Turn to the Gospel according to Mark. Go ahead and turn to chapter 1 with me this morning.
! We are going to take a break from our verse-by-verse working through the Gospel of Mark.
I can't tell you exactly how many weeks that's going to be at this point, likely for the month of February, we're going to do this.
And we're doing so because I think there's an issue in the American church, which is true of our church as well, that needs to be addressed.
And we need to take some time to sit and to consider and to really search our hearts concerning the matter.
Let me first give you a hug before I step on our toes.
As a church, we do so much right.
I'm immensely grateful for all of you, and I don't know all of you in the room.
Some of you are guests with us here this morning.
This church is a wonderful church.
There's so much that's good and healthy about what we're doing.
In fact, as I meet with pastors in the area to be encouraged and to press one another on,
I always leave those meetings so happy to be the pastor of Christ Family Church.
Because I don't deal with nearly the messes that they're dealing with in their churches.
I found myself being a little bit mean about it.
Like, hey, you want to meet with me so I can hear all your trouble so I can be really happy about my life and my church and the things that are happening in our congregation.
But there's more, and there's better work that we can be doing.
And there's a danger that we always look at the good things, which we should certainly look at.
We should certainly give God much praise for those things that are happening in the life of our church.
But that we, in doing that, we ignore those things that need to be worked on.
And I don't think that I would be a good leader to you if knowing those things are true and not telling you about them and not pushing you beyond them,
not looking for a greater degree of growth in your life.
It would be unloving for me to withhold that from you.
There's a school of thought that says if it isn't broken, don't fix it.
It's a very American way of thinking about business, for an example.
But I say there's always more.
Jesus comes back today, we're done.
But until that time, we're not perfected.
And we have much work to do.
And that's why I want to take some time to address this issue.
And I will say that as we get into it, that there are many of you who do this well.
That the Lord is pleased with the work that you're doing.
And my charge to you would be, help me give leadership in surmounting this problem for us.
So what is that?
The Gospel of Mark, the great labor of it was to give evidence that Jesus is the Christ.
Mark does this at great pains.
He establishes Jesus' power over demons, over sickness.
His power over Satan, religion itself, the traditions of men.
His power over nature and his power over sin.
So Mark really wants his readers to see Jesus is the Christ.
And as such, he wants his readers to see what it means to follow Jesus Christ.
That if Jesus is Lord, what does his Lordship look like?
And how does it bring bearing in our lives?
How then should we live if we're to be disciples of Jesus Christ?
And if we're to say that we're disciples of Jesus Christ, this means that we follow him.
That we walk in his ways.
And if this is true of us, we as believers must be about the work of making disciples.
We must be.
And I think that this is a fairly large failure on our part.
Certainly to say that there are various giftings in our church.
There are those with a particular evangelistic gifting that do such a wonderful job of opening the door and inviting people in.
There are those who are really gifted teachers and can explain things with such clarity to help people understand.
And a shame is that in our American churches, we have so segregated and so specialized the ministry that we have left that work in the hands of few,
while the many do very, very little.
I want this to be untrue of our congregation.
And I hope that in these coming weeks, it will begin to be the case for us.
But let me take you through Mark and just help establish what Jesus is trying to do in his ministry and the way in which Mark, led by the Spirit, records it for us.
Look first in chapter 1.
Almost every chapter.
Chapter 1, verse 14 and 15.
Now after John, that's John the Baptist, was arrested,
Jesus came into Galilee, the place where he ministered primarily in his earthly ministry,
proclaiming the gospel of God, the good news of God, and saying,
the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent and believe in the gospel, in the good news.
The very thing that Jesus came to do, even as he's establishing his power on the earth,
was coming to preach.
Just after this, he calls the first disciples.
Chapter 1, verse 17.
He says to Simon and Andrew,
follow me and I will make you fishers of men.
If you were to follow me,
the thing you're going to be about doing is not fishing for fish any longer,
but fishing for men.
Chapter 1, verse 38.
After some people, a crowd is looking for him,
Jesus says,
let us go on to the next towns that I may preach there also.
For this is why I came out.
Chapter 2, verse 17.
Those who are well have no need of a physician,
but those who are sick,
I came not to call the righteous,
but sinners.
Jesus didn't come to hang out with those who thought they all had it figured out,
who thought they were already righteous,
but rather those who were humble and who were broken and knew they needed a Savior.
Chapter 3, verses 33-35.
Jesus' family has come to take him back.
Earlier in the chapter, we see that they thought that he was insane,
that he totally lost his mind.
So they're standing outside,
and the disciples tell them that they're standing outside.
In verse 33, he says,
Who are my mother and my brothers?
And looking about those who sat around him, he said,
Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God,
he is my brother and sister and mother.
We're to be part of the family of God.
We are to do the very will of God.
Chapter 4, verse 8.
He tells the parable of the sower.
He says,
And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain,
growing up and increasing and yielding 30-fold and 60-fold and 100-fold.
Some soil receives the good news of the gospel,
the seed planted in them,
and grows up and produces more gospel,
growth in the kingdom.
And he gives explanation of that in verse 20 of chapter 4.
But those that were sown on the good soil
are the ones who hear the word
and accept it and bear fruit,
30-fold and 60-fold and 100-fold.
It doesn't make this a conditional thing.
If you are in fact found in Christ,
if you have accepted the word,
you will produce fruit.
Chapter 5, verse 19.
Jesus heals the man
with the subtitle in my copy.
It says,
A Demon,
but we find out that it's actually a legion of demons
cast them into a group of pigs
who run off into the sea.
This man wants to follow him,
but rather Jesus says to him in verse 19,
Go home to your friends
and tell them how much the Lord has done for you
and how he has had mercy on you.
This man wanted to devote his life
because he had been delivered from these demons to Jesus.
The way Jesus has him do that
is to go back to his family,
back to his friends,
and to share about the mercy of God on his behalf.
