Spring City Fellowship
250706Sunday
Sunday July 6, 2025 10:15AM Service

      • Psalm 150:3NIV2011

  • Somebody Say Amen
  • This Is Amazing Grace
  • King Of Kings
  • The Heart Of Worship
  • Worthy Of It All
  • Way Maker
  • Come Right Now
  • Let It Rain
  • Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
  • Our Theme for 2025 is “Live Like Jesus”
    It comes out of a simple desire to follow Jesus - and to learn better what that means.
    We are spending the entire year in the Gospel of Matthew.
    Most of our time in Matthew will be spent examining the way that Jesus describes the renewed life that we have in Christ.
    Over the last several weeks we talked about divine healing, deliverance and forgiveness and what it means to have faith.
    You may remember that I defined faith as being based in covenant relationship with God.
    It is about knowing God and trusting God.
    Obedience, loyalty, relationship and trust are all part of the definition of faith.
    All of these are part of the renewed life and are part of God’s plan to restore all things.
    Jesus had twelve men who followed him, literally - they went with him as he travelled around the countryside teaching and ministering to the people.
    There were also a few women among them as well who attended to the practical need.
    I love how the episodes of The Chosen portray the women who followed Jesus. They hang out with the rest of the disciples, learn Hebrew and read the scriptures like everyone else. There are even scenes where they are seated at the table with Jesus.
    That may be accurate, but it is not normal for a Rabbi to include women among his followers. However, we do know that Jesus treated women differently that the prevailing culture. I think the chosen is trying to help the viewer visualize what that might have looked like.
    If faith is all about being in relationship, then the people who were closest to Jesus when He walked this earth are examples of what that relationship looks like.
    They were called disciples - which means “learners”
    A disciple would be the equivalent of an apprentice who learns a trade.
    Or a student who sits under the teaching of a professor.
    The purpose of a disciple is to absorb everything they can in the way of instruction so that they can eventually teach others.
    Disciples not only learn information, but they are given assignments in which they must practice and apply what they are learning.
    Eventually disciples come to represent their teachers and their teaching.
    Scholars are known by who they learned from or which school they were part of - that is a clue as to how they fundamentally understand their subject.
    The school that I most recently graduated from is Ashland Theological Seminary. Their school motto is “Equipping Modern Day Disciples.” The way that they do that is by cultivating a strong sense of community whare we not only study together, but we worship together, share meals together and celebrate one another’s accomplishments. The focus is not just on academic learning, but on the whole person and on spiritual formation.
    What is spiritual formation? - It is being formed in the image of Christ.
    Galatians 4:19 CSB
    19 My children, I am again suffering labor pains for you until Christ is formed in you.
    Being a disciple is more than just enlisting in a program.
    It is more than just jumping through hoops.
    It is more than just memorizing or assimilating information.
    Discipleship is not complete until you completely resemble the one whom you are following.
    Not just in words, but in attitude and character.
    At that point it is no longer a student/teacher relationship, but the love of a son or a daughter to a father.
    The goal of a disciple is to carry on the legacy of their mentor by mentoring others.
    Our text begins by listing the twelve men that Jesus chose as His disciples.
    Matthew 10:1–4 ESV
    1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

    Who are Jesus’ disciples?

    These are the ones that Jesus invited and who accepted His call.
    We read a few chapters ago that there were others who asked to follow Jesus,
    but either they were not willing to accept the conditions of living as Jesus did, sleeping with the foxes and the birds,
    or they had some other priority or obligation that kept them from being fully committed to Christ.
    The twelve that are named are the ones who stuck around.
    They demonstrated faithfulness - and by that, they also demonstrated a measure of faith.
    Matthew also notes in his list that Judas would later be known as the one who betrayed Jesus,
    but for now, he’s one of the twelve and no one has any reason to believe that he is not.
    Matthew names the disciples and those who are commissioned by Jesus and given authority to carry out a ministry assignment.
    They are going to do the things that they saw Jesus do.
    And this time they are going to do it in His place.

    Jesus’ disciples are those He sends.

