The Prince Of Peace With A Sword - [Matthew 10:34-39]

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About a month ago. I was at my job minding my own business doing my work as a faithful worker at my business the customer walks in and engages my co -worker and I begin to overhear the conversation and After he had made his purchase he engaged my co -worker.
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He was what I guess you would call Evangelizing and I thought where is this one coming from?
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He asked my co -worker if after we were closed if he had some time to go visit his church And he made the statement that Jesus came into the world
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Something along the lines of to give purpose to your life. Hmm. I thought I Was minding my own business just doing my work, but I thought
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I can't mind my own business anymore So I turned around and engaged though a young man is as friendly of a fashion as I knew how
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And I said to him, you know the Bible gives us many reasons why Jesus has come to this world and Left heaven to come to earth but above all of them the primary reason he has come is to do the will of God the
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Father That is why I said to him in Isaiah chapter 53 Isaiah the prophet in the
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Old Testament said in that classic passage of the suffering servant verse 10
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It was the will of the Lord To crush him it was the will of God the
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Father To crush God the Son and I said if you just do a brief reading even of the gospel of John You will see that over and over and over again
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Jesus said I did not come to do my own will but I came to do the will of him who sent me
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I Said the gospel that you're proposing to my co -worker is a man centered self centered gospel it is not the
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God centered gospel of the Bible This is why Jesus came.
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I Wonder if we were to ask and did a survey not only people in churches today, but people on the street
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But it'd be interesting even people in Protestant evangelical churches the kind of answers we would get.
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Why did Jesus come into the world? Well, if you do a brief study of the gospel writings
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Of course, the epistles have a lot to say about why Jesus came into the world Of course Paul was very clear in 1st
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Timothy chapter 1 verse 15 Christ. Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom
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I am the foremost but if we simply just study the gospel writings Matthew Mark Luke and John and look at the words of our
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Lord Jesus Christ and Just do a brief study of where Jesus said this is why
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I came into the world We will find some interesting reasons based upon the words of our
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Lord for example in John 6 the bread of life and discourse
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Jesus said this for I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me and This is the will of him who sent me that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me
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But raise it up on the last day for this is the will of my father that everyone who looks on the
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Son and Believes in him should have eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day
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One reason according to the Lord Jesus why he came as I mentioned to this young man Was to do the will of the father
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It was a will of a father from eternity past to send his son for those whom he had chosen who would ultimately look to the
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Son and believe in him a Second reason according to Jesus himself why he came
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Mark chapter 10 verse 45 Jesus himself says for even the
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Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and To give his life as a ransom for many a third reason why
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Jesus came Recorded by dr. Luke in the encounter that Jesus had with Zacchaeus in Luke chapter 19
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Verse 10 Jesus said very clearly as we heard this morning. Who is the one doing the seeking?
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for the Son of Man came why to seek and To save the lost he came to seek the lost who do not in and of themselves seek him a
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Fourth reason based upon the words of Christ why he came found in John chapter 10 that great passage on the
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Good Shepherd Jesus said in verse 10 of that chapter the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy
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I came why that they the sheep may have life and have it abundantly
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If that wasn't enough in his encounter with Pilate before the cross
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Jesus tells Pilate my kingdom is not of this world in response Pilate says in John 18 verse 37
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Then Pilate said to him. Oh, so you are a king Jesus answered you say that I am a king for this purpose
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I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth
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Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice Clear statements from Jesus Christ himself why he said he came into the world
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But that's not all of them The one I want us to look at briefly tonight is in Matthew chapter 10 in verse 34
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Jesus said Do not think That I have come to bring peace to the earth.
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I have not come to bring peace, but a sword
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Yes Christ came to do the will of the
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Father from eternity past Yes, Christ came to give his life as a ransom for many
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Yes, Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the lost Those who could not seek him in and of themselves
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Yes, Christ came to give his sheep abundant life. And yes Christ came to bear witness to the truth
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But also he came not to bring peace but a sword
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Turn with me if you will to the first gospel The gospel of Matthew chapter 10 as we look at this portion of Scripture tonight
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Matthew chapter 10 beginning actually in verse 32 down through verse 39 if we only see
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Jesus as coming into the world for those Five statements and not for the one that we are going to see here tonight
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We would not have understood the full or purpose for his coming to earth beginning in verse 32
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So everyone who acknowledges me before men. I will also acknowledge before my father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men
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I Also will deny before my father who is in heaven Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth
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I have not come to bring peace, but a sword for I have come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter -in -law against her mother -in -law and A person's enemies will be those of his own household whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and Whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and whoever does not take his cross and follow me is
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Not worthy of me Whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake
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Will find it now.