Chapter 6, verses 10-12.
Jesus sends out the twelve apostles
and says to them,
When you enter a house,
stay there until you depart from there.
And if any place will not receive you,
and they will not listen to you,
there's a proclamation happening.
When you leave, shake off the dust
that is on your feet as a testimony against them.
So, they went out and proclaimed
that people should repent.
Jesus sets them in motion
to do the very thing that he intends for them to do
when he departs from them,
gathers them back together,
and teaches them lessons
because of their experience.
Skip over chapter 7.
It's a great chapter.
Verse 34.
I'm sorry.
Chapter 8, verse 34.
I'm going to come back to this in a moment.
But just the statement of verse 34.
And I will tell you that this is the statement
that has just been resonating in my heart
as we've been preaching through Mark,
as I've been seeing thematic this development.
Not that this is a strange concept to us, right?
Like, we know this, right?
Like, as Christians,
we're meant to share our faith.
We're meant to preach the gospel, right?
I think we get it here,
but it needs to work down in
and work around inside of us.
So, this is the major statement of Christ
that's been working in my heart.
If anyone would come after me,
let him deny himself
and take up his cross
and follow me.
Let him set aside his self-determination,
his self-worship,
and let him die and follow me.
Death and the pain that comes with death
to pursue Jesus.
chapter 9, verse 35.
There's a debate amongst the apostles
about who is greatest,
who will be the best of apostles.
Jesus says in verse 35,
if anyone would be first,
he must be last of all
and servant of all.
Chapter 10,
verses 44 and 45.
Once again,
we have some debate.
James and John want to sit at his right hand
in the kingdom of God.
And he says,
whoever will be first among you
must be slave of all.
For even the Son of Man came
not to be served,
but to serve
and to give his life a ransom
for many.
Chapter 11, verse 17.
Jesus goes into the temple
and he cleanses it.
He flips over all of the tables
and he runs out the money changers.
He stops people from cutting through
the court of Gentiles.
And he says,
is it not written,
and this is from Isaiah 56, 7,
my house shall be called
a house of prayer
for all the nations,
but you have made it
a den of robbers.
The very temple of God
was meant to serve
as a place
to ask God's blessing
for all peoples.
We see this in Isaiah.
We see it other places
in the Old Testament.
Jesus confirms it for us here
in Mark chapter 11.
Chapter 12, verse 29.
Jesus asks a question
to test him
by a scribe,
kind of a modern day version
of a lawyer slash theologian.
And Jesus answers,
the most important is,
hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God,
the Lord is one.
And you shall love
the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your mind
and with all your strength.
The second is this.
You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.
There is no other commandment
greater than these.
Chapter 13, verse 10.
We're almost done.
Jesus is telling the apostles
things that will come to pass
at the end of the age.
In verse 10, he says,
and the gospel,
the good news of Jesus Christ
must first be proclaimed
to all nations.
We saw in chapter 14,
Jesus' arrest,
and that's where we are
now taking a break.
In chapter 15 and 16,
we're going to see his trial,
his death,
and his resurrection.
And intentionally,
I think this is such a good place
for us to stop
because we're about to really reflect
upon the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ.
He's now been taken captive.
The motion is going now.
There's going to be
this final thing,
his death on the cross.
And we're going to be
really considering that
in the coming months.
But to stop and think
about the cost
for us to follow him.
Recall that he's made predictions.
Chapter 8,
chapter 9,
chapter 10,
in all of these places,
he's made predictions
about what he's going to suffer
when they finally make
their final trip to Jerusalem.
There's some objection to that.
And even if there's not
outward objection
in some of those cases,
they have objections
in their hearts
because they begin to debate
about who's going to be
greatest in the kingdom.
Right?
And the correction
he brings to them
is that the first
will be last
and the last
will be first.
That if we're to follow Jesus,
we're going to follow him
into his death.
And upon his resurrection,
he gives a command
in chapter 16,
verse 15,
go into all the world
and proclaim the gospel
to the whole creation.
Whoever believes
and is baptized
will be saved,
but whoever does not believe
will be condemned.
And there's a more
famous record
of Jesus' great commission
found in Matthew 28,
verses 18-20,
where Jesus says,
So it is the great
call on the Christian life.
There's much conversation
about calling in our society,
what God has called you to.
And the New Testament
is only clear on two things
that you've been called to,
all believers.
We've been called to believe.
We've done that thing,
I hope,
for everybody in this room
that's true.
And the second thing
is that you're called
to make disciples.
To be about the work
of having others believe.
These are the two things
that you can be very sure of.
The particulars
of how you'll do that,
I don't know.
But you could be about
that activity,
not simply making converts,
but disciples.
disciples.
Teaching them to observe.
Not just teaching,
but teaching them to observe
all the things
that Jesus has commanded us
to do.
Now go back,
if you will,
with me.
Turn back a few pages
back to Mark chapter 8.
And I want to just expand
our text a bit.
I think that verse 34,
what Jesus says here
is kind of this axiomatic statement.
This statement on which
many things hinge.
And to look at the context
is so massively important for us.
As we see what he begins to do,
verse 31,
he begins to teach them
that the Son of Man
must suffer many things
and be rejected by the elders
and the chief priests
and the scribes
and be killed.
The suffering that he's going
to experience
is told to them
and after three days
he will rise again.
He even gives to the apostles
in this prediction of his death
the hope that he will again rise.
And he said this plainly,
verse 32 says.
Right?
He says it plainly to them.
He doesn't speak in any kind of parable.
He doesn't try to confuse
in any way whatsoever.
He says this to them plainly.
This thing will come to pass.
And Peter misses the point altogether.
He takes him aside
and he begins to rebuke him.
And I believe that Peter does so
out of a love for Jesus.
Don't say such things, Jesus.
Don't say that this is the way
the kingdom is going to come to pass.
That you're going to have to suffer
and you're going to have to die.
That's not the way I envisioned
this happening.
