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Mark 6:6b-13 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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So turn to Mark 6, page 1171 in your ESV Bibles.
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So last week, Nathan began chapter 6 and wonderful exposition of the beginning of chapter 6.
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! I encourage you if you weren't here to go back and listen to that.
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It talks about how Jesus was rejected.
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He was in his own hometown as a prophet, and he was turned away by many who actually knew him,
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and he marveled at the people's unbelief.
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So we're going to pick up after that, but just for context's sake, we'll begin reading in verse 1, chapter 6.
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He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.
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And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished.
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Saying, Where did this man get these things?
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What is the wisdom given to him?
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How are such mighty works done by his hands?
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Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, and Judas, and Simon?
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And are not his sisters here with us?
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And they took offense at him.
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And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown,
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and among his relatives, and in his own household.
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And he could not do, excuse me, no mighty works there,
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except he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.
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And he marveled because of their unbelief.
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And so last week, Nathan taught that the only thing that holds us back from entering into Christ,
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into the presence of God, is our own unbelief.
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And at the judgment day, it won't be, you won't have any other excuse other than,
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I did not come to Christ for salvation.
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You'll be condemned for your own sin and your own crime.
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And unbelief is, he gave several different marks of unbelief.
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I encourage you to go back and look at those.
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But Jesus marveled at their unbelief.
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And what they didn't need was another miracle, another sign for him to prove who he was.
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It really was just their wicked, unrepentant hearts that held them back,
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not because they needed another sign.
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And so picking up from there,
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we're going to start at the second part of verse 6.
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It says,
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He went among the villages teaching,
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and he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two,
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and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
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And he charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff,
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no bread, no bag, no money in their belts,
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but to wear their sandals and not to put on two tunics.
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And he said to them,
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Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.
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And if any place will not receive you,
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and they will not listen to you when you leave,
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shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.
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So they went on out and proclaimed that the people should repent.
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And they cast out many demons,
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and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
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So just pray with me for a minute.
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Lord, we confess that we need you this morning.
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I need you desperately.
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Lord, this isn't a time just to talk about you
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and to act as if we know a lot about you.
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But Lord, you have brought us here this morning to hear your word.
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And I pray that it would have its desired effect,
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that hearts would be broken,
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that people would be convicted,
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and also that people would be greatly encouraged,
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greatly emboldened to go out and declare the message of the gospel.
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So we just ask that, humbly Lord, in Christ's name.
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Amen.
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So, that's where we're finding ourselves today.
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And so this is just chapter 6,
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and the disciples have walked with Jesus for not too long of a time at this point,
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but they've been following Him and observing how He does things.
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And like any good teacher, disciple-maker,
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Jesus is not just teaching them with His words, but His actions.
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And He is the embodiment of what He teaches.
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He is the message that He preaches, that Ryan didn't expect it to.
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So, He is the very embodiment of that message.
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He doesn't just have so-called Bible studies with His disciples
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and talks about Torah, talks about poetry, and talks about the prophets,
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and, all right, great, and then they don't do anything else.
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He says, guys, like, this is what the Scriptures mean.
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How does this work in our hearts?
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Now let's go and live this out.
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And He was like any good teacher or disciple-maker.
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He didn't just teach with His mouth, but He demonstrated.
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He demonstrated with His life what He expected them to learn.
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So, you know, with prayer, He was like, guys, this is what prayer is.
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Now let's do it.
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You know, it wasn't just a theory about prayer.
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They observed Him practice praying, communing with the Father.
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And thankfully, we actually get a glimpse into that in John 17,
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and to see what that was like, to see Jesus commune with the Father.
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But He talks about the Scriptures.
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At least 66 times the Old Testament is referenced just in Jesus' conversation with His disciples.
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So He constantly was teaching them, this is what this meant.
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And I really try to endeavor with the men I've discipled over the years,
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not always successfully, as most of them will tell you.
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I think five of them are here right now.
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Of course, they'd be like, yeah, He doesn't always do that.
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But I try to demonstrate with my life like what I expect them to learn and show them with my actions.
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And this is biblical.
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And I'll just read you a couple of examples from Paul.
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It was a vital part of discipleship.
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He would say things like this,
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Be imitators of me as I imitate Christ.
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1 Corinthians 11.1
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And in Philippians 4, he says,
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Brothers, join in imitating me,
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and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
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And then later on, in chapter 3, he says,
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What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me,
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practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
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So he was living this out.
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Demonstrating what he expected them to learn.
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And now up until this point in Mark,
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he's been teaching, he's been healing,
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he's been proclaiming the kingdom of God,
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casting out demons.
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They've seen him do this,
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drive away evil spirits,
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and help many people.
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Raise a young girl from the dead even.
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And they were engaged.
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They were seeing this.
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They saw him share with the masses.
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And they watched him.
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A book that I recommend,
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that I read at least once a year,
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that a man introduced me to a long time ago,
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it's called The Master's Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman.
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And I really try, again,
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I try to follow this example of what discipleship was.
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But he has a chapter called Demonstration,
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and it's basically how any good disciple maker will demonstrate what he expects his disciples to learn.
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And this is just a quote out of that on the Demonstration chapter.
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He said,
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What all the disciples had to teach them was a teacher who practiced with them what he expected them to learn.
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Evangelism was lived out before them in spirit and in technique.
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Watching him, they learned what it was all about.
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He led them to recognize the inerrant need in all classes of people,
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and the best methods of approaching them.
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They observed how he drew people to himself,
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and how he won their confidence and inspired their faith.
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How he opened to them the way of salvation,
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and called them to decision.
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In all types of situations,
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and among all kinds of people,
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rich, poor, healthy, and sick,
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friend and foe alike,
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the disciples watched.
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The master soul winner at work.
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It wasn't outlined on a blackboard.
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This is when blackboards were still around.
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It wasn't outlined on a blackboard of a stuffy classroom,
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nor written in a do-it-yourself manual.
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His method was so real and practical that it just came naturally.
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Okay, so,
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I've had several conversations with some people this last semester,
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and one of them asked me,
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you know, like,
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why do you think that,
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like, it's one of the reasons, at least,
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it's so hard for people to share their faith.
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Why is it?
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Why is it just, like, so weird?
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And I'll use the term of our generation awkward today.
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Like, why is it,
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why is it like that?
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And I think the only answer is,
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is because we've divorced evangelism from our actual lives.
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It's not a part of who we are anymore.
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It's something that we, like,
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we do,
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we live this way,
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and then now we, like,
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oh,
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now I've got to evangelize.
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It's like a,
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it's an event that we take place in,
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but it's not coming out of who we are on a daily basis around the people that we're around.
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So we've divorced it from our actual lives,
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and that's why it's weird for a lot of us.
