What Jesus said About The

Worlds Acceptance of Those He Sends

Adapted from the series, “Jesus Said” by Michael Wiley

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/what-jesus-said-about-evangelism-michael-wiley-sermon-on-evangelism-fear-of-133033.asp

On A Mission by Larry Hiles Matthew 10:1-42http://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?ContributorID=&SermonID=68395

Matthew 10:1 NET Jesus called his twelve disciples and gave them

authority over unclean spirits so they could cast them out and heal every kind

of disease and sickness. 2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles:

first, Simon (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and

John his brother;

3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4

Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus sent His disciples out on a mission. As we read Matthew 10 there are some valuable lessons that we can

learn as we accomplish the mission that Jesus has left for us. The disciples had

to know what it was that they were supposed to accomplish.

5 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows: "Do not go to Gentile regions and do not enter any Samaritan town. 6 Go instead to the lost

sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom

of heaven is near!'

They were sent to preach the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. Think of what

the disciples could have spent their time preaching out against.

-The Roman Empire- The Hypocrisy Of The Jewish Leaders- The Need For Honest Tax Collectors

The list could go on and on.

You know the same is true of us. We are told to preach. There are so many different things in which we could

preach out against in our world today.

- The Hypocrisy Of Our Political Leaders. - The Evils Of Abortion. - The Wrongs Of Homosexual Marriage. - The Issues Of Poverty.

However, I think that we would be best to concentrate on the one message that we should preach. And that message is Jesus Christ. You see, they preached that the Kingdom of Heaven was near.

For us, the Kingdom, Christ’s Church, is here and it is our job to preach that fact.

To learn some valuable lessons about this fact, all we have to do is to look at the life of Paul. Whenever Paul got a

chance to preach, what did He preach? Jesus Christ crucified! Jesus Christ

Buried! Jesus Christ Risen From The Dead.

Paul said, For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God's power for

salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16 NET

We have a message church!

Evangelism is “the proclamation of the good news.” We have the good news of the gospel of Christ that Christ died for

our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was

raised on the third day according to the scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:3b,4 NET

Jesus has drawn His church together with this message and sent it out to

proclaim this message.Matthew 28:19 NET Therefore go and

make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the

Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything I have

commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

They were sent to heal

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you

received, freely give.As they went about preaching the Gospel Message they were to heal

those who needed. Now, we must understand something here. These men were empowered by

Jesus to heal.

The Apostles and the people in which the Apostles laid their hands on had a power from the Holy Spirit to do some amazing things. The purpose for them using these powers was to prove that the message they were preaching was

true. Now, there are people who have been

given special gifts by God.

There are doctors, nurses and scientists alike who have made it their lifelong work to heal people. They are unable to heal in the same sense that the Apostles were able to, but they are

gifted by God none-the-less. We too are to be a people of healing. We

may not be able to heal in the same sense that the Apostles were, but we can bring healing to people that are

hurting.

- Hurting From The Effects Of Sin - Hurting From Loneliness - Hurting From Hopelessness

Everyone the disciples physically healed, eventually died. However, when

we show people that the ultimate source of healing is found in the hope

of eternity, we are doing more than healing them for a while, we are

showing them that Christ can heal them forever.

Our salvation should be enough of a motivation for us to go out and make a

difference. Freely you have received, freely give.

They were to go out with faith their needs would be met.

9 Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your belts, 10 no bag for the journey, or

an extra tunic, or sandals or staff, for the worker deserves his provisions. The purpose of the mission was to

preach and heal.

Jesus explained to the Disciples what the world He was sending them into

looked like. The scene wasn’t pretty, in fact it was really bad. It would be

terrible for those spreading the Gospel, but the reward is GREAT! This is what I

want to look at today.The disciples were given the mission, but they were told about the problems

that they were going to encounter.

People would not listenThe disciples were told that there were

going to be people who would not listen to the message that they had to preach. The same is true for us today. There are people who won’t want to hear what we have to preach. That doesn’t mean that we are supposed to give up preaching. All that means is that we have to preach

somewhere else.

11 Whenever you enter a town or village, find out who is worthy there and

stay with them until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, give it greetings. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your

peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if

anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust off your

feet as you leave that house or that town.

15 I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and

Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!

I know that it can be frustrating to do your best to reach someone for Jesus

Christ, and for them to show no interest. There is something that we

should all remember though.

If people rejected:

God in the Old TestamentJesus in the New Testament

The Apostles who were men full of the Holy Spirit and power

Then people will reject us.

Not only will there be people who don’t want to listen to our message:

16 "I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as

serpents and innocent as doves. NET leaves out (idou). Grk “Behold I.”