And in so doing,
he's formed Jesus
the way he wants him to be.
Here is the Son of Man,
the predicted one,
the Christ,
the Lord of all.
Recall some of the things
that Jesus has accomplished
up to this point
that Peter has been witness to.
Phenomenal things.
The one that continually blows my mind
because I love nature
and being outside
and I did so much study
on the Sea of Galilee.
Was he calling that storm?
Storm.
Phenomenal thing.
This period of the year,
storms kick up on the Sea of Galilee.
Ten foot waves
on a body of water
about the size of Lake Lanier.
Can you imagine
being on Lake Lanier
in like a fishing boat
and ten foot waves begin?
And Jesus just says,
be still.
And it all stops.
Dead.
He's seen these kinds of things happen.
And then he tells them
what will come to pass.
And Peter still says,
oh no.
No, no.
This is not the way
that Christ comes to reign.
And I'm afraid in many ways
we do the same thing.
We fashion Jesus
the way we want Him to look.
Right?
We in this church
certainly shun the gospel
of prosperity.
I'm not sure
that we shun the gospel
of comfort.
We think that if we add
Jesus to our life,
life will get better
by our terms.
And when it doesn't,
many people reject it
altogether.
We're apathetic
because we know
that being obedient
will lead us
into uncomfortable discomfort
and we don't want it.
We make Jesus
into our own fashion.
That Jesus would come
and sit amongst us
and chill out with us
wouldn't be the case
if He were to visit.
It would be clear
He won't visit again
until He's ready to vindicate
and wipe the slate clean
once again.
But if He were
just to come and hang out,
He might pop by
and just say what's up.
To our crowd.
Sitting together
in our comfort,
doing our comfortable things.
I'm convinced
He would be someplace dangerous.
Someplace working.
Getting in the face
of those leading people astray.
Laying out His life
for the sake of the kingdom
of God.
Verse 35 says,
For whoever would save his life
will lose it,
but whoever loses his life
for my sake
and the gospels
will save it.
Look at the promise there.
If we're willing
to sacrifice ourselves
for the sake of the kingdom,
this promise that our life
will be saved.
For what does it profit
a man to gain the whole world
and to forfeit his soul?
Nothing.
It profits him nothing.
For what can a man
give in return for a soul?
Absolutely nothing.
And then verse 38.
For whoever is ashamed of me
and of my words
in this adulterous
and sinful generation,
of him will the Son of Man
also be ashamed
when he comes in the glory
of his Father
with the holy angels.
And I think that those words
need to sink
into our hearts.
And I think that we need
to think about the times
in our lives
when we have been given
opportunity
to be obedient
to the call of Christ.
when we know full well
we can proclaim the gospel
in a situation
and we shrink back
and we're ashamed.
Certainly at the core
of all of this
is an issue of heart.
If our hearts were
properly aligned,
if we love God
the way we're meant
to love God,
overflowing from us
would be proper response
and obedience.
So it's an issue of heart
and therefore
it needs treatment
in that way.
Like not by some new program
or some new model
but we need
to really examine
our hearts.
And the very best way
I know to do that
is by the scriptures.
The scriptures are
a two-edged sword
in this case.
I think maybe a scalpel
to really get at
and to do some surgery
on our hearts.
And so I want to give to you
eight cuts.
I hope that they're
fine cuts.
I hope that they hurt
a little bit.
Eight things I think
we may believe
or believe improperly.
I'm sure there are more.
But things that we can
begin to think about
and to look at
and to process
and to pray through
and consider
if this is why
there's not a greater
movement of God
amongst us.
If this is why
we're content
with addition
and not excited
and looking toward
multiplication.
God bringing people
into His kingdom
in droves.
So eight cuts.
Number one.
We may not.
It is possible
that we do not
understand
the heart
of our Father.
We do not understand
the heart
of our Father.
For His great name's sake,
He is building
a family.
He is adopting
those
into His family
that have
no right
to be part of His family,
who have sinned
grievously against Him,
have in every way
said to Him,
I do not want you
to be
my Father.
And yet,
He does a work in us
and He calls us
into His family.
He is not
exclusive.
But the God of Scripture
seems to be
so very inclusive,
drawing people
of all variety
to Himself.
Revelation 7,
9 and 10
gives us
a peek at this.
John's vision,
he says,
after this I looked
and behold
a great multitude
that no one
could number
from every nation,
from all tribes
and peoples
and languages,
standing before the throne
and before the Lamb,
clothed in white robes
with palm branches
in their hands
and crying out
with a loud voice,
salvation belongs
to our God
who sits on the throne
and to the Lamb.
a multitude
that no one
can number,
a vast,
vast number.
Do you sometimes
think that those
in heaven
are going to be
the minority
of humankind?
I can't say for sure,
but it seems to me
that as God wins
this great redemptive
battle,
it's a sure thing,
that maybe He wins
in numbers too.
Maybe those
who will one day
be glorified
will outnumber
those
who will be damned.
Either way,
we certainly know
that He loves
and He loves immensely
and He's building
a family
for the praise
of His name.
I find sometimes
that we seem
to operate
under the assumption
that God does not
want to save people
rather than
under the assumption
that He does
and that He fully
intends to
and that He's powerful
to accomplish this
and that because
He loves us,
He wants us
to get involved
in that.
That He just
is waiting,
just go share,
just go be the friend
you know you're
supposed to be.
Open your mouth
and give gospel
proclamation
and I'll change
their heart
and you'll both
be immensely blessed
and I'll be glorified
in this.
Do you find that
you do that
with your friends
assuming that
they're so far gone?
They're so dark
in their understanding
that God can't
change their hearts?
He changed yours.
You're no further,
you're no better off
than they are.
Secondly,
God's love for us
may too often
be stale
in our minds
and hearts.
Not fresh,
stale,
like it's a forgotten
thing how incredibly
God has loved us.
Turn to Psalm 103.
