.099 --> 00:22:07.919
 Through his death on the cross.

00:22:08.039 --> 00:22:09.699
 The death of Jesus Christ

00:22:09.699 --> 00:22:11.559
 is the decisive defeat

00:22:11.559 --> 00:22:12.199
 of the devil.

00:22:12.399 --> 00:22:13.740
 That's where we stand now.

00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:16.059
 That's the authority

00:22:16.059 --> 00:22:17.459
 in which we have been brought into

00:22:17.459 --> 00:22:18.319
 when we are transferred

00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:19.299
 the domain of darkness

00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:19.959
 into the kingdom

00:22:19.959 --> 00:22:20.899
 of the beloved Son.

00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:23.539
 So we don't fear the devil.

00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:26.059
 We stand firm against him.

00:22:26.139 --> 00:22:27.000
 Ephesians 6.

00:22:29.579 --> 00:22:31.339
 So what I want to help you realize

00:22:31.339 --> 00:22:32.279
 is when you read

00:22:32.279 --> 00:22:33.480
 this commissioning

00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:33.959
 and you're like,

00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:35.420
 are we supposed to be doing

00:22:35.420 --> 00:22:36.900
 this kind of healing stuff today?

00:22:39.100 --> 00:22:40.059
 Well, we're definitely

00:22:40.059 --> 00:22:41.100
 going to be proclaiming.

00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:43.299
 And as opportunities present itself,

00:22:43.380 --> 00:22:44.700
 we step out in faith.

00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:47.559
 Realizing it's about the gospel.

00:22:48.120 --> 00:22:49.440
 It's about the fame of Jesus.

00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:52.720
 So here's what we've learned so far.

00:22:54.420 --> 00:22:56.860
 The apostles were ordinary guys

00:22:56.860 --> 00:22:58.860
 with diverse backgrounds

00:22:58.860 --> 00:23:00.680
 that Jesus called onto mission.

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:03.740
 We are ordinary Janes and Joes

00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:05.620
 with different backgrounds

00:23:05.620 --> 00:23:08.019
 that God has called on a mission

00:23:08.019 --> 00:23:09.000
 about Jesus.

00:23:09.799 --> 00:23:12.440
 And the primary focus of our mission

00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:14.160
 is proclamational.

00:23:15.100 --> 00:23:17.000
 We've been called to something.

00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:18.680
 So here's how I want this

00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:19.700
 to sit in you.

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:22.519
 The question is not

00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:23.820
 if you've been sent.

00:23:24.620 --> 00:23:25.820
 The question is

00:23:25.820 --> 00:23:27.400
 where have you been sent?

00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:29.740
 It's not if you're supposed

00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:31.280
 to be representing Jesus.

00:23:31.620 --> 00:23:33.860
 It's where are you representing Jesus?

00:23:34.560 --> 00:23:36.460
 You are an ambassador.

00:23:37.060 --> 00:23:38.840
 It was part of your conversion

00:23:38.840 --> 00:23:40.100
 and your commissioning.

00:23:40.560 --> 00:23:41.860
 You are on mission,

00:23:42.280 --> 00:23:43.700
 brother, sister in Christ.

00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:46.280
 It's part of who you are now.

00:23:48.860 --> 00:23:50.120
 So your family,

00:23:51.060 --> 00:23:52.700
 you're sent there.

00:23:53.420 --> 00:23:55.060
 You're there to represent Jesus.

00:23:55.059 --> 00:23:55.879
 Moms and dads,

00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:57.639
 you represent Jesus to your kids.

00:23:58.359 --> 00:23:59.039
 Your neighborhood,

00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:00.399
 you've been sent there.

00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:01.659
 God has placed you there.

00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:03.259
 Your workplace,

00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:06.679
 you are an ambassador for Jesus

00:24:06.679 --> 00:24:07.859
 in your workplace.

00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:10.119
 The gym where you exercise,

00:24:10.759 --> 00:24:13.000
 you're an ambassador of Christ there.

00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:14.059
 You've been sent there.

00:24:15.139 --> 00:24:16.059
 Teams, clubs,

00:24:16.179 --> 00:24:17.099
 whether you're involved with

00:24:17.099 --> 00:24:18.299
 or your kids involved with,

00:24:18.879 --> 00:24:19.799
 those are opportunities.

00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:21.500
 You've been sent.

00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:27.059
 Last week we saw that

00:24:27.059 --> 00:24:30.279
 this city is full

00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:32.279
 of the harassed and helpless

00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:33.980
 sheep without a shepherd.

00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:37.339
 And we pray to the Lord of Harvest

00:24:37.339 --> 00:24:38.559
 to send out laborers.

00:24:38.599 --> 00:24:39.359
 This morning,

00:24:39.720 --> 00:24:40.640
 the question is,

00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:42.460
 do you see yourself

00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:43.680
 as one who's sent?

00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:45.539
 Do you know the difference that makes?

00:24:46.680 --> 00:24:48.400
 When you show up somewhere

00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:49.480
 and you're thinking,

00:24:49.700 --> 00:24:50.140
 you know what?

00:24:50.140 --> 00:24:52.280
 I am here as a representative

00:24:52.280 --> 00:24:53.259
 of Jesus Christ.

00:24:53.420 --> 00:24:54.640
 It changes everything.

00:24:58.100 --> 00:24:59.480
 It's time to start thinking

00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:00.620
 about yourself a little differently.

00:25:01.940 --> 00:25:04.000
 Let God's word form

00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:05.259
 your own identity

00:25:05.259 --> 00:25:07.140
 in relationship to this world

00:25:07.140 --> 00:25:10.120
 so you be sent.

00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:12.840
 You are an ambassador.

00:25:15.600 --> 00:25:17.000
 We must be aware.

00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:19.759
 In verses 16 through 25,

00:25:20.140 --> 00:25:21.300
 of Matthew 10,

00:25:21.300 --> 00:25:24.140
 we read this.

00:25:26.300 --> 00:25:27.660
 Behold, I'm sending you out

00:25:27.660 --> 00:25:29.340
 as sheep in the midst of wolves,

00:25:29.540 --> 00:25:30.960
 so be wise as serpents

00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:32.120
 and innocent as doves.

00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:33.460
 Beware of men,

00:25:33.560 --> 00:25:34.700
 for they will deliver you over

00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:35.860
 to courts and flog you

00:25:35.860 --> 00:25:36.740
 in their synagogues.

00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:37.720
 And you will be dragged

00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:39.100
 before governors and kings

00:25:39.100 --> 00:25:40.080
 for My name's sake

00:25:40.080 --> 00:25:42.060
 to bear witness before them

00:25:42.060 --> 00:25:43.020
 and the Gentiles.

00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:44.580
 When they deliver you over,

00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:45.520
 do not be anxious

00:25:45.520 --> 00:25:46.540
 how you are to speak

00:25:46.540 --> 00:25:47.540
 or what you are to say,

00:25:47.539 --> 00:25:48.960
 for what you are to say

00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:49.899
 will be given to you

00:25:49.899 --> 00:25:50.500
 in that hour.

00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:52.859
 For it is not you who speak,

00:25:52.940 --> 00:25:54.099
 but the spirit of your father

00:25:54.099 --> 00:25:55.059
 speaking through you.

00:25:55.559 --> 00:25:56.720
 Brother will deliver brother

00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:57.480
 over to death,

00:25:57.619 --> 00:25:58.920
 and the father his child,

00:25:59.000 --> 00:26:00.019
 and the children will rise

00:26:00.019 --> 00:26:00.759
 against parents

00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:01.819
 and have them put to death.

00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:03.019
 And you will be hated

00:26:03.019 --> 00:26:05.420
 by all for My name's sake,

00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:06.899
 but the one who endures

00:26:06.899 --> 00:26:07.740
 to the end

00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:10.139
 will be saved.

