WEBVTT

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 All right, so if you were with us last week, you know that we started a new series here in the evening service on discipleship.

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 What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus?

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 Here we are sort of after Easter.

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 We celebrated in the course of the church year the sort of great events of our faith, the incarnation at Christmas, the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter.

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 And now we're thinking, what does it look like?

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 What does it mean to live in light of all that Jesus has done?

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 And what does it mean to be his follower?

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 Last week, we looked at the end of chapter 9 and we thought about priority in discipleship.

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 And what we saw there was that Jesus challenges and almost demands of us that we put him first above all else.

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 That's what it means to be a disciple, to be working in all of life to put him first.

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 This week, we're going to see in the Gospel of Luke chapter 10 that being a disciple means having a mission.

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 So, if you would open up your Bibles or the Pew Bible there to Luke chapter 10.

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 What page is that in the Pew Bible?

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 Does anyone have it?

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 Want to shout it out?

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 868?

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 868.

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 Okay.

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 So, you can turn there to 868 in the Pew Bible or you can turn there in your own Bible or on your tablet or whatever you're using to Luke chapter 10.

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 And we are going to look at the first half of chapter 10 this week and then we're going to look at the second half of chapter 10 next week.

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 And I think what you'll see over the course of these next two weeks is this whole chapter really is about our sort of mission as disciples.

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 But this first half, we're going to look at sort of our word mission.

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 So, let me read Luke 10, 1 through 24 for us.

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 After this, the Lord, that is the Lord Jesus, appointed 72 others and sent them on ahead of him two by two into every town and place where he himself was about to go.

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 And he said to them, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

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 Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

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 Go your way.

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 Behold, I'm sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

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 Carry no money bag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.

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 Whatever house you enter, first say, peace be to this house.

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 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him.

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 But if not, it will return to you.

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 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages.

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 Do not go from house to house.

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 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.

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 Heal the sick in it and say to them, the kingdom of God has come near to you.

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 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say,

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 even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you.

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 Nevertheless, know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.

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 I tell you it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

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 Woe to you, Chorazin.

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 Woe to you, Bethsaida.

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 For if the mighty works done in you have been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

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 But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

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 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven?

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 You shall be brought down to Hades.

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 The one who hears you hears me.

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 The one who rejects you rejects me.

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 And the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.

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 The 72 returned with joy, saying,

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 Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name.

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 And he said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

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 Behold, I've given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions,

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 and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

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 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you,

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 but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

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 In that same hour, he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,

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 I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,

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 that you've hidden these things from the wise and understanding

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 and revealed them to little children.

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 Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

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 All things have been handed over to me by my Father,

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 and no one knows who the Son is, except the Father,

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 or who the Father is, except the Son,

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 and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

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 Then turning to the disciples, he said privately,

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 Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

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 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,

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 and did not see it, and to hear what you hear,

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 and did not hear it.

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 Okay, we'll stop there for tonight.

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 So remember the context of where we're at in Luke's gospel.

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 Back in chapter 9, verse 51,

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 Jesus finally has set his faith to go to Jerusalem.

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 Here he is, he's heading up to Jerusalem for the last time in his earthly ministry

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 to accomplish what he said at the transfiguration,

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 to accomplish his exodus, his departure, his going forth.

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 And I think it's very fitting that Luke uses the term exodus

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 to describe what Jesus is going to accomplish in Jerusalem,

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 because it's going to be a new liberation for the people of God,

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 their new moment of redemption,

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 just like the exodus was in the Old Testament for the people of Israel.

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 So this is where we're at, and Jesus is on his way,

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 and his disciples are going with him,

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 they're following on the road.

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 You remember last week, the reason why we're studying this middle section of Luke

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 is because as we think about discipleship,

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 here we have, in a gospel,

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 the disciples literally following Jesus on the road,

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 and Jesus along the way teaching them all about what it means to be his follower.

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 And here, in our text in chapter 9,

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 Jesus sends them.

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 He sends them out.

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 And that's what our word mission actually means.

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 It's a Latin word that just means,

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 you're sent.

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 And I think in this section of chapter 10,

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 we see two big ideas when it comes to our mission as disciples.

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 First, in the first half of the chapter,

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 we're going to take a look at some of the things that have to deal with the practice

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 of gospel mission, how we do it,

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 what's the nature of it, the practice of it.

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 And then secondly, in the second half of the chapter,

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 we're going to look at the heart of mission,

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 the heart of our gospel mission as disciples.

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 So, practice, that's verses 1 through 18,

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 heart, verses 17 through 24.

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 So, let's look first then at the practice of gospel mission.

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 Now, one thing we have to understand looking at this kind of text,

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 this isn't one of those texts we can just say,

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 okay, here we go.

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 Jesus tells the disciples to do this,

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 so we should do this.

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 Whenever I'm going to evangelize to my friends,

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 I need to carry no money,

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 no knapsack, no sandals,

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 and greet no one on the road.

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 That's how you do contact work.

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 No, okay, obviously,

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 this is,

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 John's thinking, yeah, I could do that.

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 No sandals, you've got it.

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 No, of course, this is,

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 so this is a unique event in redemptive history.

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 Jesus, for the last time in his earth,

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 is going to Jerusalem.

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 He wants to tell the towns that are on the way that he's coming.

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 He wants them to receive him

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 and to acknowledge him as king

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 before he goes and accomplishes his work on the cross

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 and his resurrection.

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 So, this is a unique sort of moment.

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 And yet, even though it's a unique moment

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 and not everything sort of maps on one-to-one

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 to what we need to be called to do today,

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 there's still a lot of principles that we can learn.

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 A lot of the principles remain the same,

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 and that's what we're going to try to look at.

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 And what we see, really,

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 is that one of the things we glean

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 from a passage like this at the high level

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 is that every Christian

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 is a gospel ambassador,

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 and every church, every local church,

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 is sort of like a gospel embassy.

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 That this is a place that exists

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 to sort of spread the message

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 of what Jesus has done.

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 So, what do we learn, then,

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 about our gospel mission today

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 from this text?

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 We're just going to kind of walk through

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 and look at some of the things we learn.

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 What do we learn from verse 1?

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 Jesus appoints the 72.

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 Now, you remember earlier

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 in the gospel stories,

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 Jesus chose 12 disciples,

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 or 12 apostles,

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 and he sent them out on mission.

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 Now, here, he's doing something similar,

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 but a little different, right?

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 This isn't the 12.

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 This is 72 others

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 that he's sending out in this way.

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 Now, almost every commentator

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 on this passage says

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 that that number is significant.

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 That 72 is a representative number

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 of all the nations of the world.

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 Where do they get that from?

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 Well, back in Genesis chapter 10,

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 there's a genealogy there

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 where it's describing

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 the sort of spread of humanity

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 across the earth,

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 and there are 72 names and tribes

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 that are listed there.

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 So, that became sort of

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 a representative symbolic number

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 of all nations.

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 So, I think what we have Jesus doing here

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 as he's sending out the 72

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 in a very symbolic way,

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 just like the 12 apostles

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 represented the 12 tribes of Israel,

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 and Jesus was saying,

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 I'm renewing the people of God.

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 Here, he's sending out 72

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 and saying,

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 we're going out to the nations.

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 Thus, what we'll see

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 in the second part

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 of Luke's two-part work,

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 Luke-Acts,

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 in Acts,

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 we see the Gentile mission

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 going full force, right?

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 And here,

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 in Luke chapter 10,

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 it's kind of prefigured.

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 Jesus is sort of telling them

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 in a symbolic way,

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 it's going to happen.

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 You're going to go to the nations.

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 So, what we're learning here

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 is that the good news of Jesus

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 is good news for the whole world.

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 Now, this isn't just something

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 for a few select people

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 in one little nation

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 in one little time.

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 No, this is for everyone.

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 This is what God is doing

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 for the whole world.

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 And that means that

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 our mission as the church,

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 our mission as disciples,

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 is to go out to everyone

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 to tell them about Jesus

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 and to urge them

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 to believe in him.

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 That's our mission.

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 To go out to everyone,

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 to tell them about Jesus,

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 and to urge them

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 to believe in him.

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 Now, to go out to everyone, right?

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 Not just, you know,

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 the people that we like

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 to hang out with.

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 Not just the people that,

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 you know,

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 are of a certain

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 socioeconomic class.

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 Not just the people who are,

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 you know,

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 this, that, or the other thing.

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 Not just the people

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 that are convenient

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 to hang out with.

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 Everyone.

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 Not just the good people.

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 Even the people

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 who seem like on the surface,

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 they need a lot of help.

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 And not just the people

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 who seem like they're not help.

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 The people who seem

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 to have it all together.

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 We need to go out to everyone.

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 And we need to tell them

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 about Christ.

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 What was the message

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 that he told them to say

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 when they go?

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 Well, peace on the one hand.

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 We'll talk about that

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 in a few minutes.

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 But the kingdom of God

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 has come near.

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 Whether they receive him

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 or whether they reject them,

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 the kingdom of God

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 has come near.

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 In other words,

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 the disciples were to go out

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 and say,

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 the king is coming.

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 Did you notice

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 that he sent them out

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 into every town and place

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 where he himself

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 was about to go?

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 So he's saying,

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 okay, look,

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 in a couple days,

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 I'm going to end up

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 in Brantford.

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 So you guys go to Brantford

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 and tell them

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 that I'm coming.

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 Tell them the kingdom of God

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 is coming near

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 and then I'm going to come.

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 So he's saying,

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 I'm coming.

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 And the message

00:11:04.179 --> 00:11:05.199
 was about him

00:11:05.199 --> 00:11:06.000
 and his kingdom.

00:11:07.459 --> 00:11:08.439
 And that's true for us today.

00:11:08.459 --> 00:11:09.019
 We're supposed to be

00:11:09.019 --> 00:11:10.059
 telling people about Jesus.

00:11:10.419 --> 00:11:11.699
 The message of the church

00:11:11.699 --> 00:11:13.100
 isn't merely

00:11:13.100 --> 00:11:14.939
 and really isn't even at all

00:11:14.939 --> 00:11:16.319
 sort of a moral program.

00:11:16.939 --> 00:11:18.100
 That's not what we're telling people.

00:11:18.139 --> 00:11:18.740
 We're not telling people,

00:11:18.860 --> 00:11:20.019
 here's how you clean up your act.

00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:21.639
 Here are 10 steps

00:11:21.639 --> 00:11:22.659
 to financial freedom

00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:23.100
 or whatever.

00:11:23.240 --> 00:11:23.960
 No, we're telling people

00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:24.899
 that there's a God

00:11:24.899 --> 00:11:25.919
 and a king

00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:26.899
 who loves them

00:11:26.899 --> 00:11:27.699
 and who died for them

00:11:27.699 --> 00:11:28.759
 and wants to reconcile you

00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:29.120
 and heal you

00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:30.199
 in every possible way.

00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:33.500
 We're telling them about Jesus

00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:36.139
 and then we're urging them

00:11:36.139 --> 00:11:37.100
 to believe in him.

00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:39.079
 Now that's going to look different

00:11:39.079 --> 00:11:39.959
 in different contexts,

00:11:40.959 --> 00:11:41.220
 you know,

00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:42.480
 but we're not just sort of saying,

00:11:42.579 --> 00:11:43.500
 hey, this is good for me

00:11:43.500 --> 00:11:45.000
 and if you want to take it,

00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:45.259
 great.

00:11:45.340 --> 00:11:46.259
 If not, no big deal.