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So,
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if you look at verse 7
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in our text here,
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it says,
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He called the twelve,
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and began to send them out,
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two by two,
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this is just introduction,
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two by two,
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and gave them authority
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over the unclean spirits.
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So,
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also,
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in this book I refer to you,
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he has a chapter called Delegation.
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So,
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demonstration,
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delegation.
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And,
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and this is another part of real discipleship that our,
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our Lord uses,
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delegation.
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So from day one,
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Jesus was preparing his disciples
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to take over his mission one day.
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He saw, like,
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that's where I need to take them.
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And he began, like,
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slowly taking them there.
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That would have been quite a work,
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knowing what we know about the disciples.
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And he gradually assigned work,
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duties,
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responsibilities,
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and they were faithful to that.
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It's kind of like,
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okay, boys,
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you've watched me do it.
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You see,
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you've observed me.
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Now it's,
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now it's your turn.
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Go out and do this.
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And that's real discipleship.
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And in this context,
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in Mark today,
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we see him delegating for the first time,
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preaching,
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and evangelism,
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and soul winning,
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accompanied by acts of compassion.
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So it says,
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like,
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he began to send them out.
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He commissioned each pair to go out
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as his representatives.
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And we see that he gave them authority.
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So,
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that's important.
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He didn't like just sending them out
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to fend for themselves,
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and their own wit,
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because really they weren't that way,
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or their own knowledge and skill,
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which they lacked greatly.
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He gave them his authority to go out,
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or his power to go out.
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And that term here,
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it could be used as authority or power.
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It means like inerrant power,
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an idea of someone possessing the right to do something,
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and actually having,
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like,
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the capacity to do it.
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And that's the kind of power that he gave them to go out.
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And so,
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they didn't just go out on their own.
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And he gave them his power to go out
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and do as he had been doing.
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So,
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which is interesting.
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In a parallel text in Matthew,
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it says that after he sent them out,
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he himself went out and continued teaching and doing this.
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It wasn't like,
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I'm going to sit back at the house and drink some lemonade
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while y'all go out.
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You know,
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he was doing this himself
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as the example for them.
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And so,
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in another sense,
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he granted them authority.
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He was saying,
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in a literal sense almost,
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that he was an extension.
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They were an extension of him
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as they ministered to others.
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And up until now,
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Jesus had been the one teaching,
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preaching,
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healing,
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casting out demons.
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But he sent his power to go out.
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And then we see
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that he sent them out two by two.
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So,
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why twos?
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I was able to kind of think of like,
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six different reasons,
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but really quickly,
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how important was it fulfilled the requirements of the law
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to,
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for every testimony to have,
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to be established by two or more witnesses.
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That's out of Deuteronomy 17,
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six.
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And then it also followed the ancient wisdom of Solomon
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and the Old Testament,
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two are better than one.
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It's the idea that if you fall,
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you have someone to pick you up.
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So that's another one,
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is provided the men with the companionship,
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encouragement,
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and someone to pray for them.
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I've been so thankful for that over the years,
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to have those kind of situations.
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It was the method used by John the Baptist
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and his followers.
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He sent them out by twos.
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And then you also see
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it was the method of the early church.
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A lot in the book of Acts,
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you'll read that.
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Paul often has somebody else with him,
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Barnabas or Silas,
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and they would,
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they would go.
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Or he would say,
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I'm going to send to you Timothy
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and another guy.
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Like it was always by twos.
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And it really still is the best method today.
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I remember earlier on,
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in my walk with the Lord,
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I was 18,
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19,
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and I was just
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really burdened
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to like share the gospel
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with all my crazy lost friends
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that I went to high school with.
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And the Lord paired me up
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with another buddy of mine
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who was probably the craziest,
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craziest dude in our grade,
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seriously,
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before the Lord saved him.
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And we just started hunting people down.
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You know,
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we would call somebody up and say,
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hey,
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what are you doing this day?
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Let's hang out.
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And we would genuinely just hang out with him.
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And then we'd be like,
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so,
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you know,
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have some good conversations.
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We,
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we didn't really know what we were doing,
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to be honest.
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We were just trying to love people
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and pointing to Jesus,
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kind of a bull in a china closet
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kind of stuff.
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I remember we actually ran out of friends.
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Like we were like,
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who are we?
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And we actually pulled the yearbook out
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and started like going down
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through the yearbook.
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I remember one time we were praying,
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like Lord,
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we're running out of people to talk to.
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And like two minutes later,
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he dug up something out of his closet
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and it was like this,
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he started laughing.
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It was like a list of all the people
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he used to call to party on the weekends.
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Like,
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we're going after them.
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So it was like,
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it was,
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it was that.
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So,
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and today,
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I try to take the men I disciple
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on the Appalachian Trail
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and to share with guys
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who were coming by.
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The last time I took Kittrell,
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Matt Kittrell with me,
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I made him carry the cooler.
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It was great.
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But we just took little bottles of water,
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some Powerade,
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and yes,
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I'll explain this later.
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I took a few beers too.
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Number one,
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I went in vodka.
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And number one,
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we didn't give them more than one.
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So,
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but,
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I've had people say,
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do you have any,
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do you have any beer?
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And I was like,
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no,
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I just got water,
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man.
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Well,
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that's okay.
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And just keep walking.
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And so,
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we actually had
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a couple people that stopped
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and had a beer
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and we talked about Jesus
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and that was kind of a conundrum for them.
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So,
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Daniel Swanson,
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he's done this too.
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He's taken people down to the mall
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and in pairs
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and shared with people down there.
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Definitely,
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like,
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I was convicted
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a few years ago
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in my discipleship
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that I was,
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I was telling the guys
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that I am sharing my faith
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and they knew I was sharing my faith.
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But,
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really,
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just a personal part of it,
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I needed to be able to show them
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how to do it.
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They need to see me,
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like,
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have terrible conversations with people.
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They need to see me,
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like,
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get burned
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and rejected
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and as well as just
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have good conversations
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so that,
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at the end of the day,
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they'll know
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that this is
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not about how much you know
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or how clever you are.
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It's about,
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like,
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God's power in you.
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That's all it is.
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It doesn't matter.
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So,
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yeah,
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the by twos thing,
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a great way to do it.
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So,
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three things
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from our text today,
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if you'll look at
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the beginning of verse 11.
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Excuse me.
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Number one is,
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faithful messengers
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proclaim salvation.
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Faithful messengers
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proclaim salvation.
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You look at verse 11 and 12.
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And if any place
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will not receive you
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and they will not listen to you
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when you leave,
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shake off the dust
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that is on your feet
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as a testimony
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against them
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so that when they
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went out
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and proclaimed
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that people
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should repent.
