WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.080 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.540 --> 00:00:09.519 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:15.419 redistribution, or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.419 --> 00:00:22.620 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:36.320 Today's scripture reading is from the Gospel according to Mark, chapters 1 and 6 as printed in the liturgy. 00:00:37.259 --> 00:00:42.380 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:48.620 The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news. 00:00:49.019 --> 00:00:56.159 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 00:00:56.159 --> 00:01:01.019 Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people. 00:01:01.719 --> 00:01:04.019 At once they left their nets and followed him. 00:01:04.579 --> 00:01:10.219 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 00:01:10.759 --> 00:01:16.019 Without delay, he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. 00:01:17.299 --> 00:01:20.379 Then Jesus went around, teaching from village to village. 00:01:20.379 --> 00:01:27.019 Calling the twelve to him, he began to send them out, two by two, and gave them authority over impure spirits. 00:01:27.579 --> 00:01:28.599 These were his instructions. 00:01:29.379 --> 00:01:31.599 Take nothing for the journey, except a staff. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:34.739 No bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 00:01:35.420 --> 00:01:37.379 Wear sandals, but not an extra shirt. 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:41.359 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 00:01:41.799 --> 00:01:48.359 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place, and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them. 00:01:48.359 --> 00:01:51.319 They went out and preached that people should repent. 00:01:51.819 --> 00:01:55.900 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. 00:01:56.560 --> 00:02:00.700 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to them all they had done and taught. 00:02:01.319 --> 00:02:05.359 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:06.379 he said to them, 00:02:06.599 --> 00:02:10.000 Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:13.819 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 00:02:13.819 --> 00:02:19.379 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 00:02:19.699 --> 00:02:25.099 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. 00:02:25.500 --> 00:02:27.620 So he began teaching them many things. 00:02:28.239 --> 00:02:30.019 By this time, it was late in the day. 00:02:30.379 --> 00:02:31.699 So his disciples came to him. 00:02:32.099 --> 00:02:35.240 This is a remote place, they said, and it's already very late. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:41.280 Send the people away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat. 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:43.979 But he answered, You give them something to eat. 00:02:44.379 --> 00:02:48.740 They said to him, That would take more than half a year's wages. 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:52.259 Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat? 00:02:52.639 --> 00:02:54.500 How many loaves do you have? he asked. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:55.439 Go and see. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:59.099 When they found out, they said, Five and two fish. 00:02:59.800 --> 00:03:04.020 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 00:03:04.020 --> 00:03:08.000 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 00:03:08.420 --> 00:03:14.100 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. 00:03:14.500 --> 00:03:17.460 Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. 00:03:18.180 --> 00:03:20.660 He also divided the two fish among them all. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:22.879 They all ate and were satisfied. 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:27.260 And the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 00:03:27.620 --> 00:03:30.160 The number of men who had eaten was five thousand. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:37.240 Immediately, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida while he dismissed the crowd. 00:03:37.939 --> 00:03:41.079 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:43.259 This is the Gospel of the Lord. 00:03:43.979 --> 00:03:45.519 Praise to you, Lord Christ. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:48.319 Good morning, Christ Church. 00:03:48.500 --> 00:03:52.340 We continue today in the Gospel of Mark. 00:03:52.340 --> 00:04:04.340 And what we've seen so far, as we've been preaching this over the past month, is that the Jesus-shaped life is an up, in, and out life. 00:04:04.420 --> 00:04:07.780 And hopefully, you brought your binoculars today so you can see this. 00:04:07.819 --> 00:04:09.319 You can come take a picture of it afterwards. 00:04:09.420 --> 00:04:14.480 This is what we've been talking about the past few weeks, that Jesus had this three-dimensional life. 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:24.159 And these three great loves, these three great priorities, that he was up with his father, he was in with his disciples, and he was out with the crowds. 