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Let's recall as again We were greatly reminded this morning that each gospel writer writes about the
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Lord Jesus Christ, obviously but with a different emphasis Mark, of course focuses on the ministry of Jesus Christ Luke focuses on the humanity of Christ John focuses on the deity of Christ But our gospel writer tonight
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Matthew his focus is on the royalty of Christ Jesus Christ as King and this is very very important for us to keep in mind as we walk through this portion of Scripture because These verses are pretty hard sayings of our
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Lord Jesus Christ And we have to remember they are not coming from the little baby Jesus born in a manger
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They are coming from the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords The one who has ultimate authority as he said at the very end of this gospel all
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Authority Matthew 28 has been given to me in heaven and on earth He is the
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Lord. He is a sovereign King He is a despot and we have to keep that in mind who is saying these words as we examine them together
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To understand these words of Jesus. We have to understand of course the context
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Jesus here is not giving us for example a second work of grace
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He is not talking about a post conversion deeper commitment and dedication to Discipleship he is not talking about a higher blessing the higher life for some reason
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I Remember growing up in the environment that I grew up in church We would go to retreats and conferences year after year after year and at those retreats and conferences year after year after year
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I Myself with all my buddies would rededicate our lives year after year after year
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It's been said by many that these verses are not to be addressed to Unbelievers, but they are to be addressed to those who are genuine believers for a post conversion
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Dedication and discipleship, but as we will see from the context that is not what Jesus is doing here.
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I Remember when my wife and I were first coming to Bethlehem Bible Church, what a joy it was for us Until I remember the first time when we were at a communion service and I heard pastor
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Mike say something of the term at rededication and As I told him recently on no compromise radio.
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I said the rededication hairs on my head just popped open I Turned to my wife at that moment.
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I said I like this church I actually love this church, but did I hear correctly did he say rededication?
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But of course I know what pastor Mike means by that This is not a second post conversion deal after conversion after salvation
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After all if it were we would basically be saying look God's work of salvation is incomplete.
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We can't say Philippians 1 6 We cannot say like Paul he who began a good work will bring it to completion
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Peter tells us in 2nd Peter 1 verse 3 that God has granted to us
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Everything all things pertaining to what to life and godliness So if Christ is not talking about a post salvific experience
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What is he talking about? If that's what we thought he would be we'd be guilty of Experiencing something like the baptism of the
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Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues To understand what he is referring to look at the terminology.
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He uses first of all in verse 32 He says everyone who acknowledged me before men
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I will also acknowledge before my father whoever denies me before men. I will also deny before my father
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Who is in heaven? Those are salvific terms He continues later on as I had read in verse 37 and 38 whoever loves
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Father a mother more than me is not what worthy of me whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not
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Worthy of me no less than three times our Lord Jesus Christ mentioned the term
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This person or these people are not worthy of me They are not saved.
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They are not genuinely Converted and it's not just the terminology, but it's how he finishes this section of Scripture with this paradoxical statement in verse 39
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Whoever finds his life will what will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake
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Will found it he is talking about salvation To Christ there are only two groups of people
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Those who find their life will ultimately lose it and those who lose his life lose their life for his sake
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Will ultimately find it. This is consistent with the other writers of the
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Gospels John for example said in John 12 verse 25
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Recording the words of our Lord whoever loves his life Loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for what?
