Missions Paul

How can the enlightened ones get it wrong; the ones who knew their Scriptures better than anyone else; how can religious leaders lead people down the wrong path? But they did.

“As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: ‘“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,and violent people have been raiding it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears, let them hear. ‘To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the market-places and calling out to others: ‘“We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.”For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.’” (Matthew 11 v 7-19)

You got it wrong.

1. About John:
2. Jesus applauds his cousin and raises him up before the people.
3. He was not someone following the latest fad, speaking the latest teaching, regurgitating what others are saying.
4. He was not some lavish, wealthy, super rabbi!
5. He was more than you thought he was when you met him.
6. He was the Messenger that the prophets Isaiah and Malachi spoke of.
7. He was not part of the new day, this new kingdom and so is not as great as you may think he is. You got it wrong.

• About Jesus:
• I am who the Messenger introduced and prepared the way for.
• I am who was prophesied by the prophets.
• I have brought the new kingdom of God that you have for generations longed for.
• This new kingdom is not what you were expecting. It is an upside down kingdom. So the least of it is greater than the one who heralded it. We touch the lepers and the unclean and make them well. We have parties with those who are barred from the synagogues of worship. We eat and work on the Sabbath. You got it wrong.

• Regarding your own life
• Jesus was saying, “God had a purpose for your life but your rejection of John and ultimately of me has meant you rejected that purpose.”
• You rejected your purpose but you held on to your pride. You resisted John’s baptism for repentance because there was no need in your life to do so.
• Those you counted as sinners, like the tax collectors, are further on than you, because they accepted what you turned down. You got it wrong.

They got it wrong about John the Baptist, they got it wrong about Jesus and then got it wrong regarding their own life.

The religious got it wrong.

Those on the outside who look good, got it wrong.

Those who regularly worship the Creator God and the coming Messiah, got it wrong.

Those who are nearest to the kingdom of God, got it wrong.

AND those who you least expect, got it right. They still do.

When we are trapped doubts come.

When there is no visitation from heaven to our prison cell, the nights are long and the days become night.

“After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy^[b] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Matthew 11 v 1-6)

Don’t be disappointed in John the Baptist.

He is stuck in a prison cell, forgotten, his only future is death. One thing plagued him in the darkness and loneliness. Had he got it wrong? There was no mistaking at the time the revelation he had of Jesus at the Jordan river. This was who he had become the messenger for. But now, here, trapped. He doesn’t want to die in vain. Did he point out the right Messiah? After all there had been so many false ones.

John begins to doubt and those doubts play havoc in his mind.

So John sends his disciples for proof. He just needs to know Jesus is the One. Even if he never gets out of the prison, even if he dies, he needs to know it has all been worth it.

Jesus’ response is amazingly compassionate and kind. Truly!

• He gave John’s disciples first-hand experience of the miracles he was doing and his teaching. They saw and they heard. They were there. When they returned to John that prison cell came alive with testimony. Light shone in the darkness. There are times when we all need to hear of a miracle. We all need to hear a transformational story. That Jesus saves.
• He quoted Isaiah, especially chapters 29, 35 and 61: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. But how amazing that he stops short and doesn’t say also: to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. John knew Isaiah’s prophecies about what the Messiah would do. The startling omission is an obvious message to John. Will you still believe even if I leave you in prison? If I don’t do what you expect me to do, is that okay with you?
• He blessed John with the instruction to remain strong. Don’t stumble at this point. Hold on John, your blessing is coming. We too receive this message. Wherever we are, even if we are trapped, let the light of Jesus penetrate the cell you are in. He is the One. There is no other. Don’t let go of the truth. Blessing is coming. It is yours.

We have come to the end of this teaching before Jesus sends his disciples out on mission. How does Jesus close? By talking about unnamed people that will not make the headline news but who will make it possible for the mission-sent disciples to do their work.