The Greek word δού (idou) has not ἰbeen translated because it has no exact

English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (NETnotes) The

versions that use it, usually translate it “Behold” idou is a word that denoted

“seeing” as in understanding.

It is a word that brings attention to the next phrase. We might say, “Listen up” or “pay attention” We need to point this

out, because the word moves what Jesus is saying from normal casual

conversation to “Hey this is important – listen to me.”

I love Jesus no-nonsense approach with His disciples.

We’re used to bait and switch right?

You get a new job and a few weeks in what you’re doing begins to change.

Maybe you were told you were purchasing one thing, and you got

another.

When you see a special offer advertised on TV for the latest gadget, a good

guess of how much it’s going to cost is $19.95.

Most of those products are pretty good products, but you’re paying more for

them then you think.Shipping and HANDLING. What is

handling? It’s where they hide the cost of the product, so they can tell you

you’re only paying $19.95.

An aircraft mechanic in the USAF was in England the 80s. In those days they

were constantly preparing for a “chemical warfare” attack. One day he was removing an airplane engine. They

were in war exercise mode, which means he’s wearing chemical warfare

gear, suit, gas mask, it’s 85 outside, but 105 in the suit, and he’s thinking, “This

was not in the brochure.”

You just have times in your life when you signed up for one thing but feel

you’re living something different.Jesus Lays it out on the line, No

punches, No tricks, No bait and switch, no shipping and handling.

This is how it is!First he gives and analogy of the

opponents and the attitudes we need when facing them.

“I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves.”

There is a drastic role reversal here. Usually you have one singular wolf,

sneak in among the sheep.You could say that happened in a

horrific way Sunday, March 8, 2009, when a man walked into the First

Baptist Church of Maryville, IL, shot & killed Pastor Fred Winters while he was

speaking.

You think you’re safe in church. But folks you’re not safe anywhere. And

with the rise of terrorism in America it’s going to get nothing but worse.

Jesus’ point was not safety where you are.

He was saying you’re not going to be safe where I’m sending you.

Jesus’ picture here, is not “one singular wolf sneaking in among the sheep” but a few sheep being sent out among the

wolves.Jesus is giving a graphic illustration of

the rejection and persecution they would receive in a God hating world.

People will be combative

17 Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 And you will be

brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them

and the Gentiles.

19 Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak

or what to say, for what you should say will be given to you at that time. 20 For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21

“Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children

will rise against parents and have them put to death.

22 And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 Whenever they persecute you in one

place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man

comes.

24 "A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave greater than his

master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the

slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house 'Beelzebul,' how

much more will they defame the members of his household!

26 “Do not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be

revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and

what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.

Jesus told them that they were going to encounter danger. And He promised

them that they were going to be helped by the Spirit.

NOW, we here in America have been sedated toward persecution, because we have lived in a country based on

Godly Principles. Beware, this is changing. Our country is changing. The acceptance and tolerance that we have

enjoyed in the past will disappear.

According to Berit Kjos of Kjos Ministries, “America’s tyranny toward

Christians can be seen in the following trends and events. First, the United

States Supreme Court is basing many of its decisions on United Nations and European models. Justice Ruth Bader

Ginsburg stated, “The Supreme Court is looking beyond America’s borders for guidance in handling cases on issues like the death penalty and gay rights.”

Also, Justice Breyer reaffirmed Justice Ginsburg as he stated, “The world is growing together through commerce,

through globalization, through the spread of democratic institutions,

through immigration to America. It is becoming more and more one world of

many different kinds of people.

And whether our constitution fits into the governing documents of other

nations, I think, will be a challenge for the next generation.” Sadly, as stated

by Berit Kjos, “Our world can’t tolerate the old Biblical laws that identify certain behaviors as sin and certain beliefs as

incompatible with Christian faith.

Offended by the truth, it bans the convictions that once gave rise to

social order and prosperity. Its new systems leave no room for an

uncompromising moral standard which can’t be conformed to man’s

shortsighted vision of the 21st century community.

(http://www.crossroad.to/) (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/19

53356/posts)

Second, the trashing of the Ten Commandments has become a new trend in America. In fact, Roy Moore,

Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, sacrificed his esteemed position

in an effort to save the Ten Commandments from being removed

from the state judicial building. However, the un-American activities of the U.S. Supreme Court prevented his

agenda from happening.

But, according to Judge Moore, “We must acknowledge God in the public sector because the state constitution

explicitly requires us to do so. The Alabama Constitution specifically invokes ’the favor and guidance of

Almighty God’ as the basis for our laws and justice system. As the chief justice

of the state’s Supreme Court, I am entrusted with the sacred duty to uphold the state’s constitution.”