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for eternal life the gospel writer mark in recording the words of Christ says this in mark 8 verses 34 to 36 and Calling the crowd to him with his disciples
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He said to them if anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me
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For whoever would save his life will lose it But whoever loses his life for my sake and the
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Gospels will save it for what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit what his soul
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I Remember growing up I used to hear Testimonies of people who had come to Christ who
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God had generally converted and they would quote that verse For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
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And then I would hear testimonies of people who had said they were converted but 15 20 years down the line
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They realized they needed to really commit themselves to discipleship And they would quote the verse two verses before that where it would say if anyone would come after me
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Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me as if Jesus was addressing
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Believers who were already converted and they needed to make a second effort a second commitment to him
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But the key in that passage mark tells us where Jesus says for it's a connective
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Whoever would save his life will lose it same idea as here in Matthew 10 verse 39
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Whoever loses his life for my sake and whose sake for the gospel sake will save it the terminology
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Here is clearly salvific Jesus here is talking about salvation
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He is not laying out what a person must do in response to the gospel. He is not
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Explaining the gospel itself per se the death burial and resurrection of the
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Lord Jesus Christ himself He is not saying this is the gospel. This is how you must respond what
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Jesus is doing here He is setting forth marks of a true disciple marks of a genuine convert marks of a child of the
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Living God And there are three that I want to highlight for you here number one
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I Call it unbridled confession unbridled confession
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Question do you acknowledge Christ? before others even if You're ridiculed
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Do you deny Christ before others for fear of ridicule? Are you ashamed of?
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The gospel do you just keep silent and not say anything
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Look at the beginning in verse 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men.
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I also would acknowledge before my father who is in heaven
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But whoever denies me before men. I also will deny before my father
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Who is in heaven? The book of Matthew is really if you look at it as an overview it really highlights five
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Discourses that our Lord Jesus Christ makes the most well -known ones are for example the Sermon on the
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Mount, right? Matthew chapter 5 through 7 another familiar one is the all of it discourse
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Matthew 24 to 25. Well, this is another one of those five discourses. It actually begins in Chapter 10 verse 1 and goes to chapter 11 verse 1
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Let me show you this so we understand the backdrop of what Jesus is saying here to his disciples chapter 10 verse 1
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And he called to him is 12 Disciples gave them authority over unclean spirits to cast them out to heal every disease and every affliction the names of the twelve apostles are these first Simon who was called
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Peter and so on and so forth and Matthew lists them there through verse 4 then in verse 5
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Continues these twelve Jesus sent out Instructing them and the rest is a basically through the rest of the chapter
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Instructions that our Lord gives to the twelve as he commissions and that's why in chapter 11 there if you would look verse 1
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When Jesus had finished Instructing his twelve disciples So he's about to send them out and he gives them these basic Instructions and he wants them to know as they go out in his name how to know the marks of a true disciple and Here we see the unbridled confession.
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It's happening as we see in verse 32 twice Jesus mentions Acknowledgement and denial before whom before men
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It's before other people This is consistent with the context notice with me in the same chapter verses 16 through 18
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Behold, I am sending you out as sheep Remember, this is his commissioning of the twelve in the midst of wolves
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So be wise as serpents and innocent as doves beware of men
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For they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues and you will be dragged before Governors and kings for my sake to bear witness before them and the
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Gentiles It's your unbridled confession before men continuing in verse 22 and You will be hated by all for my name's sake
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But the one who endures to the end will be saved when they persecute you in one town flee to the next
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It's difficult sometimes Here in the States to understand some of what
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Christ was talking about and some of what the Apostles themselves experienced as we look at the book of Acts a
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Couple of chapters earlier in the Sermon on the Mount if you turn to Matthew chapter 5 Jesus prepares him for this instruction that he gives him in chapter 10 and this first mark of a true disciple being an unbridled confession of Christ a
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Confession of Christ that's not restrained. There are no inhibitions whatsoever and he says in chapter 5 verse 11 blessed are you when others revile you and Persecute you and out of all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account
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He's talking about persecution We might not be in the in crowd if we confess
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Christ Others might look upon us Awkwardly and eventually maybe here in the
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States other things will be done politically and legally by the government To keep our mouths closed from confessing
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Christ and preaching the gospel In the upper room discourse Jesus made the same point in John chapter 15 verse 20 if they persecuted me
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They will not may they will also persecute you
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And what kind of persecution did Jesus receive? I love John 10 the classic passage of I am the
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Great Shepherd as I mentioned earlier It says there in verse 20 many of them said about Christ.
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He has a demon and is insane Why listen to him?
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This is what the people thought of Jesus And he warned the disciples if they did this to me in this kind of fashion.
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They will do this to you a True disciple will Confess Jesus Christ before men.
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This is not how one is saved. This is not the means of salvation Jesus again is not talking about a self -righteous works based salvation
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But what are the marks of a true follower of Jesus Christ? Who has lost his life to save it for him and the gospel?