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So,
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this is the first one.
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If you would,
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there's just a couple
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of places for you
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to turn today
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outside of Mark 6.
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Hold your place
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in Mark 6,
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but just go back
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to chapter 1
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of Mark.
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So,
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what was the message
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that they were
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proclaiming?
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And,
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more than likely,
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it was the same message
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that Jesus
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was proclaiming here
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at the beginning of Mark.
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If you look at verse 14,
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it says this,
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Jesus came into Galilee
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proclaiming the gospel
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of God
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and saying,
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the time is fulfilled
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and the kingdom of God
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is at hand.
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Repent
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and believe the gospel.
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So,
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the message
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that he was proclaiming
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was the good news
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that the kingdom
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of God
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is here,
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that God was establishing
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his rule
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over the hearts
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of Adam's
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fallen race.
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It was being established.
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and in response
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to this,
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people should repent
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and believe the gospel.
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So,
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let's just break this down.
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The kingdom of God,
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without getting
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to all the craziness
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of the kingdom of God,
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it can really be
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simply understood
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in three ways.
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The first
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is the spiritual kingdom
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or the invisible kingdom
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that exists
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in the hearts
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of those who believe.
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It's like the church
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invisible,
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like,
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it's the
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rule of Christ
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that is established
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in the hearts
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of those
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who have put
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their faith in him.
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And then also,
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you could be referring
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to the future
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millennial kingdom
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and the new heaven,
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the new earth,
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Revelation 20,
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fulfilling the
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Old Testament promises
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about the Messiah,
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which will come
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shortly before the end,
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and then,
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and then the eternal kingdom
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that follows that
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in the new heaven.
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So God's kingdom,
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if you look at this text,
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it's interesting.
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If you look at the text,
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it says that God's kingdom
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is here,
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and that it is coming.
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There's places,
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you know,
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where Jesus is teaching
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his disciples,
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pray,
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your kingdom come,
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right?
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And,
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but here he says,
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the kingdom of God
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is here.
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So,
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like,
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how is that to be understood?
20:09
And many of you
20:11
have heard me say this,
20:12
but it's only the best
20:13
analogy I can come up with.
20:15
Actually,
20:15
I don't think I came up
20:16
with it either.
20:17
But it's,
20:18
it's a picture of,
20:19
like,
20:20
there being darkness
20:21
and no light,
20:22
but suddenly,
20:23
like,
20:23
the sun begins to come up.
20:26
I'm an outdoorsman,
20:27
and I like to fish,
20:28
and I like to hunt,
20:28
and usually you're out there
20:29
at dark,
20:30
and then,
20:30
like,
20:30
the sun comes up,
20:31
and you get to watch that a lot.
20:33
It's that idea of,
20:34
like,
20:34
the sun coming up,
20:36
piercing the darkness,
20:38
but it's not fully
20:39
daylight yet.
20:40
And that's a picture of,
20:41
kind of,
20:41
where we live right now.
20:43
So the kingdom is here,
20:44
and it is coming.
20:46
He said,
20:46
the time is fulfilled,
20:48
Jesus says.
20:50
And that's the Greek word,
20:51
keros,
20:52
not kromos,
20:53
which is like a clock time.
20:56
It has more to do,
20:57
like,
20:57
an epochal time,
20:58
the error,
20:59
a fixed point in history
21:01
for an event to happen.
21:03
And like in Galatians 4,
21:04
it says,
21:05
in the fullness of time,
21:06
is that idea.
21:08
And so the most significant error
21:09
in human history
21:10
was the arrival of Christ
21:11
on the scene
21:12
and Him beginning
21:15
to bring in the kingdom of God,
21:17
paying the penalty for sin
21:18
and resurrecting from the dead.
21:20
So,
21:21
so that's the kingdom.
21:22
So,
21:22
how do you actually get
21:24
into the kingdom?
21:25
Right?
21:26
So,
21:26
if you look back,
21:28
just in Mark 1,
21:30
it says,
21:30
repent
21:31
and believe the gospel.
21:33
And this is the message
21:34
that they were proclaiming,
21:35
saying that they should go out
21:36
and teach
21:37
and declare
21:38
that men should repent
21:39
of their sin.
21:41
So,
21:43
a great,
21:43
I'm trying to,
21:44
so much to learn
21:45
about repentance.
21:46
And then those
21:46
who actually mentor
21:47
and disciple me here
21:49
always tell me,
21:50
you have a lot to learn
21:51
about repentance.
21:51
And I'm like,
21:52
man,
21:52
I do.
21:53
Because I,
21:53
I don't,
21:54
I don't handle it
21:55
so well sometimes.
21:56
But really,
21:58
literally,
21:58
repenting,
21:59
it means to change
22:00
one's mind
22:01
for the better.
22:01
heartily to
22:03
a man with
22:05
abhorrence
22:05
one's past sins.
22:07
It's a changing
22:08
of the mind
22:08
that leads
22:09
to change of action.
22:11
It's a turning
22:12
away of sin,
22:13
hating it,
22:14
and resolving
22:15
only by God's power
22:16
to overcome it,
22:18
even as you turn
22:19
in faith to Him.
22:21
So,
22:22
a little helpful thing,
22:24
being repentant
22:25
is not just
22:26
feeling guilty
22:26
and feeling bad
22:28
for things you've done.
22:30
unbelievers do that.
22:33
So,
22:33
what's the difference?
22:35
And the difference
22:36
is that
22:36
genuine repentance
22:38
arises from a heart
22:39
of sorrow
22:40
for the crimes
22:42
it has committed
22:42
against God.
22:44
It's called
22:44
a godly sorrow
22:45
that leads to repentance.
22:46
2 Corinthians 7,
22:48
10.
22:49
A godly sorrow
22:50
that produces
22:50
a desire
22:51
to change
22:52
one's ways
22:53
and change
22:55
the way
22:55
a repentant sinner
22:56
lives.
22:57
As David said
22:59
when he committed
22:59
adultery,
23:01
murder,
23:01
and scandal,
23:02
he told God
23:03
in Psalm 51,
23:05
you alone
23:05
have I sinned against
23:06
and done what is evil
23:08
in your sight.
23:09
So,
23:11
he could have said
23:12
I sinned against
23:12
a lot of people,
23:13
but he knew that
23:14
all sin,
23:15
all of it,
23:16
is first and foremost
23:17
against God.
23:18
And that's why he said
23:19
that you and you alone
23:20
have I sinned against.
23:22
It's a grief
23:22
that's produced.
23:24
So,
23:24
all the sin,
23:25
you know,
23:28
calls us
23:29
to reckon with God
23:30
and to turn away
23:31
from our sin.
