Sermon Tone Analysis

Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

As Jesus set his face like stone, 3 times in Luke predicts His death and resurrection on the Cross and from the tomb, He has been giving them an orientation - we’ve seen the stress he puts on the time of this cetnral event evnt of world history - Passover - freedom, new kingdom, tie of atonoing sacrfice, selecting a lamb - bllod atonement by which not only forgiven, but all stand as God’s first-born on earth.

But remember the sceond part of that orientation - also must know your enemey, not the Romans, not the Jews, but Satan -= and not just Satan kigndom’s this world decieved by Satan, and this new baby kingdom a spiritual kingdom - one that Daniel saaid start like small rock that will smash into the great kingdom os of this world - smash them - but grow in the midst of them to become a mountain teh mountain of God on earth - in wihch you and I can live.

As we go to the Garden f Gethsemane next, to the Trail of the Christ, the Cross and Grave, Resurrection in our world’ darkest moment - do you see Satan’s work in this world, in your life - there is Judas cooperating, entry sin that gets him rejecting and betraying Christ, there he is sifting every one of the disciples but Christ in His work interposes another plea in that contest, and He is praying for you.

Satan will even make frontal attack on the Christ.

But these disciples who simply have faith, though failing, Christ says,I will restore you - after my death more for you do - results of my death and resurrection - is good and necessary

Well soon our attention will turn to those key events and the key work Christ is accomplishing for us, but today we have the last of his upper room discourse, the very last part of his farewell instruction and the focus is on the disciples and what they will do after.

What have you done after Christ’s death & resurrection, how has it changed your life, your mission.

Jesus wants them to be crystal clear on this- even if they can’t yet understand the Cross or the Resurrection.

We could call this the exit strategy from the Cross and empty tomb, and that strategy is for Christ’s ongoing mission for us today!

We could compare traveling with Jesus to Hsi Cross and Empty tomb, with that sci-fi Journey to the Centre of the Earth - imagine the father/prof gave kids all the instructions to get to the centre of the earth through crack in Iceland, they make it there - look around even find their father back, - but no provision to get back at out.

So too we could say, that going to the Cross and The gracve and empty tomb not just events to visit, but new realities Chrsit accoplished, and he gives us an exit strategy to take the new relaities he has worked there at the cetnre of the world history- and the mission is to bring that to the wrold through you and me!

And the strategy is here from the very lipso f Jesus before he goes to His work for you and me and the world.

Will you listen to his strategy?

Key Truth: You need Christ’s strategy for life after the Cross & Resurrection, if you are to fulfill God’s mission

A. Develop a a Deep Trust in God’s Provision & Don’t Doubt His Faithfulness

Jesus begins giving the exit strategy with a rhetorical question about their past.

And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?”

They said, “Nothing.”

As he goes tot he Cross he wants them to think about the first stage in the kingdom he is setting up.

Remember announced Kingdom of God is near, kingdom of God is in your midst.

Do you remember at the beginning of his revelation to the world, his public ministry - started right at home, - in local synagogue in Nazaraeth - supernatural providence - scroll given - - Day of the Lord’s favour here - God’s hand giving sight to blind, doing miracles like that but pointing to how people seeing in Christ and in his gospel - rela healing of spiritual darknened eyes, and plugged ears - made the lame to walk - - annouced this is the year not of Gods’ vengance - that to will come and be fulfilled (LUke 21:22) ,but the year of his favour And remember his closing words as he rolled up the scroll and instead of delivering his interpretation and application, with all eyes on him he said:

Remember that word fulfilled!

Then also at the outset of his ministry, just a few days in Capernaum He is in another neighbouring synagogue teaching - demon possessed man - I know who you are The Holy One of God.

And Jesus releases him from capttivity.

Now that stage of Christ’s kingdom - met with crwods, follwoing, everyone wanting in on - all these signs of the wholeness, the peace, the healing that the Son of God brings !

And remember hs heals the paralytic and says what is harder to heal or to forgive, but htat you may know the Son of Man has power to froigve, your sins a re forgiven,… Showing in acron size blueprint of his coming kingdom and what it is all about!

- remember just a dy later - He is in aother neighbouring syngague teaching - demon possessed man -

Who here this mrongin wants this kingdom?

This healling, this peace, total forgiveness.

life in the powr of God - under the direction and regin of God! Do you want that for your neighbours for the nations!

Jesus says not jsut for you - but I am sending you out - first to loss saheep of Israel - then to the world!

First stage do you remember that sending.

Happened twice, once with 12 and the next time with 72.

Same words that are recroded here in Jesus fareweel adress.

Turn ot the sending of the 72.

Would you go, do you pray?

Goign to be some oppostition some will reject the Christ and his meesage.

But look also at how just before that he sent out the 12 in

Same type of instruction, and actually same type of equipping.

Jesus gave them supernatural ability to show the signs of the kingdom - healing, the wholeness, the demons cast out - and many believed the message the gospel shared that the miracles backed up.

And what was the strategy for the first sendings whent he kingdom was just a little acorn, a little egg form, not yet fully hatched?

Temporary short term little missions sent out, with nothing - go to israel - rely on God’s provision through his people, don’t have to take a staff, or sword - Jesus is explicit I am the one praying for you - I am the one intiating your sending, for a time, I am the one who will miraculalouy give you power, I am senidng you out shoeless, pennyless.

And before Jesus sends them from the Cross he wants on their herats, recollecting those times when relying on God had nothing, that God’s opwer and proviion - left them lacking absoltuately nothing!

