Ministry Assurances, Part 2

Luke Chapter 22 is where we left
off two weeks ago. We return there again. To a place where Jesus is shoring
up. The ministry of the apostles,
and he’s doing so because they were already likely very discouraged. Jesus, of all people, knows how
discouraging ministry can be. But Jesus knew not only the state
of the apostles. Jesus knew kind of where their
hearts hovered. Perhaps even in an almost depressive
state at times. Jesus knew what their weaknesses
were. Jesus knew what their tendencies
were. Jesus knew what the future held
for them. Jesus could look down through
the ages and see the persecutions, see the defections, see the areas
of great faithlessness, see the lives that were just shipwrecked
with regards to the faith. Jesus knew that they faced great
discouragement and even that they were facing discouragement
at this very moment. I don’t know that it was my first
moment of discouragement in ministry, but it was very early on. And
perhaps I’ve even shared this tale, this account of my own
life. I’ve given the children strict
instructions that when I begin repeating stories week after
week after week, then they can pull me out. So if I’ve repeated
this in your hearing, forgive me, but it was one of my first
moments of discouragement. The Lord granted that I would
be able to help put myself through seminary cleaning swimming pools.
And I was in my first year of seminary down in Dallas. And
I was cleaning a swimming pool very early in the morning and
in Dallas in the winter, it can be very cold. And in order to
clean this particular pool, I had to perch myself atop a high wall
with a pool, a slightly smaller pool behind me, and about an
eight inch wall that I would walk across as I cleaned the
much larger, deeper pool below. And in the course of doing so,
As I was leaning upon my swimming pool pole, the pole, a collapsible
pole, did what it was designed to do, only at an inopportune
moment, and collapsed. The pole gave way, and I can
remember, I don’t know if it was cartoon-like, but that’s
what it seemed like to me as I wibbled and wobbled on top
of this wall, ultimately regaining my balance. And immediately,
I was in this mode of Memory versus and I was so discouraged
that morning about Sunday school and just feeling like you prepare
and you go through, you know, the motions and you walk out
and these fifth and sixth grade boys seem as if they got nothing
out of it. And I can remember being so discouraged,
thinking, is this the way all of ministry is going to be? And
then my pole collapsed. And in the midst of my memory
versus immediately, the Lord brought first Corinthians 1558
to mind be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work
of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain. And the
Lord has used that verse on me repeatedly throughout, and the
Lord has used that imagery. To remind me that Ministry is
not supposed to be a picnic ministry is supposed to be difficult.
It is going to be attended with grief. It is going to be attended
with heartache and frustration. And that’s exactly where he meets
the apostles here in the midst of the Passover and Lord’s Supper
institution. As we’ve seen, the context is
the upper room, it’s in the Lord’s final hours just prior to his
arrest. They had celebrated the Passover.