The focus is not on the prophets and the righteous ministries nor even the less prominent ones, called ‘little ones’ by Matthew. This is about the unnamed people who will welcome, encourage and take care of them.

“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.’” (Matthew 10 v 40-42)

In 1992 I launched out of Bible College with my wife who was expecting our first child ready to change the world for Jesus. I became the Pastor of a rural small church plant of 15 people. In the next 4 years we saw the numbers grow rapidly with wonderful stories of transformation of people’s lives. But when I look back I am always thankful for the unnamed people who took care of our needs, who encouraged and supported us even when we faced opposition. Let me name them:

Philip and Sylvia; Joe and Dorothy; John and Rachel.

Who are they? Just ordinary people who are the unnamed part of the story but without them the story would not have happened.

The Message translation says: “Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger.”

You may be a minister or a missionary reading this thinking of those who have and still take care of you today. Or you may be one of the unnamed people behind such ministries.

Jesus tells us that those who take care of the ‘worker’ is equal to the worker even to their reward. If you are one of them reading this, thank you, for all you are doing. For those of us who wouldn’t be where we are today without such people may we continue to acknowledge these wonderful Jesus people who take care of us especially when the mission is tough!

The English flag is a red cross on a white background and associated with St George and today is the day we celebrate St George.

In 1940 King George VI created the GEORGE CROSS medal for “acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger.” It is the second highest ranking medal and given mainly to civilians. It is valued at £120,000.

Children will study the story of St George the dragon slayer. But here are some interesting facts:

He wasn’t English, but born in Turkey.

He wasn’t a knight but probably a Roman officer.

He never visited England.

He never slayed a dragon.

He doesn’t belong only to England but other nations like Ethiopia and Portugal.

We celebrate an historical figure today yet much of the stories attached to his life are only legends.

But one thing is true. He was a martyr for refusing to worship false gods and that is where the honour for courage comes. George carried the cross.

Throughout the centuries people have lived and died by the courageous cross.

The cross is the greatest accomplishment, nothing else.

“As soon as enough people give you enough compliments and you’re wielding more power than you’ve ever had in your life, it’s not that you become … arrogant … or become rude to people, but you get a false sense of your own importance and what you’ve accomplished. You actually think you’ve altered the course of history.”
—Actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

There is only one who has altered history and his name is Jesus. His accomplishment was through the cross. It is still the mark of the mission-sent disciple.

Broken people carry the cross in their heart; it is easy to see the nail prints and the thorn damage; they walk with a limp; they have been pierced, marked by God.

“Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10 v 38-39)

Today maybe you are being forced to carry something that was unexpected and you have not been able to refuse it, you could do nothing about it, it seemed it was chosen for you. Some would say it was fate and an unlucky roll of the dice. However you describe it, one day you woke up and your life changed forever. You are now carrying the cross following Jesus. You are walking in His footsteps. You are following the road and even to death.

You may have many questions revealing your deep reluctance and anxiety. However, your children are watching you. Your family and friends are around you. There is a generation in wonder at you. How will you do? What will you say?

Will your family be able to say when you are long gone, he/she carried the cross of Jesus?

What is the cross for you today that you are carrying?

Is it George’s cross, the cross of courage? If it is it belongs to Jesus.

Believing in anything disrupts nothing. But the moment you become serious about what you believe and start to follow the demands of those beliefs then that is when others become affected. The time you give, the finances you spend, your behaviours that change disrupt the status quo for others. Here are some of the most difficult verses to read and understand but a true experience for many today.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10 v 34-37)

Remember this verse: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5 v 9)? Five chapters later Jesus tells his mission-sent disciples that he didn’t come to bring peace. We are going to read eventually Matthew 26:52 when Jesus says: “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” Yet here in our verses today Jesus says, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

Jesus is actually quoting from the prophet Micah, 7:5-6:

“Do not trust a neighbour; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips. For a son dishonours his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.”