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:28.680 And wherever Jesus went, he built community in these three particular ways. 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:35.259 And this forms the essential pattern of our life together if we want to live as a community of Jesus' followers. 00:04:35.259 --> 00:04:49.399 And so we've just been filling out this framework week by week, and we've seen that from these larger crowds, Jesus gathered a smaller group of disciples who would live with him in a deeply committed, covenantal relationship. 00:04:50.099 --> 00:04:56.519 Not only to know what he knew, but to learn how to do what he did, and ultimately to become like Jesus himself. 00:04:56.519 --> 00:05:05.919 And it was this way of Jesus that was getting passed on, not just to the first disciples, but generation after generation of disciples. 00:05:06.479 --> 00:05:10.639 It was in this way that the early church turned the world upside down. 00:05:11.740 --> 00:05:15.859 Disciples came to share in this pattern of Jesus' life. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:20.159 They became conformed to the shape of his three loves and his priorities. 00:05:20.299 --> 00:05:23.539 They saw in Jesus his own up with the father. 00:05:23.540 --> 00:05:31.460 They saw that he had these predictable patterns and healthy habits and life-giving rhythms of daily prayer and weekly Sabbath and regular retreats. 00:05:31.500 --> 00:05:33.600 And they said, we're going to start to do that too. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:40.879 And they saw in Jesus that he had this in with disciples, that he took spiritual responsibility for a few people. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:44.720 He began investing in them and life-on-life mentoring. 00:05:45.180 --> 00:05:53.300 And he began to replicate his own DNA in them so that they could turn around to other people and say, come imitate me as I imitate Christ. 00:05:54.260 --> 00:05:59.439 And people started to do that themselves with new disciples and calling other people to do the same. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:02.700 And then they saw Jesus out with the crowds. 00:06:02.819 --> 00:06:08.480 How he was going around talking about this message of the kingdom of God, the rule and the reign of God. 00:06:08.520 --> 00:06:11.780 And he was calling people to repent and to believe the gospel. 00:06:11.780 --> 00:06:15.740 He was calling people to come follow me and I'll send you out to fish for people. 00:06:15.740 --> 00:06:25.180 He was telling them, we saw two weeks ago, about his power and his authority, as he said, to come and bind up the strong man and to plunder his house. 00:06:25.180 --> 00:06:34.720 And so, as people saw this life that Jesus was living, they took on this life, this Jesus-shaped life of up, in and out. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:42.740 And I want us to know that this is Jesus' design and this is Jesus' calling for our lives as well. 00:06:43.380 --> 00:06:52.440 That from this up relationship with the Father that we enjoy, and from this in with other disciples, where we're getting mentored and we're getting training, 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:57.199 that we're being empowered to go out in service of others in Jesus' name. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:03.000 That we're being filled up in order that we might be poured out for the sake of others. 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:09.759 And I just want to take some time today to kind of dive a little bit deeper into this dimension of being out with the crowds. 00:07:10.779 --> 00:07:15.379 And here's my thesis statement, my golden thread for today. 00:07:16.300 --> 00:07:21.699 Is that Jesus sends us out to fish for people, show and tell God's kingdom. 00:07:22.439 --> 00:07:23.959 And give out of his abundance. 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:31.319 Jesus sends us out to fish for people, show and tell God's kingdom, and give out of his abundance. 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:35.259 First of all, Jesus sends us out to fish for people. 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:39.620 And he models what this fishing looks like with Peter, Andrew, James, and John. 00:07:39.659 --> 00:07:48.779 If you look at Mark chapter 1, verse 16, it says that Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw Simon, Peter, and his brother Andrew, 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:51.399 casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:55.719 And he said, come follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people. 00:07:56.739 --> 00:08:00.899 Now, was this the first time they'd ever heard of Jesus or seen Jesus? 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:06.519 No, in the Gospel of John, we learn that Andrew is the one who first met Jesus. 00:08:06.659 --> 00:08:08.759 And then he went and told his brother, Peter. 00:08:08.859 --> 00:08:10.599 He said, hey, we found the Messiah. 00:08:10.719 --> 00:08:12.560 And he brought Peter to Jesus. 00:08:12.739 --> 00:08:16.739 And they began listening to Jesus and his message that he was proclaiming. 00:08:16.740 --> 00:08:19.759 And what exactly was Jesus' message? 00:08:19.960 --> 00:08:21.600 Well, look at verse 14. 