August 16, 2012 Who Wants It?

Who Wants It? Matthew 10:16-18 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 “Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.” WOULD YOU apply for this job? Watch yourself! Be shrewd and don’t cause any trouble. You’ll be put into jail or flooged because you tell the Gospel message to Jewish and Gentile authorities. “Okay, Jesus, sign me up! I love being beaten and telling the Gospel to people who will not listen to me.” What do you think? Are you ready for this part of being a Christian? We love the part about being saved, about Jesus being our King and about going to Heaven someday. We even can get excited about serving Jesus in some way. But can we get excited about risking our repuatation and our lives for the Good News? Why not? Why are we so afraid to tell Jesus to the world? What do you think the disciples thought? Were they ready to leave Jesus and go home as he instructed them? I don’t think so. I believe they were excited to speak the Good News precisely because it is the Good News! They had seen the Word of God walk into the world’s sinful, broken lives to forgive and heal. They had watched the transformation of people from lame to strong, leprous to pure skin, deaf to sound, mute to speech and death to life! They knew the power, and they went. How about you? It’s True! A Good News passion is a passion for life.