The Jewish thought was that prior to the Messiah coming there would be family discord. This would come about by an attack from an outside enemy resulting in the very essence of society, the family, breaking down. Jesus alludes to this thought indicating he was that Messiah.

Jesus is not saying we must hate. However, he is saying that his presence means that the very fabric of society (the family) will fall apart when the Messiah comes. Relatives will be divided because some will break free from sinful family customs.

The sword is never physical but always a metaphor and is wielded in that following Jesus will disrupt others who choose not to, even the most secure of places, the family.

There are tremendous and powerful loyalties within family. However, Jesus commands even a higher price of loyalty to him. Some are paying a high price today in following Jesus.

I admit I had to do a little research for this idiom. You learn something every day!

In the 18^th and 19^th centuries naval ships going into battle would display their coloured flags so that they could be identified. During the battle if the captain lowered the flags it was a sign of submission. The battle would consist then of ships aiming fire at the opponents flags to hit them hoping the ship would then surrender. However, often what happened was the captain would hoist whatever remained of the flags back up the rigging or if the mast was broken a sailor was sent to climb it while still under fire to nail the flag to the top of the broken mast and this became known as ‘nailing the colours to the mast’. It became almost impossible to surrender when in battle because of this determination to keep the flags flying.

These instructions to his mission-sent disciples continue with words which are quite similar to this idiom.

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10 v 32-33)

1. Say what you really think about something openly.

The sin of Eli (1 Samuel 2) still exists. Eli didn’t speak up. When it came to his sons he rolled his eyes, shrugged his shoulders and lowered his flags.

• Let it be known you cannot be swayed on it.

Proverbs 29: 25 plagues many. The fear of not getting the vote or the applause means flags are lowered because people become more important than principles.

• Be prepared to lose for your beliefs.

In Dido’s love song she sings, “I will go down with this ship; And I won’t put my hands up and surrender”. Better to lose your ship through defeat than lose it through surrendering your flags.

It isn’t enough to simply believe in Jesus. To be a mission-sent disciple is to live within the kingdom which stands in stark contrast to the kingdom of this world.

In the words of the Message, “Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?”

You’re on team heaven and whatever happens here happens there for you.

It will be tough and you might need to keep on nailing your colours to the mast during the fiercest of battles but you are doing so because you follow the captain of your ship, Jesus.

The Bible is full of instruction not to, yet it doesn’t seem like a command when we are concerned about something. Fear can seem responsible. It can make us feel like we care about what is going on in the world. But it deceives because fear is not that at all. Fear consumes, it can make a person slow down and it can even make a person ill. Here are more instructions from Jesus to his disciples who are embarking on the mission life.

“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10 v 26-31)

1. Do not be afraid of what you do not know.

Yesterday, in a meeting I was attending a colleague said, “There’s nothing wrong but there’s something not right.” Have you ever thought that? You just can’t put your finger on something.  It may be too good to be true. There was no evidence but there was an atmosphere. We have an idiom we use, ‘I can smell trouble’. This intuitive sixth sense can be a gift. This pandemic has revealed that 86% of people who have Covid-19 lose some or all of their ability to smell. What if you cannot decipher what may happen next? What if you no longer can smell trouble? Don’t be afraid. That is what Jesus tells them. Here’s another idiom: it will all come out in the wash.

• Do not be afraid of the worst that people can do.

Maybe like me today you have something to do that you really don’t want to do. We have to make purposeful decisions not to fear people. We have to decide not to be bullied into silence. The Religious Pharisees and experts of the Law held the ordinary person in a vice of threat. Follow us, do what we say and all will be well for you. Jesus blows them out of the water. Jesus says there is only one to be feared, obeyed and followed directly. God. People have no eternal authority over your life. When we pass from this life we will not be facing that religious bully, we will face God.

• Do not be afraid of God not taking care of your situation.

God knows how much things cost. He knows the market value of things, even insignificant things. Does God know the value of a budgie? YES. Jesus is saying to these missionary disciples that God knows every detail of their life. He has weighed them and has decided they are of great value so He is going to take good care of them. This is our promise also.