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The Apostles knew exactly what Jesus was talking about I'm sure when the church began to grow in acts as it spread from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and persecution came
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The disciples were remembering these words of Jesus whoever acknowledges me before men
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I will also acknowledge in acts 5 Luke records the high priest questioned them saying we
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Strictly charge you not to teach in this name Yet here you have filled
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Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us
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But Peter and the Apostles answered we must obey
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God Rather than men I'm sure they were thinking of the words of Christ as he instructed him here
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And then later on Luke records in that same chapter when they had called in the Apostles They beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus and they let them go
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Then they left the presence of the council Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name
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We here in America do not face the kind of persecution Christ or even the early
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Apostles faced and Christ makes an Unadulterated statement here that the first true sign of a disciple a genuine follower of Jesus is an unbridled confession of the
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Lord Jesus Christ and Yes, the gospel is offensive. The cross is an offense
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Galatians 511 Paul talks about the offense of the cross Peter even in 1st Peter 2 8 says
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That Christ's name is a rock of offense Paul did he not say in 1st
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Corinthians 1 The cross is what? foolishness moronic to those who are perishing
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Yet a true disciple will confess Christ before men
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Now wait a second. You forgot Peter pastor Harry. He did not him three times
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There's proof Did not Peter say to our Lord? The others might
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But I never will I'll go with you to death Luke 22 and yet he denied him three times
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Peter wed bitterly Christ is not saying here that Those who have been generally
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Regenerated by the Spirit of God a mark of a true disciple is that they'll never have times of failure when they could have said
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Something or said more they didn't but he's saying as a characteristic as the nature of their new life in Christ This is what a genuine true disciple does when push comes to shove they will acknowledge me before men
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Number two, what's the second mark of a true disciple? I call it unrivaled commitment an unrivaled commitment
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Question do you love Jesus? More than your family Are you willing to forsake your family?
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For him it's like the marriage vows forsaking all others notice in verse 34
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Jesus begins by saying in the second characteristic of a true disciple do not think
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Again, we get back to why Jesus has come to earth. Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth
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And he doesn't stop there. He repeats himself a second time I have not come as if to emphasize to bring peace, but rather what have
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I come to bring a sword division conflict
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But how is that consistent with the rest of Scripture turn with me if you will to the next chapter in Matthew chapter 11
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Where Jesus makes this salvific? Invitation here Jesus is inviting people to respond to him.
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Whereas in Matthew 10. He's given me Marks the characteristic marks of a true disciple in Matthew 11 verses 28 and 29
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Jesus says clearly come to me all who are labor who labor and are heavy laden and I will what?
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Give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am
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Gentle and lowly in heart and you will find Rest for what for your souls
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He's addressing those religious people and Pharisees who were working out by their own self -righteousness
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That they can find peace and rest for their souls when they come to him But yet here in Matthew 10, he says
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I have not come to bring peace but a sword We know a Christmas time we love to read it from Isaiah the prophet chapter 9
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For to us the child is born right to us a son is given the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall
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Be called what? wonderful counselor mighty God everlasting father and prince of peace
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Even at his birth in Luke chapter 2 it says and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
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Praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace
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Among those whom with whom he is pleased Well in what sense with Jesus the prince of peace if here he is clearly saying
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I did not come to bring peace Why did the multitude of heavenly host announced peace at his incarnation when here he says
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I came to bring a sword Let me answer that with you for you from the
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Bible in John 14 the upper room discourse Jesus talking to the 12 said
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Peace I leave with you my peace. I give to you not as the world gives do
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I give to you? Let not your hearts be troubled neither Let them be afraid
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That Chapter in John 14 he began with the same expression let not your hearts be troubled for I go to prepare a place for you
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That's the kind of peace that the prince of peace brings He also brings peace with God That is why he's the prince of peace.
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That is why they announced that his incarnate at his incarnation peace peace with God Reconciliation we go from enmity with God to peace with God Romans 5 1
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Paul makes that very clear Therefore since we have been justified by faith. We have peace with God through our
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Lord Jesus Christ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his
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Son The prince of peace is the one who can justify and reconcile to God Not only does he bring us peace with God, but he gives us the peace of God Philippians 4 right do not be anxious
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But by prayer and petition with supplication Present your request to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding which surpasses all comprehension
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Will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus That is the prince of peace.
