Sheep, Serpents, Doves, and Sparrows: Matthew 10:16-33 (Sermon)
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INTRODUCTION
Thank you, worship team. Last week pastor Mike shared with us about Matthew chapter 10, verses 1 through 15. He said the main idea was:
Do God’s Work
By God’s Power
Through God’s Ways
In chapter 10, Jesus commissioned his disciples to do the work he was doing. “Going and proclaiming the kingdom of heaven.” He gave them his authority to cast out demons, heal every disease and affliction, and even raise the dead! Can you imagine that? They saw Jesus calm a storm with a word, heal by touch, and the masses followed. Now, they would receive his power to do things like him. How do you think that felt? How would you feel?
BASEBALL SEASON - Batting
We are in baseball season. I grew up watching Nolan Ryan throwing 100-mile-an-hour fastballs.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/09/Nolan_Ryan_in_Atlanta_%28cropped%29.jpg
If you ever had a car wiz by you at 50 miles an hour, think of a ball flying twice that speed by your face. What if the coach put you at the plate as the designated hitter? What if it was two outs, two strikes, and the go-ahead run was on third? You are up to bat. No pressure. The weight of the game weighs on your shoulders. How would you feel?
Pitching
Or, what if you were a pitcher and the superstar was pulled? You had to close the game. The pressure is on. There are two outs, three balls, two strikes (full count), and the tying run on third. One pitch is all you need to get the win and finish the game. That is all your fans and team want. Everyone is standing. The coach says, “You got this.” You have a job to do. You have the ability. You have a commission and calling. This is your work. But what if it wasn’t any old batter you faced in the lineup but the Great Bambino, the Sultan of Swat, the Caliph of Clout, none other than Babe Ruth?