06/9/24 Unwelcome: Luke 4: 16-29

E [Music] e all e got it the oh e [Music] ah well good morning church it is good to see you good morning hey it is a glorious day to be together in the house of the Lord and the reason why I say that is because I got to spend a whole week at camp and got to be with some really smelly children all week and got to clean up some vomit and got to got to see God work in those kids' lives but you know what we had we had a really great group go with us and U God worked and so we had myself and Thomas and 10 other kids that went and it was it was a lot of fun hey if you are here and you're you're new to our church welcome I'm the pastor my name is Cody and I would love to be able to connect with you if you get an opportunity to there should be a connection card in the chair in front of you can scan that and fill that out or drop fill it out and drop it off in the offering plate as it goes by that'd be huge in us being able to connect with you a couple of announcements real quick we got our baby bottle campaign that's due next week okay for Father's Day we do these we collect these baby bottles from Mother's Day to Father's Day get your kids to do some chores and reward them with some change in here have them come by and bring those back by next week we also have a big event that's coming up little blessings our 11 our community team is hosting that it's where you have maybe

Some gently used clothes toys things like that maybe leftovers from yard sales that you're like what do I do with this stuff well what we're going to do is we're going to take them and actually do a big swap meet for people to come in and just have a grocery bag or something like that and fill it full of things that they need and so if that's something that interest you be sure to get connected with someone from the Lear Community team you can also go out there and visit the table if you have some if you want some information about that we do have new members class that starts at the end of the month and so if you want to be a part of that be sure to sign up on the church Center app or come and talk to me that is the first step in becoming a member of our church also next week I will be out of town I'm going to be taking a vacation down to Texas we'll be gone for about a week and a half really excited about that Thomas girson is going to be preaching and so I hope that you guys will be here and listen to the preaching of the word he gets to deal with John the Baptist being beheaded and herodias is daughter dancing and all that kind of stuff so gave him an easy passage also please don't don't forget that we do have our hbac giving that you can give to we do need to make some more progress in that and so if you haven't been praying about it or giving to that just be praying and consider giving to that because it's coming we're going to have to pay that coming up in the next couple of months so hey if you haven't found a friend or someone that you know been able to see them and shake their hand this morning this is your opportunity to stand up and greet each other in the name of the Lord for there like

This well good morning church it's good to be with you this morning at this time we I' just like to invite you to take a moment to ask the Lord to prepare for worship today so I invite you to Bow your heads and close your eyes and just ask the Lord to prepare your hearts and your minds for worship that he would focus you that he would remind you of who he is and what he's done for you Lord You Are God you are the creator of all things you made a way for us even when we were yet sinners and Lord you've called us here this morning to worship you because you're worthy so Lord I pray that you would help us to put aside those our wandering thoughts put aside those things that we are tempted to focus on other than you this morning and help us to engage in Worship in proclaiming your great worth your awesome nature in proclaiming the Gospel to one another to ourselves and to the whole world it's in Jesus name we pray Amen in the book of Colossians we read this he is the image of the invisible God the firstborn of all creation for by him all things were created in heaven and on Earth visible and invisible whether Thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things hold together and he is the head of the body the church he is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that in everything he might be preeminent for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him to reconcile to himself all things whether on Earth or in heaven Making Peace by the blood of his cross I invite you to stand and join us as we sing of our great Savior this [Music] morning Immortal invisible God only wise in light in

Exess h from our eyes Most Holy glorious the Ancient of Days Al Mighty Victorious Your Great Name we [Music] praise unresting un Hasty and Silent as light not wanting or wasting you rule Us in night your Justice like mountains saring above your which are Fountains of goodness and love Most Holy most glorious the Ancient of Days Almighty Victorious Your Great Name we praise [Music] all life comes from you Lord to both great and small in all life you live the true life of all we Blossom and flourish but quickly growa we wither and perish by you never [Music] great father of Glory pure father of light your angels adore you all veiling their sight all praise we will render oh father of Grace till one day in spender we see face to face most glorious the ancient of [Music] daysy Victorious Your Great Name we praise Most Holy most glorious the ancient of almightyy Victorious Your Great Name we [Music] praise amen that is the God we serve that is the Christ who came to dwell among men so that he might make a way for us we read also about him in John chapter 1 he was in the world and the world was made through him yet the world did not know him he came to his own and his own people did not receive him but to all who did receive him who believed in his name he gave the right to become