00:11:46.439 --> 00:11:47.740
 No, there is a sense

00:11:47.740 --> 00:11:49.120
 in which we're calling people

00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:49.779
 to believe it.

00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:51.980
 There was an urgency

00:11:51.980 --> 00:11:53.819
 to what the disciples

00:11:53.819 --> 00:11:54.360
 were doing here

00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:54.960
 in chapter 10.

00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:57.980
 So this is our mission.

00:11:59.300 --> 00:12:00.300
 Now what else do we learn

00:12:00.300 --> 00:12:00.900
 from this section

00:12:00.900 --> 00:12:01.600
 in chapter 10?

00:12:01.940 --> 00:12:03.600
 How does Jesus instruct them

00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:06.259
 in verses 2 through 12?

00:12:07.139 --> 00:12:07.920
 Let's just sort of

00:12:07.920 --> 00:12:08.800
 go through there.

00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:09.460
 Look at verse 2.

00:12:09.540 --> 00:12:10.519
 He tells them to pray.

00:12:11.100 --> 00:12:12.600
 The harvest is plentiful

00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:13.720
 but the labors are few.

00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:15.500
 Therefore, pray.

00:12:17.300 --> 00:12:17.960
 And then he says,

00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:18.700
 go your way.

00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:19.259
 I'm sending you out

00:12:19.259 --> 00:12:20.280
 like lambs.

00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:22.759
 What do we make of that?

00:12:23.299 --> 00:12:24.879
 Well, I've never met a lamb

00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:26.080
 who could actually sort of

00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:28.019
 coerce or force someone

00:12:28.019 --> 00:12:28.759
 to do anything.

00:12:29.340 --> 00:12:29.620
 Right?

00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:30.879
 I think Jesus is saying here,

00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:31.659
 look, you're not going

00:12:31.659 --> 00:12:32.279
 with a sword.

00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:33.480
 You're not going

00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:34.919
 as sort of representatives

00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:36.000
 of some political kingdom.

00:12:36.100 --> 00:12:37.059
 No, you're going like lambs

00:12:37.059 --> 00:12:37.860
 in the midst of wolves.

00:12:38.419 --> 00:12:39.960
 The nature of gospel ministry

00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:40.679
 is that we're

00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:42.419
 preaching good news,

00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:43.439
 inviting hearers

00:12:43.439 --> 00:12:44.559
 to respond willingly.

00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:46.340
 We're not sort of

00:12:46.340 --> 00:12:47.179
 forcing them

00:12:47.179 --> 00:12:48.139
 or compelling them.

00:12:48.139 --> 00:12:51.000
 But at the same time,

00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:51.759
 it's urgent, right?

00:12:51.879 --> 00:12:52.939
 Carry no money bag.

00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:53.659
 What's that all about?

00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:54.340
 No money bag,

00:12:54.419 --> 00:12:55.000
 no knapsack,

00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:55.600
 no sandals,

00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:56.740
 greet no one on the road.

00:12:57.740 --> 00:12:58.600
 Well, I think

00:12:58.600 --> 00:12:59.960
 given the context,

00:13:00.439 --> 00:13:01.019
 Jesus was saying,

00:13:01.100 --> 00:13:01.559
 look, this,

00:13:01.819 --> 00:13:02.559
 we're on our way.

00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:03.699
 We're not turning back.

00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:04.639
 We're going

00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:05.399
 and we're going

00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:05.879
 and we're going.

00:13:05.939 --> 00:13:06.919
 There's an urgency to this.

00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:08.019
 We're on the move.

00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:10.580
 And even though today

00:13:10.580 --> 00:13:11.539
 we might, you know,

00:13:11.539 --> 00:13:12.159
 some of you might be

00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:13.179
 in New Haven long term.

00:13:13.419 --> 00:13:14.360
 Some of you might be

00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:15.120
 thinking about missions

00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:15.799
 work long term

00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:16.360
 in other places

00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:17.000
 of the world.

00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:18.320
 But there is still

00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:19.220
 an undercurrent

00:13:19.220 --> 00:13:20.559
 of urgency

00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:21.259
 to our mission.

00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:22.779
 This is something

00:13:22.779 --> 00:13:24.580
 that must happen now.

00:13:24.740 --> 00:13:25.580
 Now's the time

00:13:25.580 --> 00:13:26.919
 for us to do it.

00:13:26.940 --> 00:13:27.519
 We don't want to have

00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:30.059
 anything hold us back.

00:13:30.139 --> 00:13:30.559
 There's going to be

00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:31.980
 no extra baggage

00:13:31.980 --> 00:13:33.000
 on the way.

00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:34.460
 We're going to try

00:13:34.460 --> 00:13:35.740
 to limit our concerns

00:13:35.740 --> 00:13:36.840
 so that we can focus

00:13:36.840 --> 00:13:37.679
 around this mission.

00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:41.940
 Then look at five and six.

00:13:42.100 --> 00:13:43.019
 Whenever you enter a house,

00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:45.240
 say peace to this house.

00:13:46.220 --> 00:13:46.700
 Peace.

00:13:46.700 --> 00:13:47.440
 Peace is the message

00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:48.080
 that they bring.

00:13:49.280 --> 00:13:49.820
 It's interesting.

00:13:49.900 --> 00:13:50.520
 J.C. Ryle,

00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:52.400
 who was an English bishop

00:13:52.400 --> 00:13:53.520
 in the 19th century,

00:13:54.280 --> 00:13:55.480
 sort of was reading

00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:56.120
 this passage

00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:56.640
 and he said,

00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:56.840
 you know,

00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:57.520
 isn't it interesting

00:13:57.520 --> 00:13:58.620
 that this is the message

00:13:58.620 --> 00:13:59.400
 that Jesus tells them

00:13:59.400 --> 00:13:59.680
 to bring?

00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:00.360
 Now on one hand,

00:14:00.379 --> 00:14:01.640
 in the Jewish world

00:14:01.640 --> 00:14:02.340
 in the first century,

00:14:02.460 --> 00:14:03.140
 peace was just like

00:14:03.140 --> 00:14:03.480
 a way of saying,

00:14:03.540 --> 00:14:03.960
 hey, what's up?

00:14:04.520 --> 00:14:05.140
 Like, peace.

00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:05.800
 How's it going?

00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:07.200
 It was a greeting, right?

00:14:07.560 --> 00:14:08.140
 And yet,

00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:09.320
 isn't it resonant

00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:11.920
 that what the gospel message

00:14:11.920 --> 00:14:13.120
 is is a message

00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:13.900
 of peace?

00:14:13.899 --> 00:14:16.959
 And Ryle makes

00:14:16.959 --> 00:14:17.579
 the observation

00:14:17.579 --> 00:14:19.079
 that this shows us

00:14:19.079 --> 00:14:19.500
 what he calls

00:14:19.500 --> 00:14:20.340
 the simplicity

00:14:20.340 --> 00:14:22.379
 of the gospel message.

00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:24.279
 It's a straightforward thing.

00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:26.779
 That peace with God

00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:28.879
 is what we're talking about.

00:14:32.220 --> 00:14:32.860
 Verse seven,

00:14:32.959 --> 00:14:33.319
 accountability

00:14:33.319 --> 00:14:34.600
 and provision.

00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:35.740
 Jesus says,

00:14:35.819 --> 00:14:36.879
 remain in the same house

00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:37.500
 eating and drinking

00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:38.299
 what they provide

00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:38.860
 for the laborer

00:14:38.860 --> 00:14:39.439
 deserves his wages.

00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:39.840
 So he says,

00:14:39.920 --> 00:14:40.460
 on the one hand,

00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:41.960
 it's okay to receive provision.

00:14:42.560 --> 00:14:42.980
 That's good.

00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:43.740
 But then he says,

00:14:43.860 --> 00:14:44.660
 don't go around

00:14:44.660 --> 00:14:45.460
 from house to house

00:14:45.460 --> 00:14:47.060
 because in the ancient world,

00:14:47.140 --> 00:14:48.140
 what traveling sort of

00:14:48.140 --> 00:14:48.780
 teachers would do

00:14:48.780 --> 00:14:49.520
 is they would sort of like

00:14:49.520 --> 00:14:50.860
 peddle from house to house

00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:52.320
 as a way to just sort of

00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:52.980
 get lots of money,

00:14:53.400 --> 00:14:53.680
 you know?

00:14:53.740 --> 00:14:54.200
 So, okay,

00:14:54.300 --> 00:14:56.100
 well, I like Shanghai'd

00:14:56.100 --> 00:14:56.920
 these people out of their money

00:14:56.920 --> 00:14:57.900
 and then I'll go to the next one

00:14:57.900 --> 00:14:58.520
 and then I'll go to the next one

00:14:58.520 --> 00:14:59.080
 and then I'll go to the next one.

00:14:59.160 --> 00:14:59.480
 He just says,

00:14:59.540 --> 00:14:59.700
 no,

00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:00.640
 go,

00:15:01.020 --> 00:15:01.720
 find one place,

00:15:01.900 --> 00:15:02.320
 stay,

00:15:02.680 --> 00:15:03.200
 be accountable,

00:15:03.640 --> 00:15:04.480
 be transparent,

00:15:05.040 --> 00:15:05.820
 receive the wages

00:15:05.820 --> 00:15:06.600
 that they give you,

00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:07.180
 receive the food

00:15:07.180 --> 00:15:07.740
 that they give you.

00:15:07.740 --> 00:15:09.259
 Don't look like all these other

00:15:09.259 --> 00:15:11.519
 sort of shady teachers

00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:12.659
 who are traveling around.

00:15:14.259 --> 00:15:14.659
 Interesting,

00:15:14.759 --> 00:15:15.879
 if you're here in the morning service,

00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:18.100
 this verse,

00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:19.980
 the laborer deserves his wages.

00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:21.600
 Paul actually picks up

00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:23.100
 this idea a couple times

00:15:23.100 --> 00:15:23.740
 in his writings

00:15:23.740 --> 00:15:25.019
 when he's sort of talking about

00:15:25.019 --> 00:15:26.919
 the way in which

00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:27.740
 those who give themselves

00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:29.000
 a full-time gospel ministry

00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:30.460
 ought to be supported,

00:15:30.580 --> 00:15:31.480
 supported financially

00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:32.139
 and given provision

00:15:32.139 --> 00:15:32.879
 for their work.

00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:33.299
 And he says,

00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:34.299
 this is where the Lord

00:15:34.299 --> 00:15:35.620
 sort of gave us

00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:37.480
 a precedent for that.

00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:38.080
 And in fact,

00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:39.680
 in 1 Timothy 5 actually,

00:15:39.740 --> 00:15:40.740
 if you look at 1 Timothy 5,

00:15:41.259 --> 00:15:42.940
 Paul actually quotes

00:15:42.940 --> 00:15:44.019
 this saying of Jesus

00:15:44.019 --> 00:15:47.080
 along with a verse

00:15:47.080 --> 00:15:47.820
 from Deuteronomy.

00:15:48.279 --> 00:15:48.680
 And he says,

00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:49.779
 here's what the scripture says,

00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:50.720
 this verse from Deuteronomy.

00:15:51.220 --> 00:15:52.180
 Don't muzzle the oxen

00:15:52.180 --> 00:15:53.060
 as it treads out the grain.

00:15:53.420 --> 00:15:54.680
 And here's what the scripture says.

00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:57.060
 The laborer deserves his wages,

00:15:57.360 --> 00:15:58.060
 a quote from Jesus.

00:15:58.600 --> 00:15:59.920
 Now here's what's really fascinating.