    Matthew 10:5–13 ESV
    5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
    So first, the disciples are to go to Jewish towns and villages, not to those of the Gentiles
    Not yet, anyway.
    Later in the book of Acts, we will see that after the movement is begun in Jerusalem, it will gradually shift toward non-Jewish proselytes, Gentiles and eventually to the ends of the earth, just as Jesus predicted.
    Acts 1:8 ESV
    8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
    But for right now, the Jews are the starting point.
    And this raises a good point about the sending of disciples -
    Before you go and try to be a witness to the ends of the earth, why not do it right where you are?
    When missions organizations are reviewing applicants, they want to know that you are already engaged in some form of ministry.
    If you can’t do it here (where is is somewhat easy)
    How are you going to do it in a place where you don’t know what to expect?
    Another we would want to know before you go is “how resourceful are you?’
    Do you need to have all of your modern conveniences to feel comfortable or can you make do with the bare minimum?
    When I moved to Denmark for my first ministry assignment, I had my whole library shipped overseas. Two large mail bags full of books. At the time, I thought I was going to need all those books. Looking back I realize it was a rookie mistake. I didn’t use all those books and it made me look really strange in the eyes of my hosts. The only good that came out of it was that I was able to bless some people because I left most of those book behind when I came home again.
    Being a disciple means learning to depend on Jesus, not your own resources.
    And what are those resources that you do have?
    It’s not your money or your learning - it’s the Spirit that you carry with you and in you.
    Matthew describes it as your “peace” - your “shalom” - your blessing.
    You bring an atmosphere, a “Presence” with you wherever you go.
    When you walk into a room, His Presence enters with you.
    People notice, not so much your social status or your education, but what does it feel like to be with you.
    Do you carry the Presence of Jesus?
    If you do - good! - because that is what you want to leave behind.
    People may not remember everything about you or even what you said.
    They will remember how you made them feel (or not feel).
    And they will reflect on how being with you changed them for the better.
    It should be that being with you was also having an encounter with Jesus.
    I know you may be wondering ...how do I do that?

    What does a disciple do?

    Disciples only speak as they are led.

    Matthew 10:14–20 ESV
    14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. 16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
    Ok, so it is not always going to go so well.
    God is making everything new - but right now the world is in chaos.
    You are going to experience that tension.
    Not everyone is going to like you.
    In fact some will decidedly NOT like you - why?
    Precisely because you carry the authority and the anointing of Jesus.
    It’s a spiritual battle out there and some are going to identify you as the enemy.
    So how do you deal with that?
    First, Jesus says, “Don’t worry!”
    That’s easy for Him to say!
    This may be all part of the plan - or if it isn’t God will still use it!
    If you have to go before a judge or a jury - you get to be witness for Jesus!
    SO for may of us, that would be even more scary.
    What do I say? What if I say the wrong thing?
    This is where you need to remember that you are a carrier of the Holy Spirit.
    You just open your mouth and say whatever the Holy Spirit gives you to say.
    Psalm 81:10 CEV
    10 I am the Lord your God. I rescued you from Egypt. Just ask, and I will give you whatever you need.
    Psalm 81:10 ESV
    10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
    Psalm 81:10 TPT
    10 I am your only God, the living God. Wasn’t I the one who broke the strongholds over you and raised you up out of bondage? Open your mouth with a mighty decree; I will fulfill it now, you’ll see! The words that you speak, so shall it be!
    Remember the time that you spend with Jesus.
    That time with Jesus is what forms you.
    When you open your mouth, what comes out should sound just like Jesus.

    Disciples represent Jesus to the world.

    Matthew 10:21–25 ESV
    21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.
    Jesus told His disciples to expect persecution.
    John 15:18 NLT
    18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.
    Why? Because God is taking back and restoring the earth - that is not going to come without some opposition.
    Don’t take it personally - or DO take it personally, but in the sense that you realize that they are only mad at you because you represent Jesus.
    Jesus is Lord of all the earth! - That means that every other false god or so called, lord - isn’t!
    If you encounter demonic opposition in the course of witnessing for Christ, that doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong.
    It may very well mean that you are doing it exactly right!
    Jesus is bringing us back to the definition of what it means to be a disciple.
    If you represent Jesus, that means you have to take the bad with the good.
    Yes, you get to do some amazingly cool things that Jesus did!
    But you are also going to encounter the resistance, the blow back from the enemy.
    Don’t let it get you down. - Just know that God will use it all for His purposes.
    Romans 8:28 CEV
    28 We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose,
    You are a disciple, sent by Jesus to represent Him in this world.
    You are following Jesus - carrying out His mission.
    Jesus’ mission is to reveal the Father.
    Matthew 11:27 NLT
    27 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
    We are now entrusted with the same mission - to reveal Jesus and the Father to the world.

    Disciples reveal the Father in the world.

    Matthew 10:26–33 ESV
    26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
    In these messages, I am always bringing us back to the big picture.
    Because that is what Matthew also does in the way he tells the story.
    And it is what Jesus does in the way that He taught His disciples.
    God is restoring the world to Himself!
    Why is that important?
    When times are hard, we tend to focus on the problem.
    People don’t like me - they won’t listen to me.
    I thought ministry was going to be fun, but its really hard!
    I don’t have time and energy to share about Jesus, I’m just trying to survive.
    The tendency is going to be to spend our effort just trying to make it in this world - but it was never about this world!
    This world is passing away!
    But the fact that God loves you never changes!
    Even death is not ultimate! - there are worse things than death.

