Equipped

Problems with you today. Please turn with me to Mark chapter 6 and we are looking at verses seven through 13 this morning and call the 12 begin to send them out to about two gave them authority of the unclean spirits. He charge them to take nothing for their journey except a staff, no bread, no bag, no money in their bales were sandals and not put on two tunics. He says of them whenever you enter how stay there until you depart from there. The 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. So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. They cast out many demons and anointed with all many who were sick, and heal them that with me as we got our Lord in prayer. Heavenly father we pray for our sick today we pray for Amelia Turner and she is as important test coming up. Pray for Fran releasee she fights cancer with prayer.

Prayer of thanks for Nicole Lohse's progress in for Sam and Allie's new son Levi Lord the passage before us today reminds us that our calling as Christians is not to a decision, but to discipleship you provided our justification or order setting process our sanctification or here in Christchurch we have new converts were filled with excitement and joy but are in need of spiritual maturing through the word into personal experience.

We have Christians here of walk with you for years they've been given wisdom in the word they been learning to put on the whole armor of God and stand strong against the powers of darkness. There are others who are spiritual fathers who have sweet intimacy with the father their characters been molded into the image of Jesus we pray that you would use this passage of Scripture today to convict us the challenges to encourages poor discipleship. Help me to preach today is a dying man to dine people may Christ be glorified. What is the precious holy name of Jesus that we pray. Amen. You may be seated. The 12 disciples haven't been to school so to speak. They have been equipped and prepared for the ministry. They walk side-by-side with Jesus for months and I have eaten meals with him every day. They have slept right beside them, they have taken their problems to Jesus and and ask questions of Jesus and Jesus was right there, day by day, month after month to be with them to give them guidance and direction they have heard Jesus preach to the cry out, and then after the crowds have left. Then Jesus would get them off to the side and he would personally disciples lay amen and explain to them what these parables meant and answer their questions, they have seen Jesus healed. They have seen Jesus raise people from the dead, they remember Jesus on the boat with them.

When the hurricane force wind came in the boat look like it was gonna capsize it look like they would certainly all die.

Jesus stood up in the boat and eight he spoke to the weekend into the city and said hi should be steel and all of a sudden the we and stop the wind obeyed him and the sea became as smooth as glass. Remember not long before, after the asset Jesus went to a man who was a Domani act and he was devastating the city, and causing all kinds of problems in his life was falling apart.

Jesus cast out the demons and when Jesus did, that the demons left the man went into a huge herd of pigs and the pigs went berserk when over a cliff and were drowned in the sea. They have heard God's truth. They have seen God's miracles. They watch Jesus pray and they have noticed that when Jesus prayed, he prayed in faith, he prayed with biblical hope.

He prayed with the compassionate concern for others and he prayed and it was always worship and it was intimacy with his father. The Scripture tells us that they learn to pray from Jesus several months they have been school Laban tall they been educated for this cycle is disciples a student disciple is a learner. A disciple is a follower and one of the disciples not that they knew that they need to spiritually mature that they needed to move away from the from the spiritual baby stage in the spiritual adult stage kind of interesting. In first Timothy chapter 3 when Paul is given us the qualifications for being an elder Paul says one thing I think is very important. He says that a novice is not to be an elder.

We read this to you in verse six and first Timothy three.

He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Pollen seen this happen way too many times where a person would get saved and he would have all these addictions and and bondage is broken in his life and he would just be filled with joy and excitement and he would go out anything man this is wonderful. My whole life changed and he had this idea they can answer all the questions and he could solve everybody's problems and everything was going to go great and then all of a sudden in the midst of all that pride Satan were attacking him and just devastating. So Paul says don't put your hands too quickly or lay hands too quickly on the new convert said lady mature in the faith. First, before he becomes an elder listen when God saves a lost person that you convert will never be more regenerated will never be more saved will never be more headed for heaven. Then he is right. They are at that point in time, but he is not yet spiritually mature, he is not ready yet for spiritual warfare P is not a is not gotten the word of God into his heart in a way that it needs to be yet. So what is a need in needs training in the word.