23:34
And by the way,
23:35
another thing,
23:36
like,
23:37
when we say repent,
23:39
when the scripture
23:40
says repent,
23:41
when Jesus said it
23:42
right here,
23:43
it's not an invitation.
23:46
It's not,
23:47
he's not simply
23:48
inviting people
23:49
to come
23:49
and follow him.
23:51
It's used as a command
23:52
like repent
23:54
and believe.
23:55
It's not a
23:56
imitation.
23:58
And,
23:59
as if,
24:00
like,
24:00
you see your child
24:01
doing something crazy
24:02
that could harm them
24:03
and you command them
24:04
like,
24:05
turn now,
24:07
come back.
24:08
Because,
24:08
because really,
24:09
Jesus knows
24:10
that he is the only hope
24:11
they have.
24:12
So,
24:12
he's not saying like,
24:13
please,
24:14
like,
24:14
he's not a,
24:15
it's not that,
24:16
it's just repent
24:17
and believe.
24:19
Because he knows
24:19
that he is the only thing
24:20
that can save them.
24:22
So,
24:23
it's not an invitation.
24:25
So,
24:25
we have to
24:26
come back
24:27
to this idea
24:28
of repentance.
24:29
It's left out
24:30
a lot.
24:31
Y'all won't believe me,
24:32
but it's left out
24:33
even on the college campus.
24:34
It's left out.
24:36
Several years ago,
24:38
I had a conversation
24:39
with a
24:39
so-called atheist
24:41
and
24:43
he told me,
24:44
like,
24:45
I used to be
24:46
a Christian
24:47
and so I asked him
24:48
to like explain
24:49
what he meant
24:51
and he said,
24:52
well,
24:53
about a year ago,
24:54
I was going through
24:55
a really rough time
24:56
and some Christians
24:58
came to me
24:59
and they just said,
25:01
man,
25:01
I'm sorry,
25:02
you're having a hard time.
25:03
What you really need
25:04
is Jesus in your life
25:05
and he'll make you joyful,
25:07
he'll bring you peace
25:08
and so I was like,
25:10
man,
25:10
I want that.
25:11
So,
25:11
he came
25:12
and he,
25:13
you know,
25:14
came to the church
25:15
and,
25:16
you know,
25:16
did the whole deal
25:17
and then,
25:19
and then in that conversation
25:21
he said,
25:21
and it was cool
25:22
for a while
25:23
but then,
25:25
this happened.
25:26
I broke up
25:27
with my girlfriend.
25:28
I lost my job
25:28
and,
25:30
and I just had to tell him,
25:31
like,
25:32
man,
25:33
like,
25:33
I'm very sorry
25:34
that like,
25:35
all that's happened to you
25:36
but I'm even more sorry
25:37
that these Christians
25:39
that probably meant well,
25:42
they didn't tell you
25:43
what the gospel really was.
25:45
Like,
25:45
the truth is,
25:46
yes,
25:46
Christ does give you joy,
25:48
he does give you satisfaction,
25:49
he does give you peace
25:51
but that comes
25:52
by way of repenting
25:53
of your sin
25:54
and following Christ
25:55
and they forgot that.
25:56
They forgot to tell him
25:57
to turn away
25:58
from his sin
25:59
and believe the gospel.
26:01
So,
26:01
don't,
26:02
it's a,
26:03
it's an overflow,
26:04
it's an outcome
26:04
of knowing Christ
26:05
that it is not the gospel
26:07
and you keep that in mind
26:09
and how we actually
26:10
teach to people.
26:11
So,
26:12
he says,
26:12
repent and believe.
26:13
So,
26:14
this isn't just
26:14
a mere acknowledgement,
26:17
it's to believe
26:18
means to be persuaded,
26:20
to be strongly convicted
26:21
by something,
26:22
to throw yourself
26:22
completely in trust,
26:25
right?
26:25
So,
26:26
it's a belief
26:26
that produces action,
26:28
it's not just
26:28
a mental ascent.
26:30
You believe it so much
26:31
that it changes
26:32
how you live.
26:33
And then the gospel
26:34
is just,
26:35
we talk about it
26:36
all the time,
26:36
it's the glad tithings,
26:38
the good news
26:39
that Christ came here
26:40
to save sinners,
26:41
all right?
26:43
Turn to Acts 3
26:45
really quick.
26:50
Acts 3.
26:53
So,
26:53
after Jesus
26:54
had ascended back,
26:58
after he had ascended
27:00
back to heaven,
27:01
the apostles,
27:02
the apostles continued
27:03
this message
27:04
of repentance.
27:05
It wasn't
27:06
just come to Jesus
27:07
and get happy.
27:09
Acts 3,
27:09
verse 17,
27:10
it said,
27:12
And now,
27:13
brothers,
27:14
I know that you
27:15
acted in ignorance,
27:16
as did also your rulers,
27:18
but what God foretold
27:20
by the mouth
27:20
of all the prophets,
27:22
that his Christ
27:23
would suffer,
27:25
he thus fulfilled.
27:27
Repent,
27:28
therefore,
27:29
and turn again,
27:31
that your sins
27:31
may be blotted out,
27:33
that times of refreshing
27:35
may come
27:36
from the presence
27:36
of the Lord,
27:37
and that he may
27:39
send the Christ
27:39
appointed for you,
27:41
Jesus,
27:42
whom heaven must receive
27:43
until the time
27:44
for restoring
27:44
all things
27:46
about which God
27:47
spoke by the mouth
27:48
of all his holy prophets
27:49
so long ago.
27:50
That resembles
27:52
what's said in Isaiah
27:53
about God saying,
27:54
Turn back to me,
27:56
repent,
27:57
that a time
27:58
of healing
27:59
and refreshing
27:59
will come,
28:00
that your sins
28:01
will be blotted away.
28:03
Christ was the fulfillment
28:04
of that,
28:05
and we never forgot that.
28:06
Repent
28:06
and turn again
28:08
to the Lord,
28:08
that your sins
28:09
will be blotted out.
28:11
And it says
28:11
that genuine repentance
28:12
does bring refreshing.
28:14
Those of you
28:15
who have believed
28:16
the gospel
28:16
know that.
28:17
It's a refreshing,
28:18
cooling presence
28:20
to your seared conscience
28:22
that sin has brought.
28:25
So,
28:25
back in,
28:27
if you look back
28:27
in Mark 6,
28:29
you see that he says,
28:30
if you're rejected,
28:34
shake off the dust
28:35
from your sandals.
28:37
Alright?
28:37
Shake off the dust
28:38
from your sandals.
28:39
So,
28:39
if the message
28:40
rejected,
28:41
this is what Jews did
28:43
when they returned
28:44
from a foreign land
28:45
or from a pagan land
28:46
when they returned
28:47
from a journey.