God had done this before with Israel - no food not water, in the desert, 40 years God miracuosly provided before they got othe pormised land - And those words lack notihng - are Embedded in the Story of SIrael - Wilderness lacked nothing, not even sandals and our out garments wore out.

, Numbers, also when they are about to physically lose the leader of th ekingom Moses.

Jesus wants them to be fully assured before the hard times come, before the miracles cease, before arrests and imprisonments happen, before he too goes tot he Cross, of God’s absolute provision - inspire that kind of trust: John’s farewell , upper room records that Jesus was teaching them this with the gift of the Holy Spirit that would result from him receiving the Spirit's reward for the Cross;

Jesus wasn’t them to be fully assureed before the hard times come, before the miracles cease, before arests and imporsionmens happen, before he too goes tot he Cross, of God’s absolture provision - inspire that kind of trust: JOhn’s farewell , upper roomom records that Jesus was teaching them this with the gift of the Hoply Spirit that would resutl from him recveing the Spiritas reward for the Corss;

This is the first part of the exit strategy from the Cross - to have this kind of confidence even though battle become s more intense for a time.

Why writer of Hebrews could repeat the words of Joshua when Moses had left - even though times had changed, no more miraculous provisions in the Promised Land, yet still say: The Lord is my helper I will not be afraid!

By way of application - do you ever look back and see how God’s provided?

If llok way way back in biggerst way, gave his only Son - how we will he not along with him give us all things.

Arm yourself with this trust as you leave the Cross!

Never forget hearing the story of a dad of a child with Special needs - it only gets harder as they get older.

Shopping mall parking lot devastated.

But didn't buy it.

He said, many people would say,

“God never gives you more than you can handle.”

True or False?

Do you think that true?

Nice platitude stoically bear it, deny hard part, well meaning.

But he went on to say: God often brings us to stuff that is more than we can handle, so we turn to Him and find the true strength to handle it”

Do you see it these disciples were trained in being in that spot of risking everything for the gospel and finding that God does provide for them to do their gospel calling!

Do you?

Jesus promised I will be with you always by the Spirit.

But now in v. 36-37 in the second half of Christ’s comparison, we come to the troubling part of Christ’s exit strategy from the Cross and empty tomb for us!

This trust is now going to be exercised after the Cross and uhntil Jesus comes again for times of great trial and service when Jesus doesn’t give us the miracles and provision and plan and intiative the way he used to!

But now in v. 36-37 in the second half of Christ’s comparison, we come to the troubling part of Christ’s exit strategy from the Cross and empty tomb for us!

This trust is now going to be exercised after the Cross and until Jesus comes again for times of great trial and service when Jesus doesn’t give us the miracles and provision and plan and initiative the way he used to!

B. Make Preparations, Protections, Precautions, Savings for the Church’s Mission Journey!

Look at these pictures of leather bags from Palestine.

What are they used for one for money, another little more like a knapsack that’s for bread.

Jesus said earlier if you have two cloaks, not your tunic, inner garment - but longer out coat for travelling even among the poor travellers what you would sleep in - give it away.

But now Jesus says, after the Cross somsehting is going to change.

There was a gerenal acceptance of Jesus by the peopel - before he healed, his teaching was from above and pepoeopl knew it - but now the ehar tof the kingdom is to be exposed and its so upside down, and will involve such repenatnc eand radical reooiratating our lives toG od - that for many it will be a stumbling block.

They will reject it.

About to happen to Jesus but as Jesus aleady said in th gospels: as I am in the world so are you - you are sent ones, just like the father sent me, so I am sending you.

If they hate you for this message rember they hated me first -

Jason and Illayna Tafff as plant church in pickering - taled to this week, love it , but it is hard, , and there is real spiritual battle.

And with pain in his voice described one of the Core Group, turned out to be a sheep in wolves clothing.

But do you supporse their is any congregation of Chrsit folowers that Satan doesn’t have schemes to bring down or divide and sideline?

Jesus isn’t saying will abandoned - you wil never lack if you follow Jesus in any absolute sens.

- but now Jesus says, I am going away, - my provision is going to come to you in a different way, and the response to the gospel will etiher be whole hearted now, or indffierent, or real active ppsoition.

Not more of this mild interest and curisiousty of the early ministry.

Now it is not just I, Jesus, praying as you go out.

Jesus sasy in the gospe of John, until now you haven’t really asked anything in my name, but after I die, rise - give the HOly Spirit - it will beyou praying that will bring great advance in the kingdom, I did great work of the Cross Jesus saidin John, but you will do greater works ?

Filled witht he Holy Spirit not just bring gopsel to small dusty corner of the globe, but to the nations, Now redemption accomplished wonderful and mind boglling, but after the cross and today, now it will be applied to people’s lives and families and work, redeem the world - you are invovled in that!

So Jesus says, anyone here with a travel wallet?

ANyone with a knapsack - Got your cloak/sleeping bags?

Don’t have sword - not soldiers, but short sword or knife, many including some of Jesus discipes traveled with - Why bandits, Go buy one of those, not for now at the trial or the Cross or to force my kingdom.

But who has a travel, purse, who wers a knapsack, who has protective swrod? a Traveller.

Modern day example of this in the

China to Middle East.

10-40 Window!

Mission push, taught theology and share the gospel, and cultures.

But also how to escape from prison, how to get out handcuffs in less than three seconds.

Sometimes witness in prision, sometimes Satan preventing spread of gospel.

USe strategies, funding, invented smallest electrinic bible - pill bible!

It’s being wise to using legal channels to defned the gopsel in Canada, to make use of economic opprotunities…

Chinese - Back to Jerusalem