00:26:10.940 --> 00:26:12.059
 When they persecute you

00:26:12.059 --> 00:26:12.759
 in one town,

00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:13.639
 flee to the next.

00:26:13.640 --> 00:26:14.800
 For truly I say to you,

00:26:14.860 --> 00:26:16.120
 you will not have gone

00:26:16.120 --> 00:26:17.480
 through all the towns of Israel

00:26:17.480 --> 00:26:19.160
 before the Son of Man comes.

00:26:22.280 --> 00:26:23.860
 Jesus seems in this part

00:26:23.860 --> 00:26:24.560
 of Matthew 10

00:26:24.560 --> 00:26:25.960
 to be moving from

00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:27.320
 the specific calling

00:26:27.320 --> 00:26:29.020
 of these apostles

00:26:29.020 --> 00:26:31.060
 to the lost sheep of Israel

00:26:31.060 --> 00:26:32.759
 to now anticipating

00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:36.240
 more of a bigger harvest.

00:26:37.060 --> 00:26:38.060
 And here's how you can tell.

00:26:38.560 --> 00:26:40.320
 In v. 18, Jesus says,

00:26:40.420 --> 00:26:41.220
 And you will be dragged

00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:42.900
 before governors and kings

00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:43.960
 for My name's sake

00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:45.960
 to bear witness

00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:46.980
 before them

00:26:46.980 --> 00:26:48.960
 and the Gentiles.

00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:52.420
 Jesus is anticipating

00:26:52.420 --> 00:26:54.660
 that these disciples

00:26:54.660 --> 00:26:55.380
 and apostles,

00:26:55.620 --> 00:26:56.620
 they will be going

00:26:56.620 --> 00:26:58.300
 beyond Israel.

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:01.440
 And what He foresees

00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:03.460
 and what He tells us of

00:27:03.460 --> 00:27:06.200
 is ministry at cost.

00:27:08.380 --> 00:27:09.480
 What He describes

00:27:09.480 --> 00:27:10.740
 sounds like many events

00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:11.560
 from the book of Acts

00:27:11.560 --> 00:27:12.440
 to be honest with you.

00:27:13.740 --> 00:27:14.980
 Apostles and early disciples

00:27:14.980 --> 00:27:16.320
 suffering greatly

00:27:16.320 --> 00:27:17.120
 as they proclaim

00:27:17.120 --> 00:27:18.200
 the kingdom of our Lord

00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:18.920
 Jesus Christ.

00:27:19.320 --> 00:27:20.120
 That's what He sounds like

00:27:20.120 --> 00:27:20.780
 He's describing.

00:27:22.780 --> 00:27:24.120
 So, in v. 16,

00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:24.440
 He says,

00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:25.840
 Behold, I'm sending you out

00:27:25.840 --> 00:27:27.200
 as sheep among wolves.

00:27:27.840 --> 00:27:28.140
 Do you know

00:27:28.140 --> 00:27:28.960
 what that's a picture of?

00:27:32.320 --> 00:27:32.840
 Do you know

00:27:32.840 --> 00:27:33.860
 what wolves do to sheep?

00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:37.700
 Wolves are ravenous.

00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:40.040
 Wolves are brutal.

00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:42.420
 Jesus calls us to be,

00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:43.659
 I'm sending you out

00:27:43.659 --> 00:27:45.119
 into a danger zone.

00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:47.079
 This harvest

00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:50.180
 is a hazardous harvest.

00:27:51.259 --> 00:27:52.500
 It's dangerous.

00:27:55.500 --> 00:27:57.819
 There be wolves in that harvest.

00:28:01.019 --> 00:28:02.139
 Jesus is speaking

00:28:02.139 --> 00:28:03.099
 of particular people.

00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:05.119
 We'll hand the disciples over.

00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:07.619
 Over to be persecuted.

00:28:07.819 --> 00:28:09.000
 Over to be flogged.

00:28:09.719 --> 00:28:10.859
 Over to be hated.

00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:13.319
 All on account of Jesus.

00:28:16.779 --> 00:28:18.279
 Being a laborer

00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:20.419
 in God's harvest

00:28:20.419 --> 00:28:22.619
 is hazardous work.

00:28:23.459 --> 00:28:24.799
 And here's why.

00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:27.639
 To be a laborer

00:28:27.639 --> 00:28:29.579
 in God's harvest

00:28:29.579 --> 00:28:31.700
 means that you must

00:28:31.700 --> 00:28:34.519
 necessarily identify yourself

00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:35.299
 with Jesus.

00:28:36.519 --> 00:28:38.339
 And when you identify yourself

00:28:38.339 --> 00:28:38.940
 with Jesus,

00:28:39.960 --> 00:28:41.339
 you became a target.

00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:44.940
 Many people who are dead

00:28:44.940 --> 00:28:45.539
 in their sin

00:28:45.539 --> 00:28:46.399
 and they're delighting

00:28:46.399 --> 00:28:47.519
 in their darkness,

00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:49.440
 when you move towards them

00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:50.519
 to talk about Jesus,

00:28:50.839 --> 00:28:51.659
 they don't want to hear

00:28:51.659 --> 00:28:52.379
 anything from you.

00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:54.399
 But even worse yet,

00:28:54.400 --> 00:28:55.900
 they resent you

00:28:55.900 --> 00:28:57.620
 for raising Jesus

00:28:57.620 --> 00:28:58.420
 with them.

00:29:01.720 --> 00:29:03.180
 They resent you

00:29:03.180 --> 00:29:04.600
 for even suggesting

00:29:04.600 --> 00:29:06.240
 that change is needed.

00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:12.759
 You must be aware.

00:29:14.920 --> 00:29:15.780
 Jesus is warning

00:29:15.780 --> 00:29:16.640
 the apostles

00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:17.900
 and He's warning us

00:29:17.900 --> 00:29:19.240
 the harvest is hazardous.

00:29:20.120 --> 00:29:20.700
 There's dangers.

00:29:22.220 --> 00:29:23.600
 Look at verse 17.

00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:25.500
 They will deliver you over.

00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:27.599
 Look at verse 19.

00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:28.799
 When they deliver you.

00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:30.259
 Look at verse 21.

00:29:30.439 --> 00:29:31.259
 Brother will deliver

00:29:31.259 --> 00:29:32.779
 brother over to death.

00:29:33.159 --> 00:29:33.819
 Verse 21.

00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:34.779
 Children will rise

00:29:34.779 --> 00:29:35.459
 against parents

00:29:35.459 --> 00:29:36.939
 and have them put to death.

00:29:37.159 --> 00:29:37.659
 Jesus,

00:29:38.059 --> 00:29:39.639
 I did not know

00:29:39.639 --> 00:29:40.559
 that death

00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:41.599
 was a possibility

00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:43.079
 when I agreed

00:29:43.079 --> 00:29:43.959
 to follow You.

00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:44.960
 It is.

00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:45.960
 It is.

00:29:45.960 --> 00:29:47.120
 It is.

00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:53.660
 The history of the church

00:29:53.660 --> 00:29:55.519
 is chock full

00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:56.960
 of a long list

00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:58.200
 of faithful brothers

00:29:58.200 --> 00:29:58.799
 and sisters

00:29:58.799 --> 00:30:00.860
 who laid their life

00:30:00.860 --> 00:30:02.640
 down for the advancement

00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:03.720
 of the Gospel

00:30:03.720 --> 00:30:05.039
 of Jesus Christ.

00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:06.840
 Do you remember Jim Elliott?