Learning, Aligning and Suffering

“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!” (Matthew 10 v 24-25)

Today is a day to learn. Let Him direct your paths. Grow. Mature. Be self-aware. Be better.

Today is a day to align. Copy Him. Think and speak like Him. Walk with Him. Be Him.

Today is a day to suffer. People will slander you. You will be misunderstood and maligned.

This is discipleship. Our daily routine.

What happens when the pressure to conform becomes personal? Opposition from officials within one’s own nation is one thing but how do you cope when your family oppose your belief and message? Jesus says the decision is to become resilient whatever happens.

In the second half of Jesus’ instructions to his disciples prior to their short-term mission’s trip he has taken them beyond the here and now to what they will experience in years to come.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” (Matthew 10 v 21-23)

This shocks us every time we read it but for many in the persecuted world it is their daily experience.

Jesus tells the Twelve that opposition will not only come from their own people and the Gentile authorities but mission-disciples will find that persecution will come from within their own family.

You might not be able to comprehend that happening in your beautiful family.

But it is happening right now around the world.

When you stand for what the Bible says is the standard for living it will provoke those who do not want to live to that standard.

Betrayal, rebellion and hate have broken many hearts of siblings, parents and children.

Maybe relationships in your own family have died today because you hold to positions of identity and sanctity that have become offensive to our world.

This becomes the test of all tests when the family are involved. Will you water down your beliefs? Compromise? Do you risk losing that family member as they threaten to walk away from you because you make their lifestyle uncomfortable?

This is the time for resilience and if you choose it then Jesus promises that God will step in and help you through the ordeal.

Jesus closes this part of his instruction by bringing them back to Israel. That’s where they started, going to the lost sheep of Israel, persecuted in the synagogues, before Gentile kings and then their own families but still going and that is the key. Keep going. Be resilient. Don’t let opposition stop you. Escape from one opposition and find a different place for the gospel. Don’t abandon Israel, your birth-place, this mission is everything, until Jesus comes again.

Jesus knows it will be tough and he is asking for resilience. He still does.

Jail isn’t a nice place to spend a couple of nights away from home. But in this certain place in Africa it was particularly tough for a Church leader this week accused of forgery and fraud. I know him and a few of us were able to help get him released. Someone who had walked with him on his team with an axe to grind had brought false allegations and though it seems crazy to our Western justice system he was locked up.

In this sobering account of the commissioning of the disciples into mission, Jesus is taking them beyond their short trip into the villages near them to the years ahead in order to give them instructions of what to do and how to be when it gets really tough for them. What Jesus says definitely helps anyone today who finds them in a situation like my African friend.

“Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Matthew 10 v 17-20)

Are people speaking about you behind your back? Are they chewing you over? Casting doubt on your motives? Are they scrutinising your words? Are they questioning your credibility? Is your name being tarnished? All Pastors know these experiences. It comes with the role. It will happen. But it will also happen to every Christian whether a Church leader or not who is living out their faith in a mission setting to the world around them. Jesus says it can start in familiar places, in the places of worship before people of faith and it can end up even before the highest courts in the land.

If your greatest desire in these situations is to defend yourself then you have missed what Jesus is saying. If you want to be free and who doesn’t after being flogged in public then you haven’t heard the instructions properly. NO.

You have been taken into that situation to be a witness not only to those who are accusing you but to those watching. It is an opportunity to be a different man and woman in that arena. A moment to hold your head up high and know that you are a follower of Jesus and whatever happens you will not abandon your position.

So what are the instructions?

1. Do not worry about what is ahead of you in trying to determine the best defence.
2. Wait and receive wisdom at the time you need it.
3. Speak with assurance that the Holy Spirit of Father God, the highest authority, is the one speaking.

Three instructions that were applicable for my friend this week in the African jail. Three instructions for everyone who may wake knowing they face a day of scrutiny.