Children of God who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God and the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen his glory glory as of the only son from the father full of grace and truth truth the beauty the Majesty the greatness of the Incarnation isn't just something for us to consider at Christmas time amen it's something that should fill us with joy and wonder all the time it should result in our worship and our praise of [Music] him come behold the a wonderous myy in theing of the king he the theme of Heaven's Praises BR [Music] inity in our longing in our Darkness now the light of life has come look to Christ Toc took [Music] to come behold the wonderous my he the perfect son of man in his living in his son never Trace St see the true better Adam come to save the H Christ The Great and fulfillment of the Lord [Music] come behold theous Christ the Lord the tree in the of Ruin s the L Victory see the price of our Redemption see the father unfold bringing many sons to Glory Grace

[Music] un come behold the wonderous history slain by death the God of but no great good restrain him praise the Lord is alive what a taste of Deliverance how a waving our home Christ in power resurrected as we will be when he comes what a foraste of deliv how Bring Our Hope Christ in power resurrected as we will be when he comes what a poor tast of Deliverance how uning our Christ in power resurrect as we will be when he [Music] comes amen you can be seated as our ushers come forward good morning church if you would bow your heads with me and pray as we take the Lord's offering today Father we just come to you Lord and we thank you for the freedom to come and worship you without persecution this morning Lord and father we pray for the offering that we're about to take Lord that this money is used to further your kingdom father give us the wisdom to and discernment to use this money appropriately and for what you would have it used for Lord we pray this in the name of your son amen this next song we're about to sing is Our Song of the month for this month it's Jesus strong and kind and it's a it's a simple song it's it is almost it calls back memories maybe of some childhood songs he used to sing in Sunday school and the thing that I think

Is that we can remember as we sing this is that as we sing the truths of God we're proc claiming the truths of God even though this the setting is maybe in a childish kind of tune the things that we're proclaiming are profound they're great they're mysterious that the Lord should allow us sinners into his presence through the sacrifice of his only son that's amazing isn't it we're going to sing the Lord is good and faithful he will keep us day and night we can always run to Jesus Jes Jesus strong and kind so as we sing this as you pick up the melody and the words I my prayer for you is that you would not just sing this as another song but that you would sing it with conviction you would sing it as one who can enjoy these truths that we Proclaim together so I invite you to again stand and join us as we sing [Music] Jesus said that I thirst I should come to him no else can sisy I should come to him Jesus said if I am weak I should come to him no one else can be my strength I should come to him for the Lord is good and faithful he will keep us day and night we can always run to Jesus Jesus strong [Music] and Jesus said that if I fear I should come to him no one else can be my sh I should come to for the Lord is good and faithful he will keep us day and night we can always run to [Music] Jesus Jesus strong [Music]

Jesus said I am lost he will come to me and he show me on that cross he will come to me for the Lord is good and faithful he will keep us day and we can always run to Jes Jesus strong in high for the Lord is good and faithful he will keep us day and night we can always run to Jesus Jesus strong [Music] and Jesus strong and [Music] can we sing that chorus one more time just our voices for the Lord is good and fath he will keep us and we can run to Jesus and amen [Music] what gift of Grace is Jesus My Redeemer there is no more for heaven now to give he is my joy my righteousness fre my steast love my deep and [Music] boundless to this I hold my hope is only Jesus for my life isly bound to oh how strange and divine I can sing all is m yet not I but through Christ [Music] in the night is dark but I am not forsen for by my side the Savior he will SA I labor on in weakness and rejoicing for in my need his power is dis to this I hold my shepher will defend me through the deepest valley he will oh the night has been one and I shall over yet not