The Lord had instituted the Lord’s Supper. But the apostles are
still reeling, remember, from the news that Jerusalem was going
to be destroyed. They’re still reeling from the
fact that there is a betrayer among them, probably very discouraged
at the news of that. And on the heels of that. All
of a sudden, There breaks out among them this debate of who
is the greatest. And Jesus gently rebukes them,
and then if it if it wasn’t a rebuke enough with his words, Jesus
rises and washes their feet. Perhaps none of them felt qualified
to be there in that moment. Peter didn’t want the Lord to
wash his feet. I’m certain that the rest of
the apostles felt the same way, but only Peter had the courage
to say what we would all feel at the moment. The apostles at this point are
probably exasperated, what on earth does the Lord want with
us? What can we do when the Lord is taken away from us? And that
was the final straw. They knew that in celebrating
the Lord’s Supper, this was a precursor to the Lord being taken away
from them. These men were probably just
devastated. No wind in their sails. We pick up the account in Luke
chapter 22 verse 28. Where Luke records, you are those
who have stood with me in my trials. And just as my father
has granted me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink
at my table in my kingdom and you will sit on thrones judging
the twelve tribes of Israel. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has
demanded permission to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed
for you that your faith may not fail. And you, once you have
turned again, strengthen your brothers. And he said to them,
when I sent you out without money, belts and bag and sandals, you
did not lack anything, did you? They said, no, nothing. And he
said to them, but now whoever has a money belt is to take it
along. Likewise, also a bag. Whoever
has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. For I tell you that
this which is written must be fulfilled in me. And he was numbered
with the transgressors for that which refers to me has its fulfillment. They said, Lord, look, here are
two swords. And he said to them, it is enough. I believe that the Lord Jesus
and looking at his apostles knew precisely what they needed at
the moment they They needed some perspective. They needed some
encouragement. They needed some comfort. And
our Lord is so good to give them precisely what they need at that
moment. Our Lord read their hearts. He
heard their innermost thoughts, and as I said, he knew the future
and knew what they needed most was encouragement for the battles
that lie ahead, not only those in the immediate future. But
in months and the years and even the thousands of years to come,
we need this encouragement. We started several weeks ago
and we go back by way of review back to what I suggested were
ministry assurances. And I don’t mean to say that
everybody that ever dips their toe into ministry is going to
realize these promises in full. What I’m hoping to point out
to you is that this is the Lord’s character. The nature of the
Lord Jesus is to be encouraging and to be upholding in the midst
of the ministry. What we began several weeks ago
were promises to saints in the service of God, and only true
saints will ever reap even a degree of these promises. And that’s
why I say I’m not suggesting that if a person outside of Christ
merely dips their toe and begins to immerse themselves in some
kind of ministry, that thereby they gain these promises. I’m
not suggesting that at all. But for those who are truly in
Christ, for those who truly have been called into his service
in any capacity, I believe they will sense these things and even
greater things. First of all, We saw the promise
of eternal fellowship and service. Look back at verse twenty eight.
He said, you are those who have stood with me in my trials. And
just as my father has granted me a kingdom, I grant you that
you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and you will sit
on the thrones and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of
Israel. This was a special and particular
promise to the apostles. Nevertheless, That kind of promise
of fellowship, eternal fellowship and service, I believe, is granted
to each of God’s saints. Each saint is gifted. Each is
called to his own kind of ministry. And to a degree, there is the
same kind of promise the thrones accepted. The whole passage is
an echo, as we saw, of something that Jesus had said much earlier
in his ministry. And the mere hint, the suggestion
of these verses, these thoughts would have reminded the apostles
of that conversation. That conversation took place,
recorded in Matthew 19. The only part that I would add
there is that Jesus said there in response to a question by
Peter, what’s in it for us? Now, that’s not exactly what
Peter said, but that’s really what’s at the heart of it. Peter
said this. Behold, we have left everything
and followed you. What then will there be for us?
And Jesus said to them, truly, I say to you that you who have
followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man will sit
on his glorious throne, you shall sit upon twelve thrones judging
the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses,
or brothers, or sister, or father, or mother, or children, or farms
for my namesake will receive many times as much. The Lord was encouraging the
apostles. Some had left their calling as
fishermen. Some had left all their equipment.
Many had made real sacrifices to join in following the Lord. And really, the return on investment
was minimal, if at all. They were poor, they were destitute,
wandering around the countryside, often without a home, sometimes
without a meal. Yet, as one commentator said,
a poor man’s all is very precious to him as as much as the rich
man’s palace and in giving everything up for Christ’s sake. He makes
the greatest sacrifice in his power. As we saw several weeks
ago, Hudson Taylor said it this way, that he had never succeeded
in making a sacrifice for God. It is worthwhile in setting aside
whatever we’ve been called to set aside. It is worthwhile and
God will make it up. God will repay. There is a promise. There is a promise not to the
not only to the apostles, but to us as well. What a gracious
assessment Jesus makes of his followers. You are those who
have stood by me, stood with me in my trials. And yet in the
same passage, Jesus tells Peter that he’s going to betray him.