00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:25.680 It says that he's going into Galilee, and he's proclaiming the good news of God. 00:08:26.199 --> 00:08:29.040 The time has come, he said, the kingdom of God has come near. 00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:31.840 Repent and believe in the good news. 00:08:31.900 --> 00:08:39.019 And that word good news in the Greek is evangelion, the evangel, where we get the word evangelist and evangelism. 00:08:39.560 --> 00:08:40.860 And what does that word mean? 00:08:40.860 --> 00:08:43.720 Well, it means to bring news of joy. 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:47.960 And this originally was not a religious word. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:49.240 This was a political word. 00:08:50.180 --> 00:08:52.740 It meant something beyond just the daily news. 00:08:52.860 --> 00:09:04.419 It meant history-making, life-changing news, like the birth of a king or the coronation of the king or some sort of military victory. 00:09:04.419 --> 00:09:14.299 And if the king's army won a battle, they would send out heralds, they would send out evangelists with this good news. 00:09:14.419 --> 00:09:21.899 And they would go around and tell people, look, we fought for you, we won for you, and now you are no longer slaves, but you're free. 00:09:23.139 --> 00:09:27.500 That was the kind of evangel that was happening in the ancient world. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:31.159 It's this event that happens that changes everything for our lives. 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:40.259 And the evangelist, the kind of news that makes people dance in the streets and hug complete strangers, it's that joy producing. 00:09:41.419 --> 00:09:50.480 And if you're hearing Jesus and you're hearing his message and it's not the best news that you've ever heard, then you've not yet understood it. 00:09:51.199 --> 00:09:55.220 Or at least we're not doing a very good job of describing it to you. 00:09:55.220 --> 00:10:04.279 Jesus says in verse 15, the time has come, the kingdom of God has come near, repent and believe the good news. 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:08.019 He says the decisive moment has now arrived. 00:10:08.160 --> 00:10:15.240 God has made promise after promise that he's going to send his king, beginning with that great mother promise in Genesis 3.15. 00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:20.240 That the seed of the woman will come and crush the head of the serpent. 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:22.500 And promise after promise after promise after promise. 00:10:24.060 --> 00:10:31.139 And Jesus is saying now, in this moment, God is establishing his kingship and his kingdom through me. 00:10:31.299 --> 00:10:39.399 The time has come for God to invade history and transform the alienation and the rebellion of human beings against God. 00:10:39.460 --> 00:10:43.980 And he sent me as the king to come and secure your salvation. 00:10:43.980 --> 00:10:47.720 And notice that this is not good advice. 00:10:48.620 --> 00:10:49.779 It's good news. 00:10:50.980 --> 00:10:54.960 Jesus is not telling us what we must do to be saved. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:11:00.840 He's telling us what is being done and what is being accomplished for us by Jesus himself. 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:04.340 To come and live the life that we were designed to live. 00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:07.300 To come and die the death that we deserve to die. 00:11:07.420 --> 00:11:13.360 And as Peter, Andrew, James, and John are listening to Jesus proclaiming the gospel for the first time. 00:11:13.980 --> 00:11:16.379 As they're hearing Jesus' news. 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:22.860 That God has sent his king to carry out events in history for you and in your place. 00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:26.259 That will change your lives and your status before God forever. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:31.800 These four men feel this joy to start welling up in their hearts. 00:11:32.980 --> 00:11:35.279 And then they hear Jesus say these words. 00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:36.680 Repent. 00:11:37.700 --> 00:11:38.620 Believe the gospel. 00:11:39.420 --> 00:11:40.259 And follow me. 00:11:40.259 --> 00:11:41.259 Repent. 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:42.319 Repent. 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:43.700 Believe the gospel. 00:11:44.179 --> 00:11:45.340 And follow me. 00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:47.879 And these are the very first words of Jesus in the gospel of Mark. 00:11:47.939 --> 00:11:52.360 So they're incredibly important for the whole of what Mark wants to say to us. 00:11:53.179 --> 00:11:57.700 And I just want you to know that this word repent in Greek is metanoia. 00:11:57.860 --> 00:11:59.360 It means to change your mind. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:02.720 To change your mind. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:07.460 To turn away from all the competing agendas and ideologies. 00:12:07.899 --> 00:12:11.519 And to open up your mind to a new perspective. 