28:48
So,
28:48
before they actually
28:49
crossed back into Israel,
28:51
they would shake the dust,
28:53
shake the dust
28:53
off their sandals,
28:54
off their clothes,
28:55
and it was just
28:56
symbolic.
28:57
It represented
28:58
like total
28:59
disassociation.
29:00
from the pagans
29:01
in their polluted land.
29:03
Luke 10,
29:05
8 is an example
29:06
of that.
29:07
In this case,
29:08
Jesus was telling
29:09
his men
29:09
to do this
29:10
as a sign
29:11
of those
29:12
who rejected
29:12
the gospel
29:13
and rejected him
29:14
and that they would
29:15
face God's judgment
29:16
one day.
29:18
And so,
29:19
it also,
29:20
it made,
29:21
it was symbolic
29:22
of the messengers
29:23
freeing themselves
29:25
of the responsibility
29:26
of sharing.
29:27
Now,
29:28
some of you
29:28
may not like
29:28
to hear this,
29:29
but,
29:30
like,
29:31
if you,
29:33
if you just
29:34
write this down,
29:35
like Ezekiel 33
29:36
is the,
29:38
the picture
29:38
of the,
29:39
or the vision
29:39
of the watchman
29:40
that God gives
29:41
Ezekiel.
29:42
And he says,
29:42
I've appointed you
29:43
a watchman
29:43
to the house
29:44
of Israel.
29:45
And so,
29:46
a watchman
29:46
would be up
29:47
on a high place
29:49
in the city,
29:49
a guard tower
29:51
or whatever.
29:52
It is his job
29:52
to watch for danger
29:53
that might be coming.
29:55
And his job
29:56
also was to blow
29:57
a trumpet
29:57
if he did see danger.
29:59
And,
29:59
and then the people
30:01
would either listen
30:02
to him
30:02
or they would
30:03
ignore it.
30:04
But,
30:04
God says,
30:05
it is your
30:06
responsibility,
30:07
I hold you
30:07
personally accountable
30:08
to blow the trumpet.
30:11
All right?
30:12
To warn the people
30:13
of impending danger.
30:16
And,
30:16
if they ignore it,
30:18
the blood is on
30:18
their own heads.
30:20
And you are free
30:21
of your responsibility.
30:22
But,
30:23
but if you don't
30:24
blow it,
30:25
he says,
30:26
I will hold you
30:26
accountable.
30:27
All right?
30:28
And that's true.
30:29
It's true.
30:31
Acts 18,
30:32
verse 6,
30:34
Paul had just
30:34
been rejected
30:35
and this is
30:36
what he says.
30:37
And when they
30:38
opposed
30:38
and reviled
30:39
Paul,
30:41
he shook off
30:41
his garments.
30:42
There it is.
30:43
See,
30:43
he shook off
30:43
his garments.
30:45
And he said
30:45
to them,
30:46
your blood
30:47
be on your
30:47
own heads.
30:49
I am
30:49
innocent.
30:51
All right?
30:52
Yes,
30:53
this was the
30:54
man who wrote
30:54
Romans 9.
30:55
He knew
30:56
about the
30:56
sovereignty of
30:57
God.
30:57
He knew
30:57
that God
30:58
was the
30:58
one who
30:58
ultimately
30:59
worked in
31:00
the hearts
31:00
of men,
31:00
but he
31:01
never took
31:02
that as
31:03
an excuse
31:04
to just lay
31:04
back.
31:05
He knew
31:05
that preaching
31:06
the gospel
31:06
was the
31:07
means God
31:07
uses to
31:08
save sinners.
31:10
And he
31:10
said,
31:11
I'm innocent.
31:12
I'm free
31:12
of my
31:13
responsibility.
31:14
I've told you
31:15
the message,
31:15
and I'm
31:16
walking away.
31:16
So it
31:17
was symbolic
31:19
of moving
31:21
on.
31:22
So that's
31:23
number one.
31:24
Faithful
31:24
messengers
31:24
proclaim
31:25
salvation.
31:26
Number two,
31:28
in our text
31:28
back in
31:29
Mark,
31:30
faithful
31:31
messengers
31:31
manifest
31:33
compassion.
31:35
Faithful
31:35
messengers
31:36
manifest
31:36
compassion.
31:38
So nothing
31:38
is more
31:40
distasteful
31:40
to a lost
31:41
world than
31:42
Bible
31:43
thumpers
31:43
hurling
31:45
stuff at
31:46
them and
31:47
then not
31:47
caring for
31:48
them at
31:48
all.
31:49
Alright?
31:51
Good deeds,
31:51
good works,
31:53
as one of
31:53
the old
31:53
confessions
31:55
says,
31:55
good deeds,
31:56
good works
31:56
adorn the
31:57
gospel.
31:58
They make
31:59
the gospel
31:59
look beautiful.
32:01
And the
32:03
compassion of
32:03
Christ is
32:05
seen all
32:05
over the
32:06
place.
32:06
But if you
32:07
look back in
32:07
our text,
32:08
it's to
32:09
follow here,
32:09
faithful
32:10
messengers
32:10
!
32:10
Manifest
32:11
compassion.
32:12
Verse 7,
32:13
He called
32:14
the twelve
32:14
and began
32:14
to send
32:15
them out
32:15
two by
32:15
two,
32:16
and He
32:16
gave them
32:16
authority
32:17
over
32:17
unclean
32:18
spirits.
32:19
In
32:19
verse 13,
32:20
And they
32:20
cast out
32:21
many demons
32:22
and anointed
32:23
with oil
32:23
many who
32:24
were sick
32:24
and healed
32:25
them.
32:26
Alright?
32:26
So our
32:27
Lord,
32:28
He was
32:29
the embodiment
32:30
of compassion.
32:30
He was
32:31
the greatest
32:31
incarnation
32:32
of the
32:33
compassion
32:34
of God
32:34
ever.
32:35
He never
32:36
did things
32:37
selfishly
32:37
or begrudgingly.
32:38
He didn't
32:39
have a secret
32:39
agenda.
32:41
I mean,
32:41
He didn't
32:43
like,
32:44
I pity
32:44
these
32:45
sinners.
32:45
That wasn't
32:48
His attitude
32:49
at all.
32:50
Jesus
32:50
served people
32:51
from a
32:53
deep and
32:53
sincere
32:54
compassion.
32:56
And the
32:56
word that's
32:56
kind of used
32:58
for compassion
32:58
in many
32:59
places in
32:59
the New
32:59
Testament
33:00
means like
33:02
from the
33:02
bowels.
33:02
It means
33:03
like the
33:04
place of
33:04
tender
33:05
affections
33:05
for another.
