Sermon Cloud

OPEN: As Jesus empowers his disciples for their first missionary journey, he tells them where to go (mission begins in our backyard but doesn’t end there), he tells them what to do (proclaim the good news, and live it out), and here in vv. 8b-10, he tells them how to do it (freely and simply). FOCUS: He tells his disciples this because the spiritual power he gives them is real…and where there is spiritual power there is also the temptation to abuse it.  Therefore, Jesus warns us…

I.  Watch how you give!  “You received w/out payment; give w/out payment.”   

    A. I’ll never forget watching a TV evangelist hock a holy handkerchief that was said to have special healing powers.  This special prayer handkerchief which the pastor had prayed over could be mine with a love gift of $20.  I declined.

        1. Another church sent me a mailing offering a chance to have my name inscribed on a 200 foot prayer tower, for a $1000 donation; and Time reported that a popular American evangelist received annual gifts from listeners nearing $51 million & kept half as personal income.  He owned a luxury home & a fleet of cars.

    B. Why is it so important that we offer the gospel free of charge, and without manipulation or intimidation? 

        1. First, the character of God requires it.  Extending the love of Christ without charge bears witness to the truth of God’s grace, generosity, and self-giving love.  As we have freely received salvation and power for living through Jesus’ life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection, so we must freely share it. 

        2. Second, the vulnerability of people demands it.  Because spiritual benefits and blessings awaken deep gratitude, we can be vulnerable to manipulation by those who purport to be spiritually powerful. 

    C. Illus. As a candidate for ordination I had to meet regularly with the CPM of my Presbytery, though it was not an enjoyable experience.  I sensed that the chair of the committee did not like me presumably because of theological differences. 

        1. That’s why it surprised me when he asked if we could have a private meeting one afternoon, which I agreed to.  I was somewhat intimidated by him as I sat in his office, and unsure of the purpose of our meeting.  He began to ask me personal questions in a casual tone… personal questions about my relationship with my family, interests etc. that felt out of context, given previous conversations.

        2. Then, at one point, he got up from his desk, without warning, walked around behind me and began massaging my shoulders.  I felt a cold wave of anger flow through me…I stood up, and said it was time for me to go…and left. As I walked out the door I felt a mixture of shock and disbelief as I realized that this pastor was abusing his power and position.

        3. I tell this story because it represents for me the abuse of spiritual authority.  Jesus said, “you received freely, you must give freely.”  In other words, do not use your God-given position and authority for selfish and self-centered purposes.  Do not attempt to enrich yourself from that which you received free of charge – but which cost my Son his life!  Watch how you give, but also…

II. Watch what you take!  “Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey; or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff.”

    A. I can’t say that I’ve ever traveled without money, clothing, or shoes – but I was on a missional adventure in the Holy Lands for two months with only a backpack.  There is something liberating about having everything you need in a sack.   At one point, my insulin went bad because of the extreme heat in Egypt.  Keep in mind that I had only been a diabetic for 8 months so this was new territory for me.  I had brought a special insulin cooler, but a curious hotel attendant emptied the contents and it became unusable.  Insulin in Egypt is manufactured differently and I wasn’t sure how much to take even if I was able to get some.  I needed help. By God’s providence, one of the new friends I made there was a pharmacist and a diabetic who helped me to get the medical supplies I needed. 

        1. I’m afraid it would be all too easy to dismiss Jesus’ words as hyperbole when we in the West have so much in the way of money and resources.  I’m thinking of a conversation between St. Francis (1181-1226) and Pope Innocent III when Francis was trying to secure the pope’s blessing for his apostalate of poverty, The Pope was said to have shown him the riches amassed by the Church: "You see, Francis, the Church can no longer say: 'Gold and silver have I none'" [as Peter once said to a blind beggar before he healed him] To which Francis replied: "True, and neither can she say any longer: 'Rise and walk!’”   In as much as we trust in our own wealth and resources, the power of our message and ministry in Christ’s name is diminished.