And in a very real sense, the apostles had showed a great faithlessness
in the course of their following of Christ, often the ignorance
self-centered. They had just finished the argument
of who was the greatest weak, needy, dependent. One pastor said, we know the
weakness and infirmity of our Lord’s disciples during the whole
period of his earthly ministry. We find him frequently reproving
their ignorance and lack of faith. He knew full well that with hours
they were going to forsake him. But here we find him graciously
dwelling upon one good point in their conduct, that they had
been faithful to their master. Christ will treat us none the
different. If we are faithful to him, he
will be faithful to us to the degree that we are faithful to
our own. Callings, no matter how small, the Lord will return,
the Lord will return. The Lord promised them a special
ministry of judging the twelve tribes, we discussed that last
week. But certainly you had to leave several weeks ago wondering,
OK, twelve tribes and I get it that there are promises that
there are assurances to the saints and yet much like Peter, I would
sit straight in my pew and I would say, so what’s in it for me?
It’s not an uncommon thought. It’s not an uncommon thought
to want to know, you know, Lord, how how do you intend to take
care of me? How do you intend to to bless
me? Part of that is born out of pride,
part of it is born out of an unhealthy spirit, but sometimes
sometimes much like Peter, We just long to know what will
the future hold. Scripture is complete. In recording the promises that
are given to the saints in his service. Promises not only of
eternal life. I can remember. is sitting in
a Bible study and a friend of ours. Suddenly it suddenly dawned
on him. All this in heaven to all of
these earthly blessings and heaven too. But all of these earthly
blessings and haven’t you and the blessings that come with
heaven? Romans 2 for says that this way, do you think lightly
of the riches of his kindness and tolerance and patience, not
knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are
storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation
of the righteous judgment of God. Who will render to each
person according to his deeds, you say, well, that’s a passage
of judgment, perhaps, but it’s a passage of blessing as well.
Because verse seven, speaking of God, goes on to say, He will
render to each person according to his deeds, those who, by perseverance
in doing good, seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal
life. But for those who are selfishly
ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey and righteousness,
wrath and indignation, you cannot be in the ministry without a
calling from Christ. You cannot be in the ministry
in the service of Christ unless you are in Christ. But if you
are in Christ and you are faithful to that calling by grace, God
will bless. It’s a promise. Second Corinthians
529 or 510, Paul said it this way. For we must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ. So that each one may be recompensed,
repaid. For his deeds in the body, according
to what he has done, whether good or bad. First Corinthians three, eight,
Paul said it this way. He who plants and he who waters
are one, but each will receive his own reward according to his
labor, and then later on in that same passage 314, if any man’s
work which he has built remains, he will receive a reward speaking
particularly about ministry. Hebrews 11, the writer of Hebrews
in that great chapter, the hall of faith, says it this way in
verse six, without faith, it is impossible to please him.
For he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he
is a rewarder of those who seek him. We don’t pursue Christ. We don’t serve Christ. We don’t
follow hard after Christ only for what’s in it. only for a
blessing, only for the reward at the end of the journey. But we must believe that he is
and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. There is
good. There is blessing. Hebrews 1126
goes on to speak of those who, considering the reproach of Christ,
greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking
to the reward. Moses there looking to the heavens,
looking to everlasting life and considered it better to make
bricks with the slaves than to live in the palace with a heathen,
godless king. There is a blessing to following
and to serving Christ. Not only in the here and now,
and Mark’s gospel makes it very clear during the course of that
conversation that those who leave fathers and and mothers and houses
and farms will be blessed in this life. The Lord will return
to you. The Lord will repay. The Lord
will make restitution to you. The Lord will bless you. Point
two. In the second of these ministry
assurances, these promises to saints who are in the service
of God, not only do we see a promise of eternal fellowship and service,
but secondly, a promise of sustained faith and restoration, if need
be. And more often than not, there
is need be. Right. Please turn to John’s
gospel, and again, we’re just reviewing a little bit In John’s
Gospel, we have the context here for these words recorded in Luke
22 and we’ll play back and forth a little bit. John chapter 13,
verse 38, verse 31. Jesus there again speaking to
his apostles there in the upper room. Says this, little children,
verse 33, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek me.