00:16:00.579 --> 00:16:02.740
 The only recorded place

00:16:02.740 --> 00:16:03.519
 where we know

00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:05.299
 that that saying of Jesus is,

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:06.559
 is right here

00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:07.659
 in Luke chapter 10,

00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:08.240
 verse 7.

00:16:08.439 --> 00:16:09.559
 The laborer deserves his wages.

00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:11.319
 And Luke says,

00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:12.860
 or excuse me,

00:16:12.959 --> 00:16:14.399
 Paul says in 1 Timothy 5,

00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:15.759
 this is what the scripture says,

00:16:15.939 --> 00:16:17.139
 the laborer deserves his wages.

00:16:17.699 --> 00:16:18.639
 This is what's been written

00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:19.759
 about the Lord's commandment.

00:16:20.379 --> 00:16:21.199
 Very fascinating

00:16:21.199 --> 00:16:23.139
 that Paul is saying

00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:24.019
 there's a scripture

00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:25.419
 that has that writing of Jesus

00:16:25.419 --> 00:16:27.019
 and we all ought to obey it.

00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:27.500
 So,

00:16:27.819 --> 00:16:29.639
 sort of makes your historical imagination

00:16:29.639 --> 00:16:30.240
 start running.

00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:32.039
 Did Paul actually know

00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:33.000
 about Luke's gospel?

00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:34.980
 Was he referring to Luke's gospel

00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:35.379
 when he said,

00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:36.500
 this is what the scripture says?

00:16:37.620 --> 00:16:38.100
 And,

00:16:38.220 --> 00:16:39.559
 was he referring to Luke's gospel

00:16:39.559 --> 00:16:40.340
 as scripture

00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:41.399
 for the first century church?

00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:42.279
 Very interesting.

00:16:43.179 --> 00:16:43.980
 We don't know for sure,

00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:44.360
 but,

00:16:44.819 --> 00:16:47.059
 I think it's not implausible.

00:16:48.340 --> 00:16:48.759
 Well,

00:16:48.779 --> 00:16:49.519
 that's a bit of a sidebar.

00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:49.899
 Anyway,

00:16:50.620 --> 00:16:52.679
 let's look at the response.

00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:54.000
 The response in verses

00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:55.539
 8 and 9

00:16:55.539 --> 00:16:56.720
 and 10 and 11.

00:16:57.799 --> 00:16:58.340
 On the one hand,

00:16:58.379 --> 00:16:59.199
 if they receive you,

00:16:59.379 --> 00:16:59.980
 bless them,

00:17:00.079 --> 00:17:00.740
 say the kingdom of God

00:17:00.740 --> 00:17:01.279
 has come near.

00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:01.879
 But,

00:17:01.980 --> 00:17:02.939
 if they reject you,

00:17:03.659 --> 00:17:04.379
 shake the dust

00:17:04.379 --> 00:17:05.799
 and move on

00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:06.639
 and say the kingdom of God

00:17:06.639 --> 00:17:07.119
 has come near.

00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:07.839
 What is,

00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:08.299
 wow,

00:17:08.579 --> 00:17:09.859
 what is Jesus saying here?

00:17:10.619 --> 00:17:10.960
 And,

00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:12.379
 how does this sort of apply to us?

00:17:13.639 --> 00:17:14.599
 I think one of the things

00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:15.160
 that we see here

00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:16.119
 is that ultimately

00:17:16.119 --> 00:17:19.639
 there's no neutral response

00:17:19.639 --> 00:17:21.119
 to the message of Jesus

00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:21.779
 and his kingdom.

00:17:23.619 --> 00:17:24.619
 Either at the end,

00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:25.839
 now some people are in process,

00:17:25.980 --> 00:17:26.139
 right?

00:17:26.140 --> 00:17:26.980
 Some people are in process

00:17:26.980 --> 00:17:27.960
 of figuring things out

00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:28.920
 and they're on the road.

00:17:29.300 --> 00:17:29.480
 But,

00:17:29.560 --> 00:17:29.640
 you know,

00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:30.900
 at the end of the day,

00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:33.960
 you can't just be sort of neutral

00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:34.759
 or ho-hum

00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:36.020
 about Jesus

00:17:36.020 --> 00:17:37.100
 and the claims about Jesus.

00:17:37.980 --> 00:17:39.220
 You can't just say,

00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:40.280
 he's a good guy

00:17:40.280 --> 00:17:42.100
 and that's great for you.

00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:46.840
 This mission that we have

00:17:46.840 --> 00:17:47.900
 is serious business.

00:17:48.600 --> 00:17:49.520
 People are rejecting

00:17:49.520 --> 00:17:51.120
 or receiving the king of life.

00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:52.739
 And we see the seriousness

00:17:52.739 --> 00:17:53.799
 of that in the next paragraph

00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:56.579
 in verses 13, 14, and 15, right?

00:17:57.719 --> 00:17:59.119
 There's going to be accountability

00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:00.379
 in the coming judgment.

00:18:01.979 --> 00:18:03.039
 On the one hand,

00:18:03.539 --> 00:18:04.379
 to whom much is shown,

00:18:04.459 --> 00:18:05.139
 much is required.

00:18:05.259 --> 00:18:06.059
 There are some towns

00:18:06.059 --> 00:18:06.679
 in that day

00:18:06.679 --> 00:18:08.179
 where Jesus spent a lot of time

00:18:08.179 --> 00:18:09.779
 and they didn't repent

00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:10.459
 and Jesus says,

00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:12.259
 it's going to be harsh for you

00:18:12.259 --> 00:18:13.019
 in the judgment.

00:18:13.019 --> 00:18:16.180
 But,

00:18:16.299 --> 00:18:16.879
 interestingly,

00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:18.299
 these two cities

00:18:18.299 --> 00:18:19.220
 that Jesus points out,

00:18:19.319 --> 00:18:20.480
 Tyre and Sidon,

00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:22.859
 they were Gentile cities.

00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:25.480
 So,

00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:25.980
 there's a sense

00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:27.059
 in which Jesus is saying

00:18:27.059 --> 00:18:28.220
 that on the one hand,

00:18:28.259 --> 00:18:28.859
 to whom much is shown,

00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:29.319
 much is required.

00:18:29.400 --> 00:18:29.960
 But on the other hand,

00:18:29.980 --> 00:18:31.480
 the gospel is the great leveler.

00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:33.400
 That

00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:35.539
 these Gentile cities,

00:18:35.619 --> 00:18:36.319
 which weren't even

00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.079
 a part of the covenant community,

00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:39.160
 Jesus says,

00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:39.539
 look,

00:18:39.859 --> 00:18:41.099
 your status

00:18:41.099 --> 00:18:42.539
 when God comes

00:18:42.539 --> 00:18:43.659
 and renews all things

00:18:43.659 --> 00:18:44.700
 and sets up his kingdom,

00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:45.799
 your status

00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:46.960
 is not going

00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:47.700
 to be determined

00:18:47.700 --> 00:18:49.480
 by your family

00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:50.779
 or your formal

00:18:50.779 --> 00:18:51.720
 religious heritage,

00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:52.980
 no matter how devout you were.

00:18:53.619 --> 00:18:53.779
 You know,

00:18:53.819 --> 00:18:54.480
 these cities,

00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:56.000
 Capernaum,

00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:56.960
 Chorazin,

00:18:57.059 --> 00:18:57.539
 Bethsaida,

00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:59.000
 these are good Jewish cities.

00:18:59.899 --> 00:19:00.779
 And Jesus is saying,

00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:02.220
 that's not what's going to count

00:19:02.220 --> 00:19:05.299
 at the end of the day.

00:19:06.819 --> 00:19:07.700
 It's going to be better

00:19:07.700 --> 00:19:08.639
 for the Gentile cities

00:19:08.639 --> 00:19:09.279
 than for you

00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:10.980
 because if they had heard it,

00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:11.740
 they would have repented.

00:19:12.539 --> 00:19:16.119
 I think there's actually

00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:17.159
 a warning for us there.

00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:20.920
 Friends,

00:19:20.940 --> 00:19:21.139
 I wonder,

00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:22.079
 have you been under

00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:23.319
 the word?

00:19:23.379 --> 00:19:24.180
 Have you been around

00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:25.119
 Christian things?

00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:26.200
 Have you heard the gospel?

00:19:26.399 --> 00:19:26.740
 Have you

00:19:26.740 --> 00:19:29.139
 encountered Jesus before

00:19:29.139 --> 00:19:30.839
 in the life of the church?

00:19:32.519 --> 00:19:33.559
 Maybe you grew up in church.

00:19:33.659 --> 00:19:34.200
 Maybe you've

00:19:34.200 --> 00:19:35.420
 been around Christian things

00:19:35.420 --> 00:19:36.299
 for a long time.

00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:38.480
 How

00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:40.899
 are you responding to that?

00:19:40.900 --> 00:19:42.060
 Do you continue

00:19:42.060 --> 00:19:42.960
 to push it off

00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:44.200
 and push it off

00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:45.180
 and push it off?

00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:47.380
 Jesus is saying

00:19:47.380 --> 00:19:47.980
 that can be

00:19:47.980 --> 00:19:49.060
 a very dangerous

00:19:49.060 --> 00:19:49.860
 place to be.

00:19:51.660 --> 00:19:52.600
 Now's the time

00:19:52.600 --> 00:19:53.680
 when you need

00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.519
 to receive it

00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:56.519
 and trust in him.

00:19:56.519 --> 00:20:00.839
 Well,

00:20:00.879 --> 00:20:01.480
 one last thing

00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:03.319
 about the practice

00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:04.500
 of ministry here,

00:20:04.579 --> 00:20:05.160
 about the practice

00:20:05.160 --> 00:20:05.639
 of mission.

00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:06.579
 Look at verse 16.

00:20:06.619 --> 00:20:07.259
 The one who hears you

00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:07.700
 hears me,

00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:08.539
 and the one who rejects you

00:20:08.539 --> 00:20:09.059
 rejects me,

00:20:09.099 --> 00:20:10.180
 and the one who rejects me

00:20:10.180 --> 00:20:11.940
 rejects him who sent me.

00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:14.319
 That is a fascinating verse.

00:20:15.099 --> 00:20:16.599
 Do you see the tight bond there

00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:17.759
 that Jesus is drawing

00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:19.319
 between his messengers

00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:20.319
 and himself

00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:21.379
 and the Father?

00:20:21.380 --> 00:20:22.420
 The Father

00:20:22.420 --> 00:20:23.380
 sends the Son.

00:20:23.940 --> 00:20:24.500
 The Son

00:20:24.500 --> 00:20:25.580
 sends the church.

00:20:26.860 --> 00:20:27.660
 Almost in an

00:20:27.660 --> 00:20:28.860
 unbroken chain.

00:20:31.820 --> 00:20:32.540
 And the point

00:20:32.540 --> 00:20:33.220
 that Jesus is making here,

00:20:33.320 --> 00:20:34.420
 to reject the church,

00:20:34.980 --> 00:20:36.280
 is ultimately

00:20:36.280 --> 00:20:37.420
 to reject God itself.

00:20:38.060 --> 00:20:38.880
 If that church

00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:39.280
 is preaching

00:20:39.280 --> 00:20:40.540
 the apostolic gospel

00:20:40.540 --> 00:20:42.640
 that the Bible gives us.

00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:48.300
 So we see here

00:20:48.300 --> 00:20:49.100
 that Jesus himself

00:20:49.100 --> 00:20:49.660
 is affirming

00:20:49.660 --> 00:20:51.279
 that disciples are ambassadors

00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:52.100
 of his in the world,

00:20:52.180 --> 00:20:53.580
 that they're taking his words

00:20:53.580 --> 00:20:54.680
 to the world.