I [Music] Christ no f I know I am for the future sure the price it has been for Jesus and suffered for my and he was raised to overthrow the grave to this I defe Jesus now and ever is my name oh the chains are released I can sing I am free yet not I but through Christ [Music] in with every breath I long to follow Jesus for he has said that he will bring me home and day by day I know he will re until I stand with Jo the to this I hold my hope is only Jesus all the glory Glory ever to when the race is complete still my shall re yet not I but through Christ in to this I hold my hope is only Jesus all the glory ever to when the race is complete still my lip shall R yet not I but through Christ in when the race is complete still my lips shall repeat yet not I but through Christ in me yet not I but through Christ in Lord we pray that you would remind us to rest in your power Lord to remind us that the work is completed it is finished and Lord that we enjoy a present reality with you today but Lord we look forward to a much greater consummation of your great Plan of Redemption God I pray for those in this in this room right now who may not know you those listening online who may not know you Lord I pray that today would be the day that you draw them unto yourself and they can count themselves among your people Lord I pray that for those who maybe aren't sure about their salvation in this room today God we pray that you would make them sure because we can be sure that the price has been paid and the work is finished Lord I pray that you would remind us over and over again of the great love that was shown to us on that cross it's in Jesus name we pray amen well if you have your Bible and I hope that you do please turn with me to Mark chapter 6 we're going to be in verses 1- 13 Mark 6: 1-13 we are going to look at what happens if you finally reject Christ and In this passage that we are going to be examining today we're going to see Jesus being rejected at Nazareth and we are going to see Christ commissioning the 12 the apostles to go out and to Minister and how they are to respond when someone rejects the Gospel do you remember what it was like when you first became a Christian when you first became safe I don't know about you guys but I was like pure ignorance on fire right I mean I'm just I was sharing the Gospel with everyone I'm reading in Mark at the end of Mark it says to go share the Gospel with all creation so I'm like telling my dog like do you know Jesus boo like you know I just pure ignorance on fire right and I know some of you have probably experienced what I experienced where maybe during those first several months of your relationship with Christ you may have lost some friends right because you're talking about Jesus you want your friends to discover the joy that you have in Jesus and show so you're sharing the Gospel with him and all that you want to talk about is Christ I know Amber she experienced that she was talking with one of her best friends from high school and they were like Amber can you just shut up about Jesus you know like we experience that kind of rejection and if you've ever gone through a time like that

Then guess what Jesus knows exactly how you feel after Jesus he began his public Ministry this is Luke chapter 4 this is a different instance at Nazareth here's what Luke 4 says it says and Jesus he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up where he was raised and as was his custom he went to the C ogue on the Sabbath day and he stood up to read and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him he unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to Proclaim good news to the poor he has sent me to Proclaim Liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at Liberty those who are oppressed to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down in the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him and he began to say to them today the Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing and all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth they said is not this Joseph's son and he said to them doubtless you will quote to me this proverb physician heal yourself what we have heard you did at capernium do here in your hometown as well and he said truly I say to you no prophet is acceptable in his hometown but in truth I tell you there were many widows in Israel in the Days of Elijah when the heavens were shut up three years and six months and a Great Famine came over all the land and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to zarapa in the land of sidon to a woman who was a widow and there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the Prophet Elisha and none of them was cleansed but only non the Syrian when they heard these things all in the synagogue were filled with wrath and they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built so

That they could throw him down the cliff but passing through their midst he went away you see everyone was fine with regular old carpenter Jesus they were fine with you know him being a all round good guy they were fine with him build build houses and working on fortresses and constructing yolks for oxen and all those different things that he would have done but as soon as Jesus revealed himself to be the Christ the son of God they wanted to kill him they wanted to just throw him off a cliff he was rejected and in our story that we're looking at today in Mark chapter 6 it takes place after this that Jesus he had established himself as the greatest teacher and preacher and even Miracle Worker in Israel at that time no doubt the people of Nazareth had heard about Jesus's exploits they had heard about Jesus healing a man with a withered hand in capernium they had heard about him driving out a demon in capernium only 40 miles away they had heard about all of his incredible teachings and miracles surely by then they would have gotten worried about jer's daughter being raised from the dead I mean wow how amazing is that and so Jesus he goes back to the hometown that it previously attempted to kill him and why is that it is because Christ has a great love for people but the Gospel is a two-edged sword it delivers and saves those that receive it and it judges those that reject it so with this in mind let us stand together in honor of God's word as we read Mark 6 veres 1 through1 13 God's word it says this and he went away from there and came to his hometown and his disciples followed him and on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue and many who heard him were astonished saying where did this man get these things what is the wisdom given to