And as I said to the Jews, now I say to you, where are you?
Where I am going, you cannot come. Here’s another discouragement
for the apostles. By the way, I’m leaving. And
though you have followed me faithfully to a degree for the last three
years, you cannot follow any longer. Simon Peter said to him,
Lord, where are you going? Jesus answered where I go. You
cannot follow me now, but you will follow me later. Peter said
to him, Lord, why can I not follow you right now? I will lay down
my life for you. And now, if you would back to
Luke 22. Luke 22. Jesus presses the argument. And he does so perhaps doing
as my own mother used to do when she would call me to herself.
Asking me to confess that which I had done, Ronald Ronald, with
my chin in her hand, Simon Simon. Behold, Satan has demanded permission
to sift you like wheat. I prayed for you that your faith
may not fail. And when you when once you have
turned again, strengthen your brothers. Simon, Simon. Simon, no doubt, almost certainly
had been a part of that discussion, even if he was just sitting in
the on the sideline, Simon had been a part of that discussion
of who was the greatest. And as we often share is as part
of to those who are part of teams that you’re no better than the
weakest link. And even if Peter wasn’t actively
involved, it was an indictment on him as well. This argument
of who was the greatest. And if Peter wasn’t a participant,
a direct participant, he was nonetheless culpable. It was
in his heart as well. Simon, Simon. And it had to be
at once immediately and a humbling thought for Simon to be faced
with the fact that Satan now had his phone number and his
address and his email address and his Twitter account and everything.
He was on Satan’s radar. And as I said several weeks ago,
if you’re in the ministry. Unless you’re either arrogant
or a little off. You don’t even want Satan
to know your name. You don’t want him to know who
you are. You want to fly under the radar as long as you possibly
can. And when Jesus says, guess what?
I had a meeting with Satan. Satan wants to sift you like
wheat. Sifting wheat was the process
of separating the chaff from the good part. Only Satan didn’t
want to keep the good part. Satan wanted to sift Peter like
wheat and destroy him completely. Peter didn’t want the devil knowing
his name, but now that he knows that he’s got to be just stunned
and shocked. As I said several weeks ago,
we hover between two extremes, wanting to not believe that the
devil even exists. And allowing little devil costumes
at Halloween and thinking that it’s cute. And then at the opposite
extreme is this preoccupation that is just fixated on everything
evil. One writer said it that way,
he said, there are two equal and opposite errors into which
our race can fall about devils. One is to disbelieve their existence.
The other is to believe and to feel an excessive and unhealthy
interest in them. I think that’s where we are as
a society, kind of the kind of the furthest extreme of that. Well. The devil has Peter’s number,
and when the devil gets your number, just like we saw with
regard to Job, the devil came knocking. and can do no more
than the Lord. The Lord himself allows that
the Lord allowed it. The Lord allowed it in Job’s
life, Job chapter one, and the Lord allowed it in Peter’s life.