00:30:06.839 --> 00:30:10.259
 He is no fool

00:30:10.259 --> 00:30:12.139
 who gives

00:30:12.139 --> 00:30:13.059
 what he cannot keep

00:30:13.059 --> 00:30:13.480
 to gain

00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:14.659
 what he cannot lose.

00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:17.379
 He died

00:30:17.379 --> 00:30:18.919
 seeking to bring

00:30:18.919 --> 00:30:19.500
 the Gospel

00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:21.480
 to a distinct

00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:23.500
 group of people

00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:24.839
 in South America.

00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:27.759
 Verse 22.

00:30:27.879 --> 00:30:28.579
 You will be hated

00:30:28.579 --> 00:30:29.179
 by all

00:30:29.179 --> 00:30:30.139
 for My name's sake.

00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:31.159
 Verse 23.

00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:32.740
 They will persecute you.

00:30:32.740 --> 00:30:34.819
 You know what the point

00:30:34.819 --> 00:30:35.480
 of all this is?

00:30:35.940 --> 00:30:36.319
 It's like,

00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:36.920
 guys,

00:30:36.980 --> 00:30:37.880
 I'm sending you out,

00:30:37.980 --> 00:30:38.680
 but be aware,

00:30:39.640 --> 00:30:40.779
 it's hazardous stuff.

00:30:40.859 --> 00:30:41.460
 It's dangerous.

00:30:42.259 --> 00:30:43.099
 There are going to be people

00:30:43.099 --> 00:30:43.759
 who are going to want

00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:44.380
 to hurt you.

00:30:45.740 --> 00:30:46.180
 Suffering,

00:30:46.640 --> 00:30:47.299
 persecution

00:30:47.299 --> 00:30:48.559
 is part

00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:50.200
 of the kingdom work.

00:30:51.240 --> 00:30:52.240
 That's part of it.

00:30:53.640 --> 00:30:54.640
 If you flip back

00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:55.680
 to Matthew 5,

00:30:56.579 --> 00:30:57.759
 it's not like Jesus

00:30:57.759 --> 00:30:58.720
 is kind of showing us

00:30:58.720 --> 00:30:59.779
 the fine print right now.

00:31:02.140 --> 00:31:02.620
 Remember,

00:31:03.140 --> 00:31:03.940
 Matthew 5,

00:31:04.220 --> 00:31:05.180
 this is part

00:31:05.180 --> 00:31:06.120
 of the Beatitudes.

00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:07.079
 This is part

00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:08.099
 of a profile

00:31:08.099 --> 00:31:09.980
 of a faithful citizen

00:31:09.980 --> 00:31:10.559
 of the kingdom.

00:31:11.180 --> 00:31:11.880
 We read this.

00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:14.019
 Blessed are those

00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:14.859
 who are persecuted

00:31:14.859 --> 00:31:16.259
 for righteousness' sake,

00:31:16.359 --> 00:31:17.359
 for theirs is the kingdom

00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:17.799
 of heaven.

00:31:18.299 --> 00:31:18.980
 Blessed are you

00:31:18.980 --> 00:31:20.359
 when others revile you

00:31:20.359 --> 00:31:21.400
 and persecute you

00:31:21.400 --> 00:31:22.700
 and utter all kinds

00:31:22.700 --> 00:31:23.940
 of evil against you

00:31:23.940 --> 00:31:25.759
 falsely on My account.

00:31:25.960 --> 00:31:27.099
 Rejoice and be glad,

00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:27.859
 for your reward

00:31:27.859 --> 00:31:28.779
 is great in heaven.

00:31:29.420 --> 00:31:30.779
 For so they persecuted

00:31:30.779 --> 00:31:31.400
 the prophets

00:31:31.400 --> 00:31:32.440
 who were before you.

00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:37.279
 Suffering is part

00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:37.700
 of it, gang.

00:31:38.900 --> 00:31:40.480
 The work that Jesus

00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:41.839
 has called us to do,

00:31:42.019 --> 00:31:43.740
 it will not go forward

00:31:43.740 --> 00:31:44.839
 without resistance.

00:31:44.839 --> 00:31:50.619
 but I love verses 18 and 22.

00:31:51.179 --> 00:31:52.539
 It so helps me.

00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:54.379
 When I hear about persecution

00:31:54.379 --> 00:31:55.240
 and I start thinking,

00:31:55.559 --> 00:31:56.379
 oh, I don't want to get hurt.

00:31:56.980 --> 00:31:58.919
 When I read verses 18 and 22,

00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:00.099
 it helps out so much

00:32:00.099 --> 00:32:01.279
 because it's not about me.

00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:02.559
 It's not about you.

00:32:02.939 --> 00:32:03.720
 Look who it's about.

00:32:03.720 --> 00:32:04.720
 It's about Jesus.

00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:05.720
 It's about Jesus.

00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:06.420
 It's about Jesus.

00:32:06.420 --> 00:32:08.259
 It's about Jesus.

00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:10.420
 It's about Jesus.

00:32:11.420 --> 00:32:12.559
 And you will be hated

00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:13.600
 for My name's sake.

00:32:14.140 --> 00:32:15.339
 It's about Jesus.

00:32:16.059 --> 00:32:16.940
 You know what we need

00:32:16.940 --> 00:32:17.900
 to be asking ourselves?

00:32:18.299 --> 00:32:18.880
 Here's what we need

00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:19.839
 to be asking ourselves.

00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:21.460
 Is Jesus worth it?

00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:23.880
 Is He worth it?

00:32:24.980 --> 00:32:26.500
 Is who He is worth it?

00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:28.640
 Is getting His name

00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:29.940
 into this city worth it?

00:32:30.840 --> 00:32:32.900
 Is reconciling people

00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:34.380
 in this city worth it?

00:32:34.579 --> 00:32:35.700
 For people going from

00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:36.779
 the domain of darkness

00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:37.779
 into the kingdom

00:32:37.779 --> 00:32:38.700
 of the Beloved Son,

00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:39.640
 is that worth it?

00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:40.940
 Is it worth it

00:32:40.940 --> 00:32:42.460
 that eternity changes

00:32:43.019 --> 00:32:43.819
 here in this city?

00:32:43.880 --> 00:32:44.700
 Is it worth that?

00:32:46.039 --> 00:32:46.900
 It's worth it.

00:32:46.900 --> 00:32:49.800
 But we say it's worth it

00:32:49.800 --> 00:32:50.360
 knowing that it's

00:32:50.360 --> 00:32:51.320
 coming at a cost.

00:32:54.380 --> 00:32:55.600
 Here's another side of this.

00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:56.500
 Brothers, sisters,

00:32:56.740 --> 00:32:57.920
 if you became a Christian

00:32:57.920 --> 00:32:59.500
 and you're thinking

00:32:59.500 --> 00:33:00.820
 that being a Christian

00:33:00.820 --> 00:33:01.519
 means that you're going

00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:02.460
 to be liked by everybody

00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:03.120
 you meet,

00:33:03.940 --> 00:33:04.519
 Jesus says,

00:33:04.700 --> 00:33:06.740
 you're mistaken.

00:33:07.980 --> 00:33:09.300
 Some people will like you.

00:33:09.620 --> 00:33:10.880
 Some people will hate you.

00:33:11.360 --> 00:33:13.060
 Just because you claim Jesus.

00:33:16.900 --> 00:33:17.740
 Next thing I want you

00:33:17.740 --> 00:33:18.540
 to notice is this.

00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:22.100
 This is the stuff

00:33:22.100 --> 00:33:23.040
 that only God does.

00:33:24.700 --> 00:33:25.680
 It's astounding.

00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:29.460
 He says in verse 18,

00:33:30.080 --> 00:33:30.920
 and you will be dragged

00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:32.140
 before governors and kings

00:33:32.140 --> 00:33:33.140
 for My name's sake,

00:33:33.620 --> 00:33:35.200
 purpose to bear witness

00:33:35.200 --> 00:33:36.840
 before them and the Gentiles.