For our ministry
apprenticeship,
we're reading
through the Bible
in a year,
this chronological
Bible reading plan
we're doing
and Psalm 103
was part of that reading
a couple of weeks ago
and God just really
arrested my attention
and I've been meditating
on verses 8-12
and it is good.
Let me read it to you.
I hope it'll have
some of the same effect
it's had on me.
Psalm 103
verses 8-12
The Lord is merciful
and gracious,
slow to anger
and abounding
in steadfast love.
He will not always chide
nor will He keep
His anger forever.
He does not deal with us
according to our sins
nor repay us
according to our iniquities.
Praise Him.
For as high
as the heavens are
above the earth
Anybody know?
Infinite.
That's what is trying
to be communicated here.
I'm sure there's a measure
but it's infinite
is what is being
communicated here.
As high as the heavens
are above the earth
so great
is His steadfast love
toward those
who fear Him.
Just stare up at the sky
when you walk out
of this building today.
Verse 12
As far as the east
is from the west
so far does He remove
our transgressions from us.
Do you know how far
the east is from the west?
It's infinite.
No matter where you go
no matter where you travel
in the circumference
of this planet
the east and the west
will always be
infinitely far
from one another.
This is God's
great love
for us.
It is infinite
in its nature.
It is good.
1 John 4.19
says that we love
because He first
loved us.
that the reason
in which we can
reach out
and we can love
others
that we can have
affection for other
people is because
of God's great love
for us.
Luke 6.45
Jesus says
the good person
out of the good
treasure of his heart
produces good
and the evil person
out of his evil
treasure produces
evil.
For out of the
abundance
of the heart
his mouth
speaks.
beloved
what do you
speak about?
What do you
get excited
about talking
about?
Many of you
know that
kind of
sort of
in a past
life of mine
some
oh a decade
ago
I used to do
a lot of
white water
paddling
very into that
Wes and I
part of our
friendship was
formed around
paddling
together
in fact
Wes has
most of my
gear
and just
uses it
you are
welcome
I used to
be a
white water
kayak
instructor
and still
to this
day
if somebody
talks about
white water
my ears
perk up
and I want
to go over
and hear
what's going
on
like what
river
they were
on
and what
they
experienced
it
even if
from
rafting
class 2
to paddling
class 5
I want
to know
what's
going on
that
excites
me
I want
to be
around
it
do
we
do
the
same
thing
with
the
good
news
of
Jesus
Christ
do
we
find
ways
it
not
because
there's
some
duty
to
share
it
but
because
the
love
of
God
overflows
out of
our
hearts
and
into
our
speech
this
is
what
Jesus
is
saying
will
happen
the
good
treasure
of
your
heart
the
thing
you
care
most
about
is
the
thing
you
will
talk
about
most
so
what
does
it
say
about
us
when
we
don't
when
we
find
ourselves
in
situations
where
we
would
rather
fit
in
and
be
cool
and
share
the
thing
that
we
love
the
most
double
minded
acts
8
1
through
4
this
is
after
the
stoning
of
Stephen
it
says
and
Saul
approved
of
his
execution
and
there
arose
on
that
day
a
great
persecution
against
the
church
in
Jerusalem
and
they
were
all
scattered
throughout
the
regions
of
Judea
and
Samaria
except
the
apostles
devout
men
buried
Stephen
made
great
lamentation
over
him
but
Saul
was
ravaging
the
church
and
entering
house
after
house
he
dragged
off
men
and
women
and
committed
them
to
prison
and
so
there's
this
great
deal
the
early
days
of
the
church
that
formed
in
Jerusalem
after
the
days
of
Pentecost
there's
this
great
deal
of
persecution
at
the
hands
of
Saul
and
look
at
the
way
that
God
is
even
now
using
Saul
to
and
a
better
word
that's
translated
here
into
our
English
preaching
would be
and
gossiped
the
word
but
we
think
of
gossip
as
a
bad
thing
so
we
got to
be
careful
about
our
translation
but
it
literally
means
they
went
about
just
talking
about
what
had
happened
in
Jerusalem
and
what
Jesus
had
done
for
them
they
went
about
sharing
that
with
everyone
they
encountered
we
see
this
great
massive
advance
of the
gospel
because
of
the
persecution
because
of
the
work
of
the
apostles
out
and
beyond
because
it
overflowed
out
of
their
hearts
and
I'm
afraid
for
many
of
us
too
often
that
truth
is
stale
in
us
forgotten
it
just
doesn't
have
effect
any
longer
the
way
you
renew
that
in
yourself
as
you
get
into
the
word
of
God
and
you
let
the
gospel
speak
to
you
and
speak
to
you
get
around
the
church
and
let
people
preach
the
gospel
to
you
come
and
you
sing
gospel
songs
the
reason
we
keep
the
volume
low
so
you
can
hear
everybody
in
this
room
reminding
you
that
the
gospel
is
good
and
precious
and
has
effect
in
our
lives
number
three
I
should
move
faster
than
I
am
right
now
we
may
not
understand
the
nature
of
the
enemy
or
the
accomplishments
of
our
victor
we
may
not
understand
the
reality
that
the
power
of
Satan
has
been
destroyed
in
a
similar
account
chapter
8
Peter
confesses
Jesus
as
the
Christ
in
Matthew
we
get
a bit
more
detail
beginning
of
verse
13
now
when
Jesus
came
into
the
district
of
Caesaro
Philippi
he
asked
his
disciples
who
do
people
say
that
the
son
of
man
is
and
they
said
some
say
John
the
Baptist
others
say
Simon
Peter
replied
you
are
the
Christ
the
son
of
the
living
God
and
Jesus
answered
him
blessed
are
you
Simon
Barjona
for
flesh
and
blood
has
not
revealed
this
to
you
but
my
father
who
is
in
heaven
and
I
tell
you
are
Peter
and
on
this
rock
that
truth
I
will
build
my
church
and
the
gates
of
hell
shall
not
prevail
against
it
there's
a
sure
promise
in
scripture
that
the
work
of
the
church
by
the
grace
of
God
will
advance
upon
the
gates
of
hell
don't
hear
we
have
gates
and
we
hold
out
hell
many
churches
function
in
this
way
many
individuals
function
in
this
way
keeping
at
a
distance
the
evil
of
the
world
but
rather
we
advance
on
it
and
the
gates
of
hell
will
not
prevail
against
the
advance
!
