"Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ And if a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him, but if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. And whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But in whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off against you; yet know this, that the kingdom of God is at hand.’"
Good Morning my beloved,
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to let you know that I am grateful for each and every one of you. If you have recently received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please write or text to let us know so that we can pray for you. If you're not certain about whether or not you want to embrace Jesus Christ, I pray there will be something in our message today that will point you toward Christ, the One Who radically transforms lives and show you the importance of making the right commitment.
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to let you know that I am grateful for each and every one of you. If you have recently received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please write or text to let us know so that we can pray for you. If you're not certain about whether or not you want to embrace Jesus Christ, I pray there will be something in our message today that will point you toward Christ, the One Who radically transforms lives and show you the importance of making the right commitment.
One of the things I cherish about being an expository preacher, beyond the honor and privilege of sharing the Gospel, is the commitment of preaching through Scripture verse by verse. As an expository preacher, I am tasked with the responsibility to preach whatever comes next. This method necessitates confronting each and every passage as it comes. We aren't afforded the opportunity of evading the challenge of preaching on more difficult passages that are more convicting, more confrontational, that make people uncomfortable, causing them to squirm in their seats. Fortunately for you, this is not one of those portions of Scripture. However, it is straightforward and uncomplicated, offering clear guidance when you find yourself in situations where people are unreceptive to the Gospel. My hope is that this will help you recognize how we are supposed to discharge our responsibility to the unbelievers around us, understanding that we are never compromise the message, or explain it in such a away that dumbs down biblical convictions to make sinners feel welcome, more at ease, that's not true evangelism. It's not enough for us to just say the words, "I am a Christian," we must be able demonstrate the power of the Gospel and the love of Christ through our own transformed lives. If we are truly following Christ, obeying His word, living as we ought, that shouldn’t be very difficult, right? I do not believe that there can be such a thing as an undercover Christian. In Matthew 10:32-33, Jesus emphatically said, "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven."
Before we get into the Word of God together I want to talk to you, as your pastor, about something that I have endeavored to address over and over again in numerous ways, and that is that the evangelical church is being seduced by a false god, a false christ and false worship. If you doubt that what I'm saying is true, just take a fresh look at any church, any congregation just about anywhere. In fact, the church has been so seduced that the affections of her people are set on the things of this earth rather than the kingdom of God. It’s even confusing to watch the same people who talk about belonging to a heavenly kingdom behaving in a manner indistinguishable from the world, seeking earthly possessions and fleeting pleasures rather than confronting the sin of this fallen world. God expects us to behave in a certain way that distinguishes us from the world, demonstrating the difference between right and wrong. A transformed life requires heartfelt obedience that goes beyond mere outward conformity. God's grace was never intended to be merely a justification for our moral shortcomings, giving us free rein to indulge in sin without consequence but rather an extraordinary gift that encourages to grow spiritually and emotionally as we learn from our shortcomings and strive for a higher degree of righteousness, and to live a life that is Christ-centered.
Tragically, that biblical laws that once governed the church's conduct seems to have vanished. Because man is lawless, the restrainers who try to restrain man have a measure of corruption in their own hearts, the same mentality as the sinners who are on the other end of the spectrum. I am convinced there are millions of people who believe they’re saved because they had an emotional response to a shallow Gospel message preached, they did what they were supposed to do, they walked the aisle, they recited the prayer and made a decision for Christ. Even though the prayer may have been superficial, and the faith they claim to posses may have been non-saving faith. So typical in evangelism today, is the prevalent notion of declaring everyone who says they believe in God, is saved, which often isn't the case. James tells us even demons believe yet their belief does not result in salvation. My Bible says that Jesus is Lord and if I believe that I must acknowledge Him as Lord, in order to be saved. Its not the confessing that saves the sinner, its believing what the Bible says about my spiritual condition; I see myself as God sees me, not as a virtuous person but a wretched sinner, estranged from God, damned to Hell. It's impossible to come to that realization and conviction unless you believe what the Bible says. That’s why Scripture emphasizes that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. While confession is significant, by itself, holds no more weight in our process of justification than baptism, they are both outward expressions of inward faith and commitment. That's why Jesus taught a parable about soils, some people receive the Gospel with joy but its very short-lived. John says the same thing in 1 John chapter 2, verse 19, "They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they were of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be manifested that they all are not of us."