33:06
a
33:07
aching
33:08
heart
33:08
which
33:09
mercy
33:10
resides
33:10
for those
33:11
who
33:11
are
33:11
lowly
33:11
and
33:12
weak.
33:13
Alright?
33:13
So it was
33:14
more like
33:14
that,
33:17
not like,
33:17
oh,
33:18
I need to
33:18
go help
33:18
these
33:19
people.
33:19
Like,
33:19
he felt
33:20
it.
33:20
It was
33:21
deep
33:21
inside
33:22
of him.
33:23
And
33:23
God's
33:24
compassion
33:24
was spoken
33:25
of so
33:25
many times
33:26
in the
33:27
Old
33:27
Testament.
33:28
It
33:29
reveals
33:29
like this
33:29
astounding,
33:30
tender-hearted
33:32
God toward
33:32
those who
33:33
are weak
33:34
and lowly.
33:34
Psalm 79
33:37
verse 8
33:37
says this,
33:38
Do not
33:39
remember
33:39
against us
33:41
our former
33:41
iniquities.
33:43
Let your
33:43
compassion
33:44
come speedily
33:45
to meet us
33:46
for we are
33:47
brought low.
33:48
There's that
33:48
idea.
33:49
Help us,
33:50
O God,
33:51
of our
33:51
salvation
33:51
for the
33:52
glory of
33:53
your name.
33:54
Deliver us
33:55
and atone
33:56
our sins
33:56
for your
33:57
name's sake.
33:59
So now,
34:00
Jesus is
34:01
here.
34:02
The gospel
34:02
is here.
34:03
And so all
34:03
the teaching,
34:04
all the
34:04
miracles
34:05
were acts
34:06
of compassion
34:07
to those
34:08
who dwelt
34:08
in darkness
34:09
and in the
34:09
bondage of
34:10
sin.
34:11
Okay?
34:12
He was the
34:13
incarnation of
34:14
the Father's
34:14
compassion.
34:15
What we just
34:16
read was
34:16
fulfilled in
34:17
Christ,
34:18
atoned for
34:18
our sins.
34:19
And a
34:20
little later
34:20
on in
34:21
Mark,
34:21
this same
34:22
chapter,
34:23
if you just
34:23
look at
34:24
Mark 6
34:25
34,
34:26
it says,
34:27
He went
34:27
ashore and
34:28
he saw a
34:28
great crowd
34:29
and he had
34:30
compassion
34:30
on them
34:31
because they
34:32
were like
34:33
sheep without
34:33
a shepherd
34:34
and he
34:34
began to
34:35
teach them
34:35
many things.
34:38
So,
34:39
now the
34:40
disciples are
34:40
going out
34:41
as an
34:41
extension of
34:42
Christ to
34:42
the world
34:42
to deliver
34:44
and to
34:44
heal,
34:45
to preach
34:45
the kingdom,
34:46
to cast
34:47
out demons
34:47
and to
34:48
heal the
34:48
sick.
34:49
Alright?
34:49
Now,
34:50
as we've
34:51
said,
34:51
God uses
34:52
miracles to
34:53
confirm or
34:54
to validate
34:55
his claims.
34:56
Okay?
34:57
Like,
34:57
there was
34:59
miracles done
34:59
in the Old
35:00
Testament.
35:00
Jesus was
35:01
not the
35:01
first one
35:01
to work
35:02
miracles or
35:03
to raise
35:03
somebody from
35:04
the dead.
35:05
I mean,
35:05
even Elijah
35:06
did that.
35:07
So,
35:08
I do
35:10
believe,
35:10
because I've
35:11
seen,
35:12
I've heard
35:13
and I've
35:13
experienced,
35:14
I do
35:15
believe that
35:15
God still
35:16
does use
35:17
miracles as
35:18
something to
35:20
show his
35:21
power, to
35:21
show his
35:21
compassion to
35:22
people.
35:23
But I
35:23
also will
35:24
say that I
35:24
know it's
35:25
not the
35:25
norm.
35:26
Okay?
35:28
Years ago,
35:28
when I was in
35:29
the hospital,
35:29
people were
35:29
praying that
35:31
I would
35:31
like be
35:31
healed from
35:32
my cystic
35:34
fibrosis,
35:34
that I
35:34
wouldn't need
35:35
a transplant.
35:36
I had more
35:37
oil dumped
35:37
on me than
35:38
McDonald's
35:38
french fries.
35:39
But I
35:40
had a lot
35:41
of prayer
35:43
on that.
35:45
And,
35:45
but really,
35:47
the greatest
35:48
miracle that
35:50
is performed
35:50
today is
35:51
like the
35:51
transformation,
35:53
the regeneration
35:54
of the dead
35:55
human soul.
35:56
By his
35:57
wombs,
35:58
they will be
35:58
healed.
35:59
That was
35:59
speaking of
36:00
a spiritual
36:00
healing.
36:02
And Christ
36:02
brought that
36:03
when he
36:03
came.
36:04
You can't
36:04
be fickled
36:05
by miracles.
36:05
Did y'all
36:06
know that in
36:06
the last
36:06
days, like
36:07
false teachers
36:08
will be able
36:09
to do
36:09
miracles?
36:10
So what
36:10
are you
36:11
going to
36:11
do?
36:11
Are you
36:11
going to
36:11
believe it?
36:12
Or say,
36:12
like, where
36:12
is that
36:13
coming from?
36:14
It's not,
36:14
it can't be
36:15
it.
36:16
It's got to
36:16
be something
36:16
more than
36:17
that.
36:18
So for
36:18
Christ to
36:19
take a
36:19
lost,
36:20
hell-bound
36:21
sinner,
36:22
a rebel,
36:22
and transform
36:23
them into,
36:24
like a lover
36:24
of the king,
36:25
is the greatest
36:26
miracle,
36:27
really.
36:28
And that
36:28
comes by
36:29
the gospel.
36:30
It comes by
36:31
us sharing
36:32
the word of
36:32
God with
36:32
people.
36:34
So that's
36:34
number three,
36:35
or number
36:35
two.
36:36
Faithful
36:36
messengers
36:37
manifest
36:37
compassion.
36:39
Number
36:39
three,
36:40
faithful
36:41
messengers
36:41
live dependent
36:43
on God.
36:45
Okay?
36:46
Verse
36:47
eight,
36:48
he charged
36:49
them to
36:49
take nothing
36:50
for their
36:50
journey,
36:51
except the
36:51
staff,
36:52
no bread,
36:53
no bag,
36:53
no money,
36:54
in their
36:54
belts,
36:55
but to
36:56
wear their
36:56
sandals,
36:57
and to
36:57
not put
36:57
on two
36:58
tunics.