America's founders did not intend for there to be a separation of God and

state, as shown by the fact that all 50 states acknowledge God in their state

constitutions:Missouri 1845, Preamble. We, the people of Missouri, with profound

reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness

.. establish this Constitution ..

After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe, just maybe, the ACLU and the out-of-

control federal courts are wrong!"Those people who will not be governed

by God will be ruled by tyrants.“William Penn

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/g/god-constitutions.htm#.UZ41StiC7cs

The third major event in the persecution of Christians is the re-learning in

government schools. Schools throughout the United States are

eliminating all signs and symbols of the Christian faith. Discrimination toward

the teachings of Jesus Christ has become the accepted norm in the public

education systems in America.

Any religion except Christianity is accepted in a nation founded on the

Judeo-Christian ethical system. Students may write reports about

Mohammed, but not Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten son.

Based on the methods used by intolerant, anti-Christian groups, public

schools and the media are the major areas to be targeted for the purpose of

indoctrinating America’s children.

According to Thomas Horn, CEO of RaidersNewsNetwork, “If one succeeds

in separating Godly principles from public education and the media, they deny citizens the knowledge of good

and keep them from embracing the laws of God. To that extent, they are pawns

of evil and subvert and destroy both the message and the messengers of

righteousness.” (Resource lost)

So this message is pertinent for us.The attitude we must develop is so be

wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

In ancient lore snake symbolized wisdom. I think of Paul saying, Conduct

yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities. Colossians 4:5 NET

Back in 2006 Members of the Topeka, Kan., Westboro Baptist Church invaded the family’s privacy when they picketed funerals of service personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan to protest gays

being allowed in the military. They carry signs such as "Thank God for dead

soldiers" and "God hates fags."

They picketed the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who died in a vehicle accident. His father sued the church

and was awarded millions of dollars in damages. Appeals were filed & the

dollar amount changed several times. In an 8–1 decision, the Supreme Court

ruled in favor of Phelps, (WBC), upholding the Fourth Circuit's decision.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snyder_v._Phelps

Friday morning, March 13, 2009, at the funeral of First Baptist Church Pastor

Fred Winters who was gunned down the previous Sunday. They claim things like, this is God’s judgment on the church. Their signs: “God Hates

America”, and “God Sent the Shooter”

On May 20, 2013, the church tweeted praising God for the 2013 Moore

tornado and that they would protest the funerals of the victims.

“What was God asleep today so He couldn't stop the tornado? Only proper

prayer is for more! SO many times Westboro warned Okl. You

mocked,slashed tires &raged. Now God confirms our words!”

Things like this do no good for the church and its message, converts no one to Christ, and actually hurt the

message we are trying to get across.It is not shrewd or innocent.

Innocent here is not “to be naïve.”

John MacArthur says, “Not to beat the non-believer over the head is one thing: to minimize his sin and lost-ness apart

from Christ it another. To love our enemies and not return evil for evil is

one thing. To deny they are enemies is quite another.”

(The New Testament Commentary, Matt 8-15 Moody, pg. 203)

We should not fear persecution.

Jesus told us what we should fear. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the

body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both

soul and body in hell. 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from

your Father's will.

30 Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. 31 So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

You see, God will protect us. No, that doesn’t mean that He will not let

anything bad happen to us here on earth. What it means is that we are

protected for eternity as we trust in Him.

This is kind of a doom and gloom message. We’re reading and I’m just

expounding on the text.If you look at the country we live in

you’ll find a lot of doom and gloom. If you look at the world we live in you’ll find a lot of doom and gloom. If you

read the Bible you’ll find that persecution of the saints will worsen. More doom—more gloom will come.

That is why the Bible tells us over and over to get our focus off of this stupid

world and put it on God, to get our hope off of the stock market or our 401k and

put it in Christ.

Jesus gave them a mission, told them that they were going to face problems,

and then He went on to give them some promises.

32 “Whoever, then, acknowledges me before people, I will acknowledge before

my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him

also before my Father in heaven.

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not

come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 36 and a man's enemies will be the members of his household.

(an allusion to Mic 7:6)

37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And

whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life because of me

will find it.

40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. Whoever

receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a

righteous person's reward.

42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in

the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth, he will never lose his reward."

I’ve read the Bible. It tells me that things are going to get much worse before the return of Christ. I’ve read the Bible all the way to the end. And in the end, it

tells me, “We Win.”

As we look at the bleak future of Christianity we may become bleak and

depressed. We want to coddle under the arms of the loving savior and ask him

for guidance.What would Jesus say to us today?Jesus made a great promise. 22 And

you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures

to the end will be saved.