00:33:40.740 --> 00:33:43.380
 Jesus' purposes are suffering.

00:33:44.740 --> 00:33:45.820
 Jesus says,

00:33:45.819 --> 00:33:47.279
 the only way to get the gospel

00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:48.179
 to these folks

00:33:48.179 --> 00:33:51.159
 is if you get dragged away

00:33:51.159 --> 00:33:52.700
 and you got presented to them.

00:33:53.079 --> 00:33:54.779
 Then you get to bear witness to them.

00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:56.779
 You know what bearing witness means?

00:33:56.960 --> 00:33:58.259
 It's kind of a court scene

00:33:58.259 --> 00:34:00.119
 where you share the facts.

00:34:00.619 --> 00:34:01.559
 Nothing but the facts.

00:34:02.059 --> 00:34:02.939
 You give the facts.

00:34:03.000 --> 00:34:03.759
 You give the facts

00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:04.839
 about who Jesus is,

00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:05.919
 what He's done.

00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:09.579
 And so what Jesus is saying here is,

00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:10.719
 hey, you're getting dragged

00:34:10.719 --> 00:34:12.480
 before these rulers

00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:15.159
 and these synagogue leaders

00:34:15.159 --> 00:34:16.739
 and these councils,

00:34:17.079 --> 00:34:18.899
 it's all a part of my plan

00:34:18.899 --> 00:34:20.819
 to get the gospel out.

00:34:22.500 --> 00:34:24.279
 The gospel moves forward

00:34:24.279 --> 00:34:25.920
 when we suffer.

00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:28.379
 We're given opportunities.

00:34:29.179 --> 00:34:30.399
 And verses 19-20

00:34:30.399 --> 00:34:32.039
 is such a wonderful promise

00:34:32.039 --> 00:34:33.579
 that God will speak

00:34:33.579 --> 00:34:35.420
 by His Holy Spirit through us

00:34:35.420 --> 00:34:36.719
 when we find ourselves

00:34:36.719 --> 00:34:38.119
 in these very difficult

00:34:38.119 --> 00:34:39.460
 and trying circumstances.

00:34:39.460 --> 00:34:45.119
 Think of Stephen in Acts 6-7.

00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:47.960
 Do you remember that beautiful message

00:34:47.960 --> 00:34:49.780
 he delivered in chapter 7?

00:34:49.900 --> 00:34:51.059
 Do you remember what happened to Stephen?

00:34:52.099 --> 00:34:53.599
 He was then stoned

00:34:53.599 --> 00:34:55.579
 after delivering the goods.

00:34:56.220 --> 00:34:56.699
 And do you remember

00:34:56.699 --> 00:34:59.019
 where those people who stoned them,

00:34:59.079 --> 00:35:00.659
 they laid their cloaks down?

00:35:00.720 --> 00:35:01.380
 Do you remember whose feet

00:35:01.380 --> 00:35:02.539
 they laid them down by?

00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:04.720
 Saul of Tarsus.

00:35:06.380 --> 00:35:07.059
 God, it was that word.

00:35:07.059 --> 00:35:12.699
 So when you find yourself

00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:14.440
 in a hard situation,

00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:16.759
 dragged before somebody,

00:35:17.239 --> 00:35:19.019
 and you're having to bear witness

00:35:19.019 --> 00:35:19.539
 to Jesus,

00:35:19.719 --> 00:35:21.079
 our confidence is that

00:35:21.079 --> 00:35:22.299
 the Holy Spirit is going to give us

00:35:22.299 --> 00:35:22.860
 something to say.

00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:23.739
 But you know what?

00:35:24.039 --> 00:35:25.799
 We know what we're not going to say.

00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:28.659
 The Holy Spirit isn't going to compel me

00:35:28.659 --> 00:35:31.199
 to speak about mathematical theory.

00:35:31.699 --> 00:35:33.500
 The Holy Spirit isn't going to say,

00:35:33.500 --> 00:35:35.420
 okay, let's talk about

00:35:35.420 --> 00:35:38.460
 geological plate tectonics right now.

00:35:39.719 --> 00:35:40.639
 That's not it.

00:35:41.139 --> 00:35:43.019
 The Holy Spirit spotlights Jesus.

00:35:43.219 --> 00:35:44.079
 And so in those moments,

00:35:44.139 --> 00:35:45.039
 you can believe that

00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:46.420
 you're going to be compelled

00:35:46.420 --> 00:35:47.699
 to open your mouth up

00:35:47.699 --> 00:35:48.800
 about the One

00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:50.300
 who came to save you

00:35:50.300 --> 00:35:51.900
 and the One who came to save

00:35:51.900 --> 00:35:53.199
 the people that are persecuting

00:35:53.199 --> 00:35:53.619
 right there.

00:35:53.619 --> 00:36:00.980
 And so in light of that,

00:36:01.099 --> 00:36:01.719
 what's the call?

00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:03.619
 Look at verse 22.

00:36:05.259 --> 00:36:06.359
 And you will be hated

00:36:06.359 --> 00:36:07.339
 for my name's sake,

00:36:07.500 --> 00:36:08.799
 but the One who endures

00:36:08.799 --> 00:36:10.159
 to the end will be saved.

00:36:10.900 --> 00:36:12.759
 So when we face hardship,

00:36:12.940 --> 00:36:13.659
 and we will,

00:36:14.699 --> 00:36:15.859
 it's not getting easier

00:36:15.859 --> 00:36:16.480
 to be a Christian

00:36:16.480 --> 00:36:17.359
 in the United States.

00:36:18.139 --> 00:36:19.420
 We will face hardship.

00:36:19.420 --> 00:36:21.780
 All those who want to live

00:36:21.780 --> 00:36:23.039
 a godly life in Christ Jesus

00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:24.139
 will be persecuted.

00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:25.260
 2 Timothy 3.

00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:29.260
 The call is to endure.

00:36:30.559 --> 00:36:32.059
 Endure all the way to the end.

00:36:32.960 --> 00:36:33.860
 And then Jesus tells us

00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:34.539
 how to do that.

00:36:35.320 --> 00:36:36.619
 He tells us by looking

00:36:36.619 --> 00:36:38.420
 to the Son of Man.

00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:40.800
 I say to you,

00:36:40.800 --> 00:36:41.740
 you will not have gone

00:36:41.740 --> 00:36:43.240
 through all the towns of Israel

00:36:43.240 --> 00:36:44.780
 before the Son of Man comes.

00:36:45.059 --> 00:36:46.900
 Now, there's a lot of ink

00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:48.619
 on what is meant by

00:36:48.619 --> 00:36:50.460
 the coming of the Son of Man.

00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:52.320
 And I'm not going to bore you.

00:36:52.920 --> 00:36:53.900
 But what we see happening

00:36:53.900 --> 00:36:54.360
 is this.

00:36:54.519 --> 00:36:55.119
 Jesus is saying,

00:36:55.240 --> 00:36:56.280
 hey, when you face hardship,

00:36:56.780 --> 00:36:58.420
 you look to Me.

00:36:59.200 --> 00:36:59.960
 The Son of Man.

00:37:00.579 --> 00:37:01.139
 It's a reference

00:37:01.139 --> 00:37:02.059
 to Daniel 7.

00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:04.099
 When the Son of Man comes

00:37:04.099 --> 00:37:05.019
 and He's presented

00:37:05.019 --> 00:37:06.360
 before the Ancient of Days,

00:37:06.619 --> 00:37:07.480
 and the Ancient of Days

00:37:07.480 --> 00:37:08.160
 gives Him

00:37:08.160 --> 00:37:09.840
 an eternal dominion,

00:37:09.960 --> 00:37:11.519
 authority over everything.