It's
a
military
idea
that
we
will
make
this
accomplish
this
war
by the
grace
of
God
Jesus'
final
words
it
is
finished
on
the
cross
has
such
far
reaching
implications
and
he's
certainly
saying
when
he
dies
that
the
death
blow
has
been
delivered
to
the
dragon
he
has
plunged
his
sword
deep
into
his
heart
and
the
things
that
we're
experiencing
now
that
are
carried
!
by
Satan
are
just
his
writhing
and
seething
as
he's
dying
he
has
been
defeated
and
in fact
Jesus
has
his
foot
on
his
neck
he
lets
him
act
only
under
his
authority
it's
been
subjected
to
him
this
is
our
God
the
darkness
of the
world
seems
so
overbearing
at
times
if
you're
in
the
Lord's
army
God
is
for
us
who
can
be
against
us
so
we
may
not
understand
the
nature
of
the
enemy
or
the
accomplishments
of
our
victor
it
is
finished
he
will
accomplish
his
will
we
are
part
of
that
we're
part
of
that
army
marching
behind
him
number
four
we
may
not
consider
the
condition
of
the
world
or
the
nature
of
hell
we
may
not
consider
the
condition
of
the
world
or
the
nature
of
hell
I
find
this
to
be
true
in
me
often
I
become
kind
of
numb
and
I
don't
tend
to
look
at
people
through
spiritual
eyes
so
there's
that
agitation
about
the
guy
that
pulls
out
in
front
of
you
on
the
road
that's
an
eternal
soul
the
one
that
you're
so
frustrated
with
because
he
inconvenienced
me
30
seconds
on
my
commute
from
Gainesville
to
this
building
who
cares
really
the
world
is
broken
it's
falling
apart
because
of
this
writhing
and
seething
of
the
enemy
having
its
effect
pay
attention
to
the
news
put
on
talk
radio
and
just
hear
about
all
the
tragic
things
that
are
happening
in the
world
about
us
the
effects
of
sin
it
is
having
its
way
here
and
now
beyond
that
these
people
will be
delivered
to
eternal
damnation
does that
have
any
effect
in
your
heart
at
all
do
you
remember
what
you've
been
saved
from
or
has
Christianity
just
always
been
like
this
happy
hunky
dory
thing
that
!
Have you
ever
actually
really
considered
what
your
sin
purchased
for
you
and
therefore
what
Jesus
delivered
you
from
eternal
damnation
2nd
Thessalonians
1.9
Paul says
they will
suffer
the
punishment
of
eternal
destruction
being
destroyed
for
forever
and I
can't
even
possibly
wrap
my
mind
around
what
eternity
is
like
but
forever
this
destruction
will
go
on
and
he
adds
to
this
probably
the
more
piercing
aspect
of
it
away
from
the
presence
of
the
Lord
and
from
the
glory
of
his
might
separated
from
God
forever
it's
a great
deal
of
tragedy
in
that
whiteboard
it's been
here for
a while
hasn't
it
I'm
going
to
try
to
stand
in
such
a
way
that
everybody
can
see
I
tried
to
draw
the
three
counties
that
we
mostly
affect
and
live
in
Dawson
County
Lumpkin
County
Hall
County
here's
your
city
centers
Dahlonega
Gainesville
Dawsonville
and this
is approximately
where we
are
it's a
star
I'm
sure
it looks
like
a
blob
from
where
you
are
out
there
so
just
three
counties
and we
certainly
have
some
effect
beyond
that
we
have
people
who
live
in
white
county
we
may
have
some
folks
here
from
Forsyth
county
as
well
but
just
if
we
are
an
army
for
God
that
we
should
be
working
and
moving
and
this
is
how
many
people
live
in
this
area
232,000
people
for
curiosity's
sake
180,000
in
Hall
County
30,000
in
Lumpkin
County
and
22,000
in
Dawson
County
232,000
people
now
we're
part of
the
Chattahoochee
Baptist
Association
which is
a collection
of
churches
and
according
to
their
statistics
people
okay
now I
think
that's
probably
a pretty
positive
number
unchurched
because
this
would
be
people
who
are
just
saying
I
go
to
a
church
so
believe
it
or
not
what
kind
of
church
what
kind
of
denomination
I
don't
really
know
but
let's
just
use
their
statistic
and
this
that's
our
unchurched
population
in those
three
counties
185,600
people
that's a
massive
number
of
people
who
likely
couldn't
be sure
but
likely
do not
know
Jesus
is
Lord
who
right
now
are
separated
from
him
and
will
be
separated
from
him
for
eternity
the
mortality
rate
I didn't
take the
time to
do the
math
on this
population
but the
mortality
rate
for the
United
States
means
that
every
year
two and
a half
million
people
die
so even
life itself
is fleeting
opportunities to
share the
gospel with
people
is fleeting
right
there's a
population
here
that's
fleeting
it's
passing
away
it's
going
away
to
eternal
damnation
right
we're at
war
we're not
at peace
we're at
war
there are
dark
forces
working
at keeping
this
the same
way
we ought
to be
about the
work of
changing
that
of
moving
that
in
another
direction
it ought
to be
heartbreaking
to us
that people
don't know
Christ
right
the great
treasure
the treasure
in a
field
that we
go and sell
all that we
have
and buy
that field
right
this thing
that we
want to
share
with
everyone
we're
so
unloving
so often
because we
don't press
at people
to respond
to the
good news
of Jesus
Christ
one of my
favorite
Charles Spurgeon
quotes
he said
if sinners
be damned
at least
let them
leap to
hell
over our
dead
bodies
let's
die for
the sake
of
sinners
and if
they
perish
let
them
perish
with
our
arms
wrapped
about
their
knees
imploring
them
to
stay
if
hell
must
be
filled
let
it
be
filled
in
the
teeth
of
our
exertions
and
let
not
one
go
unwarned
and
unprayed
for
this
is a
massive
work
but don't
be
overwhelmed
by this
you
have
a
part
to
play
that
you'll
be
held
accountable
for
that
you
should
be
obedient
to
and
if
we
would
do
that
if
the
people
of
God
would
respond
to
the
call
of
God
to
make
disciples
I
can't
say
exactly
what
God
would
do
with
this
parable
of
the
sowers
there's
different
types
of
soil
I
don't
know
for
sure
what
he
would
intend
to
do
I
want
to
work
under
the
assumption
that
he
just
may
let
revival
break
out
in
these
three
counties
and
all
of
these
people
would
be
counted
amongst
His
family
we
may
not
consider
the
condition
of
the
nature
of
hell
we
may
not
actually
think
about
it
day
to
day
what
have
we
been
saved
from
beloved
if
the
gospel
is
precious
to
us
we'll
know
that
we'll
know
that
we've
been
delivered
from
eternal
damnation
that's
part
of
what
makes
it
so
good
fifthly
disciple
making
may not
be
worked
into
the
DNA
!