Him how are such Mighty Works done by his hands is not this the carpenter the son of Mary and brother of James and joses and Judas and Simon and are not his sisters here with us and they took offense at him and Jesus said to them a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household and he could do no Mighty work there except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them and he marveled because of their unbelief and he went about Among The Villages teaching and he called the twel and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits he charged them not to take anything not to take nothing or charged them to take nothing excuse me for their Journey except a staff no bread no bag no money in their belts but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics and he said to them whenever you enter a house stay there until you depart from there and if any place will not receive you they will not listen to you when you leave Shake the Dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them he went out and proclaimed that the people should repent and they cast out demons many demons and Anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them and so God we do thank you for this time that we get to have to study your word father help us to rightly understand the principles that you want us to apply to our lives and to understand more of who you are father I do want to pray for Denny Johnson right now and ver Lord help them to keep their eyes on you fixed upon you and your glorious working I ask that you would continue to U minister to them and heal them Lord especially Denny as she's just going through it we ask that you would be with us today as we just right now intercede on behalf of

Those that may not have a relationship with you Lord may you touch their hearts today may they understand the preaching of the Gospel and may they not be like the city of Nazareth which rejected you but help them to be fully receptive to the word of the Gospel today we love you Lord in Jesus name amen y'all can have a seat now just like a traveling Rabbi Jesus he moved from town to town now Nazareth it was a city that was roughly about 40 miles away from his home base of operations capernium and also just like traveling Rabbi Jesus he had students that walked with him now I don't know if you know this but most of the 12 were in their teens at this point in time they weren't 30-year-old bearded men walking around they were they were teenagers and we know this because when it came time for Jesus to pay the temple tax he was asked about that Jesus he performed a miracle brought draw drew up a fish out of the water which had coins in its mouth two coins one to pay for Peter and one to pay for Jesus and that only happened if someone was over the age of 20 and so they didn't pay for anyone else so we can safely deduce that all of these apostles were teenagers and so teens listen to me if someone says that you're too young to be used by God just put them off okay God he uses teenagers in wonderful and Powerful ways amen and so when Jesus he gets to his hometown of Nazareth here's what he does he doesn't just go to the synagogue and immediately start teaching he waits until the most appropriate time so as to not give offense to the people that are around him and as he begins to teach the community is astonished that word in the Greek for astonished it literally means to blast or to strike and so everyone is if we were to put it in our vernacular blown away their minds are

Blown by the words and the graciousness that Christ is teaching to them it's likely the best sermon that this little synagogue had ever heard and the people they started to ask where did they get the where did Jesus learn to speak like this where did he come to understand these things it's not like he studied under galel or under Caiaphas some of the leading Jews of that day everyone recognized the wisdom that Jesus had they even agreed that Jesus was performing Miracles there was no contest look at what they said how are such Mighty Works done by his hands but instead of allowing the words and the wisdom and the glory of Christ to penetrate their hearts they hardened it they wondered where did he get this stuff from and they came to the wrong conclusion verse three they go over all of the things they know about Jesus they say that he's a carpenter they list off his brothers and his sisters his mother and they call him the son of Mary now this is not a title of Honor for Mary okay this is a cheap shot at Jesus because in the Jewish culture the sons they were always identified by their fathers so what's happening here is that they are accusing Jesus of being an illegitimate child and so this leads us to the first point or first principle that we need to understand I think that these are imported incorrectly oh there it is familiarity can breed contempt these were the people that Jesus grew up and spent time with folks knew him in this little community of maybe 500 people and they took offense at him that word offense it's the word scandalo which is where we get the word scandalized from okay that word literally means for us to be morally or legally wrong it's something that causes public outrage it means to

