As
Lambs in the Midst of Wolves
Luke 10:1-12
Pastor Trevor Foley
Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is a Christian non
government organization (NGO) which operates in 70 countries. Many of those countries
are former communist or communist countries. A Romanian priest Wormbrand started
VOM.
Persecuted Christians suffer and do not have resources
like Christians in free countries so they must rely solely on God. Therefore persecuted
Christians often pray for Christians who have so much and are too
reliant on themselves and do not rely on God.
Jesus tells his disciples to bring the following
items.
Luke 10:4 ESV
[4] Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals,
and greet no one on the road.
We understand that Jesus lived this way. He came
to earth in weakness and not in power. He came as a baby and was dependent on sinners.
Luke 9:57-58 ESV
[57] As they were going along the road, someone
said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” [58] And Jesus said to him, “Foxes
have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay
his head.”
It is counter intuitive what Jesus says. We believe
by worldly standards that we must do missions in strength, yet Jesus calls us to
go in weakness. It does not make sense, but Paul tells us that the Gospel does not
make sense.
1 Corinthians 1:21-25 ESV
[21] For since, in the wisdom of God, the world
did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach
to save those who believe. [22] For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23]
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
[24] but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God
and the wisdom of God. [25] For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the
weakness of God is stronger than men.
The underground university put out a call to train
missionaries and no young people came, only old ladies. At first it seemed like
a failure, but then it was revealed that the old ladies would never be suspected
of missionary work in China. God sends the people he needs and can use.
God has us on a Luke 10 mission every day in our
lives. We are weak. We need God to get us through the day. We cannot overcome
temptation by ourselves, and we do not have the wisdom to make the right
choices. We are weak, so that God can show his greatness through our weakness.
1 Corinthians 1:28-30 ESV
[28] God chose what is low and despised in the
world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29] so that
no human being might boast in the presence of God. [30] And because of him you are
in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification
and redemption,
In the Great Commission, Jesus tells us to go,
but a better translation would be whatever you are doing or wherever you are going,
spread the good news.
Matthew 28:16 ESV
[16] Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
[18] And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority
in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [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 all that I have commanded you. And behold,
I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
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