00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:12.800
 He's like,

00:37:12.880 --> 00:37:13.880
 when you suffer it,

00:37:14.200 --> 00:37:14.660
 remember,

00:37:14.920 --> 00:37:16.539
 I am in control,

00:37:16.900 --> 00:37:17.820
 and God has put

00:37:17.820 --> 00:37:19.579
 all things under my feet.

00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:22.119
 It's a servant of purpose.

00:37:25.400 --> 00:37:26.660
 And if that weren't enough,

00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:30.200
 Jesus says in verses 24 and 25,

00:37:30.900 --> 00:37:32.500
 a disciple is not above his teacher,

00:37:32.619 --> 00:37:34.039
 nor a servant above his master.

00:37:34.539 --> 00:37:35.900
 It is enough for the disciple

00:37:35.900 --> 00:37:36.960
 to be like his teacher,

00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:38.300
 the servant like his master.

00:37:38.760 --> 00:37:39.340
 If they have called

00:37:39.340 --> 00:37:41.019
 the master of the house usable,

00:37:41.559 --> 00:37:43.200
 how much more will they malign

00:37:43.200 --> 00:37:44.599
 those of his household?

00:37:44.920 --> 00:37:45.920
 If you're My disciple

00:37:45.920 --> 00:37:47.300
 and they're calling Me the devil,

00:37:47.539 --> 00:37:48.059
 what do you think

00:37:48.059 --> 00:37:48.920
 they're going to call you?

00:37:52.139 --> 00:37:53.180
 Like Savior,

00:37:53.659 --> 00:37:54.480
 like follower.

00:37:55.380 --> 00:37:56.340
 Like teacher,

00:37:56.740 --> 00:37:57.480
 like disciple.

00:37:57.880 --> 00:37:58.800
 Like master,

00:37:59.200 --> 00:38:00.039
 like slave.

00:38:01.720 --> 00:38:02.579
 We'll suffer,

00:38:02.760 --> 00:38:03.519
 because He suffered.

00:38:03.519 --> 00:38:05.820
 But we'll be faithful

00:38:05.820 --> 00:38:07.099
 as He was faithful.

00:38:07.099 --> 00:38:10.639
 So,

00:38:10.639 --> 00:38:12.779
 we're ambassadors.

00:38:13.019 --> 00:38:13.920
 We're sent ones.

00:38:14.019 --> 00:38:14.900
 And Jesus is saying,

00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:16.759
 you're being sent

00:38:16.759 --> 00:38:17.739
 into a war zone.

00:38:18.380 --> 00:38:19.299
 You're being sent

00:38:19.299 --> 00:38:21.099
 into a hazardous harvest.

00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:23.980
 The advancement of the kingdom

00:38:23.980 --> 00:38:25.500
 will come at cost to us.

00:38:26.739 --> 00:38:28.139
 So the question is,

00:38:28.539 --> 00:38:29.940
 is He worth it?

00:38:31.239 --> 00:38:32.779
 Is Jesus worth it?

00:38:32.780 --> 00:38:36.000
 And when you've encountered Him,

00:38:36.120 --> 00:38:37.560
 and you know what He's done for you,

00:38:37.640 --> 00:38:38.400
 and you know what He wants

00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:39.140
 to do for others,

00:38:39.620 --> 00:38:39.940
 it's like,

00:38:40.060 --> 00:38:40.519
 oh yeah,

00:38:40.600 --> 00:38:41.240
 He's worth it.

00:38:43.400 --> 00:38:44.240
 He's worth it.

00:38:46.080 --> 00:38:47.380
 When you read things like this,

00:38:47.420 --> 00:38:48.640
 what happens in your heart?

00:38:50.560 --> 00:38:51.560
 You get a little nervous.

00:38:52.560 --> 00:38:53.460
 A little anxious.

00:38:54.500 --> 00:38:55.720
 Fear starts to well up.

00:38:56.820 --> 00:38:58.100
 Your Savior's all over it.

00:38:58.980 --> 00:39:00.500
 In verses 26-31,

00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:02.539
 He calls us to be brave.

00:39:03.679 --> 00:39:04.519
 Listen to this.

00:39:05.860 --> 00:39:07.339
 So have no fear of them,

00:39:07.779 --> 00:39:09.739
 those who will persecute you,

00:39:09.980 --> 00:39:10.900
 those who hate you.

00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:13.159
 For nothing is covered

00:39:13.159 --> 00:39:14.159
 that will not be revealed,

00:39:14.259 --> 00:39:15.599
 or hidden that will not be known.

00:39:16.139 --> 00:39:17.239
 What I tell you in the dark,

00:39:17.380 --> 00:39:18.019
 say in the light,

00:39:18.139 --> 00:39:19.360
 and what you hear whispered,

00:39:19.400 --> 00:39:21.259
 proclaimed to the housetops.

00:39:21.699 --> 00:39:22.719
 And do not fear those

00:39:22.719 --> 00:39:23.480
 who kill the body,

00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:24.799
 but cannot kill the soul.

00:39:25.099 --> 00:39:26.019
 Rather, fear Him

00:39:26.019 --> 00:39:27.159
 who can destroy both soul

00:39:27.159 --> 00:39:27.940
 and body in hell.

00:39:28.460 --> 00:39:30.900
 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?

00:39:31.339 --> 00:39:32.059
 And not one of them

00:39:32.059 --> 00:39:33.199
 will fall to the ground

00:39:33.199 --> 00:39:34.219
 apart from your Father?

00:39:34.460 --> 00:39:35.920
 But even the hairs of your head

00:39:35.920 --> 00:39:36.460
 are all numbered.

00:39:36.860 --> 00:39:37.739
 Fear not, therefore,

00:39:37.860 --> 00:39:38.860
 you are of more value

00:39:38.860 --> 00:39:39.819
 than many sparrows.

00:39:40.099 --> 00:39:41.779
 So everyone who acknowledges me,

00:39:41.839 --> 00:39:42.460
 I'll come to that

00:39:42.460 --> 00:39:43.119
 in just a second.

00:39:44.199 --> 00:39:45.119
 In this section,

00:39:45.199 --> 00:39:46.339
 in 22-31,

00:39:46.920 --> 00:39:48.860
 three times Jesus says,

00:39:49.119 --> 00:39:49.559
 fear not.

00:39:50.319 --> 00:39:51.339
 And then He gives a reason.

00:39:51.920 --> 00:39:52.519
 Why not to fear?

00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:53.360
 The first one is this.

00:39:53.639 --> 00:39:54.019
 Fear not,

00:39:54.219 --> 00:39:54.980
 everything is going to be

00:39:54.980 --> 00:39:55.719
 brought to the light.

00:39:56.059 --> 00:39:56.860
 There is a God.

00:39:56.860 --> 00:39:58.280
 He's accounting for everything.

00:39:58.660 --> 00:40:00.120
 And all is going to be seen

00:40:00.120 --> 00:40:01.640
 on that last day.

00:40:01.740 --> 00:40:02.660
 You can count on it.

00:40:03.079 --> 00:40:04.019
 Everything's going to come

00:40:04.019 --> 00:40:04.860
 and be seen.

00:40:05.260 --> 00:40:06.519
 What's being done to you,

00:40:06.720 --> 00:40:08.000
 it's seen.

00:40:08.160 --> 00:40:09.000
 It'll be made known.

00:40:09.840 --> 00:40:11.120
 You just need to proclaim

00:40:11.120 --> 00:40:11.980
 what I'm telling you.

00:40:12.620 --> 00:40:13.300
 That's what He's saying there.

00:40:13.440 --> 00:40:14.260
 Don't be afraid.