of
new
believers
we
coddle
far
too
much
in
fact
many
of
us
probably
became
believers
at a
very
early
age
and
what
happened
after
we
became
believers
at
very
young
ages
is
we
sat
in
Sunday
school
classes
and
we
got
lots
of
nice
Bible
stories
about
the
different
people
in
the
Bible
that
we
should
emulate
but
no
one
ever
said
and
I
could
be
wrong
about
this
I
probably
am
and
just
didn't
hear
it
as
a
seven
year
old
I
didn't
feel
pressed
to
go
share
the
gospel
with
my
seven
year
old
friends
we
don't
work
it
into
the
DNA
we
hide
people
away
we
kind
so
much
image
bearing
capability
to
accomplish
so
much
but
everybody
says
wait
you're
not
ready
yet
hold
on
hang
on
how
much
exactly
do
we
have
to
know
before
we're
willing
to
go
and
to
build
and
to
mark
4
17
says
this
is
again
the
parable
of
the
soils
says
of
the
rocky
soil
and
they
have
no
root
in
themselves
but
endure
for
a
while
!
so
this
appearance
Christianity
then
when
tribulation
or
persecution
arises
on account
of the
word
immediately
they
fall
away
young
believers
need to
be pushed
out
into the
sun
of
tribulation
kick
them out
of the
shade
and into
the
sun
they
need
to be
spurred
on
to being
obedient
to the
things
they
know
and they
know
the
gospel
so
they
should
share
the
gospel
the
gospel
isn't
just
for
an
individual
it's
for
all
of
those
that
be
counted
in
God's
is
the
sharing
of
it
is
the
going
and
the
sharing
of
the
good
news
of
Jesus
Christ
and yet
we
keep
them
in
the
shade
no
block
out
the
sun
block
out
the
sun
don't
let
the
sun
hit
them
they
need
to be
pushed
out
we need
to be
pushed
out
into
the
sun
right
we need
to have
our
faith
affirmed
in fact
experience
emboldens
belief
moved
in such
a way
having
your heart
changed
that
you
want
to
share
the
gospel
that
you
want
to
be
weird
that
you
want
to
be
seen
as
strange
that
it's
okay
if
people
think
that
of
you
because
you're
sharing
you're
rejoicing
in the
suffering
of
Christ
affirms
that
kind
of
stuff
in
you
we
coddle
far
too
much
disciple
making
may
not
be
worked
in
the
DNA
of
new
believers
that
could
be
!
the
!
the
!
It's
not
part
of
your
DNA
you
didn't
realize
the
best
of
intentions
sitting
here
today
you
just
may
not
have
known
that
it's
so
massively
important
for
your
Christian
living
sixthly
wow
in a
moment
I'm
going to
say
seventhly
and
eighthly
how
about
that
doesn't
happen
often
sixthly
disciple
making
may
not
be
the
cultural
norm
in
our
churches
!
And
I
would
argue
In
most
cases
!
this
is
true
the
great
deception
of
the
devil
that
he's
turned
our
churches
into
events
and
our
members
into
audiences
we
need
to
recognize
that
the
church
is
a
gathering
of
saints
around
the
event
of
Jesus
life
death
and
resurrection
and
return
and
that
we're
an
army
we're
his
army
an
extension
of
who
he
is
in
this
world
and
this
is
a
war
not
fought
with
missiles
or
!
bullets
hear
me
it
is
not
okay
for you
just
to
come
here
and
sit
and
consume
it's
not
okay
you
must
find
a
way
if
you're
going
to
be
part
of
this
church
or
any
other
to
invest
in
those
people
for
equipping
for
every
good
work
and
going
it's
not
about
putting
on
an
event
this
thing
we
do
on
Sunday
morning
and
I
get
that
there's
a
consumption
aspect
to
it
but
you
have
a
responsibility
to
do
something
with
what
you've
been
given
so
many
of
us
are
so
spiritually
fat
you
get
carb
loaded
on
Sunday
morning
and
you
don't
do
anything
with
all
the
energy
those
carbs
provide
you
just
louse
around
pack
on
some
weight
right
what
if
we
just
said
150
we're
probably
a few
more
than
that
this
morning
but
what
if
we
just
said
there's
a
consistent
150
people
that
come
to
our
Sunday
morning
services
who
would
say
they're
part
of
Christ
family
church
whether
member
or
regular
attendee
or
whatever
we're
a part
of
Christ
family
church
we want
to be
about
the
work
of
God
using
this
church
we
just
said
150
and
if
you
just
put
on
some
evangelical
imagination
with
me
what
if
each
of
those
disciples
of
Jesus
Christ
were
about
the
work
of
making
another
disciple
of
Jesus
Christ
in
a
year
one
in
a
year
now
to
be
sure
some
people
may
do
many
more
some
people
none
at
all
some
people
may
give
their
very
best
effort
to
it
like
Jeremiah
God
delays
blessing
they
press
and
they
press
and
no
one
responds
!