    What is a disciple’s ultimate goal?

    Remind yourself of what you learned when you encountered Jesus - it opened up a whole new perspective and showed you who you are.
    That knowledge and experience should have reshaped you whole outlook.
    It’s not about you anymore.
    You are part of something much bigger than yourself.
    You are part of a movement - what God is doing in the earth.
    It’s new creation - total restoration - transformation of the world and everything in it.
    God created the world good - and He is restoring it to goodness.
    God loves the world, that is why He gave Himself for it.
    Being formed in the Image of Christ means being restore to goodness and love.

    A disciple loves God more than life.

    Matthew 10:34–39 ESV
    34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
    Ok so how can this be good!?
    Jesus said, “I have come to bring, not peace, but a sword!”
    In other words “ God’s plans are for good, but its not going to come without a fight.”
    When the world is accustomed to turning a blind eye toward, and someone comes and exposes evil for what it is, people tend to hate the messenger!
    Nobody likes a wise-guy even if they are telling the truth!
    This is where it can be really hard to be a disciple of Jesus.
    What if being a follower of Jesus and telling the truth puts you against a member of your own family?
    You expect you family to have your back, even if you are wrong.
    Ok then, are you or are you not a child of God?
    Which family comes first?
    You are going to have to settle that question as a follower of Jesus.
    Remember the people who wanted to follow Him, but didn’t want to give up their own space or their own priorities? - did they make the twelve?
    What does it mean for you to love God?
    Do you only love God when times are good?
    Do you only love God when you like what God is saying or doing?
    Do you only love God when its popular and it makes you look good?
    Is that the way that God showed His love for you?
    Is that what Jesus demonstrated when he carried the cross?
    Then what does it really mean to follow Him?
    If you are going to follow Christ, what makes you thing that you will not also have a cross to bear?
    DO you know why Jesus carried that cross? What was His reward?
    Hebrews 12:2 LBP
    2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards; and now he sits in the place of honor by the throne of God.
    His reward was you!
    Your salvation and redemption!
    And now our reward is Him.

    A disciple’s reward is God Himself.

    Matthew 10:40–42 ESV
    40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
    The reward is God Himself.
    His goodness.
    His love.
    Creation the way it was meant to be.
    Each of us finding fulfillment in becoming who we were meant to be.
    So when someone receives our message, its not about us, its about them becoming who they were meant to be.
    And we can rejoice with them, because we know just how important that is.
    When someone speaks for God (that’s what a prophet does) and we support them in their task, we share in their joy!
    God is being revealed to the world - its all coming together!
    When someone does what is right, even though many people are against them, we recognize the truth in what they are doing or saying and we see God at work!
    Yes, the world is a rough and dangerous place for followers of Jesus, but we are constantly getting glimpses of God at work in and through His people.
    The Kingdom of God is breaking out and breaking through despite all that the powers of evil bring against it.
    And that is our reward - not that it’s going to be fun or easy, but that no matter how hard it gets - nothing can stop what God is doing.
    If we die fighting, we still win - we get to be with Jesus that much sooner!
    Jesus says that this revelation is like a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul.
    It’s refreshing.
    It’s encouraging.
    It’s life giving.
    Sometimes we just need to be reminded.
    Give someone that perspective, and their reward will be yours as well.

    Questions for reflection:

    Are you a modern-day disciple? have you committed to following Christ? Have you answered His call? Where or to whom is Jesus sending you to represent Him? How is that going?
    Have you found that being a disciple is not as easy as you thought? Remember that Jesus told us it would be like that. You can rely on His Spirit to give you what you need. I pray He will refresh your spirit and renew your perspective.
    What if your focus was not so much on the task but on God Himself? How has Jesus revealed the Father to you? What do you see God doing? Where is the Kingdom of God breaking through? How is God transforming you?

      • Galatians 4:19ESV

      • Matthew 10:1–4ESV

      • Matthew 10:5–13ESV

      • Acts 1:8ESV

      • Matthew 10:14–20ESV

      • Psalm 81:10ESV

      • Psalm 81:10ESV

      • Psalm 81:10ESV

      • Matthew 10:21–25ESV

      • John 15:18ESV

      • Romans 8:28ESV

      • Matthew 11:27ESV

      • Matthew 10:26–33ESV

      • Matthew 10:34–39ESV

      • Hebrews 12:2ESV

      • Matthew 10:40–42ESV

  • Down At The Cross
Spring City Fellowship
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https://springcityfellowship.com
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