He needs time with Jesus. He needs guidance from godly teachers and he needs intimacy with his heavenly father is exactly what Jesus did for the disciples betraying them. He talked them, and then he allow them to watch as he ministered others. That's what happens when one is discipling another chips line led me to Christ back in my senior year in college and about three days after my conversion I went to Chip and us a chip wheel to go out witnessing Anna chip said you sure you're ready I said yeah I'm ready. And so I went to the Baptist bookstore of ring and Greenville South Carolina and and I got a book on how to witness call salvation, plain and simple theology was horrible but I didn't know what theology was, anyway, but it did have some good some good points. One of them was that your to memorize certain scriptures to help you with a gospel presentation tolerance memorize seven scriptures real quickly. John 316. John 112 Romans 323, Romans 623 Romans 58 Ephesians 289. In Luke chapter 13 verse three Saturday morning. We decided that we would go out to a community that was close to the church, North Anderson Baptist, where Chip was a member and and where I was going and so we it was. We went out to an old farm community and there was a house that we went to first had a big fence around this old farmhouse. We stopped that we had prayer first and walked over the gate we started to open the gate and ran from the corner came a Rottweiler and I admit this dog was huge and he came barking.

He was growling his teeth were barren and he get that gate. I thought the whole fence was going to go over.

I'm sure that dogs all here's my next meal.

I mean we were all we were shaken I said Chip I think we need to try another house.

Not this one, and chip technology. Pray about it and so we prayed and Chip did and chip said, Lord, we'd like to witness this house and if we get an opportunity to submit it before we get in there.

You gotta do some about this doll and all of a sudden that no yelped. He jumped up about a foot in the air and he took off to the side yard and hid behind a tree. I've been absolutely honest with you chips as well. I guess the Lord wants us to witness.

We open the gate. We started walking in and we was walking a step by step. Watching that dog we finally got up to the porch. We knocked on the door old farmer came to the door and looked at us and said hi Joe get in here we sit went through the gate. He said where's my dog sent areas of their behind that tree is what you want. I said I got say this, we only talk to you by Jesus they saw. I come only in we went in and we set down the living room. Chip shared his testimony with and and then I share those verses that I had just memorized and that I shared with him about my recent conversion Anatolia and then Chip began to share with them more versus and then Chip said okay. He said sir would you be willing to repent of your sins and to trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. What he did for you on the cross of Calvary and how he had power in his resurrection. Would you trust him. The old man started crying. He said he saw been living here for 60 years.

Nobodies ever talk to me that Jesus and he said yes, I'm ready, we got down on his knees. We got down on our knees withing the begin to just cry out to the Lord for forgiveness, begging the Lord to to saving repenting of his sins and submitting his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ when he got finished. There was this great joy it in his face. We all stood up. We hugged each other and Chip said we go to North Anderson Baptist Church joint go to church with us tomorrow and he said I'll be there when we got to church the next day he was already there and the preacher David Wilson was there that morning and he preached a powerful sermon. He gave an invitation. The first one to walk down that I was an old farmer. He made his his profession of faith. Public two weeks later I was baptized at that church, by David Wilson and he was baptized as whale. Three years later, that man became a deacon in that church. You know I went went. When I walked away from the house that that day I was threatened with pride. I walked away from that house is in man. This is easy. This is good enough that met one of the sale, people come to Christ Tuesday of that next week we have economics class. The Ghana class on you fairly well. Some animals share my testimony with I went over there starting share my testimony withing that guy call me vile names. He said all kind of junk about Lisa. Don't you ever talk to me again. My goodness two days later after that I went to the library's a guy is a library worker and I started to talk to him about the Lord. He started throwing all these evolution questions at me. I had no idea how to answer him and then he said he just keep your mouth shut. Leave me alone.

I called up an old drinking buddy of mine from high school and told them what happened to me. He said Doug that's what you want for your latte, that's fine. He says not what I want so just leave me alone and I went back to Chip and Anna said Chip what in the world is happening. I thought this was easy and Chip looked at me said Doug your new convert your new convert and Jesus is showing you your need to be discipled. He said you need to learn how to do spiritual warfare.