36:59
And he
36:59
said to
36:59
them,
37:00
whenever you
37:01
enter a
37:01
house,
37:01
stay there
37:02
until you
37:03
depart from
37:03
there.
37:04
So like,
37:05
what's all
37:05
that about?
37:07
Well,
37:09
you know,
37:10
the traveling
37:10
bag,
37:11
which he
37:11
doesn't ask
37:12
them to
37:12
take,
37:12
it was
37:13
used to
37:13
carry money
37:14
or to
37:14
carry food.
37:16
For a
37:17
long time,
37:18
like you
37:18
can just
37:19
use Exodus
37:19
12 as an
37:20
example of
37:20
this,
37:21
things that
37:22
were listed
37:22
here in
37:23
these two
37:23
verses,
37:23
they were
37:25
signs to
37:25
the Jewish
37:26
people of
37:27
their helplessness,
37:28
their need to
37:29
trust in God,
37:30
and also
37:31
urgency.
37:32
Like,
37:33
when you're in
37:33
a hurry,
37:33
you don't have
37:34
time to
37:34
pack three
37:37
or four bags
37:38
of all your
37:38
junk.
37:39
Like,
37:40
go.
37:40
That's kind
37:41
of like the
37:41
picture here.
37:42
Guys,
37:43
you don't have
37:43
time to
37:43
let up the
37:44
hair dryer
37:44
and the
37:44
makeup.
37:45
You just
37:46
go.
37:46
Like,
37:46
that's,
37:47
it's not,
37:48
it's kind
37:48
of like that.
37:49
But bread
37:50
and bags
37:51
and money
37:51
and their
37:52
belts and
37:52
two tunics
37:53
were symbolic
37:54
of like all
37:55
the things
37:55
that make
37:56
life secure.
37:57
Like,
37:57
what makes
37:57
your life
37:58
feel secure
37:59
right now?
38:00
Probably your
38:01
money,
38:02
probably the
38:02
roof over
38:02
your head,
38:04
the clothes
38:04
on your
38:05
back.
38:06
And so,
38:07
Jesus was
38:08
somewhat asking
38:08
them to mimic
38:09
the prophets
38:10
of old,
38:10
like Elijah
38:11
and Elisha,
38:13
who were fed
38:13
and sheltered
38:14
by those they
38:15
ministered to,
38:16
and to accept
38:17
the hospitality
38:17
of the local
38:19
people that
38:19
accepted their
38:20
message.
38:20
Right?
38:22
It's like,
38:23
don't,
38:23
don't seek
38:24
out better
38:24
accommodations,
38:25
more comfortable
38:26
places.
38:27
Don't stay
38:27
at super
38:28
crazy nice
38:29
hotels,
38:30
you know?
38:31
Just be
38:31
content.
38:32
Take what
38:32
you're given
38:33
and be
38:33
content.
38:34
And so,
38:36
Jesus didn't
38:37
want his,
38:38
or the people
38:39
that encountered
38:39
his disciples
38:40
to think
38:41
that they had
38:42
some kind
38:42
of secret
38:42
agenda
38:43
to get
38:44
money,
38:44
to grow,
38:45
to grow
38:45
wealthy.
38:46
And so,
38:47
they just
38:47
went that
38:48
way.
38:49
Preachers
38:50
in England
38:50
during the
38:50
18th and
38:51
19th
38:51
centuries
38:52
were renowned
38:53
for considering
38:55
their own
38:55
personal pleasures
38:56
and comforts
38:58
above the
38:58
needs of the
38:59
people in
38:59
their church.
39:00
They could
39:00
talk to you
39:01
more about
39:01
their hunting
39:01
dogs and
39:02
their wine
39:02
sellers than
39:03
they could
39:03
about the
39:04
gospel and
39:05
the word
39:05
of God.
39:06
It's the
39:06
same thing
39:07
today,
39:07
really,
39:07
just prosperity
39:09
preaching,
39:10
tell evangelists,
39:12
send me
39:12
money.
39:13
It's the
39:14
same kind
39:15
of stuff.
39:15
And like,
39:17
we've had
39:17
enough of
39:18
that in
39:18
our generation.
39:19
We need
39:19
to be able
39:20
to preach
39:21
the true
39:21
gospel.
39:23
So,
39:23
he says,
39:25
he desires
39:26
them to
39:26
just travel
39:27
light,
39:28
to take
39:28
only what's
39:29
needed,
39:29
to leave
39:30
everything else
39:30
behind.
39:31
And the
39:32
staff that he
39:32
did tell them
39:33
to take
39:33
was used
39:35
for walking,
39:36
also for
39:37
protection,
39:38
and the
39:39
sandals were
39:39
just the
39:39
ordinary
39:40
footwear.
39:40
And he
39:42
says,
39:42
take one
39:42
tunic,
39:43
which are
39:44
just the
39:44
standard
39:44
dress,
39:45
because in
39:46
this culture,
39:46
two tunics
39:47
can symbolize
39:48
wealth.
39:49
And like,
39:50
look at me,
39:51
I've got two
39:51
tunics.
39:52
So he's
39:52
like,
39:52
just take
39:53
one.
39:55
Associate
39:55
with the
39:56
commoners,
39:57
the lowly,
39:58
and think
39:58
about this.
39:59
Don't come
40:00
across as
40:00
high and
40:01
mighty and
40:01
holier than
40:02
thou,
40:03
but associate
40:04
with these
40:05
people.
40:06
So,
40:07
are we
40:07
supposed to
40:08
do that
40:08
today?
40:08
Maybe,
40:11
but I
40:12
don't think
40:12
necessarily.
40:14
The idea
40:15
here is
40:17
that he
40:17
wants them
40:18
to learn
40:19
to trust
40:20
him,
40:21
that go
40:22
without making
40:23
special
40:23
preparations
40:24
for your
40:24
travels,
40:25
undertake
40:25
this
40:26
assignment,
40:27
trusting
40:27
in me,
40:28
to provide
40:29
for all
40:29
your needs.
40:30
Can you
40:30
do that?
40:31
He was
40:31
teaching
40:31
them
40:32
reliance
40:32
and
40:33
dependence,
40:34
that no
40:34
matter what,
40:35
no matter
40:36
what context,
40:37
ultimately,
40:38
all provision
40:38
comes from
40:39
God.
40:39
That's even
40:39
true for
40:40
us.
40:41
He was
40:41
just
40:41
specifically
40:41
showing
40:42
them,
40:43
just so
40:43
you'll
40:43
know,
40:44
a little
40:44
lesson for
40:45
you guys
40:45
and your
40:45
little
40:46
internship
40:46
here,
40:47
that
40:47
everything
40:48
comes
40:48
from me.