00:20:55.400 --> 00:20:56.320
 And I think ultimately

00:20:56.320 --> 00:20:57.320
 that should give us confidence

00:20:57.320 --> 00:20:58.500
 in our mission.

00:20:59.560 --> 00:20:59.840
 You know,

00:20:59.880 --> 00:21:00.560
 that the things

00:21:00.560 --> 00:21:01.820
 that we're bringing

00:21:01.820 --> 00:21:02.540
 to people

00:21:02.540 --> 00:21:03.660
 aren't just sort of things

00:21:03.660 --> 00:21:05.120
 that we've kind of made up.

00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:06.700
 But that these,

00:21:06.900 --> 00:21:08.019
 this is the very message

00:21:08.019 --> 00:21:08.580
 of God

00:21:08.580 --> 00:21:10.120
 given through his Son,

00:21:10.340 --> 00:21:11.540
 entrusted to the church,

00:21:11.740 --> 00:21:12.759
 that will bring joy

00:21:12.759 --> 00:21:13.300
 and hope

00:21:13.300 --> 00:21:14.140
 to all nations.

00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:17.820
 But I think this verse

00:21:17.820 --> 00:21:18.920
 also speaks to a big issue

00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:19.620
 that we all face.

00:21:19.660 --> 00:21:20.140
 In mission

00:21:20.140 --> 00:21:21.380
 and in evangelism,

00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:22.720
 which I know for me,

00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:23.519
 this is like sort of

00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:24.420
 number one problem.

00:21:24.540 --> 00:21:25.460
 There's a fear of rejection,

00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:25.960
 right?

00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:28.120
 Why are we hesitant

00:21:28.120 --> 00:21:28.820
 to share our faith?

00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:29.360
 Why are we hesitant

00:21:29.360 --> 00:21:29.880
 to do,

00:21:30.100 --> 00:21:31.240
 to take part in this mission?

00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:31.980
 Because we're afraid

00:21:31.980 --> 00:21:33.140
 that people will reject us

00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:33.779
 and won't like us.

00:21:33.840 --> 00:21:34.779
 We'd like to be liked.

00:21:38.019 --> 00:21:38.980
 But what's interesting here,

00:21:39.019 --> 00:21:39.279
 do you notice

00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.080
 what Jesus says?

00:21:40.840 --> 00:21:41.380
 The one

00:21:41.380 --> 00:21:43.800
 who rejects you

00:21:43.800 --> 00:21:45.400
 rejects me.

00:21:46.820 --> 00:21:47.240
 You know,

00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:47.620
 ultimately,

00:21:47.619 --> 00:21:48.279
 if we're sharing

00:21:48.279 --> 00:21:48.799
 the message

00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:49.579
 about Christ

00:21:49.579 --> 00:21:50.519
 prayerfully

00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:52.199
 and winsomely,

00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:54.839
 it's not ultimately

00:21:54.839 --> 00:21:55.479
 us

00:21:55.479 --> 00:21:56.639
 that's being rejected.

00:21:56.719 --> 00:21:57.259
 In some sense,

00:21:57.299 --> 00:21:57.679
 it is.

00:21:58.679 --> 00:21:59.459
 But ultimately,

00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:00.359
 it's Christ.

00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:04.339
 And that ought to take

00:22:04.339 --> 00:22:05.079
 some of the focus

00:22:05.079 --> 00:22:06.059
 off of ourselves,

00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:06.659
 I think,

00:22:07.179 --> 00:22:08.239
 when we're engaged

00:22:08.239 --> 00:22:09.179
 in just sharing Jesus

00:22:09.179 --> 00:22:09.939
 with our friends

00:22:09.939 --> 00:22:11.339
 and taking part

00:22:11.339 --> 00:22:12.159
 in this great mission.

00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:14.840
 that really Jesus

00:22:14.840 --> 00:22:15.660
 is at the center.

00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:18.960
 It should put our focus

00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:19.700
 back on Christ

00:22:19.700 --> 00:22:20.840
 and put our focus

00:22:20.840 --> 00:22:21.440
 back on those

00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.180
 whom we're loving

00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:22.800
 and those whom

00:22:22.800 --> 00:22:23.220
 we're serving

00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:23.600
 and those whom

00:22:23.600 --> 00:22:24.320
 we're trying to share

00:22:24.320 --> 00:22:25.519
 because the one

00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:27.140
 who rejects me

00:22:27.140 --> 00:22:27.820
 rejects him

00:22:27.820 --> 00:22:28.660
 who sent me.

00:22:30.040 --> 00:22:30.660
 It's interesting,

00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:31.460
 we get so focused

00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:33.000
 about this third thing

00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:34.040
 in the line.

00:22:34.380 --> 00:22:34.640
 Me,

00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:35.140
 oh,

00:22:35.320 --> 00:22:35.960
 rejecting me.

00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:36.779
 But we don't see

00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:37.360
 that they're rejecting

00:22:37.360 --> 00:22:38.300
 actually Christ.

00:22:38.620 --> 00:22:39.380
 They're actually rejecting

00:22:39.380 --> 00:22:40.500
 the one who sent Christ,

00:22:40.500 --> 00:22:41.059
 the Father,

00:22:41.180 --> 00:22:42.960
 the God of all creation.

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:45.259
 I think that will

00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:46.559
 de-center us a little bit

00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:47.519
 and help us to see

00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:48.140
 that there are bigger

00:22:48.140 --> 00:22:48.940
 things at stake here

00:22:48.940 --> 00:22:49.660
 than my own ego.

00:22:53.420 --> 00:22:54.460
 So stepping back then,

00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:56.039
 there's the first half

00:22:56.039 --> 00:22:57.660
 of our section

00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:59.579
 about the practice

00:22:59.579 --> 00:23:00.579
 of gospel mission,

00:23:00.660 --> 00:23:01.599
 of discipleship mission.

00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:03.240
 I think it's easy to,

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.299
 as we think about

00:23:04.299 --> 00:23:05.519
 our mission as disciples,

00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:06.140
 as we think about

00:23:06.140 --> 00:23:06.779
 our mission as a church,

00:23:06.779 --> 00:23:07.579
 it's really easy to feel

00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:08.319
 like we're falling short,

00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:08.619
 right?

00:23:08.859 --> 00:23:09.259
 I mean,

00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:10.019
 if we were to sort of

00:23:10.019 --> 00:23:10.980
 go around the sanctuary

00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:11.500
 and say like,

00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:11.660
 hey,

00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:12.660
 how'd you do in evangelism

00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:13.180
 this week?

00:23:13.619 --> 00:23:14.180
 Or let's talk about

00:23:14.180 --> 00:23:14.720
 spiritual disciplines.

00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:15.539
 How'd you do in Bible reading?

00:23:15.700 --> 00:23:15.960
 Great.

00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:16.539
 How'd you do in prayer?

00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:16.859
 Eh,

00:23:16.859 --> 00:23:17.359
 pretty good.

00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:18.480
 How'd you do in fasting?

00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:19.000
 What's that?

00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:20.420
 How'd you do in evangelism?

00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:21.000
 Oh,

00:23:21.160 --> 00:23:21.740
 then we all sort of

00:23:21.740 --> 00:23:22.680
 get embarrassed and quiet.

00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:25.559
 And I'm the same way,

00:23:25.619 --> 00:23:25.920
 right?

00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:27.839
 I wish I was much more bold

00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:28.720
 and much more winsome

00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.799
 and much more engaged

00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:31.019
 in sharing my faith

00:23:31.019 --> 00:23:31.639
 than I am right now.

00:23:31.660 --> 00:23:32.779
 I think we all feel like,

00:23:32.839 --> 00:23:33.039
 gosh,

00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:34.740
 I have so much to grow

00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:35.379
 in this area.

00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:38.639
 So what are some things

00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:40.180
 we can glean in for our own hearts

00:23:40.180 --> 00:23:42.100
 as we sort of come to this text

00:23:42.100 --> 00:23:43.300
 with that kind of realization?

00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:43.660
 Well,

00:23:43.860 --> 00:23:47.200
 I think some very straightforward things.

00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:49.060
 Jesus begins his instruction

00:23:49.060 --> 00:23:49.840
 to his disciples

00:23:49.840 --> 00:23:50.400
 by saying,

00:23:50.560 --> 00:23:50.740
 pray.

00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:53.960
 I mean,

00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:54.720
 he encourages them

00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:56.140
 that the harvest is plentiful,

00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:57.020
 but the labors are few.

00:23:57.180 --> 00:23:58.080
 Pray earnestly.

00:23:59.380 --> 00:23:59.660
 Pray.

00:23:59.660 --> 00:23:59.800
 Pray.

00:24:01.800 --> 00:24:02.580
 That should really be

00:24:02.580 --> 00:24:03.820
 the first step for all of us.

00:24:04.819 --> 00:24:05.939
 We think about the neighbors

00:24:05.939 --> 00:24:06.819
 that we wish we could have

00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:08.179
 spiritual conversations with,

00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:09.899
 or we think about our roommate

00:24:09.899 --> 00:24:11.879
 who just seems so far from the Lord.

00:24:12.639 --> 00:24:12.939
 Pray.

00:24:16.899 --> 00:24:17.500
 And second,

00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:17.960
 Jesus says,

00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:18.299
 go.

00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:19.519
 Go your way.

00:24:20.919 --> 00:24:21.639
 And then he says,

00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:22.720
 go where there's opportunity,

00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:23.359
 right?

00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:26.079
 If there's a son of peace there,

00:24:26.139 --> 00:24:27.259
 that's as if someone receives

00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:27.899
 your message,

00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:29.039
 you know,

00:24:29.559 --> 00:24:29.899
 it will rest.

00:24:29.960 --> 00:24:30.759
 I may have not returned to you.

00:24:31.059 --> 00:24:31.819
 Remain in the same house.

00:24:31.879 --> 00:24:32.019
 You know,

00:24:32.019 --> 00:24:33.680
 so if there's an opportunity there,

00:24:33.799 --> 00:24:34.119
 go.

00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:35.839
 Step out in faith.

00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:37.160
 See what happens.

00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:39.059
 Go where there's opportunity.

00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:40.879
 And as you go,

00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:41.839
 keep the main thing,

00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:42.400
 the main thing.

00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:43.000
 Verse five,

00:24:43.539 --> 00:24:45.059
 peace be to this house.

00:24:46.859 --> 00:24:49.599
 You don't have to answer

00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:51.440
 every single apologetic question

00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:52.839
 that's ever been devised

00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:54.359
 by every sort of thinking,

00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:55.480
 skeptical mind in the world,

00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:55.799
 right?

00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:57.460
 I think oftentimes

00:24:57.460 --> 00:24:58.759
 when I think about evangelism,

00:24:58.799 --> 00:24:59.119
 I think,

00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:00.839
 if I have a spiritual conversation

00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:01.220
 with this person,

00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:01.819
 they're going to ask me

00:25:01.819 --> 00:25:02.319
 all the questions

00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:03.220
 I don't know how to answer,

00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:03.980
 right?

00:25:04.299 --> 00:25:05.100
 They're going to be like

00:25:05.100 --> 00:25:07.420
 the most like hardcore,

00:25:07.940 --> 00:25:08.440
 doubtful,

00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:09.799
 skeptical person on the planet.

00:25:10.460 --> 00:25:10.700
 Friends,

00:25:10.740 --> 00:25:11.819
 most people are not that way.

