A Dangerous Mission

Website Editor • October 28, 2020

From Pastor Lance Shumake's message on Matthew 10:16-42:

Jesus doesn’t hold back in telling His disciples what it will be like to go out on mission. It will be costly. It will be dangerous. It might get them killed.


The mission Jesus gave His disciples is the same one He gives us. We are to know Him as well as we can, so we can GO OUT and make Him known to the ends of the earth. This mission is why we’re here.


When Jesus talks about how difficult and dangerous the mission is; He’s talking about following Him. He’s talking about the normal Christian life. 


“Coming to Jesus is not a negotiation. Coming to Jesus is not an agreement. Coming to Jesus is not a contract. Coming to Jesus is a death — your death. He died so that you may live. Now He asks you to lose your life so that you may find life in Him.” - Paul Tripp, New Morning Mercies (Oct. 19)


When we follow Jesus on the mission He has called us to, we can expect that…


...It might not be safe (v16). He says, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” In our culture, safety and comfort have become supreme values. If we’re not careful, these values could get in the way of us following Jesus.


...It might bring you into conflict (v21). Jesus calls for our undivided allegiance and devotion. This might be divisive and cause conflict among people you are closest to.


...It might cause people to hate you (v22). He says, “and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake.” When you take a stand for what God says, you bring light into a dark world. You can expect some hate for this.


...It might get you killed (v28). The hatred that the world has for you may spill over and kill you. In parts of the world, this is literally happening. We need to be prepared for this reality.


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These are hard realities and expectations that are necessary to set. But, thankfully(!) Jesus doesn’t leave us there. Throughout His message to the disciples, He gives us plenty of encouragement and reminds us that we don’t have to be afraid.


As Christians, we know that…


...truth overcomes fear! (v19) We belong to Jesus! When we are persecuted, it should be a reminder that Jesus too was persecuted (v24). This should further confirm that we are on the right path, heading toward Him.


...truth wins in the end! (v26) We know the end of the story -- nothing will be covered, nothing will be hidden. When we stand up for the Word of God, it will be clear eventually that we were on the right side of history.


...death can’t harm us! (v28) Death is the worst thing that can happen to us on earth; but it’s really not that bad when you understand the gospel. If we are killed, it’s victory!


Jesus Christ defeated death on the cross! He who lived a perfect, sinless life was killed and -- in death -- took the punishment we should have had to pay. Three days later, He rose from the grave and conquered sin and death so we can live forever with Him! 


As James promises, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.


...God is with us! (v19) God will provide us with whatever we need in the moment; His Spirit is always with us -- helping us, fueling the mission, giving us strength and empowering us. Verse 30 tells us that even the hairs on our heads are numbered -- God is not watching from a distance, He is intimately involved. We have no reason to fear. 


...sometimes it all works out! (v42) One day, people from every tribe, tongue, and nation will join together in worship to the Lord. This is a guarantee that sometimes — even in the most unlikely circumstances — it will all work out. People will receive us, because they are receiving God. 


--


Jesus then puts all of this wisdom into the context of one taking up a cross and following Him. He says, “whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”


“If your aim is to love people, you will lay down your life to make them eternally glad in God. And if your aim is to glorify Christ, who is God incarnate, you will also lay down your life to make people eternally happy in God.” - John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life


Jesus is the hope of the world. Our mission is to take up our cross, follow Him, and share that hope with others.


We are to bring light to this world.


No matter the costs.

This sermon is available to watch on our Matthew page.

Arm Yourselves

June 11, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?

I Believe That We Will Win

June 3, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Jesus suffered and died in order to bring us to God Jesus conquered death by his resurrection “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” —Martin Luther Problem #1 - he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison —Jesus preached through Noah to those who lived at that time (1 Peter 1:10–12) —Jesus proclaimed His victory to evil angels (see Genesis 6:1-4) Problem #2 - baptism now saves you —Scripture is clear - we are saved by grace not works —baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through the resurrection of Christ “The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude —in baptism we are appealing to God for a good conscience "This appeal is an act of the heart looking away from itself and from all human instruments and calling on God, appealing to God, for grace to save.” —John Piper —in baptism we are pledging to God to live in a manner worthy of the gospel Jesus ascended to heaven and now reigns over everything “We can face suffering as Christians with confidence rather than panic, and hope rather than despair, because the road marked with Christian suffering is, no matter what its twists and turns are, the road to vindication and glory. The God who vindicated Jesus will vindicate you, and he will sustain your faith until that day.” –Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter For You Discipleship Questions: How does Jesus’ death and resurrection encourage us when we suffer? Why did we need Jesus to suffer and die to bring us to God? How does Jesus’ victory over death give us eternal hope? What are your thoughts regarding some of the problems in this passage? How does what Peter says about baptism elevate the importance of baptism? When were you baptized and how does this passage inform your understanding of baptism? How does knowing our victory is secured help us with all the things this life throws at us?

Who Can Be Against Us?

May 27, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Nobody can (truly) hurt Christians Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The train of thought is as follows: “No one will be able to harm believers on the future day if they are zealous for good” (v. 13). Indeed, even present suffering is not a sign of punishment but of blessing both now and especially in the future, on the day when God rewards his people with eternal life. -Thomas R. Schreiner Honoring Christ Erases Fear Share your faith with strength and gentleness Embrace balance Be prepared to share The truth of the gospel is a public truth that can be defended in the public arena. This does not mean, of course, that every Christian is to be a highly skilled apologist for the faith. It does mean that every believer should grasp the essentials of the faith and should have the ability to explain to others why they think the Christian faith is true. -Thomas R. Schreiner Be prepared to suffer “I’ve spent a number of years in India and Africa where I found much righteous endeavor undertaken by Christians of all denominations; but I never, as it happens, came across a hospital or orphanage run by the Fabian Society [a British socialist organization], or a humanist leper colony.” -Malcolm Muggeridge Be bold! We will likely suffer as Christians in this world, but that suffering is slight and temporary compared to the eternal inheritance that awaits us. The worst thing that can happen to us is that we die and receive our promised inheritance. Can you imagine how emboldened Christians would be if we only believed what Peter is saying? -Juan R. Sanchez Discipleship Questions: Does the fact that nobody can (truly) harm us comfort you? What would change if we lived like we really believe that? Are you a more confident person as someone who knows Christ? Does your security in Christ embolden you to take some risks in life, knowing that the worst that could happen is death? How equipped / prepared are you to give a reason for the hope that you have? What would grow your confidence and competence in that? Have you considered joining Michael Clark one day for evangelism at the harbor? Well….you should….
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