Be filled with disgust or revulsion for someone and therefore reject him and practically it means stumbling and falling that see the people of Nazareth they were ultimately offended by the power and the authority of Christ's message because they saw Jesus grow up they knew him to be a good kid he never stepped a toe out of line he was the one that everyone just said why can't you be more like Jesus and instead of them receiving him they were disgusted by him see folks may they may stumble over us because of our character before Christ before Christ you may have had sinful habits or addictions or you may have had a reputation or what have you so people might look at you and go you really Jesus didn't have any of that he didn't have any kind of bad reputation he didn't have any of that sin that we carry along with us he was obedient he was loving he was kind but he was normal in all other appearances and so the stumbling is a result of their unbelief and unbelief is the bane of the church when we stop moving by faith and we sto looking to God to work in Us by faith it freezes the church I heard AJ gossip I've been reading a little bit of him he's a Scottish preacher and he was asked by another man Alexander white why he wasn't at a evening church service gossip said that he was leading Revival and preaching at another congregation who had invited him and white said well how did that go well gossip said well I found it to be a very cold Church White said cold I preached there two years ago and I haven't gotten the chill out of my bones yet what was the what was the cause of the of the chill Why did Why was it so cold it is because of unbelief in the church unbelief belief robs the

Church of its power and when a Church's members simply attend church they will become harder and more callous to the spirit of God and when they come with an exp expectant receptive receptive heart that's repentant then they will see God work you see we can do all the Outreach events we can do the we can give to The Cooperative program we can do more missions we can add discipleship programs until we don't have enough hours in the day to administrate all the things that we do we can we can do so many events that we don't have enough bulletin inserts to you know publish out there right but without belief in the Son of God without expecting him to work through the Son of God Jesus Christ by the power of God nothing will come of it in Hebrews chapter 11:6 it says and without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him we must be about the business of earnestly seeking the Lord but you know we also have to be careful of being too familiar what I mean by this is not intimately close with Christ but casually close close I think many of us have probably been there where we treat Christ with a sort of casualness as like we would maybe greet I don't know someone that we see every single day coworker or boss or something like that we can treat the great truths of God and make them hoohome and boring when the truth of the Resurrection starts sounding old then we're in danger of it being too familiar when things like grace mercy salvation Christ start to sound a little trite then we're in danger of being too familiar we should treat these things with greater affection and Greater Joy you know and I know some of you may not

Be a Christian and listen if you do not receive Christ Christ is a stumbling block for you my grandfather I love my poppy I have some of the best memories of my poppy and I remember he was fighting cancer and many of you have gone through that where you watch a loved one die and that's a really hard thing to go through it's devastating and I hope that you never have to go through it I pray that you never do I did and as I was talking with him about Christ I was sharing the Gospel with him and he said Cody I've been baptized I'm a member of a church I didn't know I didn't know any of that he said and I've been a really good person I never never heard anyone never done anything really too bad and if God is going to judge me based on how I live my life and whether or not I've received the Lord Jesus or not then that's not a God that I really want to know it's devastating absolutely devastating see Christ is the stone that the builders rejected and he will crush those that opposed him at the final judgment and the only way to escape is to trust in Christ and turn away from sin and Jesus he repeats this true proverb that a prophet he is respected literally everywhere he is exalted everywhere except for among his own people and among his relatives and even in his own household I was watching a late night show with Robert Downey Jr and he was talking about his kids Robert Downey Jr plays Iron Man right and so the conversation came which your kids which superheroes are their favorite you know and so he says well actually none of my kids like Iron Man and so you know why is that well it's because when they see me they just see their

Dad right so they were all about Hulk and Thor and Captain America and all these different guys see they're familiar familiarity It ultimately blinds you to the glory and the goodness of Christ but if we allow for intimacy and relationship and closeness to be that driving force behind abiding in the goodness and Grace of Christ then we ReDiscover the joy and the love of God verse five is important because it teaches us this next note which is that contempt for the Lord and his word can cause God's work to be withheld now let's read verse five I think that's important for us to do it says and he could do no Mighty work there except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them first it's it's amazing that you know it's just like this side note he feel he found a few sick people and healed them but a lot of people they think well you know this unbelief is the cause of why Jesus wasn't able to work I want to correct that a little bit here this verse does not teach that God doesn't work among the faithless okay Bible never teaches that and even here the people they believe that he is working miracles okay remember that Christ he often worked where there was no faith at all the lepers that he healed only one of them actually professed faith when the man was at the pool of Betha he didn't know how he was healed he didn't even know who Jesus was he just you know washed his eyes when the demon-possessed man was delivered in Mark chapter 1 there's no evidence of having faith in Scripture God's power is not diminished by our unbelief Christ he didn't do any Miracles there because of their unbelief but what does that mean what was the purpose

