You Are Commissioned To Go!

Intro

• We are all sinners that do not deserve salvation yet God, in His mercy, provided a way that we can be saved.

• By Jesus coming to this Earth, living a sinless life, and dying on the cross He paid the ultimate penalty for our sins and the sins of all mankind.

• Three days after His death God raised Him from the dead as the victor over sin and death.

• I thank God that He sent Jesus Christ to save us!

• We should all thank God everyday for the salvation He has provided.

• There is nothing that we can do to attain salvation by our own merit.

• When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are saved at that very moment.

• Once we are saved, we are saved - no question about it.

• However, once we do become a follower of Jesus Christ, we are expected to work to further His Kingdom.

• These works do not save us but they are an outward manifestation of the Spirit now living inside us, transforming our lives.

• Remember the words of James:

• James 2:17-18 - "In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works."

• Once we are saved, we are commissioned for service to further the Kingdom of God.

• Today, we look at Luke 10 and see where Jesus commissioned 70 followers.

• Jesus will answer three very important questions in this scripture regarding our commission as Christians.

• Pray

Why Should We Go?

• Luke 10:1-2

• Often times I get discouraged because sometimes week after week goes by and our invitations are empty

• Many times we close a service and many times at the end of our evangelism events we have no one, that we know of, that has been saved.

• Don't get me wrong, we have seen a lot of changed lives but wouldn't you like to see greater amounts?

• If we are not careful we then begin to develop an attitude of apathy and cease trying to bring the lost to Jesus Christ.

• However we have to remember a few things regarding why we should go; why we should keep trying to reach the lost.

• A. We are commanded to Go and therefore if we are to be obedient then we must go.

• The Great Commission - Matthew 28:18-20 - "Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

• B. The Harvest is abundant.

• Oftentimes I believe that we think that we cannot find the lost and if we do find them then they are not going to listen to us anyway.

• This attitude causes us to throw our hands up in the air and then turn inward to only focus and care about those already in the church.

• We cannot give up on reaching the lost.

• Jesus tells us something here that is very exciting news v2 - The Harvest is Abundant

• We should be compelled to go because the harvest is many and it is ready!

• However, the workers are few.

• C. We may not always harvest; we may sometimes plant or water.

• 1 Corinthians 3:6 - "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth."

• God may use us to plant a Kingdom seed in the hearts of lost people.

• God may also use someone else to water that seed and grow.

• I wonder how many seeds God has used us to plant during the evangelistic events we have participated in: Downtown Fall Festivals, Christmas Parades, Relay for Life, Vacation Bible Schools

• We may or may not see fruit come from our efforts but we must be obedient.

• We should be obedient to Christ's command to go because the harvest is abundant.

• Remember, He uses His church to bring in the harvest but in order for the harvest to be brought in then we must go.

What Should We Look For?

• Luke 10:3-8

• As Jesus is commissioning these 70 followers He instructs them about things that they should be looking for.

• Isn't great to know that Jesus does not send them out unprepared but He takes the time to instruct them.