        2. Being missional is a simple thing according to Jesus. Because the most important equipment that you take with you is not money, shoes, clothing, computers or buildings…it’s Christ in you (the hope of glory)…your willingness to go in his name, to love and serve those you meet, and to love them enough to tell them about him.

    B. One more observation.  Jesus’ words here are very similar to a well-known statement found in the Talmud (200 AD) which says that “No one is to go to the Temple Mount with staff, shoes, girdle of money, or dusty feet.” The idea was that a person was to leave everything behind that was related to the business of the world.  It was a sign of respect for the holiness of the space, and the act of worship.  This is still true today in houses of worship in the Middle East.

        1. What Jesus was saying was that we are to treat the whole world as the Temple of God; that we are to go out into the world just as we would enter God’s house – with a sense of humility and dependence upon God, the holiness of our task, and the dignity of those we meet!  Watch what you take and finally…

III. Watch THAT you eat!  Because “Laborers deserve their food.”

    A. Perhaps it comes as some relief that starvation is not mandatory for his disciples.  As his workers, he wants to make sure that we eat; that we guard the health of our bodies, our minds and spirits.  We cannot serve the Lord if we are exhausted, sleep-deprived, lacking exercise, and eating poorly.  The Lord does not call us to abuse ourselves anymore than he calls us to abuse others!   If religious activity is destroying your health or your family…you’re out of the will of God.

        1. God wants his people to take care of their bodies…and by extension he wants us to take care of his Body, the church, by feeding it with a three course meal called: time, talent, and treasure.  Jesus does not want us to abuse our bodies, other people’s bodies, or his Body, the Church…through harm or neglect.

    B. I am preaching to myself as well as to you this morning when I say that the Lord’s Body deserves our time, our spiritual gifts, and our financial resources.  It deserves these things not because it has earned them (the church is filled with imperfection), but because Christ loves his church, with all its problems. 

        1. The Church – because he loves her -- deserves our time; and yes, that means the investment of our time as elders and deacons and lifegroup leaders and Sunday School teachers, and youth and children’s ministry volunteers etc.

        2. The Church – because he loves her -- deserves our talent and abilities.  If we are gifted in computer skills, in art or music, in medicine, in construction, in public speaking, in teaching, in management or finance etc. – God is calling us to use these things for his glory. 

        3. And yes, the Church -- because he loves her -- deserves our money.  The labor of the church, our spiritual family, when functioning responsibly and according to Christ-honoring principles, deserves our financial investment.    

            a. This morning is Deacon’s Sunday…and it is truly a privilege to sit on the Deacon Board and see the way your money is used for such compassionate and caring purposes.  The same could be said of what your gifts accomplish for the sake of mission around the world and at home, not to mention the ministries which support our children and youth so generously.

            b. This is a generous church.  Last year we had a surplus of $75,000 that allowed us to do some badly needed deferred maintenance.  This year, we are all feeling the pinch, and so is the church.  We are $115,000 behind right now; but I’ve got to tell you – we’re approaching this with faith and humility.  If we as co-laborers deserve to eat; it doesn’t mean we never have to fast.  This may be a period of fasting for the church. We may have to cut back  (we hope we don’t have to) but we are confident God will supply what we need to do the deserving work that he wants us to do.

CLOSE:  I began by saying that because spiritual power is real there is also a temptation to abuse it. 

    A. That pastor who abused his authority when he thought he could moonlight as a masseuse at my expense, he resigned from the Presbyterian Church after charges of clergy misconduct were filed against him (not by me) and later became the pastor of a large metropolitan church here in LA (go figure); and that TV evangelist —he’s still hocking his holy handkerchiefs as far as I know….

    B. But even though the church disappoints me at times, and I sometimes disappoint myself; that’s no excuse to stop being the Church: Disciples of the Risen Christ who are called (1) to give the gift of God’s love as freely as we received it; (2) to take nothing but Christ in you, the hope of glory; (3) and to eat and care for our bodies, which includes feeding his Body, and the work of Christ wherever it is done.