Behind Miracles well the purpose of the Miracles was to serve as a sign and a proof to everyone that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and what good are signs and wonders that the people have already made up their minds that they don't want to have anything to do with Jesus they are totally okay with throwing him off the side of the cliff they don't want anything to do with Jesus and that's why Jesus didn't work powerfully in this town he was amazed at their lack of faith God is not impressed by our technological advances he is not wowed by our societal progress or changes the Lord isn't even amazed at how sinful we are but what amazing Jesus was the hardness of people's hearts and people's unwillingness to believe in him in the face of all the wisdom and in the midst evidences of all the Miracles the truth is that people are fine seeing seeing Miracles or they're fine with good teaching they're fine with all the Wonders but most people simply do not want God and when we find ourselves resisting God his word his work then we can be sure that there is a sign of judgment okay that we will see God at work less and less in our lives doesn't mean that you're going to see Miracles everywhere but you will see the hand of God and there's nothing worse than working against God this past week I was at the children's camp and they did a fantastic job I was very impressed by all the volunteers and the administration there and got to sit down with our lamine Baptist Association director he's a president and he was telling me about a church in our association that I'd actually worked a little with I'm on the mission team with that and what we do is we help support churches and Outreach and evangelism and things like this and this church is a little church they

Asked for $100 from us to do kind of an Evangelistic Outreach right this was I don't know a year and a half go two years ago hadn't heard anything about it since of course 100 bucks we can do a 100 bucks that's not a big deal what I didn't know is that $100 led to him actually leading leaving that church God works in really interesting ways what happened is that he told the church I've secured some funding for us to do this Evangelistic event we want to reach people for Christ and the church said nuh- nope we pay you to be our pastor we don't want to grow our church through evangelism and things like that we want you to minister to us yeah say what that church has six people in it now six people they're like months away from dying and it doesn't bother them I mean we can we can have all of the programs we can have all the music we can have all the teaching we can have stuff but if we're not sensitive to the Lord then what's it all for we must be seeking out the Lord praying and asking for his leadership we could probably produce some counterfeits get some people in here and have a good time but to see God work man that's a that's a completely different ball game there and so Jesus he left Nazareth to judgment in another passage it says that it will go better for the cities of Sodom and gomorah than for those that reject Christ which brings us to another point is that contempt of him leads to God's presence to depart from us don't forget that Jesus Christ he is God In the Flesh and people they are constantly astonished by Jesus but it only tells us of two times in the entire New Testament that Jesus was amazed positively we know that

There's the Centurion in Luke 7:9 we read about about him and then Jesus when he heard these things he marveled at him and turning to the crowd that followed him said I tell you not even in Israel have I found such faith and he was amazed by that and the other time is here in his hometown of Nazareth where it was the utter absence of faith that amazed him many times professing believers they are those seeds we talked about the parable of the seeds a few probably months ago now but Falling among Thorns they grow up and they get choked out and they never bear any fruit but you know what they do is that they continue on with church attendance hoping Beyond hope that their salvation will be earned because in lack in spite of the lack of their obedience and their lack of bearing fruit for the kingdom of God maybe God will see their best of intentions and that they will still be judged innocent on that last day friend if you are trusting in your church attendance or your baptism or anything for salvation you are deceived you cannot be saved by your works or your best intentions you must be born again the Bible you know it talks about this child that was born kabad kabad means that the glory of the Lord has departed but the good news is that shortly after that God's glory returned and friend you can experience the goodness of God by trusting in Jesus and repenting of your sin so turn from trusting in your wisdom your efforts your experience even your knowledge like Nazareth did of what you think is true and Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for you now kind of Shifting Gears here because the passage does Jesus he leaves he goes about Among The Villages teaching and it becomes time for him to send out the