00:40:15.099 --> 00:40:15.760
 God's in control.

00:40:16.559 --> 00:40:18.640
 And the second one is striking.

00:40:18.820 --> 00:40:19.380
 Verse 28.

00:40:19.539 --> 00:40:19.860
 He says,

00:40:20.220 --> 00:40:20.920
 don't fear man.

00:40:21.320 --> 00:40:22.059
 Don't fear man

00:40:22.059 --> 00:40:22.980
 what they can do to you.

00:40:23.180 --> 00:40:24.280
 They can just kill you.

00:40:24.360 --> 00:40:24.820
 That's it.

00:40:25.000 --> 00:40:25.820
 That's all they can do.

00:40:26.019 --> 00:40:26.720
 Is that crazy?

00:40:28.700 --> 00:40:30.120
 Do you know what Jesus says there?

00:40:30.860 --> 00:40:32.019
 Fear man less

00:40:32.019 --> 00:40:33.360
 by fearing God more.

00:40:34.280 --> 00:40:35.080
 Did you see that?

00:40:36.100 --> 00:40:36.940
 Here's the logic.

00:40:37.680 --> 00:40:38.240
 Jesus says,

00:40:38.820 --> 00:40:40.180
 the most that they can do

00:40:40.180 --> 00:40:41.040
 is kill your body.

00:40:41.340 --> 00:40:42.500
 The one that you need to fear

00:40:42.500 --> 00:40:44.080
 is the one that can destroy

00:40:44.080 --> 00:40:45.100
 both your body

00:40:45.100 --> 00:40:46.420
 and your soul in hell.

00:40:47.220 --> 00:40:48.400
 That's the one you need to fear.

00:40:48.400 --> 00:40:51.539
 You know what?

00:40:52.700 --> 00:40:53.599
 For those of us

00:40:53.599 --> 00:40:55.480
 who've been reconciled to God,

00:40:56.519 --> 00:40:57.840
 we don't fear

00:40:57.840 --> 00:41:00.059
 our souls being destroyed in hell.

00:41:02.000 --> 00:41:03.139
 So you know what this does?

00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:05.579
 When we're persecuted

00:41:05.579 --> 00:41:07.200
 and we're fearing God,

00:41:07.280 --> 00:41:08.680
 the one that can destroy body

00:41:08.680 --> 00:41:09.500
 and soul in hell,

00:41:09.700 --> 00:41:10.920
 and we don't fear our souls

00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:11.760
 being destroyed in hell,

00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:12.720
 do you know whose souls

00:41:12.720 --> 00:41:14.139
 I'm going to be concerned about?

00:41:15.619 --> 00:41:17.059
 The one who's given me heat.

00:41:18.400 --> 00:41:20.519
 Did you know

00:41:20.519 --> 00:41:22.119
 that what you're doing

00:41:22.119 --> 00:41:23.220
 will result

00:41:23.220 --> 00:41:25.019
 in a lifelong,

00:41:25.400 --> 00:41:26.780
 eternal condemnation

00:41:26.780 --> 00:41:27.340
 of your soul?

00:41:29.980 --> 00:41:31.700
 The third thing that Jesus says

00:41:31.700 --> 00:41:33.380
 to fear not

00:41:33.380 --> 00:41:35.420
 is the same God

00:41:35.420 --> 00:41:36.220
 who's got authority

00:41:36.220 --> 00:41:37.320
 over body and soul.

00:41:38.059 --> 00:41:38.680
 Do you know what He does?

00:41:39.920 --> 00:41:41.300
 He takes care of the sparrow.

00:41:42.500 --> 00:41:43.880
 We've got these little sparrows

00:41:43.880 --> 00:41:44.480
 around the church

00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:45.539
 that fly and flutter

00:41:45.539 --> 00:41:46.660
 into the bushes.

00:41:46.659 --> 00:41:49.299
 What kind of value

00:41:49.299 --> 00:41:50.039
 would you put on them?

00:41:50.559 --> 00:41:51.179
 Ten cents?

00:41:51.879 --> 00:41:52.179
 Nickel?

00:41:53.319 --> 00:41:54.019
 Jesus says,

00:41:54.379 --> 00:41:55.739
 two sparrows aren't worth a penny.

00:41:56.619 --> 00:41:58.059
 And even your father,

00:41:58.539 --> 00:41:59.819
 they don't fall to the ground

00:41:59.819 --> 00:42:00.399
 without Him.

00:42:01.420 --> 00:42:03.199
 If God your Father

00:42:03.199 --> 00:42:04.839
 is sovereignly caring

00:42:04.839 --> 00:42:07.980
 for worthless sparrows,

00:42:08.179 --> 00:42:09.719
 and He's got the numbers

00:42:09.719 --> 00:42:11.000
 of your hair

00:42:11.000 --> 00:42:12.319
 on your head numbered,

00:42:12.659 --> 00:42:13.839
 if your God is concerned

00:42:13.840 --> 00:42:14.920
 about the details,

00:42:15.300 --> 00:42:16.380
 and caring for

00:42:16.380 --> 00:42:17.780
 insignificant things

00:42:17.780 --> 00:42:18.400
 like that,

00:42:18.680 --> 00:42:19.420
 Jesus says,

00:42:19.800 --> 00:42:20.900
 you're more valuable

00:42:20.900 --> 00:42:22.460
 than a sparrow.

00:42:23.340 --> 00:42:24.039
 Don't fear.

00:42:24.740 --> 00:42:25.460
 Check this out.

00:42:25.500 --> 00:42:25.780
 You ready?

00:42:26.320 --> 00:42:26.980
 Let's go big.

00:42:27.620 --> 00:42:28.440
 If God the Father,

00:42:28.519 --> 00:42:29.559
 this is Romans 8.32,

00:42:29.800 --> 00:42:31.460
 if He gave His Son

00:42:31.460 --> 00:42:32.019
 for you,

00:42:32.740 --> 00:42:33.880
 how much more,

00:42:34.100 --> 00:42:34.780
 along with Him,

00:42:34.980 --> 00:42:35.539
 will He give you

00:42:35.539 --> 00:42:36.539
 everything you need

00:42:36.539 --> 00:42:38.079
 to get through suffering?

00:42:38.079 --> 00:42:41.340
 God's for you.

00:42:42.179 --> 00:42:42.819
 Fear not.

00:42:43.159 --> 00:42:44.000
 He's for you.

00:42:44.199 --> 00:42:44.759
 Fear not.

00:42:44.860 --> 00:42:45.639
 He's with you.

00:42:46.000 --> 00:42:46.400
 Fear not.

00:42:46.440 --> 00:42:47.000
 He's going to give you

00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:47.980
 what you need to say.

00:42:48.500 --> 00:42:49.039
 Fear not.

00:42:49.079 --> 00:42:50.039
 It's about His mission.

00:42:50.139 --> 00:42:51.279
 It's about His glory.

00:42:53.420 --> 00:42:54.360
 What a God.

00:42:56.599 --> 00:42:57.159
 And so,

00:42:57.400 --> 00:42:58.460
 it doesn't make the hardship

00:42:58.460 --> 00:42:59.079
 go away,

00:43:00.039 --> 00:43:01.559
 but it gives us boldness

00:43:01.559 --> 00:43:02.400
 in the midst of it.

00:43:02.860 --> 00:43:04.039
 It makes us brave.

00:43:05.299 --> 00:43:06.519
 We don't have to fear.

00:43:07.480 --> 00:43:08.480
 The worst thing that I can have,

00:43:08.539 --> 00:43:09.380
 they'll take my life.

