Put to the test - Pastor Justin Miles

Sunday Sermon, Pastor Justin Miles

Luke 10: 1-24

From someone in the pew:

During this morning's sermon I was reminded of a short story by Frank Stockton titled "The Lady or the Tiger?" The entire short story doesn't fit today's sermon, but a scene in the story does. In the story, criminal charges are decided by placing a suspect in front of 2 solid doors. The suspect must blindly pick the left or right door knowing there will be either a lady or a tiger behind the chosen door. If it is a lady, the suspect is accepted as innocent and is awarded her hand in matrimony. But if a ravenous tiger comes out, the suspect is assumed guilty and is eaten on the spot by the tiger.

Today's sermon includes a story of Jesus sending out his disciples to experience one of two outcomes when they share the good news of Jesus. They will either be accepted or rejected. Similar to "The Lady or the Tiger", they would never know until a door is opened what response to expect. Jesus told them it would be so.

There is a glaring difference between the short story and the Bible story though. In the short story, the odds of success were at best 50%. Two choices: one death, one life. Surprisingly, in the Bible story, we learn that as long as we share the gospel, we have a 100% success rate! We tend to assign success as to the outcome of sharing the Gospel. Does the unbeliever become a Christian or not? That is not how Jesus scores success; he didn't with the disciples He sent out. Even now, we are completely successful if we share. But we have to share!

Sermon Bullet Points:

Jesus is Sufficient: because Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem, we can set our face on Jesus.

Their faith is put to the test

v. 1 - 72 is the number of descendants of Noah= to all the world.

72 is the number sent out by Jesus

Sent 2 by 2 so they would have a witness

v. 2 - We still pray for workers to come here to labor and tell the Gospel so our community can be "harvested".

It is not us changing people; only God changes hearts.

v. 3 - Jesus describes how we are sent out, as lambs among wolves.

v. 4 - Get down to business- don't worry about packing your clothes, etc. Keep the Gospel the main thing!

v. 5 - Don't be disrespectful of others when they offer their best.

We need to be sensitive to the cultural climate whenever we are attempting to share the Gospel.

v. 10-16 - Don't take matters into your own hands - go to those who are receptive. Those who reject God's good news will be responsible for themselves. We are responsible to tell and leave the results to God.

v. 18 - Satan's power has been broken and limited because of his rebellion.

v. 19 - Christ's followers have authority over the enemy (Satan).

v. 20 - Be most excited that you are saved!

v. 21 - Jesus was thankful that the disciples knew God's power.

v. 22 - Jesus is God

We rejoice that Jesus has chosen us in Christ.

We are held accountable and responsible for what we have seen and heard.