He said you need to be proficient in the word of God. He said Doug you need to grow up spiritually to I got the project right out of me that week I came to understand this. I was not equipped and I was not ready to face this world will Mark chapter 6, the disciples have been equipped and they are now being sent out. I got six points that I will share with you today.

Number one, the disciples summoned look with me at seven a and he called the 12, and begin to send them out to about two want to back to Austin. The mounting prayers like there are several reasons number one thing they did it for protection.

There were a lot of robbers and thieves on those roads.

And if there's just one be very easy to overcome if there were to be a whole lot tougher circulated for fellowship and companionship. They would walk together they would talk they would make up plans about where they're going to witness and hail and pray together nothing more than anything else is .3 and that is that they needed a verifiable witness in Deuteronomy 19 verse 15 it says a single witness shall not suffice against the person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that is committed only on the evidence of two witnesses, or three witnesses shall charge be established as Jesus said in Luke 13, three except to repent, you shall all likewise perish.

Listen, disciples of don't just invite people to church. What do they do they call people to repentance and faith.

They give them hope they use verses like second Corinthians 517 therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creation.

Old things are passed away behold all things are become new.

Look at the progressive work church movement is going on in America today, and their purpose is not to bring people to repentance and faith. Their purpose is to water down the gospel and the compromise with sin. Their purpose is to make CN palatable to tell people that radical repentance is not really necessary and a genuine heart change is not really even possible and what do I mean when I accuse the work, church, of believing that genuine heart change is not possible. They say that a homosexual is born that way and that is his identity and that it cannot be changed.

That truly is. While so what about everybody else. What about that the drunkard who God saves and then breaks the seal of alcoholism in his life. What about the drug addict who gets saved and God brings the breaks the bondage of drugs on his life. What about the fee to get saved and God break stuff. The sin of stealing from his life. What about the adulterer who get saved in and all of a sudden God works it out in his life that are that he becomes faithful to his wife. What about that but God has no power to change the sin of the homosexual fees left in his CN because it is just okay and that that's his identity.

Baloney baloney, but that's a lie, right, straight from the from the pit of hail. We need to understand that God's power can set anyone and everyone free. Listen, God did not call the church to cuddle an ungodly culture in the work church in America may be pleasing, the culture, rest assured of this. It's not pleasing God and is not helping the condemned sinner.

The message of the disciples when they went out. What was a message that said this Jesus Christ is Lord he is Lord over demons.

He is Lord over CN he is Lord over death. He is Lord over hail and he is calling you to repent. That's the summons that Jesus gave to his disciples the 12 going to entail in the message of go entail is repentance all right .2. The disciples empowered look at seven be and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits the word authorities of recording cc away translated most the time is power.

So Jesus gave the disciples power with his name to back up that power and they were going to preach. They were going to teach.

They were going to cast out demons.

They were going to heal the sick, they were going to raise the dead. In other words they were going to do exactly what Jesus did and people would marvel at their power. Just like they marveled at Jesus power.

It was an authentication ministry and this was the message that authentication when people look than they solve.

The ministry of the disciples. What did they think they think they thought this this is proof. This is evidence this is absolutely assurance that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. He is the son of God.

He is the King of Kings, he is Lord of lords feels the way the truth and the life and the only hope of salvation is through him the book of Hebrews we are told of this very thing. Hebrews 2 verse three and four passion we escape if we neglect such a great salvation. It was acquired at first by the Lord.

It was attested to us by those who heard while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. So here's a question.

Why are we doing those things that the disciples did today. Why can't I heal the sick, and raise the dead. Why can't I take five loaves and two fish and feed 5000 people, is the answer. I am a disciple, but I am not an apostle with Laura J, what does that mean will the apostles ended with the death of John the son of Zebedee the brother James. He was the heat a little and to be an old man, but when he died, apostolic age ended when he wrote the book of Revelation. The last book in the canon, and he wrote his last word.

Amen. The canon was closed completely. Folks, we have a new apostolic authority today in our apostolic authority is the word of God and the word of God can be trusted just like we can trust God himself.