no
one
seems
to
care
very
hear
me
out
but
just
a
little
evangelical
imagination
what
if
you
just
said
make
a
disciple
whether
that's
somebody
who's
converted
to
Christ
and
grown
up
or
somebody
who's
really
nominally
committed
as a
Christian
and
you
can
just
get
them
to
the
point
where
they
go
and
they
turn
they
do
the
same
thing
multiplication
is
what
we're
going
to
talk
about
here
I
have
a
!
cheat
!
It's
easy
in
year
one
I
could
probably
go
a
couple
years
year
one
150
people
that's
what
I'm
using
as
my
starting
point
just
imagining
together
in the
next
year
300
we've
outgrown
our
meeting
space
and I
would
challenge
you
push
the
leadership
of
this
church
to
do
something
about
that
what
we'll
do
exactly
I
do
not
know
but
I
welcome
that
we
filled
!
the
room
you
might
be
thinking
that's
okay
we
filled
the
room
hey
that's
not
okay
we'll
go
further
and
beyond
this
building
could
be
leveled
we
could
meet
in a
different
building
I
don't
know
what
we'll
do
right
but
make
us
have
to
make
decisions
and
offer
alternatives
to
you
guys
okay
300
here
we
go
600
1200
you can
see how
smart
I
yep
and
that's
why
I
lose
it
38
4
76
8
okay
so
let me
just
I
know
most
of
you
can't
see
this
but
in
year
10
you'd
have
76
800
disciples
of
Jesus
Christ
right
again
assuming
right
God
works
God
moves
this
is
his
work
and
his
doing
right
I'm
not
suggesting
some
pragmatic
thing
like
if
you
do
it
this
way
this
will
be
the
result
of
course
right
but
what
if
what
if
God
was
so
loving
that
he
wanted
to
save
people
and
we
just
were
obedient
to
working
that
method
out
to
doing
the
things
that
the
scriptures
tell
us
that
we
ought
to
do
right
mature
obedient
believers
of
Jesus
Christ
76
800
right
now
to
get
to
this
number
or
this
number
whichever
you
prefer
make
a bit
of a
jump
somewhere
between
year
11
and
12
year
12
would
be
this
307
200
people
so
we
far
exceeded
this
number
at that
point
the
population
of
north
Georgia
39
counties
Atlanta
and north
is 6
million
people
the
population
of
Georgia
is 9
million
people
in the
same
year
you would
see this
accomplished
so
about
4
million
oh
my gosh
I'm
writing
all
these
out
there's
like
4
to
9
million
people
year 16
and 17
and just
for fun
the population
of the
United
States
is
313
million
people
and in
year 22
you'd be
at
314
million
people
now I
know I've
made a ton
of assumptions
in doing
this
I
didn't
work out
the math
for what
I could
do
by
myself
right
but it
certainly
isn't
this
it
certainly
doesn't
equal
this
kind
of
expansive
growth
Jesus
Christ
came into
the world
at the
perfect
time
right
it
had all
been
worked
out
so
perfectly
he
didn't
come
into
the
world
when
there
was
technology
I
believe
intentionally
so
right
that
people
might
go
and
person
to
person
share
the
gospel
of
Jesus
Christ
I
think
Jesus
hangs
his
head
and
wags
it
back
and
forth
with
online
TV
and the
insanity
of
churches
there's
a church
which I
won't
name
the
name
of
that's
on
the
west
coast
in
California
and
they're
starting
a
version
of
that
church
in
India
and
they're
so
arrogant
to
think
that
the
Indian
people
need
to
hear
his
preaching
that
they're
simulcasting
him
into
India
the
arrogance
of that
kind
of
thing
the
kind
of
pride
that
comes
from
that
rather
than
just
equipping
people
equipping
people
to go
and do
good
works
right
the
gospel
is
on
three
continents
in
one
generation
after
Jesus
death
resurrection
because
they
went
and they
shared
and they
started
churches
and they
went
and they
shared
and they
equipped
and we
never
should have
stepped
outside
of that
model
right
we all
have a
responsibility
to play
in this
process
right
you start
eliminating
some of you
from this
number
and this
multiplication
gets
dramatically
smaller
and I
know
and I
know
that
many
of you
have
hearts
for
this
many
of you
are
pressing
and
driving
I
have
been
so
encouraged
in the
last
couple
of
weeks
for the
amount
of
sharing
I've
heard
about
intentional
gospel
proclamation
really
connecting
really
pressing
it's
been
massively
encouraging
to me
and we're
not seeing
fruit of
that
yet
but
stick
to
it
and keep
going
I don't
think it's
the cultural
norm
what if
we
change
that
culture
in our
churches
what if
it
became
strange
if you
didn't
show up
and have
something
to share
about the
work of
God
in your
life
in the
gospel
proclamation
that week
what if
it was
weird
that all
your
buddies
are
talking
about
oh yeah
I got to
talk to
so and so
and this
is what
he
said
how would
you have
answered
that question
oh man
this response
this was
really fantastic
what if
that was
the case
and you
were like
opposite of
this
it's
plastic
in so
many
regards
how are
you today
brother
oh I'm
really good
we go
through our
motions
we are
in a lot
of ways
a social
club
and we
believe a lot
of the same
things
and we're
pressing
and I know
that you
guys love
holiness
and you're
working on
those kinds
of things
but we're
inwardly
focused
not outwardly
focused
if we're
an army
this is
base
camp
you get
here
to get
equipped
you get
trained
you get
ammunition
say to
people all
the time
I just
need to
remember
why I'm
fighting
sometimes
because the
week's
hard
and I
need to
know
sometimes
that I'm
not crazy
so sing
songs to
the top
of your
lungs
men
don't let
this room
be dominated
by female
voices
right
because I
need to
hear your
voices
right
I'm not
a crazy
man
I need
to know
that
it's just
not me
and the
women
that believe
these
things
okay that's
my sixth
point
seventhly
we may