00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:13.600 To open up your mind to a new point of view. 00:12:13.820 --> 00:12:15.539 That is God's point of view. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:19.879 And then Jesus says, I want you to believe the gospel. 00:12:19.879 --> 00:12:25.220 And to believe the gospel is not merely to intellectually assent to the truth. 00:12:25.939 --> 00:12:29.179 That God's rule and reign has begun in his king Jesus. 00:12:29.439 --> 00:12:37.080 No, it's to believe is to trust in Jesus as the king so much that you pledge your allegiance to him. 00:12:37.139 --> 00:12:39.299 That you commit yourself to him. 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:43.179 That you submit yourself in love and loyalty to Jesus. 00:12:43.299 --> 00:12:46.379 And you begin to follow Jesus for who he claims to be. 00:12:46.379 --> 00:12:49.019 The way, the truth, and the life. 00:12:49.019 --> 00:12:57.179 You see, Jesus is calling these men to take urgent and decisive action. 00:12:58.779 --> 00:13:10.840 And you have not really, you've not answered the call of Jesus until you've begun to actually follow him in a personal relationship where he's the king and you're the subject. 00:13:11.819 --> 00:13:14.220 Where he's the Lord and you're his apprentice. 00:13:14.220 --> 00:13:14.420 Jesus. 00:13:15.019 --> 00:13:15.220 Right? 00:13:15.259 --> 00:13:19.700 Where he's the master and you are his servant who's there to do his bidding. 00:13:19.940 --> 00:13:22.920 And you really begin to follow in his footsteps. 00:13:23.080 --> 00:13:26.300 You say, it's not just that I believe you're the way. 00:13:26.420 --> 00:13:27.940 I'm going to start walking in the way. 00:13:29.019 --> 00:13:31.379 I don't just see you as the truth. 00:13:31.420 --> 00:13:33.120 I'm going to start trusting in the truth. 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:34.560 I don't see you just as the life. 00:13:34.620 --> 00:13:36.160 I'm going to start living your life. 00:13:36.259 --> 00:13:38.100 That's what it means to follow me. 00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:41.519 Jesus is out here and he's fishing for people. 00:13:41.700 --> 00:13:45.680 He's fishing for these guys named Peter, Andrew, James, and John. 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:47.680 And he's casting his nets out for them. 00:13:48.259 --> 00:13:52.899 In order, as the Apostle Paul says, to rescue them out of the kingdom of darkness. 00:13:53.460 --> 00:13:54.659 And to bring them into. 00:13:55.700 --> 00:13:57.220 And they began to follow Jesus. 00:13:57.340 --> 00:13:59.740 And they knew that Jesus was not only fishing for them. 00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:03.399 But they knew that Jesus wanted to teach them how to fish for other people. 00:14:03.460 --> 00:14:05.000 To cast out this net of the gospel. 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:08.320 To draw people in to the kingdom of God. 00:14:09.539 --> 00:14:19.659 And I want you to know that every disciple who's following Jesus has a share in his outward facing mission to fish for people. 00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:22.659 Every single one of us here has a share in that mission. 00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:26.440 And so how in the world do we do it? 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:28.539 Well, that leads to our second point. 00:14:28.539 --> 00:14:32.419 Today, Jesus sends us out to fish for people. 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:37.860 But the way he sends us out to fish for people is to show and tell the kingdom of God. 00:14:38.779 --> 00:14:43.500 The way we're to go fishing is to show and tell the kingdom of God. 00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:49.919 From day one, from the very first moment they were called as disciples. 00:14:50.219 --> 00:14:51.559 Peter, Andrew, James, and John. 00:14:51.659 --> 00:14:55.860 They know that they're called to share in Jesus' mission. 00:14:55.860 --> 00:15:00.259 That they're following Jesus not just to know what he knew but to go and do what he did. 00:15:00.340 --> 00:15:04.279 And share in his task of fishing for people and joining with him. 00:15:04.620 --> 00:15:06.700 In gaining more and more disciples. 00:15:06.860 --> 00:15:09.659 Gathering men and women and children into the kingdom of God. 00:15:10.620 --> 00:15:14.279 But what's interesting is that in Mark chapters 1 through 5. 00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:16.279 We really see the disciples. 00:15:16.580 --> 00:15:18.800 They're kind of just companions of Jesus. 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:21.800 And spectators of Jesus. 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:24.799 They're not really quite yet partners in his mission. 00:15:25.699 --> 00:15:31.859 As one commentator says, they've been extras rather than actors in the proclamation of the kingdom. 00:15:32.719 --> 00:15:36.479 But in Mark chapter 6, something changes pretty dramatically. 00:15:37.419 --> 00:15:40.719 In Mark chapter 6, Jesus takes these guys who've been passive. 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:44.960 And he begins to get them actively involved in what he's doing. 00:15:45.680 --> 00:15:50.019 And he starts turning them from consumers into contributors. 