It would seem to me that to identify someone as a Christian, would not be anybody who believes in Jesus, but rather someone who recognizes and believes Jesus as Lord, who believes that He is God, who believes that and trusts Him as their Savior, anybody who repents from their sin and ask Him to save them by grace through faith alone, which He is able to do because He has paid the price for their sin on the cross and risen from the dead is affirmation of that. Anybody who believes that and comes before the Lord and asks for salvation is a Christian; in contrast, it also seems clear to me that those anyone who does not is not to be considered as such. And, while that seems simple enough, the problem is when someone is an imposter, a hypocrite or somebody who is deceived about their spiritual condition. It shouldn’t come as a surprise us that when you think about the dynamic of salvation and justification, Christ, intends for that life to grow into spiritual maturity to become more like Him. It's the progressive process we call sanctification. In 1 Peter 2:1-3, he tells us it is our responsibility as Christ followers to desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow by it in respect to salvation. Christ-likeness is not just a privilege, it's the goal. The world’s metaphorical "milk" is impure and fails to nourish our souls, it's contaminated and can only serve to satisfy our wicked appetites and gratify our sinful desires at best. While sin may initially appear enticing, it is sure to leave a void in our soul because Satan can never deliver on his empty promises. If you look at somebody's life who professes to be a Christian, and they’re consistently living an immoral life, they're not even a believer. I don't care how many prayers you've prayed or how many aisles you've walked, you're not a member of the kingdom of God. Christians do not live like that. The Bible teaches that Christians are not even to associate with someone claiming to be a Christian but consistently engage in an immoral lifestyle. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:11, "But now I am writing to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or greedy, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one." Since every person's perception of morality and immorality is different, we MUST use the Bible as our guide. The Bible is God's unwavering standard of morality that transcends all personal opinions. This isn't about judging a person's sinful lifestyle, its about protecting the purity of the church. By no longer engaging in the sin we once enjoyed we may feel like life is passing us by, but we must ask ourselves what was the result of sin. May I suggest a few that come to mind: sickness, pain, disease, death, difficulty in human relationships, war, sorrow, injustice. In Acts 3:19, Peter commands "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."
Thank God He graciously offers every repentant sinner a new beginning.
Let's pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we humbly thank You for Your Word, all these rich Truths, which are such an anchor to our souls. Help us by the indwelling Holy Spirit to pursue obedience with all our hearts, so that we might walk in a worthy manner, consistent with Who You are. May we live boldly and confidently looking to the glorious hope of the return of Christ. Make us aware that we need to feed on the living Word every day, to nourish our souls. Lord, we pray that You would turn the minds and the hearts of Your people back to You, so much is at stake. My prayer is that many will come to know Christ as Lord and Savior because of our lives and our testimonies. Use us to that end for Your glory. Protect Your Church, protect Your people from false teaching and false worship. We ask and pray this in Christ's Name.
Amen.
Today's Message: A Crucial Response to the Gospel
Take out your Bibles and open them with me to the Gospel of Luke chapter 10. Luke 10:5-11. I pray that you will follow along with me as I read Luke 10:5-11 to set the text in our minds.
"Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ And if a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him, but if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. And whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But in whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off against you; yet know this, that the kingdom of God is at hand.’"
In our last message we addressed verses 1 through 4 in which our Lord gave His instructions to seventy of the first generation of New Covenant preachers who have heard Him preach the Gospel message day after day, giving them the responsibility of going ahead of Him from city to city, village to village, town to town, to announce His arrival. Now, He's laying out a blueprint not just for evangelism, and expanding His kingdom, but practical ways for how they are to interact with the world, ways that are often over-looked today. Jesus instructs them to lead with an offering of peace, but it's important to understand that peace requires a receptive heart. If our offering is rejected, met with hostility or indifference as we proclaim the Good News, we are not to be discouraged but continue, knowing that even in the face of rejection, we are fulfilling the mission our Lord has entrusted to us. Even in rejection we are to offer a witness, not in spite or retaliation, but a solemn declaration, that they have not rejected us, but the very presence of God.
Before we look at verse 5, I want to begin by saying I don't believe very many Christians understand exactly what it means to live in a kingdom ruled by a Monarch, Who has absolute supreme power and authority, because in America we have lived our entire lives in a democracy. The kingdom of God isn't like the democratic government we're used to, where the people have a say in who is elected and how things operate, to get more of what we want. The kingdom of God is the purest form of government, run by an absolutely perfect King, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is too wise, too kind, too loving, too perfect in everything to ever make a mistake. At His first coming, Jesus announced the kingdom of God has come and He spent His earthy ministry inviting people into His perfect kingdom, those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior are in the kingdom of God. He has absolute sovereignty, absolute non-contradictable authority to do whatever He wants, how He wants, He isn't interested in anyone's individual rights, He's not interested in anyone's opinions about how to run His kingdom. At the moment you became a Christian, you acknowledged Christ as Lord, and from that point forward, you checked your will, your hopes, your dreams at the door. It was the end of your opinions and the beginning of your absolute submission and unconditional obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is our King, Who alone discerns perfectly how to fulfill His will that will work for good to those who are His subjects.