But we don't need apostles today because we have the close canon of Scripture, the infallible and errant word of God like that takes us to .3 the disciples instructed. Look at verses eight thing nine he charge them to take nothing for their journey except a staff, no bread, no bag, no money in their belts, but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics reminds me a little of the instruction that was given to the children of Israel before they ate the Passover meal before they left Egypt and Exodus chapter 12 verse 11. The Scripture says in this manner. You shall eat it with your belt fashioning your sandals on your feet. Your staff in your hand and you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover and other words don't hinder things by carrying too much stuff that don't don't burn yourself with things that you really don't need that extra stuff will weigh you down and cause unnecessary burden. Jesus told the disciples the same thing is that you don't need to take a closet full of three-piece suits where tunic and where belt take your staff stands for walk-in climate of the heel, beaten off a robber. As if that happened to come. He said that's that's all you need.

Don't be overburdened with stuff. John MacArthur explained this way is it Jesus insisted on this level of austerity in order to teach the 12 the vital importance of trusting in God's faithfulness and see in him. Provide they needed to know from first-hand experience the truth of Jesus's words from the sermon on the Mount.

Do not worry the end saying what will we eat or what will we drink, or what we wear for closing the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you as I preach the message of the kingdom.

They constantly depend on God to supply their needs should be noted that these stringent stipulations are only temporary and do not represent a permanent buyout of poverty is Jesus himself later make clear, I think this is a warning to the prosperity gospel teachers that Christianity is not all about money is not all that stuff is known about the worldly trinkets that we can buy is not about trying to develop a life is feel which is luxury and ease. Christianity is about glorifying Christ. It's about trusting Christ not only for our eternal salvation, but learning how to trust him on a day by day basis.

My uncle Percy Bilotta was a missionary to Brazil. He was there for 45 years. When he reached age 70. They had rules within their mission organization that when you reach 70 had retire so he had to retire at age 7 didn't want to but he had to, and had absolutely no retirement money that they moved back they went to Fayetteville North Carolina not known any what they were going to do and when they got there Columbia Bible College gave him a call so we get ready to start a Bible college extension in an inflatable and we would like for you to be our professor missions would you do it he did was there for several decades or two decades, and not only that, but on on Sunday mornings to get invited to churches all over North and South Carolina to the fit to fill the pulpit and and and had that great opportunity to preach everywhere. I thought of him when I read this passage this week.

He never worried about where his next dollar would come from. He would be faithful in serving Jesus and distrust Jesus to provide when he had to move back to Fayetteville and you know where what is going to.

I asked him about it said what are you gonna do and how I how are you gonna make it and he said Philippians chapter 4 verse 19 for my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus.

He never gave a second thought as to how we would make it financially and I think that instead itself is a powerful witness .4 the disciples order to be content. Look at verse 10 and he said to them whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. Jesus tells the disciples you will have extraordinary power. Do not use it for personal gain. To said if you go into the house and your stay there for a week. Don't change houses and go somewhere else now wanted to say that because the false prophets would do that they would get out. They preach a very exciting sermon. The rich people get excited about it. I said hi Comeau.don't know stay with those poor folks over there to move or stay with us and we got better accommodations. And as as for suppertime you will eat lobster and steak instead of liver motion pork and beans Saqqara stay with us.

Jesus said to the disciples don't you dare do that. He said stay in one place.

The content being appreciative.

The grateful show respect for the family that you first went to only share three quick scriptures with you that back up what Jesus is saying about being content only share two books with your real quickly about contentment that I really encourage you to read, thereby to Puritans. The first one is about Thomas Watson book is called the art of divine contentment. My wife is read that book I think 10 times is I want to see need to read it 10 times you live with me. You understand. Secondly, Jeremiah Jeremiah Burroughs book and this is a great one to the rare jewel of Christian contentment. Great great books white three quick scriptures.

