Amazing Grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost but now am found
was blind but now I see.
We know John Newton wrote these words to this well known Hymn
Newton was once a slave-trading sea-captain until an epileptic seizure ended his career. In his will after his death Newton wrote:
I commit my soul to my gracious God and Savior, who mercifully spared and preserved me, when I was an apostate, a blasphemer, and an infidel, and delivered me from the state of misery on the coast of Africa into which has been pleased to admit me (though most unworthy) to preach his glorious gospel.[1]
On a ship in the North Atlantic in 1748 a violent storm rose so much so he feared for his life. It was a time for him to reflect on who he was before God.
Newtown found in that storm he began to examine himself and think back over his spiritual condition. In that storm he grabbed a Bible and realised that he had begun to pray asking God for his mercy. The storm resided and he described what God did with him “I stood in need of an Almighty Savior; and such a one I found described in the New Testament.” Now knowing God’s love and forgiveness Newton set about living his life with habitual tenderness. He was known for his love for other people and tenderness no matter what they were experiencing or struggling with. He would take into his house to live with him and his wife people who were struggling with life and their own well being. As Newton understood suffering all too well, he found what kept him from being overwhelmed with anger and bitterness and resentment:
“…his faith upholds him under trials, by assuring him that every dispensation is under the direction of his Lord; that chastisements are a token of his love; that the season, measure, and continuance of his sufferings, are appointed by Infinite Wisdom, and designed to work for his everlasting good; and that grace and strength shall be afforded him, according to his day.” [2]
As Jesus prepares his disciples for the road ahead. He warns there will be a road of suffering to come. As we read in vs 16-20
16 “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; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 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, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
The words ‘spiritual warfare’ never appear in the Bible. It is a short hand term we use for describing the moral conflict of the Christian life. Spiritual warfare unveils the reality of our lifelong struggle with our lies and other liars, as with our lusts and other tempters, as with our sins and other evil-doers, the present darkness that continually unsettles us. Here’s the tension we so often face that our sufferings, whatever their form or cause they take, provide for us occasions either to stumble or to stand. Our warfare is over which it will be.[3]
Jesus warns us to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. As Jesus sees it even in the face of those who seek: to do their worst, or cause the greatest havoc in our lives, or face the temptation to strike back or take revenge. We know we can look to God’s love and kindness always, as we have a father who hears our prayers and knows us by name. Jesus warns us to expect trouble if we set our feet and live our lives his way. Here we face the reality of our mission. We are not always liked or thanked if we share in the hope we have in Jesus with others. There is a reality and a cost to taking up our cross and following him. Please notice with me who Jesus is addressing as he gives this disturbingly straight talk about the cost of being a disciple, verses 1-4
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
These are the 12 apostles who accompany Jesus throughout his 3 years of ministry traveling. Peter, Andrew, James and John were fisherman. Matthew was a tax collector who as we’ve seen was hated and despised as traitors, and thought of as extortionists and thugs. Simon was a zealot who was a member of a radical Jewish sect called "the Zealots" which were fanatical about the law and strongly opposed Roman rule. The rest of the disciples we don’t know what they did. Jesus calls these 12 ordinary men who got on with everyday life (as we’ve seen some who were outcasts, some who were on the radical margins of society; others in the occupations that men who did them were hard and tough) to be alongside him as he set about his mission to seek and save the lost and to heal those who were unable to walk, possessed by demons, Struck by illness. For all of these apostles Jesus also sets for them a task, that following him wasn’t just about listening I, there was also a need for them to go and do. Jesus sends them out on a mission, the same mission he has been doing. Verses 5-10 (The Message)
5-8 Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: “Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously. 9-10 “Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.
These disciples are sent out on a task that was compelling and challenging and unique. This apostolic authority that Jesus gives them will also carry through on after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The miracles we read about in the book of acts are done by apostles; just as was the case with Jesus every person healed, fed, saved from drowning or raised later suffered and died in some other way. Jesus was on a mission to win the ultimate cosmic warfare over sin and death itself! As the road of suffering Jesus maps out for his disciples wasn’t one of just mere platitudes
17-20 “Don’t be naive. Some people will impugn your motives, others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me. Don’t be upset when they haul you before the civil authorities. Without knowing it, they’ve done you—and me—a favor, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news! And don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words. Verses 17-20 (The Message)
Look again at verses 19-20, as we are promised that God will use our fumbling words, and our awkward silences. More importantly we find out that Jesus will not abandon us. Here’s the thing, our temptation is to doubt that God will be there for us when it feels dark . Of the 12 Apostles what Jesus warns them about will come true for them: John died a martyrs death after he was exiled to Patmos; Bartholomew, James the son of Zebedee, Matthias (Judas Iscariot’s replacement) were beheaded; Thomas and Matthew were speared to death
Peter, Andrew, Philip, Jude, Simon the Zealot & James son of Alphaeus were crucified. There are some major differences between us and the apostles. There are some things we have that are the same. Our motives for mission is to be compassion. Look back at Matthew 9:35-38
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Also we know we don’t have to be great to reach the lost or to share the Good News. We are to take the everyday sense in which we share the same gospel hope. We share the same blessing of relationship with Jesus, and are shaped by the same spirit of God at work in us. We don’t need to have an elite education, or worldly power or prestige. We don’t need an acclaimed reputation, or be super orators to share our hope about Jesus. What we are called to is courage and faith, verses 26-31 (The Message)
“Don’t be intimidated. Eventually everything is going to be out in the open, and everyone will know how things really are. So don’t hesitate to go public now. 28 “Don’t be bluffed into silence by the threats of bullies. There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands. 29-31 “What’s the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries
Mercy is shown to us by God as we have taken refuge in the Lord. In that sense all of us refugees. We fled for our lives, and find every sort of aid and protection in Jesus as Jesus has told us already we are to be “Poor in spirit”
We are to have a conscious awareness of our pressing need for help that God most freely and graciously gives. Jesus calls us to go about our lives with purposeful patience, endurance, forbearance, long-suffering, perseverance, and steadfastness to be courageous in the hope we have.
Let’s pray…
David Hassan @ Tamworth Community Presbyterian Church 4/2/18
[1] Piper, John The Roots of Endurance. Leicester, England, 2002: IVP. p.45.
[2] Piper, The Roots of Endurance p.74.
[3] Idea taken from David Powlinson CCEF subject “Dynamics of Biblical Change” course.