00:15:50.980 --> 00:15:55.940 He starts turning them from spectators into producers. 00:15:56.960 --> 00:16:00.200 Before he's been saying, look, I'm going to do and you're going to watch. 00:16:01.040 --> 00:16:02.620 Or I'm going to do and you're going to help. 00:16:02.680 --> 00:16:05.440 But now he's saying, you're going to do and I'm going to help. 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:11.120 And I want you to think about this in terms of show and tell. 00:16:11.580 --> 00:16:11.760 Okay. 00:16:11.900 --> 00:16:13.640 Anybody do show and tell in kindergarten? 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:14.880 Okay. 00:16:15.040 --> 00:16:16.320 Miss Tindall's class. 00:16:16.640 --> 00:16:18.840 This is very exciting yet nerve wracking. 00:16:19.380 --> 00:16:21.380 What am I going to show and tell? 00:16:21.500 --> 00:16:24.860 And so literally my show and tell was all about fishing. 00:16:25.960 --> 00:16:27.540 I took my fishing pole. 00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:33.060 And I took my tackle box and all my fishing gear with the hooks and lures and lines and all those sort of things. 00:16:33.059 --> 00:16:35.159 And I showed everybody my stuff. 00:16:36.299 --> 00:16:45.379 And then over the next 30 minutes I told them about the difference between ancient Near Eastern net fishing and modern techniques of line fishing. 00:16:46.099 --> 00:16:48.679 And I knew in that moment I was called to be a preacher. 00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:53.359 I didn't know that until much later. 00:16:53.619 --> 00:16:58.919 But Jesus is calling his disciples to do a show and tell ministry. 00:16:59.059 --> 00:17:01.179 And I want you to see that in Mark chapter 6. 00:17:01.179 --> 00:17:11.000 It says that in Mark chapter 6 verse 7 that he called them and he began to send them out two by two with his authority. 00:17:11.099 --> 00:17:15.720 To go out not as lone rangers but have a buddy, have a friend and to go out. 00:17:16.220 --> 00:17:21.119 And it says in verse 12 they went out and they preached that people should repent. 00:17:22.099 --> 00:17:27.079 And they drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. 00:17:27.079 --> 00:17:36.339 And then in Mark chapter 6 verse 30 it says the apostles gathered around Jesus after all this was done and they reported back to him all that they had done and taught. 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:41.740 They're reporting back what they've been doing and what they've been teaching. 00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:45.819 What they've been showing and what they've been telling. 00:17:45.819 --> 00:17:52.139 Jesus sent them out to do what he did and to say what he said. 00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:57.500 Go show them the kingdom of God and then tell them what that kingdom is all about. 00:17:58.339 --> 00:18:03.220 Go give them a demonstration of what the rule and the reign of our father is like. 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:09.019 And then give them some proclamation of why the kingdom of God is breaking into their lives. 00:18:09.019 --> 00:18:15.220 Jesus says to his disciples I want you to go and give them an experience of the power of God. 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:19.519 And then I want you to explain to them the truth of God. 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:29.299 Doing, teaching, showing, telling, demonstration, proclamation, experience, explanation. 00:18:29.879 --> 00:18:30.539 You following me? 00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:36.779 And Jesus sends them out with very specific instructions about how to go and do this. 00:18:36.779 --> 00:18:39.779 He says in verse 8. 00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:44.200 These were his instructions. 00:18:44.379 --> 00:18:46.259 Take nothing for the journey except a staff. 00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:48.180 No bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:50.680 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 00:18:50.779 --> 00:18:55.279 Jesus is saying go with integrity and simplicity in your life with regard to money. 00:18:56.019 --> 00:19:02.960 And I want you to just go live among people and depend radically upon God and the hospitality of others. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:12.860 And of course, you know, hospitality in the near eastern world both back then and today is a sacred thing much more than it is in our society. 00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:19.140 To receive or depend upon someone's hospitality is a mark of respect and humility. 00:19:20.360 --> 00:19:23.779 And Jesus says just go look for people of peace who offer you hospitality. 00:19:23.779 --> 00:19:30.240 He says in verse 10 that whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:37.420 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:40.720 So Jesus is saying look, who are your people of peace? 00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:41.619 Who listens to you? 00:19:42.420 --> 00:19:43.339 Who welcomes you? 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:45.299 Who's open to you? 00:19:45.299 --> 00:19:46.779 These are your people of peace. 