not regularly
recognize the
transforming
power of
the gospel
we may not
regularly
recognize it
the gospel has
transforming power
it's transforming
power in our
lives all the
time
Paul says in
Romans 1 16
for I am not
ashamed of the
gospel
he's not ashamed
right we've
seen this
exhortation
what will
happen if we
are ashamed
in Mark
chapter 8
he's not
ashamed
why
for it
is the
power of
God
for salvation
to everyone
who believes
to the Jew
first and also
the Greek
if we change
the culture
if people are
sharing constantly
about the
transforming
work of the
gospel in
their lives
and the
lives of
the people
around them
I think
that would
be good
for us
because we
remember
that the
gospel does
in fact
save people
that our
confidence
will increase
and that
again experience
emboldens
your belief
get out and
share the
gospel and
see people
respond to
the gospel
in the
strangest of
ways
right
melt
in front
of you
so firmly
believing
one thing
and then
finding that
their entire
worldview
has changed
in an
instant
and you'll
know
that God's
word is
powerful
to change
people's
hearts
and
eighthly
and finally
feel strange
to say
we may not
believe that
we are
equipped
we may not
believe that
we are
equipped but
you are all
more equipped
than you
may think
you have
responded in
faith to
the good news
of Jesus
Christ
if you claim
to be a
Christian you
better know
the gospel
because you
responded to
the gospel
you can't be a
Christian and
not understand
the gospel
God saves
all of you
he saves your
heart he saves
your mind
as well
this is the
way that
he accesses
our hearts
through our
minds
you better
be able to
give at
least a
simple
gospel
outline
if you're
a Christian
and you've
been given
the helper
the Holy
Spirit
you have
within you
an extension
of Jesus
Christ
when the
apostles were
lamenting
Jesus is
leaving
he said
no no
it's better
that I go
away
sometimes
that's
hard to
understand
like I
would have
loved to
sat at
the feet
of Jesus
but he
says no
it's better
that I go
away
because if I
don't go
away I
can't send
you the
helper
right so
he has
extended
himself in
a most
magnificent
way that
we might
all have
this abiding
presence of
Christ in
our lives
to help
us in
what we
should say
and how
we should
say it
Mark 13
11
Jesus'
encouragement
to the
apostles as
he's telling
them about
the end
of things
and the way
that they're
going to
suffer
he says
that when
they bring
you to
trial and
deliver you
over
do not
be anxious
beforehand
what you
are to
say
as you're
sitting in
a prison
and you're
going to
a trial
likely to
be killed
don't be
anxious
about what
you're going
to say
but say
whatever is
given you
in that
hour for
it is not
you who
speak
but the
Holy Spirit
so when
your friend
asks you a
question about
Christianity
right
and the end
result may be
that they just
don't quite
understand
don't be
anxious
it's going
to be
alright
the Spirit
is going
to speak
through you
you are
probably going
to flub it
up sometimes
but God
seems to
use the
foolishness
of men
I feel
this way
most Sundays
to accomplish
his work
the Spirit
moves
we have
the helper
I'll give you
the example
of Stephen
in closing
mere days
maybe just
weeks
after Stephen
believes
he's made
some issues
that are arising
in the church
the apostles
want to devote
themselves to
prayer and the
study of the
word
and
he's appointed
as a deacon
not long
after that
he is going
about
and he's
preaching
he's teaching
the word
and he's
brought to
trial
and I'll
just encourage
you to read
Acts chapter 6
there's a
fantastic sermon
brought by the
Spirit in
Stephen's life
but Stephen's
not a
he's filled
with the
Spirit
not
intellectually
gifted in
any manner
whatsoever
but Acts
6.10
says
but they
those are
those that
brought him
to trial
they could
not withstand
the wisdom
and the
Spirit
with which
he was
speaking
read
that sermon
and just
remember that
he is
an infant
in the
faith
I'll give
maybe weeks
weeks
in the
faith
and yet
by the
power
of the
Spirit
he delivers
this
magnificent
sermon
the great
mark of
Christian
maturity
beloved
is not
how much
you know
we're a
smart
church
it's not
how much
you know
it's what
you do
with what
you know
and I know
many Christians
who know
very very
little
but are to
be esteemed
for their
obedience
the way
in which
they respond
to the
things they
know
and I
know
many
Christians
who are
rather
brilliant
in what
they know
and do
so little
with it
and it's
a shame
it's an
absolute
shame
so I
would ask
are you
faithful
with what
God has
given to
you
are you
a disciple
who makes
disciples
the two
are absolutely
inseparable
next week
we will
talk
we will
preach to
you
the things
that the
scriptures
show us
that can
be equipping
the things
that the
model and
the pattern
in which we
should follow
as we look
at the life
and teaching
of Jesus
Christ
so be
encouraged
by that
but this
week
I want
you to
stew in
it
I want
you to
really
take an
account
of your
life
and the
things
that you
care
about
and the
efforts
that you
put
towards
things
and I'm
not
suggesting
that we're
not good
parents
and employees
and that we
don't work
hard in our
classes
but we do
all of that
with the
kingdom of
God
and the
gospel
in mind
this is
the aim
should be
the aim
of everything
and let me
close
just by
reading to
you again
what Jesus
said
recorded in
Mark 8
verse 34
if anyone
would come
after me
let him
deny himself
and take up
his cross
and follow
me
let's pray
together
let's