As we will see in the weeks to come, just exactly as in Job’s
case, God allowed Satan this liberty, but it was always within
bounds. The evil one has no free, unlimited
right to act against God’s elect. He always has to submit to the
overruling and permissive authority of the Lord always. And Peter. Here’s this warning. That the devil has his number
and through the experiences that Peter would go through in the
weeks as we’ll see in the weeks to come, this lesson was burned
on Peter’s mind, remember? First, Peter five, eight, the
whole be of sober spirit beyond the alert, your adversary, the
devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. You know, that’s the voice of
experience, isn’t it? That’s the voice of someone who had
faced it. Peter knew. Peter knew that if
you was to be a soldier, if anyone has to be a soldier and to follow
Christ there to be of sober spirit, keeping aside the excesses, keeping
watch on the spiritual foe. The word there that Peter uses,
Diabolos, the devil, the slander, the accuser literally to throw
over. He’d already tried to sift him like wheat. He knew that
what he faced was no earthly lion. As I said two weeks ago,
an earthly lion’s appetite can be satiated at least overnight. Not the devil. Not the devil. Thomas Brooks said of the devil. When you speak of when you think
of all the ways that the devil can come attacking, he can bring
doubt, he can bring Doubt on your own ability. Doubt on God’s
ability. Doubt on God’s power. Doubt about
God’s word. Doubt about discord in the church
or sowing discord in the church. Disfellowshipping yourself from
the church. Persecution outside of the church. All kinds of things. Thomas Brooks
said this. Satan hath snares for the wise. And snares for
the simple, snares for hypocrites, snares for the upright, snares
for generous souls, snares for fearful souls, snares for the
rich, snares for the poor, snares for the aged and snares for youth. Happy. Happy are those souls
that are not taken and held in the snares he has laid. Jesus
wanted Peter to know that the devil was out there prowling
and Jesus wanted to know that he had prayed for him. We will
go on to learn of Jesus particular prayer for them, but the specifics
of it from John 17, he said. While I was with them, I was
keeping them in your name, which you have given me. And I guarded
them and not one of them perished. But the son of perdition that
the scriptures would be fulfilled. I do not ask you to take them
out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. Jesus had prayed for them. And
he tells Peter, once this whole thing is through, once you’re
through being sifted, once you’re through being buffeted, By the
attack of the devil, strengthen your brothers, strengthen your
brothers. They are going to be rattled,
shaken, disturbed at your own departure. And you’re going to
need to turn and strengthen them. The point that we get from this
personally. We’re not sitting on the sidelines
watching Peter with some kind of sadistic glee. Boy, he really
earned this one, didn’t he? He got it. The devil came after
him. Well, you know what? The devil
has your number two. The devil, if he hasn’t already
come, be ready. He will. The point of this passage is
the Lord is a great sustainer. The Lord will sustain you. And
if need be, the Lord will put you back into service. The Lord
will restore you. Second Corinthians nine, eight,
speaking of the sustenance that comes only by God’s grace, Second
Corinthians nine, eight says God is able to make all grace
abound to you so that always having all sufficiency for everything,
you may have an abundance for every good deed. Now that is
speaking literally about money in that passage. But if God is
able to make all grace abound to you, certainly that goes far
beyond financial means. Repeatedly, Paul, in his writings,
would call upon God to strengthen the saints by his grace. And God will. God is able and
God will do so. Ephesians 314, which verse we
just reviewed in the Institute the other night. For this reason,
I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven
and earth derives its name, that he would grant you, according
to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power. Through
his spirit in the inner man, God will strengthen you. God
is the one who sustains you. And that’s why we constantly
fall before him at the throne of grace, pleading for the power
and the strength to press on in his service. Paul said the
same thing to the Colossians, that they were to be strengthened
with all power. Colossians one eleven to the
Thessalonians, he wrote. May the may our Lord Jesus Christ
himself and God, our father, who has loved us and given us
eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strength
in your hearts, in every good work. And word. And Peter. Peter, having learned
this lesson. Having had his bout with the
devil himself, Peter said, after you have suffered a little while.
The God of all grace, who called you into His eternal glory in
Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish
you. The Lord is capable. The Lord
will strengthen. The Lord will sustain our faith
if we are in Christ. But if we fall, Check that when
we fall. When we struggle. When we are
faithless, when we blow it. There is the restoration of the
Lord. There are so many examples of restoration in the Lord that
I will skip across a few, but there are abundant quantities.