12 all over Israel now that seems to be odd timing for me because the last time that we heard from the disciples or the apostles here they were in the boat saying Jesus you don't care about us that's the last time that we see the Apostles doing anything but Jesus he's the best teacher he sends them out why does he send them out two by two it's a Judicial practice it's so that way there is someone that can deliver and affirm that the message has been delivered and there's one to serve as a witness that indeed the message has been delivered and Jesus he tells him don't bring anything with you except for a walking stick that's it no coats no money bags nothing you don't even get to take food with you they couldn't even bring an extra tunic to keep warm at night because why this is an ultimate exercise of faith for the apostles many times we use the word disciples and apostles interchangeably but they're not a disciple is anyone that was a follower of Christ so think of U Mary Joanna Martha Lazarus it definitely included Peter James and John but a but a an apostle is a sent one that is a specific Ambassador commissioned from the Lord personally to give God's message and it's also confirmed that they are Apostles with signs and miracles and why did the apostles not take anything with them while it was for them to rely on the Lord it's an exercise of faith and in our modern world you know we are far more in danger of having too much than too little I mean and you look at our world today we see the apostles what were they doing well they were going out they were casting out demons they were anointing people with oil you know the last time that someone called me to ask for me pray Pastor can you come by and anoint me with oil I'm sick it's never

Happened it's never happened you know the commission is from James to call upon the elders right and have that happen it's never happened and part of that is probably because I think that we trust in other things other than the Lord I'm not saying that you know modern medicine is bad please don't hear that not saying that but what I am saying is that we live in such a culture where we don't have to depend on the Lord we can just call up a doctor ultimately prayer is reserved as a last resort rather than the first thing that we do the early church said silver or gold I do not have but what I have I give you in the name of the Lord Jesus of Nazareth walk much of the modern Church can't offer either but this instruction from Christ changed we don't do missions like this because Christ he actually changes that with these 12 young men later on in this book in Luke 22 he said to them when I sent you out with no money bag or napsack or sandals did you lack anything they said nothing he said to them but now let the one who has a money bag take it and likewise a napsack let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one this teaches us that when it comes to Mission work we must be fully relling on the Lord and knowing that he will provide for our means but we also have to prepare ourselves in such a way to be able to support ourselves as we go from people to people and this additional teaching was for them to remain at that house until they must leave this teaches us that ministers and missionaries and people that are in Ministry are not to change their Ministries for things like self-comfort or anything like that okay I know pastors that were committed to preach at a smaller church with honorariums on a certain set Sunday and it's been there that way for months and then they get a call from a bigger

Church with bigger honorarium so the pastor he says yeah and then he goes and contacts the other Church hey can you move your Sunday because I had another opportunity come up had something conf with my schedule is how they phrase it we are not to show preference for the wealthy Christian over the more humble Christian that's what we're called to do in the church in England in the 17 1800s it contained thousands of fat country preachers that knew all about you know the vintages in their basement they knew all about the tobacco they were all about the more modern things in this world but Christianity true world shaking Christianity is not about the Comforts that we have it's about the Christ that love and so we need to move on verse 11 because this is a judgment against cities okay that do not receive the Gospel and we learn another principle here which is that we are not guaranteed to see Ministry succeed we're not guaranteed to see that in verse 11 it says if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you when you leave shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them now this was a principle for the 12 back at that time but it was exercised in the first century in Acts chapter 13 Paul and Barnabas they were preaching at Antioch and they preached this wonderful and Powerful message and the people they are begging for more of the word of the Lord and listen to what it says in Acts chap 13 and when the Gentiles heard this they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed and the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region but the Jews incited The Devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city

Stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their District but they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to I onium so why did they do that well it's because the people there were not receptive later on Paul he would be so frustrated with the hard-heartedness of the Jews in Acts chapter 18 He says when Paul and when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia Paul was occupied with the word testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus and when they opposed and reviled him he shook out his garments and said to them your blood be on your own heads I am innocent from now on I will go to the Gentiles now when we share the Gospel you know we want to encourage people come to Christ enjoy that we never tell people if you don't if you don't enjoy Christ go to hell right we don't say that why because we want them to be drawn in by the fragrance of Christ does this mean that missionaries and ministers should be irritable and contentious folks that aren't receptive to the Gospel no arant Hughes he says it was customary for Jews who had traveled abroad to carefully shake out the dust from Alien lands from their feet and their clothing this act dissociated them from the pollution of those Pagan lands and the Judgment which was to come upon them the same action by the apostles symbolically declared the Hostile Village Pagan it was a merciful prophetic act designed to make the people think deeply about their spiritual condition that's that's ultimately what we do we want people to know Christ we want them to be so persuaded and concerned with their own Souls that they have to consider am I in big trouble and once again this shows us that we have to do something with Christ I mean all throughout the Book of Mark we see this