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That is the one who came at his incarnation Peace was announced because he is the only one who can give peace in troubled times
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He's the only one who can give peace with God reconciliation with God and he's the only one who can give the peace of God So then what was
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Jesus meaning when he himself said in verse 34 if that's the truth Biblically that he did not come to bring peace but a sword.
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Well, he explains it in verse 35 The term for is a connective and he expounds what he had just said in verse 34
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He says in verse 35 for I have come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter -in -law against her mother -in -law
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That term to set against this is the only time it's used in Scripture in the
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New Testament It's a strong Greek word, which literally means to cut in two halves to sever
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Christ is not mincing words here He's saying this is why I've come this is what
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I mean when I say I did not come to bring peace But a sword that's what a sword does it cuts in two
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It sets a man against his father a daughter against her mother and he continues in verse 36 and a person's enemies will be those of his own household.
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I recall a friend of mine in Seminary who came from a Jewish background and the
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Lord opened his eyes to believe and turn to Jesus Christ as the Messiah And he was telling me his testimony our first year and he told me that his family who was staunchly
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Jewish Not just cultural Jews, but religious Jews Held an actual funeral for him
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That now he was dead from the family Jesus said in verse 37 whoever loves father or mother more than me is
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Not worthy of me and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me
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Christ is getting to the heart of those people who are closest to us our family our parents our in -laws
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Our children Whoever loves them more than me is not worthy of me
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This was consistent with our Lord throughout his ministry in Luke chapter 9
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To another he said follow me But he said Lord, let me first go and bury my father
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Family and Jesus said to him leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you go and proclaim the kingdom of God Yet another said
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I will follow you Lord, but Let me first say farewell to those at my home family
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Jesus said to him no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God a
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Second mark of a true disciple is unrivaled commitment Jesus Christ wants no rivals in your devotion and love to him not even your own family
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Does the Bible not clearly tell husbands to love Christ? To love their wives as Christ loved the church in Ephesians 5, of course it does
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But I've always said When Jesus is your supreme love you will then be able to fulfill ultimately that Imperative what is the reward for those who have this unrivaled commitment to Jesus over even family?
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Turn a few chapters with me if you will to chapter 19 We're not going to look at the whole passage but just to highlight
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How this relates to our commitment to the Lord as a mark of a true disciple
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With no rivals even from our own family. You're familiar with this passage of Scripture The rich young ruler who comes to Christ what must
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I do to inherit eternal life and he leaves charful because he was full of great possessions
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Jesus says in verse 23, I'll pick there pick up there. Jesus said to his disciples.
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Truly I say to you only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven again I tell you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God and I love this verse 25 when the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished
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Saying who then can be saved? This guy came to the one who was life
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Jesus Christ himself Asked the ideal question and actually the text says in the other portions of the
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Gospels in Luke that he came running to Jesus fell at his knees asked him what must
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I do to eternal life and Jesus lost the fish And the disciples are like what well who can be saved then ah the sovereignty of God But Jesus looked at them and said with man
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This is impossible but with God all things are possible and Notice Peter's reply
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Peter had heard the instructions that Jesus gave him and the rest of the Apostles in Matthew 10
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About having no rivalry with family So this is why he says in verse 27
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Peter said in reply see we have left everything and followed you what then will we have
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Jesus said to them verse 28 Truly I say to you in the new world when the
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Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne You who have followed me Will also sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel and everyone who has left watch this houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or Children or lands for my name's sake will receive a hundredfold and what?
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will inherit eternal life There it is. He's using clear plain terms salvation, that is the reward of one who has
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Loving Jesus supremely. There is no rivalry in our commitment to him the second mark of a true disciple and last but not least the third mark of a true disciple of Jesus Christ, I call it unceasing cross an unceasing cross
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The question begs itself Are you willing to die for him? Of course as I said earlier, we don't face the same kind of persecution that the early
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Apostles fell faced in the early church or that some Christians faced around the world today
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But are you willing to follow him unto death? Do you love him more than your own? life
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Are you following him? No matter what the cost are you surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ you say?
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Well, you know I came this evening. I wanted to enjoy some singing some sweet fellowship.