40:50
I'm
40:50
going to
40:50
go show
40:50
you,
40:50
so go
40:51
out,
40:51
don't
40:51
take all
40:52
this
40:52
stuff
40:52
with
40:52
you.
40:53
And
40:53
so,
40:54
to walk
40:54
in complete
40:55
dependence
40:55
on God
40:56
and his
40:56
power to
40:57
supply their
40:57
needs.
40:58
I've seen
40:59
the Lord
40:59
do it many
41:00
times in
41:00
my own
41:00
life.
41:02
so that's
41:02
the third
41:03
point,
41:04
to be
41:04
dependent
41:04
on God,
41:05
to not
41:06
want anything
41:07
other than to
41:08
minister the
41:08
gospel to
41:09
people,
41:09
and then
41:10
trust in the
41:10
Lord for
41:11
your provision.
41:12
So in
41:12
conclusion,
41:13
if you
41:19
know Christ,
41:21
and you
41:22
just need to
41:22
know that you
41:23
don't need a
41:23
bunch of
41:24
brains or a
41:24
theology degree
41:25
to talk about
41:26
Jesus with
41:27
people,
41:27
the disciples
41:28
were ordinary
41:29
guys,
41:30
super ordinary
41:31
guys,
41:31
like extra
41:32
ordinary
41:32
guys.
41:34
They were
41:34
fishermen,
41:35
tax collectors,
41:36
often actually
41:37
like kids and
41:38
fought with
41:38
each other.
41:39
I mean,
41:39
it would
41:39
have been
41:40
just to
41:40
see Jesus
41:41
and go,
41:41
man,
41:42
just so
41:42
many times
41:43
of these
41:43
guys.
41:44
They
41:44
weren't
41:44
anything
41:45
special.
41:46
But if
41:46
you look at
41:47
Acts 4
41:47
real quick,
41:48
I just
41:49
want to
41:49
show you
41:50
one thing.
41:52
Acts 4
41:52
verse 13.
41:56
This is
41:56
Peter and
41:57
John as
41:59
they were
41:59
preaching.
42:02
Acts 4
42:03
verse 13.
42:09
It says,
42:10
Now,
42:11
when they
42:12
saw the
42:12
boldness of
42:14
Peter and
42:14
John,
42:15
they perceived
42:16
that they
42:17
were uneducated,
42:19
common men,
42:21
they were
42:21
astonished,
42:22
and they
42:23
recognized that
42:24
they had
42:24
been with
42:25
Jesus.
42:26
That's the
42:26
key.
42:27
It's not
42:27
about how
42:28
many books
42:29
you've read.
42:30
I don't
42:30
care if you
42:31
can quote
42:31
the greatest
42:33
theologians in
42:34
history,
42:35
like to
42:35
know Jesus,
42:36
to encounter
42:36
Jesus,
42:37
and to be
42:37
taught and
42:38
fed by
42:39
Jesus is
42:39
all you need.
42:40
And if
42:41
you're
42:41
around him,
42:41
you become
42:42
like him.
42:43
If you
42:43
love him,
42:43
you talk
42:44
more about
42:44
him.
42:46
We've got to
42:46
get rid of
42:47
this idea
42:47
that evangelism
42:49
is some
42:49
awkward event
42:50
that we
42:50
take part in
42:52
every now and
42:53
then.
42:53
It's to be
42:54
embodied in
42:54
who we are,
42:55
and how we
42:55
talk, how we
42:56
live, and
42:57
whoever we
42:58
encounter.
42:59
And if you're
43:00
holding back a
43:01
fear of failure,
43:01
let go of those
43:02
fears today.
43:03
Be done with it.
43:04
There's a lot of
43:05
work that needs to
43:06
be done.
43:06
There's a lot
43:07
of dead,
43:08
lost souls out
43:09
there that
43:09
need the
43:10
gospel.
43:11
Fear God
43:12
more than
43:12
you fear
43:13
men.
43:14
All right?
43:15
So, come
43:16
before the
43:16
Lord.
43:17
Some of you
43:17
need to
43:18
pray that
43:20
God makes
43:20
you like
43:21
this.
43:22
I'm a
43:23
hero that
43:23
I've always
43:24
had, but
43:25
the last two
43:26
months I
43:26
began reading
43:27
more of his
43:28
stuff, and
43:29
it brought
43:30
me to tears
43:31
on several
43:31
occasions.
43:32
This is Jim
43:33
Elliott.
43:34
And in his
43:35
college years,
43:36
this is
43:36
something that
43:37
he wrote.
43:37
He said,
43:37
Father, make
43:39
me a
43:40
crisis man.
43:42
Bring those
43:43
I come in
43:44
contact to
43:44
decision.
43:46
Let me not
43:46
be a mile
43:47
post on a
43:49
single road.
43:50
Make me a
43:51
fork that
43:52
men must
43:53
turn one
43:54
way or
43:54
another on
43:55
facing Christ
43:56
in me.
43:57
Like, let
43:58
those who
43:58
encounter Christ
43:59
in me go
44:00
one way or
44:00
another.
44:01
Like, don't
44:02
let them turn
44:03
away or let
44:04
them come to
44:04
Christ.
44:05
that was
44:06
on July
44:06
7th in
44:07
1948.
44:08
So, we
44:09
need to
44:09
pray that.
44:11
We need to
44:11
pray that.
44:12
I need to
44:12
pray that.
44:13
We need to
44:13
be people who,
44:15
when others
44:16
meet us, they
44:16
encounter Christ.
44:18
And if you
44:18
don't know
44:18
Christ today,
44:19
you've heard
44:19
the message
44:21
that was
44:21
spoken.
44:22
Repent.
44:23
Turn away
44:24
from your
44:24
sin and
44:25
throw yourself
44:26
at the cross
44:27
on the mercy
44:27
of Jesus.
44:29
He is alive
44:30
today.
44:31
Like, we're
44:31
about to
44:32
come up on
44:32
Easter.
44:33
Like, what
44:34
are you going
44:34
to do with
44:34
that?
44:34
Like, he's
44:35
alive.
44:36
He's got this
44:37
dead dude from
44:37
the past.
44:38
He's somebody
44:38
that's here
44:38
right now that
44:40
you have to
44:40
reckon with.
44:41
And he's more
44:41
than willing to
44:43
receive you with
44:43
compassion and
44:45
open arms.
44:46
So, face him
44:47
now as your
44:47
friend or
44:48
resist him as
44:51
his enemy.
44:52
Turn in faith.
44:53
You can come
44:53
and talk to me
44:54
or Nathan or
44:55
Wes or one of
44:56
the elders here.
44:57
But don't pass
44:58
that up.
44:59
So, let's
45:00
just close in
45:01
prayer together
45:02
as we continue
45:02
our worship
45:05
today.
45:05
Amen.