As a citizen of God's kingdom, your duty is unconditional obedience to fulfill whatever the King asks. Refusing to be in kingdom of God, doesn't mean you're free to do as you want, it simply means you belong to another kingdom, the kingdom of darkness, under the sovereign reign of Satan. God doesn't take away your freedom as some people have said, you have no freedom except to sin, understanding that the consequences of sin is Hell. You're either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. If you're a Christian, you may as well get used to living in absolute submission to our King's Authority now, because when He establishes His eternal kingdom, that's all you're ever going to know. Revelation 19:16, emphatically tells us "And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." And, in Romans 14:11, "For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, to Me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God."
Remember the seventy were being sent out in pairs, two by two, to proclaim the Judgment Harvest is coming because there weren't very many laborers. The Lord already told them in verse in 3, they were being sent "out as lambs in the midst of wolves," in other words, they were going to face a lot of hostility. These itinerant preachers needed to learn to be completely dependent on Christ, trusting Him to meet all their needs, that's why He instructed them in verse 4, to "carry no money belt, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the way." I've often been asked, "Why would He tell them not to greet anyone on the way?" Because time is of the essence, evangelism is not about socialization, or establishing personal relationships, it's about preaching the message clearly and relying on whoever will receive you. By the way, you may recall when the Lord commissioned the twelve apostles, He gave them similar instructions in Luke 9:3-4, "And He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; nor have two tunics apiece. And whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city." It's the same message for all of today, "Don't stop to make friends and acquaintances, you need to be dependent on whoever will receive you." I see far too many Christians getting caught up in making connections for personal gain and opportunities for advancement rather than being caught up in the things of God and His Kingdom, pleasing the God we claim to serve. When you become a Christian, you represent Jesus Christ, not your own interests.
Now, we come to verse 5, "Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’" He provided the twelve with similar instructions back in Matthew 10,, when He said "Now as you enter the house, give it your greeting." ‘Peace be to this house’ was more than just a common Jewish greeting, it was a greeting that invoked God's blessing of peace to rest upon the home, it was a way to gauge the receptiveness of the message of the Gospel. This is how you find out who is worthy of the message, announce that you come as messengers of God to offer them peace through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. If the inhabitants of the household responded positively and showed an interest in your message that house is worthy of receiving further teachings about the Kingdom of God. Jesus is highlighting the importance of discernment in the proclaiming Gospel, to ensure that the message of salvation was shared with those ready to embrace it. In other words, your looking for those whose hearts have been prepared.
Verse 6, "And if a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him, but if not, it will return to you." In Greek, the phrase "huios eirēnēs" translates to "son of peace" it primarily means one who is ready or willing to receive peace, emphasizing the value of God's peace. A concept that is reflected in Matthew 7:6, when Jesus said "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." Jesus is saying be cautious about sharing valuable message of the Gospel with those who cannot appreciate it's worth. Time is short, we have a sacred responsibility to protect and honor the invaluable message of salvation, don't squander your efforts on those who are unreceptive, just take your peace and leave, go somewhere else and find someone worthy. Don't take rejection personally, Jesus is the greatest preacher Who has ever lived, and people didn't respond favorably to Him. Simply use discernment to determine where your efforts will be most fruitful.
Then, in verse 7, He says if your message is received, "Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house." Jesus is saying when you find a worthy place, it is important to remember to receive what God has provided to meet our needs with contentment and gratitude, don't go around looking for a nicer place to stay with better food. This practice will quickly set you apart from those who are are looking to better their circumstances. Throughout my life, I have graciously accepted some very humble accommodations varying significantly in their condition and comfort, some of them were clean and some of them were not, lacking many conveniences that while not essential, certainly make life more comfortable. However, never once did I complain or seek to find anything other than what God provided. In today's world, where the relentless pursuit of personal comfort often overshadows gratitude, it's about cultivating the attitude that everything's not about you, but recognizing the value of what is offered, regardless of its imperfections and learning to to find contentment in your circumstances, trusting God to meet your needs. While a preacher shouldn't charge for preaching the Gospel, he shouldn't be reluctant to receive support for preaching the Gospel either. In Matthew 10:10, Jesus said the worker is worthy of his support.