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I didn't want to hear talk about death This is the king speaking about the marks of those who follow him
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The context grammatically is consistent in verse 28 of this chapter
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Jesus said and Do not fear those who kill what the body but cannot kill the soul
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Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell, of course, we've
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Seen this verse over and over again verse 39 Whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
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It's probably one of the most misinterpreted verses today your cross is not your nagging in -law or A brother assistant
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Christ at church That you may not have a liking to or it's not your difficult position at work
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When the original audience the disciples remember he's instructing as he sends them out on a commission here
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When they heard the word cross, what were they thinking about? What's the historical context?
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We know he's talking to the disciples as I highlighted earlier all the disciples except for Judas were from where?
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Galilee But there was another one Another person named Judas not one of the twelve who was also from gallery
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Galilee and at one point he had led an insurrection against the Roman Empire and the general at the time
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Roman general virus He crushed this insurrection led by this other
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Judas of Galilee and to demonstrate his power what he did He crucified more than 2 ,000
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Jews This Roman general virus He had these
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Jews carry their own crosses and he would lay out the crucifixes along the road So as people traveled by Galilee, they would see them as a visible reminder
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When the disciples heard cross and ultimately as they heard Jesus talk about the cross that he would be crucified on One thing came to mind
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Death this is what Jesus was talking about But we can be encouraged
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Hebrews 2 the writer of Hebrew says since therefore the children share in flesh and blood
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He himself likewise partook of the same things that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death that is the devil and Deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery
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One of the results of Christ conquering death he has delivered those of us who have turned to him in faith and repentance from the fear of death in his book hard to believe pastor
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MacArthur says the following about this particular mark of a disciple
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Only one thing is even more apt than family To rob Christ of his rightful place in the heart of an individual and that is the love of his own life
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Sure, you might be willing to take Christ and lose your family, but would you be willing to take
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Christ and lose your life? Now we're getting serious about who is a
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Christian We're back to that cross again The whole point of this section of biblical text is to stress one incredible idea total self -denial to the point of Death it's interesting.
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I would have you note the first mark of a true disciple
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The unbridled confession of Christ happens before whom men others
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The second one an unrivaled commitment is in relationship to people who are close to us our family fathers mothers children and The last one has to do with self
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Your own life with each one Jesus Christ up the ups the ante he intensifies it
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Why does he do that if loving him more than own family wasn't enough? Why does he say loving him more than your own life?
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Taking up your cross for one very simple reason which was characteristic of the ministry of Jesus Christ as we read the
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Gospels Christ was not interested in superficial commitments Christ was not interested in false converts in Matthew chapter 7
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Sermon on the mount very familiar text enter by the narrow gate for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and Those who enter it are many
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For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few
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The words of Christ doesn't sound like the contemporary Invitation to the gospel today the way is hard that leads to life and he continues in Matthew 7 beginning in verse 21 of that chapter
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Not everyone who says To me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven
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But the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven on that day many will say
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To me Lord Lord. Did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name?
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And do many mighty works in your name and then will I declare to them?
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I never knew you depart from me you workers of lawlessness
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Twice Christ mentions not everyone who says to me I was talking with somebody recently and they said to me and a newfound friend and said to me
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Well, we just have to take people at their word Well, I guess here Jesus doesn't
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He says not everyone who says to me but only he who does the will of my father Many people will say and they address him twice as Lord Kirios Kirios They did these things in his name in his name in his name over and over again
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That is why the marks of a true disciple as Christ highlights in our passage tonight are what they are because Christ was not looking for false converts
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The bread of life discourse highlights us even more in John chapter 6. This is consistent throughout his ministry
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When many of his disciples John writes heard it they said this is a hard saying who can listen to it
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But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this said to them
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Do you take offense at this? And he continues in John 6
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After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him So Jesus said to the twelve, please don't leave me also
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No, he said to the twelve. Do you want to go away as well? Hmm had an interesting conversation
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I forewarned my daughters about this. So they're kosher with it to be consistent with this morning
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Take him out to breakfast I do that pretty regularly So we're going out to breakfast and it was around the end of May my wife and I were celebrating 17 years anniversary
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So I mentioned to the girls by the way Did you know that mom and I are celebrating 17 years of marriage?