00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:14.620
 And at the end of the day,

00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:16.519
 the message of peace

00:25:16.519 --> 00:25:19.000
 is the one that all our hearts want.

00:25:19.539 --> 00:25:20.779
 It's the one that we're all longing for.

00:25:23.660 --> 00:25:24.440
 And I think lastly,

00:25:24.539 --> 00:25:25.059
 just listen.

00:25:25.299 --> 00:25:26.299
 Just listen to people.

00:25:27.079 --> 00:25:28.000
 Pray and go

00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:28.880
 and keep the main thing

00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:29.620
 the main thing

00:25:29.620 --> 00:25:31.520
 and listen to what they're saying.

00:25:31.820 --> 00:25:32.780
 Listen to their questions.

00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:33.600
 Attend to them.

00:25:35.120 --> 00:25:36.580
 If you want some good books to read

00:25:36.580 --> 00:25:37.920
 that will help you

00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:38.700
 sort of think through

00:25:38.700 --> 00:25:39.960
 communicating the faith,

00:25:40.760 --> 00:25:42.560
 I think Tim Keller's

00:25:42.560 --> 00:25:43.520
 Reason for God is good.

00:25:44.560 --> 00:25:45.580
 I think C.S. Lewis'

00:25:45.740 --> 00:25:46.280
 Mere Christianity

00:25:46.280 --> 00:25:47.380
 is still pretty good.

00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:48.960
 Those are two that I think

00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:49.960
 get your juices flowing.

00:25:50.120 --> 00:25:51.400
 They're really written well

00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:52.760
 to explain Christianity

00:25:52.760 --> 00:25:54.460
 to those who are outside of the faith.

00:25:54.460 --> 00:25:55.840
 That will help you.

00:25:56.340 --> 00:25:57.000
 If you're looking for

00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:58.620
 a really simple gospel outline

00:25:58.620 --> 00:25:59.680
 that you can sort of digest

00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:00.240
 if you're thinking about,

00:26:00.319 --> 00:26:00.860
 man, I don't even know

00:26:00.860 --> 00:26:01.740
 what I would say.

00:26:02.600 --> 00:26:03.620
 Two Ways to Live

00:26:03.620 --> 00:26:04.980
 is a good gospel outline.

00:26:05.079 --> 00:26:05.740
 It's kind of long.

00:26:05.819 --> 00:26:06.539
 It's sort of detailed,

00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:07.180
 but that's okay.

00:26:07.840 --> 00:26:08.620
 I think we've got some

00:26:08.620 --> 00:26:09.579
 on the back back there.

00:26:11.100 --> 00:26:11.840
 Two Ways to Live

00:26:11.840 --> 00:26:12.539
 is a good sort of

00:26:12.539 --> 00:26:13.819
 simple gospel outline

00:26:13.819 --> 00:26:14.840
 that you can read

00:26:14.840 --> 00:26:15.440
 and pray over

00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:16.340
 and think about sharing

00:26:16.340 --> 00:26:16.819
 with someone.

00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:19.299
 So there's some resources

00:26:19.299 --> 00:26:20.019
 to think about.

00:26:21.059 --> 00:26:21.740
 So that's what we see

00:26:21.740 --> 00:26:22.440
 about the practice of mission.

00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:23.180
 Let's keep going

00:26:23.180 --> 00:26:23.900
 and let's look at

00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:24.539
 the heart of mission.

00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:26.299
 This is probably

00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:27.880
 one of my favorite parts

00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:28.480
 in this passage.

00:26:28.600 --> 00:26:30.200
 Look back at verse 17.

00:26:30.700 --> 00:26:32.400
 The 72 return with joy

00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:33.100
 saying,

00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:34.779
 Lord, even the demons

00:26:34.779 --> 00:26:35.620
 are subject to us

00:26:35.620 --> 00:26:36.360
 in your name.

00:26:36.820 --> 00:26:38.500
 So the disciples come back

00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:39.759
 and they have like

00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:41.840
 had a lot of ministry success.

00:26:42.340 --> 00:26:43.600
 Like they've gone out.

00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:44.460
 Who knows what they were thinking

00:26:44.460 --> 00:26:45.299
 when they went out.

00:26:45.539 --> 00:26:46.299
 Maybe this is going to work.

00:26:46.380 --> 00:26:47.299
 Maybe this isn't going to work.

00:26:47.500 --> 00:26:48.480
 They show up in the towns

00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:50.100
 and suddenly God shows up

00:26:50.100 --> 00:26:51.400
 and he starts doing stuff.

00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:53.380
 And they're sort of

00:26:53.380 --> 00:26:54.640
 seeing the exercise

00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:55.500
 of spiritual authority.

00:26:55.640 --> 00:26:56.200
 Even demons

00:26:56.200 --> 00:26:57.140
 are subject to his name.

00:26:57.559 --> 00:26:57.820
 You know?

00:26:58.059 --> 00:26:58.640
 They're coming back

00:26:58.640 --> 00:26:59.960
 like kids from the candy store.

00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:01.000
 Can you believe it?

00:27:03.480 --> 00:27:05.460
 And Jesus celebrates with them.

00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:06.600
 I saw Satan fall

00:27:06.600 --> 00:27:07.480
 like lightning from heaven.

00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:08.680
 High fives.

00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:09.900
 Okay?

00:27:12.120 --> 00:27:13.259
 I've given you authority

00:27:13.259 --> 00:27:14.120
 to tread on serpents

00:27:14.120 --> 00:27:14.640
 and scorpions

00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:16.420
 over forces of evil.

00:27:16.559 --> 00:27:18.080
 Jesus being metaphorically there.

00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:19.160
 And over all the power

00:27:19.160 --> 00:27:19.620
 of the enemy.

00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:20.539
 Nothing shall hurt you.

00:27:20.539 --> 00:27:20.779
 He's saying,

00:27:20.779 --> 00:27:21.819
 yes,

00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:23.720
 when you're with me,

00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:25.740
 that is the kind of confidence

00:27:25.740 --> 00:27:26.599
 you should have.

00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:29.960
 Nevertheless,

00:27:30.379 --> 00:27:31.000
 Jesus says,

00:27:31.859 --> 00:27:33.220
 nevertheless,

00:27:34.339 --> 00:27:36.740
 do not rejoice in this,

00:27:37.379 --> 00:27:38.139
 that the spirits

00:27:38.139 --> 00:27:39.019
 are subject to you,

00:27:39.720 --> 00:27:40.960
 but rejoice

00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:41.799
 that your names

00:27:41.799 --> 00:27:42.720
 are written in heaven.

00:27:44.399 --> 00:27:46.019
 There's an incredible principle

00:27:46.019 --> 00:27:46.799
 in this paragraph.

00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:49.379
 Jesus tells us emphatically

00:27:49.379 --> 00:27:51.720
 not to rejoice

00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:53.279
 in our ministry success,

00:27:53.819 --> 00:27:55.379
 but to rejoice

00:27:55.379 --> 00:27:55.839
 that our names

00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:56.659
 are written in heaven.

00:27:57.619 --> 00:27:59.819
 To find our joy,

00:28:00.259 --> 00:28:02.180
 our delight,

00:28:02.819 --> 00:28:05.480
 not in our performance,

00:28:06.039 --> 00:28:07.839
 not in how well

00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:09.119
 things have gone for us

00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:10.359
 in ministry or in mission,

00:28:10.839 --> 00:28:12.599
 not to make that

00:28:12.599 --> 00:28:13.539
 our heart's delight,

00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:16.879
 but to make the fact

00:28:16.879 --> 00:28:17.460
 that our names

00:28:17.460 --> 00:28:18.200
 are written in heaven

00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:18.779
 our hearts delight.

00:28:18.839 --> 00:28:19.500
 What does that mean

00:28:19.500 --> 00:28:20.039
 that our names

00:28:20.039 --> 00:28:20.740
 are written in heaven?

00:28:22.819 --> 00:28:23.399
 Well, it means

00:28:23.399 --> 00:28:24.460
 that God knows us

00:28:24.460 --> 00:28:26.980
 and God's justified us

00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:27.899
 and accepted us

00:28:27.899 --> 00:28:28.539
 and made us a part

00:28:28.539 --> 00:28:29.559
 of his family forever.

00:28:30.920 --> 00:28:31.940
 And how does that happen?

00:28:31.980 --> 00:28:32.539
 How do our names

00:28:32.539 --> 00:28:33.279
 get written in heaven?

00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:34.819
 Is it sort of like

00:28:34.819 --> 00:28:35.680
 an all-star list?

00:28:36.420 --> 00:28:36.720
 Okay,

00:28:37.220 --> 00:28:38.000
 Laura Takasugi,

00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:38.980
 10 converts,

00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:40.159
 she gets on the list.

00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:41.380
 No, right?

00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:42.700
 How do our names

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.740
 get written in heaven?

00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:46.600
 Not by our works,

00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:49.480
 but by his grace,

00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:51.820
 through faith as a gift.

00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:56.580
 When my children were born,

00:28:57.320 --> 00:28:59.120
 we had to fill out

00:28:59.120 --> 00:28:59.720
 this paperwork

00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:00.880
 for each one

00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:01.800
 to make sure they'd like

00:29:01.800 --> 00:29:02.740
 get a birth certificate

00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:04.360
 and get a social security card

00:29:04.360 --> 00:29:05.400
 and have a name

00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:06.279
 and all this sort of stuff.

00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.120
 So I'm assuming

00:29:08.120 --> 00:29:08.840
 that through all that,

00:29:08.900 --> 00:29:10.120
 their names are written down,

00:29:10.279 --> 00:29:10.680
 somewhere,

00:29:10.900 --> 00:29:11.779
 at City Hall

00:29:11.779 --> 00:29:12.279
 and their names

00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:13.200
 are written down somewhere

00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:14.519
 at the social security office.

00:29:15.460 --> 00:29:16.080
 And what they have

00:29:16.080 --> 00:29:16.720
 written down there

00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:17.519
 is that Jack and Claire

00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:17.900
 and Owen

00:29:17.900 --> 00:29:18.540
 are the children

00:29:18.540 --> 00:29:19.519
 of Nick and Beth Lauer,

00:29:19.640 --> 00:29:20.279
 born in New Haven,

00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:20.720
 Connecticut,

00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:21.540
 et cetera, et cetera.

00:29:22.980 --> 00:29:23.660
 And their names

00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:24.320
 were written down

00:29:24.320 --> 00:29:25.120
 before we really knew

00:29:25.120 --> 00:29:26.000
 anything about them.

00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:27.700
 You know,

00:29:27.800 --> 00:29:28.220
 we didn't even know

00:29:28.220 --> 00:29:29.019
 what color their eyes

00:29:29.019 --> 00:29:29.500
 were going to be.

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:30.900
 Before they'd done

00:29:30.900 --> 00:29:31.560
 anything good,

00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:32.519
 their names were written down

00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:33.080
 as our children.

00:29:34.779 --> 00:29:35.320
 And friend,

00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:36.500
 it's the same thing

00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:37.779
 spiritually with us.

00:29:37.779 --> 00:29:40.220
 when God redeems us

00:29:40.220 --> 00:29:41.119
 in Christ,

00:29:42.119 --> 00:29:43.339
 before we had done

00:29:43.339 --> 00:29:45.079
 anything good,

00:29:45.960 --> 00:29:47.799
 he writes our names down

00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:49.899
 permanently in heaven.

00:29:49.900 --> 00:29:52.920
 you belong to my family now.

00:29:56.100 --> 00:29:57.180
 And Jesus says,

00:29:57.280 --> 00:29:59.080
 rejoice in that.