00:19:46.839 --> 00:19:48.980 And he says I just want you to start to serve them. 00:19:49.980 --> 00:19:51.879 Start to listen to their needs. 00:19:52.839 --> 00:20:01.619 Just go and find out about the pain and the hurt and the brokenness in their lives and begin to pour yourselves out for their good and for their well-being. 00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:09.099 And look, if you find that they're sick with illness, anoint them with oil and have compassion on them, care for them and heal them. 00:20:09.099 --> 00:20:15.619 And look, if they're oppressed by the evil one, begin to pray that that bondage in their lives would be broken. 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:28.419 And Jesus sends them out, not in their own strength, in their own power, but it says in verse 7 that he sent them out and he gave them his authority so that they could go start loving people. 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:37.899 And they could sacrificially give themselves to people and serve people and heal their sickness and drive out the darkness just like Jesus did. 00:20:39.099 --> 00:20:49.179 And, you know, when they go out to do this show and tell ministry, Jesus says this is going to be incredibly provocative. 00:20:49.679 --> 00:20:52.099 It's going to be radically attractive. 00:20:52.399 --> 00:20:55.439 People are going to see the kingdom of God breaking into their lives. 00:20:55.539 --> 00:21:00.679 They're going to see evil being decisively defeated in my name. 00:21:00.740 --> 00:21:02.339 And that is going to be so attractive. 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:06.879 And yet at the same time, it's going to be incredibly offensive. 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:09.580 And why is it going to be offensive? 00:21:09.780 --> 00:21:16.160 Well, it says in verse 12 that they're to go out and they're going to preach that people should repent. 00:21:17.820 --> 00:21:24.080 They're going to preach and tell people that they need to turn to Jesus as the only Savior and Lord of this world. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:29.760 So to go out and to show people the kingdom of God by serving them, that's incredibly attractive. 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:42.519 And yet to also go out and tell people about the kingdom of God and their need to turn to Jesus and repent and give their lives to Him, that's incredibly offensive. 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:47.039 And Jesus says, expect people not to welcome you. 00:21:48.180 --> 00:21:50.559 Expect people not to want to listen to you. 00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:55.599 Because my mission is both attractive and offensive. 00:21:56.879 --> 00:21:59.339 And the early church understood this completely. 00:22:00.139 --> 00:22:02.119 It's why they changed the world. 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:09.019 Because they went out and the earliest disciples, they sounded incredibly exclusive in that pagan world. 00:22:09.079 --> 00:22:11.139 That pagan world said, look, there are many, many gods. 00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:12.299 Everybody's got their own gods. 00:22:12.339 --> 00:22:12.899 It's all good. 00:22:12.900 --> 00:22:17.600 And their first disciples said, no, there's just one Lord and it's Jesus. 00:22:18.660 --> 00:22:21.140 They sounded incredibly exclusive. 00:22:21.380 --> 00:22:27.560 And yet at the same time, these disciples of Jesus were the most inclusive acting people on the face of the planet. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:31.360 In the way that they were caring for the poor and marginalized. 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:41.680 In the way that in their community they were overcoming barriers of race and class like was happening no other place in the Gentile or Jewish world. 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:44.519 In the way that they were forgiving each other. 00:22:44.600 --> 00:22:47.440 The way that they were loving and praying for their enemies. 00:22:47.580 --> 00:22:54.700 This was the most exclusive sounding and yet most inclusive acting group of people. 00:22:55.660 --> 00:22:59.360 And it was because of their inclusivity that they were attractive and they grew. 00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:03.920 And it was because of their exclusivity that they were offensive and they were persecuted. 00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:13.820 And friends, when you answer Jesus' call to come follow me and I'm going to send you out to fish for people. 00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:15.740 This is what you're signing up for. 00:23:17.220 --> 00:23:21.700 You're becoming a partner with Jesus in his show and tell ministry. 00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:27.920 And you're becoming a partner with him in this incredibly attractive yet offensive mission. 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:33.300 And so the question is, is that really what you want to sign up for? 00:23:35.700 --> 00:23:37.019 Let's apply this for a moment. 00:23:37.960 --> 00:23:39.060 I want you to pull out a pen. 00:23:39.539 --> 00:23:40.920 I'm starting to do this every week. 00:23:41.060 --> 00:23:42.320 You can see this as a pattern. 