Verse 8, "And whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you." This passage further emphasizes the importance of accepting whatever meal is offered to you with a heart filled with gratitude, whether it's a meal of bread dipped in olive oil and roasted lamb and vegetables or fish, honey and fig cakes. By doing so, you're showing appreciation for the host's effort in preparing it and generosity and willingness to share their resources, distinguishing yourself as being different from those who impose a list of demands for specific accommodations, a behavior often associated with false teachers who prioritize personal comfort over the mission. Remember, it's not about you, it's about the Gospel, be thankful for every provision the Lord has provided essential to sustain your mission in spreading His Word. Jesus taught it's not that which goes into a man that defiles him, but that which comes out of him, right? And besides, Jesus already set aside all those old traditional dietary laws. Remember in Acts 10:13-15, the voice of the Lord said to Peter, "Rise up, Peter, slaughter and eat!" But Peter said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean." Again a voice came to him a second time, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider defiled."
Verse 9, "And heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’" Obviously, this verse is not applicable to us today, in spite of what phony Charismatic faith healers who claim, suggesting they have divine power, we don't have the power to heal anybody, cast out demons, or raise anybody from the dead, that authority was delegated for that particular period of time by the Lord Jesus Himself to authenticate their message. These so-called faith healers for hire have spread like gangrene throughout the world, however I digress. Then, at the end of the verse He says, "And say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’"
Back in Luke 4:18-19, Jesus proclaimed "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." And He closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down, that's because the kingdom is no longer approaching, it's here, beginning with Jesus' ministry, so nothing can stop it. The Greek verb "eggizó" is used 14 times in the New Testament in the perfect tense because the the Messiah has come, the kingdom's here. The kingdom of God is here today, its a present reality for those of us who have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and repented of our sin, and wholeheartedly surrendered to His Lordship. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, an unshakeable and steadfast peace, even amidst life's most difficult challenges, that transcends worldly understanding. (Romans 5:1) When we proclaim the Gospel, we validate our message not by the power of signs and wonders, but the Word of God, divine revelation. Jesus fulfilled at least 300 prophecies during His earthly ministry, therefore, we can expect that the remaining prophecies will be fulfilled, the Word of God guarantees it.
That brings us to verses 10 and 11, "But in whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off against you; yet know this, that the kingdom of God is at hand.’" Rejection of the kingdom of God brings not peace but punishment. We can not afford to be silent about God's displeasure with those who reject the Gospel Jesus Christ, pretending everything is fine. We have a responsibility to make this Truth known, reaching people far and wide! It is crucial to convey the gravity of rejecting the Gospel, to ensure it is understood. However, it is entirely possible to know Christ intellectually but have not an authentic relationship with Him. Tragically, because many Christians know Who Christ they imagine they no longer need to train for the purpose of holiness and godliness, to pursue purity, they fail to know Him intimately.
In 1 Peter 1:14-16, Peter boldly commands, "As obedient children, not being conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your conduct; because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." If you hope to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, you had better embrace the principals of God on earth. He even set aside the Sabbath by doing whatever healing He wanted to, saying in Matthew 12:7-8, "But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." While Christ set aside dietary and ceremonial laws, it's important to mention He didn't set aside or abolish the moral and judicial laws, He fulfilled them. You cannot ignore that Scripture makes it clear the goal of the Christian life is to become more like Christ, to emulate His behavior and character. Nowhere is this more evident than in 1 John chapter 2, which says "But whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked."
In His High Priestly Prayer in John 17, Jesus prayed for His disciples, not only to the twelve disciples but for all future generations who would come to faith, "Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth." Sanctification isn’t a easy process, it's hard work, it is a transformative process requires faithfulness, dedication, and self-discipline. Even then, even then, it’s not purely a matter of your own will, but ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit in you. It cannot simply be manufactured with superficial outward expressions of godliness while sin still has a home in your heart, however, it can often pass for spiritual growth. The truth is many non-believers hold to a higher moral standard than many professing Christians, who go through the motions of reading Scripture daily, praying, and even attending regular church services. So, obviously the appearance of outward morality doesn’t always equate to salvation! However, we are not called to be like other Christians, we are commanded to be like Christ! I believe that most people don’t know the Gospel well enough to be frightened that they might not be really saved. In order to truly follow Christ, you must practice unfollowing the world, that involves repentance and confession of sin, forgiveness, and walking in the Spirit by faith. You cannot sit in a church that isn’t teaching the Word of God and hear error all the time without running the risk of being led astray by unprincipled, lawless men. Only Truth sanctifies. Only the Truth can brings righteousness. Only the Word of God is the ultimate Truth that can transform lives, making them holy and useful for God.
I often wonder if people knew for certain that Jesus was coming tonight, that God’s fury were to break loose upon the world, what the last 24 hours of their lives would look like for them. We must stop deceiving ourselves so that we can live as the world lives.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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