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So my youngest in her own beautiful way being the comedian of a family says daddy when
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I Grow up. I want to marry you. I Said sweetie, but what about your sister?
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What about her? So my young ones thinks and she says it's okay Isabella can marry you.
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I'll marry Lucas from school and I'm thinking already So that little discussion led to some spiritual conversation and my oldest daughter asked dad mom and I were talking about marriage
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I'm thinking okay Seven hmm. What were you talking about?
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Mom said that when I marry I should marry somebody who is a Christian Marks of a true disciple.
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This is how it relates and she asked this question Dad, how will
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I know if someone is a true Christian? Wow, oh
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Let's just go eat, sweetie No as we're driving the place we're going to is
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Both sides covered with trees. I said sweetie. How would you know that if these trees were happened to be an apple tree or an orange tree?
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Well, she said by the kind of fruit that we see if I see apples It's an apple tree if I see oranges, it's an orange tree.
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I thought she's been taught well I said exactly sweetie Jesus said going back to Matthew 7 or even the marks of a true disciple by their fruit
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You will know them sweetie many people will say That they are
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But you can only know by the marks of a true disciple remember one time in the small fellowship that I used to pastor preaching through Luke 14 a very parallel and similar passage as in Matthew 10 where Christ lays out these hard demands of the marks of a true disciple and in Luke 14 26
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Luke writes if anyone comes to me and does not very familiar verses but uses the term hate and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and Children and brothers and sisters.
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Yes, and even his own life He cannot be my disciple. And of course, I explained and exposited what
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Jesus meant by the term hate Strong words the Lord uses and there was a lady visiting that day not a good message to be preaching for visitors and We talked after she was a little bothered by the text and so I got to Explain to her the gospel and explain to her even further what that passage in this one in Matthew 10
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Christ is talking about To say the least she never returned back. We want to offer the free gospel of salvation
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But Christ here lays out to the disciples who he commissions as we are commissioned by Christ He has sent us out as he sent out the twelve to go therefore and make disciples
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We need to be discerning and know what are the true marks of a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ This is relevant for our day brethren
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About four years ago. You may have seen it. You may have not I Was in a way astonished, but in a way
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I was not Rick Warren on a public show Was being asked what about those people who do not believe in Jesus?
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What about them? First time he avoided the question the interviewer asked him a second time.
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What about somebody like me who's Jewish who does not believe in Jesus? He avoided the question and said instead this and I quote give
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Jesus a 60 day trial I dare you to try trusting
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Jesus for 60 days your money back Guaranteed and quote
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That is not what Jesus was outlining to the disciples in Matthew 10
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The true marks of a genuine disciple Not that we are perfect But the direction of our lives is we have an unbridled confession when push comes to shove
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We will not deny our Lord Jesus Christ. We have an unrivaled commitment even amongst our family
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We are to love our family our wives and children but not more than our love for the
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Lord and finally even taking up our cross even on To death if as you're hearing this tonight that you're not sure if these marks of a genuine disciple
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Mark your life. I ask you to turn to the only one who can save you from your sin the
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Lord Jesus Christ Let's pray Father we are so grateful for The scriptures and I think of Romans 15 for that says through the encouragement of the scriptures
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We may have hope and the scriptures are encouraging But I also say thank you for the hard sayings of Scripture as we see here by the very words of our
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Lord Jesus Christ who is not concerned about just numbers Who is not concerned about?
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Just false converts or superficial commitments, but he clearly laid out to the disciples as he sent them out
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What are the marks of a true disciple not a post conversion? Rededication but a genuine losing of one's life to save it for his sake and for the gospel sake father
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We love you More than those that you have placed in our lives our family
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Our wives our husbands our children We love you more than even our own life
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Lord you gave up your life for your sheep Willingly to give us abundant life and we understand that sometimes in families those whom you open their eyes and hearts and turn to the
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Lord Jesus Christ there's not always this sword and strife and division is cutting in two, but sometimes you do use family members to as vessels to help preach the gospel to their family members and sometimes they are
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Receptive as you work through your Holy Spirit to open their hearts and minds, but sometimes Lord that There is this kind of division and especially in the days of Jesus Christ.
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They faced it a lot more than we do today Helpless father to continue to confess the
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Lord Jesus Christ to others with no restraints Whatsoever we praise you and we love you in Christ's name.