00:29:59.080 --> 00:30:01.980
 Make that your joy.

00:30:01.980 --> 00:30:04.860
 In other words,

00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:06.059
 rejoice more

00:30:06.059 --> 00:30:06.900
 for what God

00:30:06.900 --> 00:30:08.420
 has done for me

00:30:08.420 --> 00:30:10.160
 rather than

00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:10.980
 what God might do

00:30:10.980 --> 00:30:11.500
 through me.

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:15.120
 Make my joy

00:30:15.120 --> 00:30:15.779
 more

00:30:15.779 --> 00:30:16.539
 that I'm

00:30:16.539 --> 00:30:17.920
 loved by God

00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:18.519
 in Christ

00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:19.539
 more than

00:30:19.539 --> 00:30:20.380
 that I'm used

00:30:20.380 --> 00:30:20.940
 by God

00:30:20.940 --> 00:30:21.599
 in Christ.

00:30:24.680 --> 00:30:25.620
 And what's the danger

00:30:25.620 --> 00:30:26.660
 if we get that mixed up?

00:30:26.779 --> 00:30:27.839
 Why is Jesus so adamant?

00:30:27.900 --> 00:30:28.039
 I mean,

00:30:28.079 --> 00:30:28.500
 he's kind of,

00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:30.279
 he's sort of raining

00:30:30.279 --> 00:30:30.980
 on their parade

00:30:30.980 --> 00:30:31.460
 right here.

00:30:31.980 --> 00:30:32.819
 Great!

00:30:33.360 --> 00:30:33.700
 But,

00:30:34.900 --> 00:30:35.740
 right?

00:30:36.500 --> 00:30:37.759
 What's the danger?

00:30:39.299 --> 00:30:39.660
 Well,

00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:40.640
 there's a massive danger

00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:42.380
 if we place

00:30:42.380 --> 00:30:43.559
 our worth

00:30:43.559 --> 00:30:44.500
 as disciples

00:30:44.500 --> 00:30:45.960
 in our success

00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:46.599
 in mission.

00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:48.500
 Because isn't that

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:49.819
 just another form

00:30:49.819 --> 00:30:51.599
 of self-salvation

00:30:51.599 --> 00:30:52.839
 and self-justification?

00:30:53.539 --> 00:30:54.779
 That my sort of

00:30:54.779 --> 00:30:55.900
 present,

00:30:56.559 --> 00:30:57.079
 subjective

00:30:57.079 --> 00:30:58.000
 joy

00:30:58.000 --> 00:30:59.039
 and peace

00:30:59.039 --> 00:30:59.779
 in the Lord

00:30:59.779 --> 00:31:00.900
 is based on something

00:31:00.900 --> 00:31:01.880
 that I do,

00:31:01.960 --> 00:31:02.600
 how well things

00:31:02.600 --> 00:31:02.980
 are going

00:31:02.980 --> 00:31:03.480
 in mission.

00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:06.980
 And if that's

00:31:06.980 --> 00:31:07.540
 the sort of

00:31:07.540 --> 00:31:09.180
 thing we're trying

00:31:09.180 --> 00:31:09.880
 to base

00:31:09.880 --> 00:31:10.980
 our joy on,

00:31:11.420 --> 00:31:12.840
 our stability on,

00:31:13.340 --> 00:31:15.100
 then we're just

00:31:15.100 --> 00:31:16.040
 going to ride

00:31:16.040 --> 00:31:16.940
 a rollercoaster

00:31:16.940 --> 00:31:18.019
 of up and down

00:31:18.019 --> 00:31:18.820
 when things are going

00:31:18.820 --> 00:31:19.740
 great in mission

00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:20.480
 and we had a really

00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:21.180
 good conversation

00:31:21.180 --> 00:31:21.880
 with our neighbor.

00:31:22.120 --> 00:31:22.920
 We're going to feel

00:31:22.920 --> 00:31:23.800
 awesome and we're going

00:31:23.800 --> 00:31:24.780
 to feel like we're doing it

00:31:24.780 --> 00:31:25.300
 and we're even going to

00:31:25.300 --> 00:31:26.080
 start to feel proud

00:31:26.080 --> 00:31:27.060
 because I did it.

00:31:27.059 --> 00:31:28.259
 But then when things

00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:29.440
 are going really bad,

00:31:30.200 --> 00:31:32.480
 maybe when we kind

00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:33.259
 of messed it up

00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:34.599
 with our co-worker

00:31:34.599 --> 00:31:35.919
 at the water cooler

00:31:35.919 --> 00:31:36.419
 or whatever,

00:31:37.179 --> 00:31:37.859
 said something

00:31:37.859 --> 00:31:38.839
 kind of awkward,

00:31:39.779 --> 00:31:40.139
 you know,

00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:41.079
 then we get out

00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:41.879
 despairing.

00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:43.440
 Ah, I blew it.

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:43.960
 They're never going

00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:44.259
 to come.

00:31:44.399 --> 00:31:45.500
 Ah, I'm such a failure.

00:31:46.059 --> 00:31:46.940
 Beat ourselves up.

00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:50.019
 Jesus says,

00:31:50.039 --> 00:31:50.399
 I don't want you

00:31:50.399 --> 00:31:51.339
 to ride that rollercoaster.

00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:52.179
 I want you to rejoice

00:31:52.179 --> 00:31:52.639
 that your names

00:31:52.639 --> 00:31:53.179
 are written in heaven.

00:31:53.299 --> 00:31:54.119
 Put your joy there.

00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:57.279
 Because the reality

00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:58.039
 is if we don't

00:31:58.039 --> 00:31:58.919
 put our joy there

00:31:58.919 --> 00:31:59.559
 and we put it

00:31:59.559 --> 00:32:00.899
 in our ministry success,

00:32:01.179 --> 00:32:02.000
 then what's going

00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:02.579
 to happen

00:32:02.579 --> 00:32:05.039
 is that our mission,

00:32:05.179 --> 00:32:05.839
 our ministry

00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:06.419
 is actually going

00:32:06.419 --> 00:32:07.439
 to be motivated

00:32:07.439 --> 00:32:09.539
 more by fear

00:32:09.539 --> 00:32:10.899
 than by love.

00:32:11.159 --> 00:32:12.159
 This is the other danger.

00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:15.439
 We're going to be

00:32:15.439 --> 00:32:16.979
 motivated by fear

00:32:16.979 --> 00:32:18.199
 that we're falling short.

00:32:18.419 --> 00:32:18.919
 And I better get

00:32:18.919 --> 00:32:19.699
 out there and do it.

00:32:20.779 --> 00:32:21.659
 Motivated by fear

00:32:21.659 --> 00:32:22.079
 that we're not

00:32:22.079 --> 00:32:23.079
 measuring up.

00:32:23.579 --> 00:32:24.099
 Oh, I'm not

00:32:24.099 --> 00:32:24.740
 as good as Christian

00:32:24.740 --> 00:32:25.179
 as this person.

00:32:25.240 --> 00:32:26.119
 I better get out there.

00:32:27.539 --> 00:32:28.339
 Motivated by fear

00:32:28.339 --> 00:32:29.039
 that we might be

00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:30.159
 losing God's favor.

00:32:33.159 --> 00:32:33.439
 And friends,

00:32:33.480 --> 00:32:34.500
 a mission motivated

00:32:34.500 --> 00:32:35.379
 by fear

00:32:35.379 --> 00:32:35.980
 is not going

00:32:35.980 --> 00:32:36.859
 to be a fruitful mission.

00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:38.359
 It's not going

00:32:38.359 --> 00:32:39.139
 to be winsome.

00:32:39.399 --> 00:32:40.059
 It's not going

00:32:40.059 --> 00:32:41.159
 to be glad.

00:32:41.919 --> 00:32:42.579
 It's not going

00:32:42.579 --> 00:32:43.439
 to be attractive.

00:32:46.399 --> 00:32:47.759
 But if we place

00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:48.959
 our joy,

00:32:49.019 --> 00:32:49.459
 if we place

00:32:49.459 --> 00:32:50.419
 our self-worth

00:32:50.419 --> 00:32:50.919
 in the fact

00:32:50.919 --> 00:32:51.459
 that our names

00:32:51.459 --> 00:32:52.539
 are written in heaven,

00:32:52.539 --> 00:32:53.659
 then,

00:32:53.659 --> 00:32:53.680
 then,

00:32:53.980 --> 00:32:55.599
 our mission

00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:55.819
 is going

00:32:55.819 --> 00:32:56.299
 to be motivated

00:32:56.299 --> 00:32:56.980
 by love.

00:32:59.559 --> 00:33:00.240
 Because we know

00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:01.059
 that God loves us.

00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:03.039
 Regardless of what we do.

00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:05.379
 Even if we stink

00:33:05.379 --> 00:33:06.139
 at evangelism,

00:33:06.500 --> 00:33:07.279
 God still loves us.

00:33:09.639 --> 00:33:11.000
 And then we can go out

00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:12.240
 just because we love

00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:12.899
 the other person.

00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:13.980
 Because we love God.

00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:14.039
 God.

00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:20.660
 And Jesus ends

00:33:20.660 --> 00:33:21.240
 his teaching

00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:23.099
 in this chapter

00:33:23.099 --> 00:33:23.960
 on mission,

00:33:24.059 --> 00:33:24.319
 anyway,

00:33:25.720 --> 00:33:26.480
 reinforcing

00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:27.019
 kind of this

00:33:27.019 --> 00:33:27.920
 joyful confidence

00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:28.680
 in two ways

00:33:28.680 --> 00:33:29.240
 in these last

00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:29.779
 two paragraphs

00:33:29.779 --> 00:33:30.539
 of our text.

00:33:30.839 --> 00:33:31.579
 Starting in verse 21

00:33:31.579 --> 00:33:32.599
 and in the second paragraph

00:33:32.599 --> 00:33:33.640
 starting in verse 23.

00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:35.779
 In verse 21,

00:33:36.980 --> 00:33:37.880
 it's very interesting.

00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:39.140
 In that same hour,

00:33:39.360 --> 00:33:39.960
 Luke says,

00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:41.599
 Jesus rejoiced

00:33:41.599 --> 00:33:42.500
 in the Holy Spirit.

00:33:44.619 --> 00:33:45.839
 It's one of the few times

00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:47.019
 where we're told

00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:48.419
 that Jesus rejoices

00:33:48.419 --> 00:33:50.159
 in the Bible.

00:33:51.219 --> 00:33:52.319
 Here is a window

00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:54.299
 into the joy

00:33:54.299 --> 00:33:55.059
 of our Savior.

00:33:56.279 --> 00:33:57.159
 And what is it?

00:33:57.219 --> 00:33:58.659
 What gives Christ joy?

00:34:00.879 --> 00:34:01.939
 That the Father

00:34:01.939 --> 00:34:02.779
 has revealed

00:34:02.779 --> 00:34:03.939
 these gospel truths

00:34:03.939 --> 00:34:04.759
 to his disciples.

00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:10.159
 And then in 22,

00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:11.079
 he kind of unpacks

00:34:11.079 --> 00:34:11.900
 that a little more.

00:34:12.619 --> 00:34:13.380
 And in 22,

00:34:13.539 --> 00:34:13.900
 we have this

00:34:13.900 --> 00:34:14.900
 incredible,

00:34:15.099 --> 00:34:16.019
 mind-blowing statement.

00:34:16.219 --> 00:34:16.900
 All things

00:34:16.900 --> 00:34:17.480
 have been handed over

00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:18.219
 to me and by my Father.