Of restoration, of course, the classic passage on restoration
By God. Isaiah 40, though you grow weary
and tired and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those
who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. They will mount
up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired.
They will walk and not become weary. But the Scripture, the Scripture
has abundant evidence of this kind of restorative grace. This kindness of God that seeks
to restore those to service. Who almost seem to do everything
in their power to bungle every effort. Such was the case of
Timothy. Timothy, who had seen the mighty
work of God following the greatest apostle, the greatest evangelist,
perhaps the greatest pastor the world has ever known. The Apostle
Paul ministering with him side by side. left on his own, grew
weary and tired. I think that’s the scene that
you get in 1st Timothy 1. Listen. In 1st Timothy 1, why
on earth would Paul have to write these words to Timothy? As I
urged you upon my departure from Macedonia. If Paul had already
urged him, why on earth is he writing him again? As I urged
you upon my departure from Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus. so that you may instruct certain
men not to teach strange doctrines. Don’t leave your post. Perhaps
Timothy was wavering later on in that same chapter, Paul gives
his own testimony, I believe, as a means of encouraging Timothy.
I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has strengthened me because
he considered me faithful, putting me into service. In other words,
the implication, if the Lord has put you in service, Timothy,
Why are you wavering? Verse 18 of that same chapter.
This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance
with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by
them you may fight the good fight. Get back in there and fight. In chapter 4 of that same Letter,
which, by the way, will be considering this Wednesday night. In chapter
four of that same letter, Paul gives a series of instructions
to young Timothy and all of which seem to indicate that. He may
have been really faltering. Really hesitant ministering on
his own. Paul writes to him, have nothing
to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other
hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. It’s
not going to just happen. Verse 12, let no one look down
on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith
and purity. Show yourself an example of those
who believe. Verse 14, do not neglect the
spiritual gift within you. As if Timothy perhaps already
had Timothy was called to restoration in Christ, and we all need that
kind of. Encouragement and even admonition
from time to time, don’t we? John Mark, John Mark was another
one that stumbled badly. Stumbled badly in Acts 13, it
says, and if you read Acts 13 and that’s all you’ve got, you
say, well, what’s what’s wrong with that? I don’t see a problem
with John Mark. His Acts 13 just says Paul and
his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga
and Pamphylia. But John left them and returned
to Jerusalem. No big deal. Maybe he got seasick. Who knows? But in Acts 15, we get the rest
of the story, and it was a big issue, a very big issue, and
it caused the original church split. Paul and Barnabas stayed
at Antioch teaching and preaching with many others. The word of
the Lord’s after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, let us return
to visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaim the
word of the Lord and see how they are. Barnabas wanted to
take along John called Mark, but Paul kept insisting that
they should not take him along who deserted them. And as you
know, the story. It caused a great disagreement,
and Paul and Barnabas even went separate ways, each taking their
own companions along on ministry. And you say, well, that does
it with John Mark, you go one time to serve the Lord. No, you
don’t. The Lord will use you, the Lord
will strengthen you, and if need be, the Lord will restore you.
Just as we saw he did with Peter, just as we saw in the process
with Timothy, Colossians records this at the end of the book of
Colossians. Paul says Aristarchus, my fellow
prisoner, sends you his greetings and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark. That’s our Barnabas. That’s perhaps
why Barnabas was inclined to to overlook his transgression
in the first place. He was family. He was kin. Also,
Barnabas’s cousin Mark, about whom you received instructions,
if he comes to you, welcome him. And I’ll tell you, as I read
those words, I seem to sense that Paul, even though he’s commending
him, has still got him at arm’s length. But it gets better. Paul goes
on and says. These are the only fellow workers
for the kingdom of God. Who are from the circumcision,
And they have proved to be an encouragement to me. At the end
of Paul’s ministry, in writing to Timothy, Paul said it this
way. Pick up Mark and bring him with
you. For he is useful to me for service. God is faithful. And God will
sustain you in the course of your own ministries. God will
give you the grace and the strength and the power to serve him because
it’s for his glory. And if and when you stumble,
God will restore you. God will pick you up and put
you back in the game. Point three. Point three. Promises to saints in the service
of God, not only a promise of eternal fellowship, A promise
of sustained faith and restoration, but a promise and get this one,
a promise to bless preparation and the use of earthly means.