First, the words of Jesus. Matthew 631 333 therefore do not be anxious say and what shall we eat or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear for the Gentiles seek after all these things in your heavenly father knows that you need them all.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. All these things will be added to you and Paul's words. First Timothy six 6010 but godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world. We cannot take anything out of the world, but if we have food and clothing with these we will be content with those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some of wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

Paul again. Philippians 411 to 13. Not that I'm speaking of being a need for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low. I know that abound in in in every circumstance I have learned the secret of facing Pliny and hunger abundance in the I can do all things through him who strengthens me. .5. The disciples ordered to exercise discernment is in verse 11. If anyplace will not receive you, and they will not listen to you when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your fate as a testimony against them. Jewish people had a customer when they went off to a foreign pagan land. They come back from that trip, and they cross over the border in Israel they would they would take their foot and they would shake the dust off of their fate right there at the border what they were saying was. We've been in a place where the people are pagans.

I don't know God. They are idolaters they are worldly, they don't love the Lord they don't love the things of the Lord and we are symbolically telling the world that we reject that that it's not right that it's not good Jesus use that to tell them this case it is if you share the gospel.

If you bring about this message of repentance and they hear what you say they understand what you say and they rejected, then shake off the dust off your sandals and keep right on going. This is the same thing that Jesus said in the gospel of Matthew when he said do not give what is holy to dogs and don't cast your pearls before swine. In Matthew chapter 10 Jesus gives us a little more insight when it when he says it will be more tolerable for the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah in that last day it will be more tolerable for them than it will be for those who heard the gospel who understood the gospel who were convicted by the gospel and turned from it.

We give you a few verses where Jesus is teaching us about the stiff neck this against the gospel in Matthew chapter 7 Jesus said not everyone is safe and me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but in that last day many will come to me, say, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name.

Do we not cast out demons in your name. Did we not do many wonderful works in your name and Jesus will say to them, depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 29. Just how much worse punishment, do you think will be deserved by the one who is trampled underfoot the son of God and is profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified as outrage.

The spirit of grace. What about people in our family people that we love and care for people who know the gospel, who have heard the gospel and they rejected blatantly.

I think sometimes you reach the point where you need to to be less vocal with them and spend more time in prayer for them, but don't ever give up on them.

Don't ever give up until they breathe their last breath .6.

The disciples responsibility.

Verses 12 through 13 so they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.

They cast out many demons anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed him. What did the disciples do they do exactly what Jesus told him the day they went out and they preached a message of repentance. And when they did that they didn't avoid it that they did not water it down. They did not compromise it. They were very, very serious and talking to people about sin that they shared with those they went to see and is not a joy giver is a joy killer and his sin that separates a sinful man from a holy God and only what Jesus did on the cross can take it away and and and and destroy it forever and ever. We tell you what else Jesus taught his disciples told him about brokenness. He taught them how a true disciple of God would be broken in spirit we throw broken things, why God then use anything until it is broken and you know when somebody is broken. Part of that brokenness is reaching the point where you repay evil with good.

We McDonnell share the illustration that I read not cried. He said that there was an Indian man who was riding his elephant to the streets of Bombay and in his hand a thick steel go food and he would do them elephant with it and he was strictly elephant with it and then all of a sudden he dropped it in the and the goat fell down client huge client them on the road elephant reached over with a strong and picked it up and then held it up to his master books. This word do we are not just to get revenge that we are to to give back. Good when there's a will been done to us.

When you read you one quick illustration now close. Oswald Sanders tells the story he was preaching and his church, and after his sermon, one of his Deacon stood up and this is what the deacon said God has been speaking to me this evening. He said most of you people know me and I want to make a confession when I'm with you in public.

I'm always jovial and cheery in the life of the party but when I'm at home I'm a different person. I have been a street angel in a home devil. I've been bad tempered, I've given my wife and family a bad time I've asked God to forgive me and to make me in private. More like what I try to appear to be in public that Deacon understood the need to be equipped sprite heavenly father. Today we received the challenge to refuse to accept spiritual mediocrity.

This is been a calling to genuinely follow Jesus, help us, Lord, that we might realize that hearing a sermon is not enough. We have a deep calling to follow Jesus, give us a heart to do it will give us a bulldog stick to witness. Help us to love you enough to buy your commands. What is the precious and holy name of Jesus that we pray. Amen