00:34:18.719 --> 00:34:19.719
 And no one knows

00:34:19.719 --> 00:34:20.099
 who the Son

00:34:20.099 --> 00:34:20.880
 is except the Father

00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:21.719
 or who the Father

00:34:21.719 --> 00:34:22.500
 is except the Son

00:34:22.500 --> 00:34:23.539
 and anyone to whom

00:34:23.539 --> 00:34:24.119
 the Son chooses

00:34:24.119 --> 00:34:24.880
 to reveal him.

00:34:25.860 --> 00:34:27.579
 That is a wild statement.

00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:28.739
 The problem is

00:34:28.739 --> 00:34:29.460
 that we're used

00:34:29.460 --> 00:34:30.039
 to reading the Bible.

00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:30.539
 So when we read

00:34:30.539 --> 00:34:31.059
 a verse like that,

00:34:31.099 --> 00:34:31.820
 it seems kind of familiar.

00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:33.699
 But when we look

00:34:33.699 --> 00:34:34.159
 at a verse like that

00:34:34.159 --> 00:34:34.699
 with fresh eyes,

00:34:34.699 --> 00:34:35.359
 you have to realize

00:34:35.359 --> 00:34:36.599
 that that is an insane

00:34:36.599 --> 00:34:37.319
 thing to say.

00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:39.659
 If I were to say

00:34:39.659 --> 00:34:42.619
 that Matt knows me

00:34:42.619 --> 00:34:44.279
 really well,

00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:45.460
 okay, that's fine.

00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:46.019
 We spend a lot

00:34:46.019 --> 00:34:46.579
 of time together.

00:34:47.299 --> 00:34:48.359
 But if I were to say

00:34:48.359 --> 00:34:50.019
 that the only one

00:34:50.019 --> 00:34:51.599
 who can really know me

00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:53.259
 because I'm so great

00:34:53.259 --> 00:34:54.179
 and so profound

00:34:54.179 --> 00:34:55.159
 and so awesome

00:34:55.159 --> 00:34:56.819
 is the Father,

00:34:57.819 --> 00:34:59.460
 what in the world

00:34:59.460 --> 00:35:00.319
 would I be saying?

00:35:00.320 --> 00:35:07.400
 these are the kind

00:35:07.400 --> 00:35:07.700
 of verses

00:35:07.700 --> 00:35:08.340
 that you expect

00:35:08.340 --> 00:35:08.900
 to find in the

00:35:08.900 --> 00:35:09.700
 Gospel of John,

00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:10.000
 right?

00:35:10.460 --> 00:35:11.320
 In the Gospel of John,

00:35:11.380 --> 00:35:12.100
 Jesus is always saying

00:35:12.100 --> 00:35:12.680
 stuff like this.

00:35:12.720 --> 00:35:13.640
 I've come from the Father.

00:35:13.740 --> 00:35:14.720
 I'm one with the Father.

00:35:14.980 --> 00:35:15.900
 Don't you get it?

00:35:16.720 --> 00:35:17.420
 And then sometimes

00:35:17.420 --> 00:35:18.019
 critical scholars

00:35:18.019 --> 00:35:18.340
 will say,

00:35:18.400 --> 00:35:19.080
 oh, Jesus never says

00:35:19.080 --> 00:35:19.559
 anything like that

00:35:19.559 --> 00:35:20.300
 in the synoptics.

00:35:20.840 --> 00:35:21.360
 And then we've got

00:35:21.360 --> 00:35:22.000
 verses like this

00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:22.920
 that just blast

00:35:22.920 --> 00:35:23.760
 right out of the page.

00:35:23.760 --> 00:35:24.840
 As stark

00:35:24.840 --> 00:35:26.220
 and as clear

00:35:26.220 --> 00:35:26.820
 of a statement

00:35:26.820 --> 00:35:28.059
 of Jesus' high

00:35:28.059 --> 00:35:30.340
 identity with God

00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:31.620
 as we find anywhere

00:35:31.620 --> 00:35:32.700
 in the Gospel of John.

00:35:33.260 --> 00:35:34.500
 Jesus himself saying,

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:36.500
 no one knows

00:35:36.500 --> 00:35:37.120
 who the Son is

00:35:37.120 --> 00:35:37.880
 except the Father

00:35:37.880 --> 00:35:38.600
 or who the Father

00:35:38.600 --> 00:35:39.480
 is except the Son.

00:35:43.180 --> 00:35:44.160
 Now why does that

00:35:44.160 --> 00:35:45.380
 bring Jesus joy

00:35:45.380 --> 00:35:47.640
 in anyone to whom

00:35:47.640 --> 00:35:48.420
 the Son chooses

00:35:48.420 --> 00:35:49.240
 to reveal him?

00:35:51.059 --> 00:35:52.360
 I think in the context

00:35:52.360 --> 00:35:53.480
 of thinking about mission

00:35:53.480 --> 00:35:54.600
 and our joy,

00:35:54.840 --> 00:35:55.500
 and mission,

00:35:55.620 --> 00:35:56.440
 the heart of mission,

00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:57.700
 what Jesus is saying here

00:35:57.700 --> 00:35:58.400
 is that look,

00:35:59.039 --> 00:35:59.780
 I'm the one

00:35:59.780 --> 00:36:00.500
 who's at the center.

00:36:01.000 --> 00:36:01.900
 What matters

00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:03.019
 in all of this

00:36:03.019 --> 00:36:04.700
 is knowing me.

00:36:05.000 --> 00:36:06.539
 Knowing the Father

00:36:06.539 --> 00:36:07.380
 through the Son

00:36:07.380 --> 00:36:08.640
 because the Son

00:36:08.640 --> 00:36:09.140
 has chosen

00:36:09.140 --> 00:36:09.880
 to reveal it to you.

00:36:09.960 --> 00:36:11.100
 That's what it's all about.

00:36:11.780 --> 00:36:12.680
 Knowing God.

00:36:14.640 --> 00:36:15.519
 Not performing.

00:36:17.579 --> 00:36:18.539
 John 17, 3 says,

00:36:18.980 --> 00:36:19.340
 Jesus says,

00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:20.460
 this is eternal life

00:36:20.460 --> 00:36:21.760
 that they know you,

00:36:21.820 --> 00:36:22.579
 the only true God

00:36:22.579 --> 00:36:23.300
 in Jesus Christ

00:36:23.300 --> 00:36:24.059
 whom you have sent.

00:36:25.500 --> 00:36:27.380
 This knowledge,

00:36:27.519 --> 00:36:28.400
 this fellowship

00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:29.640
 that we have with God,

00:36:29.940 --> 00:36:30.820
 with the Father,

00:36:31.000 --> 00:36:31.860
 through the Son,

00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:34.920
 that's what brings Christ joy.

00:36:35.019 --> 00:36:36.039
 That that has sort of

00:36:36.039 --> 00:36:37.000
 broken up.

00:36:37.740 --> 00:36:39.920
 That the vertical axis

00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:40.880
 between us and God

00:36:40.880 --> 00:36:42.019
 has been split open

00:36:42.019 --> 00:36:43.280
 and there's fellowship now

00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:44.100
 between us

00:36:44.100 --> 00:36:46.400
 because the Son

00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:46.840
 has chosen

00:36:46.840 --> 00:36:47.820
 to make it happen.

00:36:47.820 --> 00:36:50.660
 second thing

00:36:50.660 --> 00:36:51.559
 that Jesus points us to

00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:52.320
 in verse 23

00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:55.160
 is that what the disciples

00:36:55.160 --> 00:36:56.400
 are seeing and hearing

00:36:56.400 --> 00:36:57.340
 is the climax

00:36:57.340 --> 00:36:59.220
 of the Old Testament.

00:37:00.680 --> 00:37:01.539
 That everything

00:37:01.539 --> 00:37:02.640
 that God had been doing

00:37:02.640 --> 00:37:03.900
 horizontally in history

00:37:03.900 --> 00:37:05.380
 is coming to its

00:37:05.380 --> 00:37:07.559
 point of climax

00:37:07.559 --> 00:37:08.900
 right now.

00:37:11.200 --> 00:37:11.620
 Interesting.

00:37:11.619 --> 00:37:12.079
 I tell you,

00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:13.199
 many prophets and kings

00:37:13.199 --> 00:37:13.839
 desire to see

00:37:13.839 --> 00:37:14.480
 what you see.

00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:18.199
 David wanted to see

00:37:18.199 --> 00:37:19.039
 what we see.

00:37:20.759 --> 00:37:22.119
 Solomon wanted to see

00:37:22.119 --> 00:37:23.519
 what we see.

00:37:24.539 --> 00:37:25.099
 Isaiah,

00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:26.059
 Jeremiah,

00:37:26.980 --> 00:37:27.460
 Ezekiel.

00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:28.639
 Scott and I were talking

00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:29.099
 about Ezekiel

00:37:29.099 --> 00:37:29.859
 before the service.

00:37:30.299 --> 00:37:31.319
 And the amazing thing,

00:37:31.359 --> 00:37:32.279
 you remember what Ezekiel saw

00:37:32.279 --> 00:37:33.299
 in Ezekiel chapter 1?

00:37:34.420 --> 00:37:35.599
 He saw a representation

00:37:35.599 --> 00:37:36.659
 of the glory

00:37:36.659 --> 00:37:37.980
 of God itself.

00:37:37.980 --> 00:37:40.039
 And it kind of freaked

00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:40.380
 him out.

00:37:42.679 --> 00:37:43.539
 And yet,

00:37:43.699 --> 00:37:44.400
 Jesus says,

00:37:44.920 --> 00:37:46.440
 all of them

00:37:46.440 --> 00:37:47.480
 were wanting to see

00:37:47.480 --> 00:37:48.679
 what you see

00:37:48.679 --> 00:37:52.019
 and hear what you hear.

00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:54.579
 The great fulfillment

00:37:54.579 --> 00:37:55.639
 of all these promises.

00:37:56.760 --> 00:37:57.940
 The glory of God revealed

00:37:57.940 --> 00:37:59.679
 and his saving work done.

00:38:04.619 --> 00:38:05.159
 So friends,

00:38:05.219 --> 00:38:05.880
 this is the heart

00:38:05.880 --> 00:38:07.059
 of our gospel mission.

00:38:07.059 --> 00:38:08.039
 That our names

00:38:08.039 --> 00:38:08.679
 are written in heaven.

00:38:09.119 --> 00:38:10.219
 That the Son reveals

00:38:10.219 --> 00:38:10.599
 the Father

00:38:10.599 --> 00:38:11.579
 and we can know him.

00:38:12.360 --> 00:38:13.759
 And that that long story

00:38:13.759 --> 00:38:14.480
 of the Old Testament

00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:15.820
 has come to its climax

00:38:15.820 --> 00:38:16.659
 and we're living

00:38:16.659 --> 00:38:17.400
 in the midst of it.

00:38:18.820 --> 00:38:19.659
 And to just end,

00:38:19.719 --> 00:38:20.380
 I think if we take

00:38:20.380 --> 00:38:21.159
 these things to heart,

00:38:22.239 --> 00:38:23.179
 we'll at least

00:38:23.179 --> 00:38:23.960
 have three results.

00:38:25.420 --> 00:38:26.219
 I think if we really

00:38:26.219 --> 00:38:29.039
 sort of push down

00:38:29.039 --> 00:38:29.619
 on these things

00:38:29.619 --> 00:38:30.820
 that Jesus points us to here,

00:38:30.860 --> 00:38:31.619
 if we really take them

00:38:31.619 --> 00:38:31.980
 to heart,

00:38:32.320 --> 00:38:32.960
 I think that's going

00:38:32.960 --> 00:38:33.559
 to give us first

00:38:33.559 --> 00:38:34.340
 a lot of freedom

00:38:34.340 --> 00:38:35.440
 in our mission.