00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:43.279 Pull out a pen. 00:23:43.400 --> 00:23:44.660 Do something active, right? 00:23:45.360 --> 00:23:47.600 And write something down on your sheet of paper. 00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:52.980 And my question for you is who is that one person of peace in your life? 00:23:52.980 --> 00:24:00.740 Who is that one person of peace who welcomes you and who listens to you and who is open to you? 00:24:01.940 --> 00:24:03.539 In their, no, not me. 00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:04.279 It can't be me. 00:24:04.360 --> 00:24:06.160 If you write down me, you haven't heard the sermon yet. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:08.559 It's got to be somebody out there. 00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:09.980 Somebody out with the crowd. 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:17.059 Somebody that's in your workplace or out there in your neighborhood or out there in your network of relationships. 00:24:18.279 --> 00:24:21.380 Somebody that welcomes you, listens to you, and is open to you. 00:24:21.380 --> 00:24:24.000 And just write down that one name that comes to mind. 00:24:25.640 --> 00:24:27.220 And then I want you to ask this question. 00:24:27.420 --> 00:24:31.120 How is Jesus sending me out to them this week? 00:24:33.080 --> 00:24:39.680 How is Jesus calling me to go and show them and tell them the kingdom of God this week? 00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:46.300 And if something's coming to mind, write it down because that's probably the Holy Spirit speaking to you. 00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:56.159 What is that step of faith that you sense Jesus calling you to take that's way outside of your comfort zone? 00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:59.339 That's getting out there like Jesus with the crowds. 00:24:59.919 --> 00:25:05.980 And just write that down and go and share it with one or two other people sometime today or this week. 00:25:05.980 --> 00:25:12.940 Now, to bring this sermon to a close, Jesus sends us out to fish for people. 00:25:13.019 --> 00:25:14.120 And how does he send us out? 00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:16.059 Well, he sends us out to show and tell the kingdom. 00:25:16.519 --> 00:25:20.500 But finally, he sends us so that we can give out of his abundance. 00:25:21.720 --> 00:25:24.079 He sends us so that we can give out of his abundance. 00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:29.240 And if you look at this final story about the multiplication of loaves and fishes, it deserves its own sermon. 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:32.619 But basically, Jesus has compassion on these people. 00:25:32.839 --> 00:25:34.339 They're sheep without a shepherd. 00:25:34.419 --> 00:25:35.279 They have no king. 00:25:35.399 --> 00:25:38.399 And so he's beginning to tell them and teach them about the kingdom of God. 00:25:38.699 --> 00:25:42.539 And the disciples say, hey, Jesus, lighten up a little bit on the gospel stuff. 00:25:43.179 --> 00:25:44.000 These people are hungry. 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:49.119 And you need to send them out to go and eat and go find some food. 00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:54.339 And Jesus says to them in verse 37, he says, you give them something to eat. 00:25:56.919 --> 00:26:01.799 And the emphasis in Greek is you give them something to eat. 00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:05.399 And the disciples are completely unprepared for Jesus' challenge. 00:26:05.679 --> 00:26:09.039 You take responsibility for the needs of the crowds. 00:26:10.219 --> 00:26:11.439 And why does he say this? 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:21.400 Why is he telling his disciples that he wants them to not just be consumers but contributors? 00:26:22.620 --> 00:26:25.180 Not just spectators but producers. 00:26:26.600 --> 00:26:33.660 Well, they go and they, it says in verse 37, they said to him, that would take more than half a year's wages. 00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:38.120 Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat? 00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:42.000 They basically say, Jesus, you're asking us to do what's impossible. 00:26:43.959 --> 00:26:46.619 But that's Jesus' whole point, isn't it? 00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:58.539 That until you see that what I'm calling you to do is impossible for you but it's not impossible for me, you're not yet ready. 00:27:00.219 --> 00:27:02.599 Jesus says, how much food do you actually have? 00:27:02.599 --> 00:27:11.500 And he insists that they go check the inventory of what's available and they come back with five loaves and two fish, which is enough for about five people. 00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:16.959 And mind you, there's 5,000 men to feed plus women and children who are with them. 00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:21.939 And why does Jesus have them do this little exercise of raiding the pantry? 00:27:21.940 --> 00:27:28.059 Because he wants them to see that their resources are actually not enough. 00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:32.080 That they're insufficient and inadequate. 