This is interesting, but if you put it in context, the apostles
have been living on grace, not only the feeding of the five
thousand, but providential means constantly flowed in their direction.
The blessing of God was constantly upon them. And when Jesus sent
them out initially, he wanted them to know, look, don’t take
anything with you. I want you to know the power
of God that attends you. I want you to depend locally
on who you minister to. Look at verse thirty five. He
said to them, when I sent you out with without money, belt
and bag and sandals, you didn’t lack anything, did you know nothing?
That was addressed. It was when he addressed the
70 who were sent out to evangelize, carry no money belt, no bag,
no shoes, greet no one on the way. Likewise, the apostles on
their own mission. Verse 36, he said to them, but
now whoever has a money belt, take it along. We’re going to
be faithless. It doesn’t mean that they’re
faithless to plan and prepare. Whoever has a bag, bring it.
Whoever has a sword, if you have no sword, go sell his coat and
buy one. As one commentator said, these
words apply to the whole period of time between our Lord’s first
and second advents, in other words, even the time in which
we live. Preparing, planning, Storing away, saving. Thinking strategically, those
things aren’t forbidden until our Lord comes again, believers
are to make diligent use of all the faculties which God has implanted
in them. They are not to expect miracles
to be worked in order to save them from trouble. They are not
to expect bread to fall in their mouths if they will not work. They are not to expect difficult
difficulties to be surmounted and enemies to be overcome if
they will not wrestle and struggle and take pains. We are called
to labor in the ministry are called to labor. J.C. Ryle said it this way, let us
labor and toil and give and speak and act and write for Christ
as if all depended on our exertions. And yet, let us never forget
that success depends entirely on God’s blessing. To expect
success by our own purse and sword is pride and self-righteousness,
but to expect success without the purse or the sword is presumption
and fanaticism. Jesus didn’t want them living
only by divine handout. He said plan. And in the end
there, when they say, look, here are two swords. There were the
crusades. There were those that took these
things literally. But that’s not what Jesus is
saying. He’s saying, look, it’s enough. It’s enough. It’s not
against the law to defend yourself. It’s not against the law to take
up arms. It’s not as if Jesus was saying,
hey, look, we’ve got to go create an army here and conquer the
world. Not at all. In other words, Jesus says that’s
enough of that. Enough of the talk about swords. The bottom line, we’re not supposed
to neglect human instrumentality. We’re not supposed to neglect
our giving in the Lord. In doing Christ’s work. The story that it reminds me
of. Is the children of Israel. Remember, coursing through the
desert, coursing through Canaan, towards Canaan, living by manna,
right? And the quail that fell. That’s
how the apostles were living. But then after Israel came into
Canaan, they planted gardens. They raised sheep. They began
to live normal lives. Did God sustain them? Absolutely,
he did. And that’s exactly what he’s
telling the apostles. Ultimately, God’s sustenance
can be traced directly up to him, however it falls. God gives these apostles great
encouragement in a time of great discouragement, and he does likewise
to us. We have a promise of eternal
fellowship and service with him. We have a promise of sustained
faith and even restoration if need be. And we have God’s promise
to bless our own preparation and our use of earthly means.
What a faithful Savior we have. I have asked my brother, my fellow
seminary graduate visiting us this morning, Tom Sheehan, if
he would come and close us in prayer. My brother, would you
come? Great. Lord God, we thank you
so much for the opportunity to gather this morning to worship
you. You have allowed us to come boldly before your throne to
worship you in your holy presence. Father, you have provided for
us a way of salvation.