00:43:10.219 --> 00:43:11.800
 And Paul's logic

00:43:11.800 --> 00:43:12.599
 in Philippians 1

00:43:12.599 --> 00:43:13.019
 is like,

00:43:13.099 --> 00:43:13.320
 okay,

00:43:13.400 --> 00:43:14.340
 I've got to choose

00:43:14.340 --> 00:43:15.239
 or I'll stay,

00:43:15.460 --> 00:43:16.119
 fruitful labor,

00:43:16.519 --> 00:43:17.340
 I'll go,

00:43:17.480 --> 00:43:18.320
 and I'll be with Jesus.

00:43:18.619 --> 00:43:19.920
 It's a win-win situation.

00:43:21.719 --> 00:43:22.500
 We stay,

00:43:22.659 --> 00:43:23.119
 we suffer,

00:43:23.259 --> 00:43:24.239
 we proclaim Christ,

00:43:24.480 --> 00:43:25.340
 our lives are taken,

00:43:25.460 --> 00:43:26.039
 we're with Him.

00:43:26.440 --> 00:43:27.079
 It's win-win.

00:43:28.699 --> 00:43:30.519
 It just gets painful.

00:43:32.599 --> 00:43:33.980
 And Jesus is very familiar

00:43:33.980 --> 00:43:34.360
 with that.

00:43:36.519 --> 00:43:41.000
 You have nothing to fear, gang.

00:43:42.440 --> 00:43:44.019
 The work that Jesus did for you

00:43:44.019 --> 00:43:44.579
 on the cross

00:43:44.579 --> 00:43:47.019
 has secured your soul

00:43:47.019 --> 00:43:47.880
 in heaven.

00:43:48.920 --> 00:43:49.420
 Don't fear.

00:43:53.619 --> 00:43:54.659
 I'm running out of time.

00:43:57.940 --> 00:43:59.719
 In verses 32 through 39,

00:43:59.719 --> 00:44:02.980
 I want you to show you

00:44:02.980 --> 00:44:03.480
 the logic.

00:44:05.639 --> 00:44:06.759
 Jesus says,

00:44:06.919 --> 00:44:08.179
 you must be devoted to Me

00:44:08.179 --> 00:44:10.619
 above everything else.

00:44:10.819 --> 00:44:12.059
 You must be devoted to Me.

00:44:12.259 --> 00:44:13.159
 And here's what He does.

00:44:14.219 --> 00:44:15.659
 Your image before men,

00:44:16.259 --> 00:44:16.819
 you're either going to

00:44:16.819 --> 00:44:18.219
 acknowledge Me before men

00:44:18.219 --> 00:44:18.799
 or you're going to

00:44:18.799 --> 00:44:19.899
 deny Me before men.

00:44:20.219 --> 00:44:21.319
 If you acknowledge Me

00:44:21.319 --> 00:44:22.000
 before men,

00:44:22.099 --> 00:44:23.379
 if you claim Me as your own,

00:44:23.459 --> 00:44:24.639
 if you identify with Me,

00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:26.879
 I'll claim you as My own

00:44:26.879 --> 00:44:27.639
 before the Father.

00:44:27.639 --> 00:44:29.359
 But if you deny Me

00:44:29.359 --> 00:44:30.099
 before men,

00:44:30.259 --> 00:44:31.559
 you're not worthy of Me.

00:44:32.379 --> 00:44:33.500
 I will deny you

00:44:33.500 --> 00:44:34.339
 before the Father.

00:44:34.699 --> 00:44:35.759
 The issue there is

00:44:35.759 --> 00:44:36.759
 your image

00:44:36.759 --> 00:44:38.319
 in the eyes of men.

00:44:39.440 --> 00:44:40.440
 If you value

00:44:40.440 --> 00:44:41.759
 what people think about you

00:44:41.759 --> 00:44:42.819
 more than what Jesus

00:44:42.819 --> 00:44:43.500
 thinks about you,

00:44:43.519 --> 00:44:44.659
 you're not worthy of Him.

00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:47.819
 And then He moves on

00:44:47.819 --> 00:44:49.420
 from your image

00:44:49.420 --> 00:44:50.299
 in the eyes of men

00:44:50.299 --> 00:44:51.500
 to your family.

00:44:52.779 --> 00:44:53.539
 And He says,

00:44:53.679 --> 00:44:54.759
 I didn't come to bring peace,

00:44:54.819 --> 00:44:55.879
 I came to bring the sword.

00:44:55.880 --> 00:44:56.960
 And He's talking about

00:44:56.960 --> 00:44:58.019
 bringing divisiveness

00:44:58.019 --> 00:44:59.320
 and hardship and conflict

00:44:59.320 --> 00:45:00.680
 into a home.

00:45:01.000 --> 00:45:02.599
 Your family is the most

00:45:02.599 --> 00:45:03.840
 precious relationships

00:45:03.840 --> 00:45:06.000
 you have, most likely.

00:45:06.820 --> 00:45:07.860
 Could you imagine

00:45:07.860 --> 00:45:09.539
 what Jesus is saying here?

00:45:09.640 --> 00:45:10.820
 Look at v. 37.

00:45:12.460 --> 00:45:14.300
 Whoever loves father or mother

00:45:14.300 --> 00:45:15.099
 more than Me

00:45:15.099 --> 00:45:16.360
 is not worthy of Me.

00:45:16.800 --> 00:45:18.180
 Only Jesus can say

00:45:18.180 --> 00:45:19.079
 something like that.

00:45:20.019 --> 00:45:21.340
 Only God in the flesh

00:45:21.340 --> 00:45:22.579
 can say something like that.

00:45:22.860 --> 00:45:24.200
 Only the King of the Kingdom

00:45:24.199 --> 00:45:24.719
 of Heaven,

00:45:24.859 --> 00:45:26.179
 only the Savior of the world

00:45:26.179 --> 00:45:27.319
 can say things like that.

00:45:27.599 --> 00:45:28.980
 Only He can require

00:45:28.980 --> 00:45:30.019
 that kind of devotion.

00:45:31.539 --> 00:45:32.119
 And He's saying,

00:45:32.619 --> 00:45:33.739
 not even your family.

00:45:35.299 --> 00:45:36.299
 Not even your family.

00:45:38.299 --> 00:45:39.799
 Parents, not even your kids.

00:45:40.579 --> 00:45:41.239
 You're to be devoted

00:45:41.239 --> 00:45:41.919
 to Me first.

00:45:42.039 --> 00:45:43.419
 Kids, not even your parents.

00:45:44.000 --> 00:45:45.179
 Husbands, not even your wives.

00:45:45.279 --> 00:45:46.419
 Wives, not even your husbands.

00:45:47.319 --> 00:45:48.159
 First and foremost,

00:45:48.279 --> 00:45:49.579
 our devotion is to Jesus

00:45:49.579 --> 00:45:50.859
 because of who He is.

00:45:50.860 --> 00:45:54.360
 And then if that were not enough,

00:45:54.599 --> 00:45:55.900
 look where He goes from there.

00:46:01.480 --> 00:46:03.200
 In v. 38 and 39,

00:46:04.280 --> 00:46:06.400
 He moves from the eyes of men

00:46:06.400 --> 00:46:07.440
 to your family

00:46:07.440 --> 00:46:10.640
 and He moves to your own life.

00:46:14.519 --> 00:46:15.240
 He says,

00:46:15.400 --> 00:46:16.900
 and whoever does not take his cross

00:46:16.900 --> 00:46:17.579
 and follow Me

00:46:17.579 --> 00:46:18.620
 is not worthy of Me.

00:46:18.619 --> 00:46:21.480
 He's talking about your life.

00:46:23.960 --> 00:46:24.699
 Do you know what

00:46:24.699 --> 00:46:26.139
 taking up your cross means?