Tension coming up that we have to do something with Jesus we can't be neutral you're either for him or against him and so we ask people to come and to trust in Christ to receive the Gospel and the reward for that is eternal life but if we reject the Gospel then our eternity is in Jeopardy and this teaches us another principle is that when people are hardened toward the Gospel we are permitted to move on if people just don't want to hear and they aren't receptive after repeated attempts to be patient and loving and showing Grace and understanding all while sharing the Gospel then we should follow what Jesus said in Matthew 7o not give dogs what is Holy do not throw your pearls before pigs lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you the apostles that's what they did they traveled all throughout Israel and they did the ministry that God had called and equipped them to do pray praise the Lord that he works even in the midst of persecution and so what does all this mean okay let's tie this all together it means that Christ who was rejected okay and just and we're going to see this increasing all the way through the rest of the Book of Mark Christ who was rejected and just as he was rejected we also will be rejected when you try to take a stand for Holiness you will experience persecution and we in Good Company okay guys the prophets were rejected James was beheaded Steven was stoned Paul was decapitated Peter was crucified upside down and these Roman Christians that are reading the book of Mark they are being encouraged because they're going to be enduring some of the most severe persecution that the church has ever experienced and this is a reminder of 2 Timothy 3:12 all who desire to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted but Christians we can take rest in the truth that rejection

Suffering and persecution will one day end in Salvation Victory and blessings because of this Matthew 10:39 whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it pra praise the Lord head heart hand God he wants you to know that Christ was rejected by his own people and we shouldn't be rejected when we shouldn't be surprised when we are rejected by those closest to us following Christ costs us something the free gift of Salvation was purchased by Christ we obtain it by faith and yet the cost of following Jesus is awfully High because we know that we will suffer and we will be persecuted but the reward that we gain is Christ heart God he wants you to believe that even though we are rejected because of the Gospel we are fully accepted in Christ so take courage that you are his and that you are secure in Christ when you trust in his work on the cross street in hand God wants you to trust him even when you are rejected by those around you will have lots of opportunities share the Gospel with your family and friends over this summer so be sure to take advantage of those opportunities when they come you're not responsible for making people believe but you are called to share the truth and to abide in Christ let's pray father we do thank you so much for this time that we get to have together help us as we lean from here fully anticipating for you to work and give us opportunities to know a little bit more about you and to share that truth of the Gospel with others Lord whether people accept or reject Lord that's between them and you but in the meantime help us to be faithful just like the apostles word go

Out and to do ministry God Lord we commiss we commit ourselves to you today and if there's anyone here that maybe they don't know you I pray that they would just talk to someone today that they talk to me or another elder or maybe a friend that brought them and say Pastor I just need to talk about what's going on in my life and I pray that today that they would come to know you or maybe that maybe if they have wandered a little bit that today would be that day that they U re-engage with you Lord help us God as we continue on in worship we respond Empower our Praises help us to abide more and more in you in Jesus name amen let's all stand and let's worship together [Music] what gift of Grace is Jesus My Redeemer there is no more for heaven now to give he is my joy righteousness and freedom my steadfast love my deep and boundless peace to this I hold my hope is only Jesus for my life is Holy bound to his oh how strange and divine I can sing all is mine yet not I but through Christ in me the night is dark but I am not forsake for by my side the Savior he will stay I labor on in weakness and rejoice for in my need his power is displayed to this I hold my shepherd will defend me through the deepest valley he will lead oh the night has been one and I shall overcome yet not I but through

Christ in [Music] me no fate I dread I know I am forgiv the future sure the price it has been paid Jus pled and suffered for my paron and he was raised to overthrow the grave to this I hold my sin has been defeated Jesus now and ever is my ple oh the chains are released I can sing I am free yet not I but through Christ in [Music] me with every breath I long to follow Jesus for he has said that he will bring me home and day by day I know he will renew me until I stand with joy Before the Throne to this I hope My Hope Is Only [Music] Jesus all the glory ever more to him when the race is complete still my lips shall repeat yet not I but through Christ in me when the Grace is complete still my lips shall repeat yet not I but through Christ in me yet not I but through Christ in [Music] me now may the Lord of Peace himself give you peace at all times and every way the Lord be with you all go in peace