00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:37.299 Does anyone feel that way today as you hear about this mission of Jesus? 00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:39.559 That I'm not enough. 00:27:40.779 --> 00:27:42.799 I'm insufficient and inadequate. 00:27:43.539 --> 00:27:45.519 I'll be the first to say I feel that way. 00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:48.820 But look at what Jesus does in verse 41. 00:27:48.819 --> 00:27:57.480 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. 00:27:57.599 --> 00:28:00.299 And then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. 00:28:01.019 --> 00:28:03.879 And he also divided the two fish among them all. 00:28:05.659 --> 00:28:10.559 Jesus gives the disciples these little pieces of food and then he sends them out wading into the crowd. 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:24.819 And what he's doing there is he's challenging his disciples to live by faith that he is able to multiply their little, meager, insufficient resources and to make them into much. 00:28:26.139 --> 00:28:28.679 And that's how disciple making works. 00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:39.279 It's only as the disciples take steps of faith in Jesus out into the crowds with their inadequate food that it begins to multiply. 00:28:40.340 --> 00:28:45.799 It's only as they go out in faith, in Jesus, that he will meet the need. 00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:48.820 That he begins to actually meet the need. 00:28:50.180 --> 00:28:55.340 Jesus says, I'm going to do the supernatural as you walk by faith. 00:28:55.339 --> 00:29:00.459 My power is going to go out, but it's going to go out through you, my disciples. 00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:13.959 Friends, what Jesus has called us to do as a church and as individual disciples, his work in the world, this fishing for people and the showing and telling the kingdom of God, it's impossible. 00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:18.720 It actually is impossible and it will take a miracle. 00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:38.779 But if you go out knowing that it's impossible and you know that you're inadequate and you're unqualified and all that you have is insufficient and you just go out and you do it anyway, by faith, in Jesus' ability, 00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:46.220 then that is when he begins exercising his power and his authority through his people. 00:29:47.700 --> 00:29:48.839 Look at verse 42. 00:29:49.019 --> 00:29:49.259 It says, 00:29:49.379 --> 00:29:55.200 They all ate and were satisfied and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 00:29:56.619 --> 00:29:59.879 And the number of men who had eaten was about five thousand. 00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:21.240 Friends, I just want to remind us today and build up your faith and strengthen you with this incredible news that Jesus Christ is not bound by the rules of normal experience and normal expectation for what's possible and what's impossible. 00:30:23.100 --> 00:30:27.880 Jesus is the one who causes needs to be supernaturally supplied. 00:30:27.880 --> 00:30:32.860 He's the one who can transform austerity into abundance. 00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:36.440 He can take scarcity and make it overflow. 00:30:37.400 --> 00:30:39.880 He can take your little and turn it into much. 00:30:40.740 --> 00:30:44.900 He can take the hunger of the crowds out there and he can satisfy it. 00:30:46.300 --> 00:30:54.300 In fact, we're told here that he can cause there to be even more at the end than there was at the beginning. 00:30:56.000 --> 00:30:57.100 Isn't that amazing? 00:30:57.880 --> 00:31:04.560 Just as Jesus turned those little loaves and fishes into much. 00:31:04.559 --> 00:31:28.559 And just as God turned the weakness and the death of Jesus on his cross into strength and life for us, so God can turn us little, inadequate, insufficient, ill-equipped disciples into people who, walking by faith, can give out of his infinite abundance. 00:31:28.559 --> 00:31:29.440 Abundance. 00:31:30.440 --> 00:31:32.099 And that's what he wants us to do. 00:31:33.159 --> 00:31:45.759 So as we embrace this Jesus-shaped life of up with the Father and in with the disciples and out with the crowds, may God enable us beyond what's possible for us to do. 00:31:47.019 --> 00:31:52.119 May God fill us with his Spirit and with his grace to enable us to do what only he can do. 00:31:52.119 --> 00:31:55.000 In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:31:55.739 --> 00:31:56.019 Amen. 00:31:56.019 --> 00:31:56.159 Amen. 00:31:56.159 --> 00:31:56.199 Amen. 00:31:56.199 --> 00:31:56.219 Amen. 00:31:56.219 --> 00:31:56.239 Amen. 00:31:56.239 --> 00:31:56.259 Amen. 00:31:56.259 --> 00:31:56.299 Amen. 00:31:56.299 --> 00:31:58.259 Amen. 00:31:58.259 --> 00:32:00.599 Amen. 00:32:02.619 --> 00:32:04.220 Amen. 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:04.779 Amen. 00:32:05.259 --> 00:32:05.879 – Amen. 00:32:06.059 --> 00:32:06.400 Amen. 00:32:08.859 --> 00:32:09.839 Amen. 00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:19.859 Amen. 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:20.319 Amen. 00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:22.559 Amen.