00:46:27.440 --> 00:46:29.299
 If we were living back in the day

00:46:29.299 --> 00:46:30.019
 and we saw somebody

00:46:30.019 --> 00:46:31.139
 taking up their cross,

00:46:31.239 --> 00:46:32.179
 do you know what we'd be thinking?

00:46:32.559 --> 00:46:33.900
 Well, that person is carrying

00:46:33.900 --> 00:46:36.279
 that cross to his own crucifixion.

00:46:37.159 --> 00:46:39.420
 Because a cross was an instrument of death.

00:46:40.339 --> 00:46:41.839
 If you're taking up your cross,

00:46:41.960 --> 00:46:42.940
 you're going to die.

00:46:42.940 --> 00:46:45.960
 Jesus is saying,

00:46:46.559 --> 00:46:49.039
 it's either you or it's Me.

00:46:50.200 --> 00:46:51.800
 He moves from eyes of man

00:46:51.800 --> 00:46:53.760
 to your family to you.

00:46:54.320 --> 00:46:55.539
 Who are you living for?

00:46:56.780 --> 00:46:57.380
 He's saying,

00:46:57.800 --> 00:46:59.980
 hey, if you want to be used by Me,

00:47:00.460 --> 00:47:02.420
 if you want to be sent by Me,

00:47:02.780 --> 00:47:04.980
 if you want to live after Me,

00:47:05.579 --> 00:47:08.139
 I take priority over everything.

00:47:09.019 --> 00:47:10.559
 It's all about Jesus.

00:47:10.559 --> 00:47:13.759
 And so the question we need to ask is,

00:47:13.940 --> 00:47:14.619
 is He worth it?

00:47:15.799 --> 00:47:16.880
 Is He worth it?

00:47:18.059 --> 00:47:19.239
 And in light of who He is,

00:47:19.299 --> 00:47:20.519
 in light of what He's done for you

00:47:20.519 --> 00:47:21.099
 and for me,

00:47:21.480 --> 00:47:22.360
 He's worth it.

00:47:22.500 --> 00:47:24.019
 In light of what He's going to make available

00:47:24.019 --> 00:47:24.960
 to people in this city,

00:47:25.039 --> 00:47:25.799
 He's worth it.

00:47:28.759 --> 00:47:29.900
 These are the big things.

00:47:31.460 --> 00:47:33.039
 Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it this way,

00:47:33.039 --> 00:47:35.380
 when Christ calls a man,

00:47:35.460 --> 00:47:37.219
 He bids him come and die.

00:47:38.920 --> 00:47:40.360
 To be a follower of Jesus

00:47:40.360 --> 00:47:41.480
 is to die to yourself

00:47:41.480 --> 00:47:42.759
 in order to live for Christ

00:47:42.759 --> 00:47:43.960
 who is your life.

00:47:48.619 --> 00:47:49.840
 The last piece,

00:47:49.880 --> 00:47:50.679
 you must be generous,

00:47:50.880 --> 00:47:52.300
 is just simply Jesus saying,

00:47:53.039 --> 00:47:54.259
 hey, we're working together

00:47:54.259 --> 00:47:55.099
 in this mission thing.

00:47:56.099 --> 00:47:57.860
 Receive other laborers.

00:47:58.579 --> 00:48:00.119
 Come alongside of them.

00:48:00.460 --> 00:48:00.980
 Help them.

00:48:00.980 --> 00:48:02.740
 Even the least of the disciples.

00:48:02.940 --> 00:48:04.179
 Give them a cup of cold water.

00:48:07.559 --> 00:48:08.559
 Brother and sister,

00:48:08.760 --> 00:48:11.360
 you've been sent by Jesus

00:48:11.360 --> 00:48:13.639
 into a hazardous harvest.

00:48:15.320 --> 00:48:17.659
 Do you see yourself as an ambassador?

00:48:18.199 --> 00:48:20.000
 Do you see yourself as one sent?

00:48:20.000 --> 00:48:24.579
 Are you aware of what is out there?

00:48:25.079 --> 00:48:26.539
 Are you aware of the dangers?

00:48:26.539 --> 00:48:31.219
 Are you afraid?

00:48:32.000 --> 00:48:32.739
 Don't be.

00:48:33.860 --> 00:48:35.420
 You have reasons not to be.

00:48:36.380 --> 00:48:37.519
 God is with you.

00:48:38.500 --> 00:48:39.199
 Be devoted.

00:48:39.960 --> 00:48:41.239
 Be devoted to Jesus

00:48:41.239 --> 00:48:42.440
 above everything else.

00:48:45.440 --> 00:48:46.460
 Work together.

00:48:48.199 --> 00:48:49.500
 Is Jesus worth it?

00:48:51.400 --> 00:48:52.460
 He is worth it.

00:48:52.460 --> 00:48:54.800
 He is worth it.

00:48:57.019 --> 00:48:58.360
 Be the ambassador

00:48:58.360 --> 00:48:59.639
 you were sent to be.

00:49:00.860 --> 00:49:01.519
 Let's pray.

00:49:04.519 --> 00:49:05.240
 Lord Jesus,

00:49:06.240 --> 00:49:08.559
 You are wonderful.

00:49:10.039 --> 00:49:10.720
 Lord Jesus,

00:49:10.880 --> 00:49:12.320
 You are the greatest hope

00:49:12.320 --> 00:49:13.079
 for this city.

00:49:13.740 --> 00:49:14.280
 Lord Jesus,

00:49:14.500 --> 00:49:16.260
 the best thing that we can do

00:49:16.260 --> 00:49:17.699
 in light of knowing who You are

00:49:17.699 --> 00:49:19.260
 and what You've done for us,

00:49:19.639 --> 00:49:19.840
 God,

00:49:19.840 --> 00:49:20.840
 is to make You known.

00:49:21.840 --> 00:49:23.600
 Is to introduce others to You.

00:49:24.300 --> 00:49:26.059
 Is to proclaim You,

00:49:26.320 --> 00:49:26.800
 Lord Jesus.

00:49:27.840 --> 00:49:28.079
 And so,

00:49:28.180 --> 00:49:28.300
 God,

00:49:28.360 --> 00:49:29.079
 we do ask,

00:49:29.380 --> 00:49:30.320
 together we ask,

00:49:30.400 --> 00:49:31.980
 that You would send us

00:49:31.980 --> 00:49:33.440
 into Your harvest field.

00:49:34.260 --> 00:49:35.660
 That You would use us.

00:49:35.940 --> 00:49:37.600
 That we would see ourselves differently

00:49:37.600 --> 00:49:39.100
 and see the harvest

00:49:39.100 --> 00:49:40.039
 for what it is.

00:49:40.539 --> 00:49:40.960
 That, God,

00:49:41.019 --> 00:49:42.220
 You would give us strength

00:49:42.220 --> 00:49:42.880
 to endure.

00:49:43.100 --> 00:49:43.920
 That You would give us

00:49:43.920 --> 00:49:45.500
 courage to be bold.

00:49:45.660 --> 00:49:46.000
 That, Lord,

00:49:46.059 --> 00:49:47.100
 You would help us

00:49:47.099 --> 00:49:48.019
 to be singular

00:49:48.019 --> 00:49:49.559
 and complete

00:49:49.559 --> 00:49:51.099
 in our devotion to You.

00:49:52.380 --> 00:49:52.739
 God,

00:49:52.779 --> 00:49:53.460
 would You use us

00:49:53.460 --> 00:49:54.019
 in this city

00:49:54.019 --> 00:49:56.199
 for the glory of Your name

00:49:56.199 --> 00:49:57.619
 and for the good

00:49:57.619 --> 00:49:58.659
 of all people.

00:49:59.259 --> 00:50:00.420
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:50:00.880 --> 00:50:01.219
 Amen.