00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:37.139
 when we know

00:38:37.139 --> 00:38:38.440
 that our place

00:38:38.440 --> 00:38:39.300
 in God's family

00:38:39.300 --> 00:38:39.980
 isn't based

00:38:39.980 --> 00:38:41.420
 on our ministry productivity,

00:38:41.980 --> 00:38:43.599
 suddenly we're free.

00:38:43.700 --> 00:38:44.400
 It frees us

00:38:44.400 --> 00:38:45.000
 from the burden

00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:45.920
 and the guilt.

00:38:48.320 --> 00:38:48.679
 Second,

00:38:48.760 --> 00:38:49.240
 I think it gives us

00:38:49.240 --> 00:38:50.000
 a lot of confidence.

00:38:51.380 --> 00:38:52.019
 The Son

00:38:52.019 --> 00:38:52.760
 has revealed the Father.

00:38:52.860 --> 00:38:54.659
 Jesus is very clear there.

00:38:55.179 --> 00:38:55.980
 I'm the one

00:38:55.980 --> 00:38:56.800
 who reveals the Father

00:38:56.800 --> 00:38:57.220
 to people.

00:38:57.559 --> 00:38:58.079
 I'm the one

00:38:58.079 --> 00:38:59.039
 who chooses to do it.

00:38:59.039 --> 00:39:01.639
 The Son

00:39:01.639 --> 00:39:02.500
 has revealed the Father

00:39:02.500 --> 00:39:03.099
 and the reason

00:39:03.099 --> 00:39:04.239
 that gives us confidence

00:39:04.239 --> 00:39:04.679
 in mission

00:39:04.679 --> 00:39:05.500
 is because the Son

00:39:05.500 --> 00:39:06.679
 continues to reveal

00:39:06.679 --> 00:39:07.159
 the Father.

00:39:08.259 --> 00:39:09.179
 It's not ultimately

00:39:09.179 --> 00:39:10.400
 my words or your words

00:39:10.400 --> 00:39:11.039
 that's going to change

00:39:11.039 --> 00:39:11.699
 someone's heart.

00:39:12.039 --> 00:39:12.860
 It's God's work.

00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:15.019
 I'm just the messenger.

00:39:16.779 --> 00:39:17.800
 And Jesus is faithful.

00:39:19.099 --> 00:39:20.159
 He loves the lost

00:39:20.159 --> 00:39:21.300
 and he's going

00:39:21.300 --> 00:39:22.300
 to accomplish his work.

00:39:23.940 --> 00:39:24.519
 This is going to give us

00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:25.159
 a lot of confidence

00:39:25.159 --> 00:39:25.679
 in mission

00:39:25.679 --> 00:39:26.659
 if we take these things

00:39:26.659 --> 00:39:26.960
 to heart.

00:39:26.960 --> 00:39:27.900
 And last,

00:39:27.940 --> 00:39:28.519
 I think this gives us

00:39:28.519 --> 00:39:29.240
 a lot of excitement

00:39:29.240 --> 00:39:29.740
 in mission.

00:39:30.920 --> 00:39:31.880
 To know

00:39:31.880 --> 00:39:33.780
 that what's happening

00:39:33.780 --> 00:39:35.460
 through Christ

00:39:35.460 --> 00:39:36.740
 in the church,

00:39:36.880 --> 00:39:37.960
 the kingdom advanced

00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:39.019
 to all nations,

00:39:39.340 --> 00:39:40.960
 that this is what history

00:39:40.960 --> 00:39:42.679
 has been waiting for.

00:39:43.679 --> 00:39:44.380
 That this is what

00:39:44.380 --> 00:39:45.179
 God's history

00:39:45.179 --> 00:39:46.480
 has been leading to.

00:39:47.260 --> 00:39:48.659
 And this is the trajectory

00:39:48.659 --> 00:39:49.820
 into the new heavens

00:39:49.820 --> 00:39:50.519
 and the new earth.

00:39:51.920 --> 00:39:52.980
 That the rightful

00:39:52.980 --> 00:39:53.579
 King and Savior

00:39:53.579 --> 00:39:54.179
 is here.

00:39:54.599 --> 00:39:55.059
 That the one

00:39:55.059 --> 00:39:55.820
 who can restore

00:39:55.820 --> 00:39:56.500
 our hearts

00:39:56.500 --> 00:39:57.559
 and reconcile us

00:39:57.559 --> 00:39:58.059
 to God

00:39:58.059 --> 00:39:58.900
 and to one another

00:39:58.900 --> 00:40:00.099
 has come.

00:40:02.119 --> 00:40:02.679
 And that should

00:40:02.679 --> 00:40:03.639
 give us excitement.

00:40:05.019 --> 00:40:05.860
 That we're not

00:40:05.860 --> 00:40:06.920
 just trying to convince

00:40:06.920 --> 00:40:07.780
 people to believe

00:40:07.780 --> 00:40:08.880
 something that we believe.

00:40:10.179 --> 00:40:11.019
 We're beckoning

00:40:11.019 --> 00:40:11.900
 them into life.

00:40:12.440 --> 00:40:13.119
 We're beckoning

00:40:13.119 --> 00:40:13.820
 them into the thing

00:40:13.820 --> 00:40:14.940
 that God made them for.

00:40:16.699 --> 00:40:17.519
 And that ought to be

00:40:17.519 --> 00:40:17.840
 thrilling

00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:18.460
 and that ought to be

00:40:18.460 --> 00:40:18.920
 exciting.

00:40:20.079 --> 00:40:20.780
 Because ultimately

00:40:20.780 --> 00:40:21.739
 mission is just that.

00:40:21.820 --> 00:40:22.599
 It's an overflow

00:40:22.599 --> 00:40:23.260
 of joy.

00:40:23.260 --> 00:40:23.320
 joy.

00:40:25.820 --> 00:40:26.380
 You know,

00:40:26.420 --> 00:40:27.140
 you see it here

00:40:27.140 --> 00:40:27.980
 that Jesus

00:40:27.980 --> 00:40:29.300
 sends out the church

00:40:29.300 --> 00:40:31.480
 just like the Father

00:40:31.480 --> 00:40:32.440
 sent him out.

00:40:33.680 --> 00:40:35.120
 The sending of the Son

00:40:35.120 --> 00:40:36.160
 results in the sending

00:40:36.160 --> 00:40:37.300
 of us as his disciples.

00:40:37.580 --> 00:40:38.440
 And why did the Father

00:40:38.440 --> 00:40:39.120
 send the Son?

00:40:39.540 --> 00:40:40.400
 Why did Jesus

00:40:40.400 --> 00:40:41.620
 go to the cross

00:40:41.620 --> 00:40:42.900
 and endure all that shame?

00:40:44.400 --> 00:40:44.840
 Hebrews says,

00:40:44.940 --> 00:40:46.120
 for the joy set before him.

00:40:47.240 --> 00:40:49.100
 It was a mission of joy

00:40:49.100 --> 00:40:51.520
 that sent the Son out.

00:40:51.519 --> 00:40:52.960
 That's why he's rejoicing.

00:40:53.500 --> 00:40:54.380
 Because the disciples

00:40:54.380 --> 00:40:55.300
 are finally starting

00:40:55.300 --> 00:40:56.039
 to see it.

00:40:57.360 --> 00:40:58.179
 That their relationship

00:40:58.179 --> 00:40:58.880
 with the Father

00:40:58.880 --> 00:40:59.480
 has been healed

00:40:59.480 --> 00:41:00.079
 through the Son.

00:41:00.500 --> 00:41:01.400
 And they can take part

00:41:01.400 --> 00:41:02.119
 in sharing that news

00:41:02.119 --> 00:41:02.639
 with everybody.

00:41:05.019 --> 00:41:06.059
 Well, let's pray together.

00:41:08.900 --> 00:41:09.940
 Father, we're so grateful

00:41:09.940 --> 00:41:10.940
 that you not just

00:41:10.940 --> 00:41:12.019
 call us to yourself.

00:41:13.039 --> 00:41:13.679
 But Lord,

00:41:13.739 --> 00:41:14.780
 you give us a place

00:41:14.780 --> 00:41:15.380
 in your kingdom

00:41:15.380 --> 00:41:16.000
 and you give us

00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:17.000
 a purpose and a mission.

00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:18.880
 Lord, we confess

00:41:18.880 --> 00:41:19.699
 the ways in which

00:41:19.699 --> 00:41:21.480
 we've been scared

00:41:21.480 --> 00:41:22.219
 or been fearful

00:41:22.219 --> 00:41:23.859
 to share with others

00:41:23.859 --> 00:41:24.899
 the news about you.

00:41:25.480 --> 00:41:26.339
 Lord, we thank you

00:41:26.339 --> 00:41:26.960
 for the confidence

00:41:26.960 --> 00:41:27.759
 that we have

00:41:27.759 --> 00:41:29.480
 that you're a good God

00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:30.659
 who loves your children

00:41:30.659 --> 00:41:32.000
 and you love the lost.

00:41:33.099 --> 00:41:33.639
 And Lord,

00:41:33.679 --> 00:41:34.739
 we need not fear rejection

00:41:34.739 --> 00:41:35.939
 or alienation.

00:41:37.399 --> 00:41:38.379
 Lord, because

00:41:38.379 --> 00:41:40.339
 ultimately,

00:41:41.339 --> 00:41:43.119
 God, the joy

00:41:43.119 --> 00:41:44.119
 of seeing others know you

00:41:44.119 --> 00:41:44.879
 is greater than

00:41:44.879 --> 00:41:46.439
 the potential loss

00:41:46.440 --> 00:41:47.900
 of perhaps experiencing

00:41:47.900 --> 00:41:50.159
 rejection or alienation

00:41:50.159 --> 00:41:51.059
 or not being liked.

00:41:51.340 --> 00:41:52.220
 Lord, I pray that those

00:41:52.220 --> 00:41:52.880
 things would well up

00:41:52.880 --> 00:41:53.480
 in our hearts,

00:41:54.099 --> 00:41:55.099
 that we would bring

00:41:55.099 --> 00:41:55.559
 our neighbors

00:41:55.559 --> 00:41:56.280
 and our coworkers

00:41:56.280 --> 00:41:56.860
 and our friends

00:41:56.860 --> 00:41:57.880
 before you in prayer

00:41:57.880 --> 00:41:58.220
 and God,

00:41:58.260 --> 00:41:59.340
 that you would draw them

00:41:59.340 --> 00:42:00.599
 to yourself by your spirit.

00:42:01.679 --> 00:42:02.280
 Help us, Lord,

00:42:02.300 --> 00:42:02.780
 to be faithful

00:42:02.780 --> 00:42:03.300
 in this mission,

00:42:03.380 --> 00:42:03.700
 we pray.

00:42:04.420 --> 00:42:04.700
 Amen.

00:42:07.000 --> 00:42:07.519
 Friends, we're going

00:42:07.519 --> 00:42:08.159
 to sing one song

00:42:08.159 --> 00:42:09.599
 in response to close.

00:42:10.179 --> 00:42:11.019
 So let's stand

00:42:11.019 --> 00:42:12.039
 and let's respond

00:42:12.039 --> 00:42:12.639
 and let's sing together.

00:42:12.639 --> 00:42:12.700
 Amen.

00:42:12.700 --> 00:42:12.900
 Amen.