"Just Do It!" - Luke 10:1-11

When God calls, you don’t ask, "Why me, Lord?" You simply say, "Yes, Lord," and wait for God to reveal his plan.

Copyright Disclaimer:
The owners of all media in this production have granted permission and hold the copyright: shiftworship.com, epidemicsound.com, CCLI 20811957 / CVLI 20811964, and Artlist.io. This production is not being monetized in any way.

Thanks for listening. Be sure to visit cedarstreet.org for more information.

Listen to more audio sermons HERE.

Connect with us HERE.

E-mail us at info@cedarstreet.org

FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE

Transcript

Copy Transcript Copied

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Wow. What can I say? You know, that was heartfelt, it really was. Um I've mentioned so many even this morning that this church has given me opportunities. Opportunities to minister that I would have never received anywhere else. Um this church ordained me to be a minister, and that's what we're gonna go out and do. This church has supported us in so many ways. Anytime I brought something forth to this church, you've been nothing but supportive. Not one time has anyone ever said, no, Jim, that's a stupid idea. No, Jim, you can't do it. It's always been, yes, we're gonna support you in this. And and and I just don't know how to say thank you. I really don't, because you guys are so special and you always will be. But this is not a goodbye. This is I'll see you later. Okay, it's good. We'll be back. We'll be visiting. Okay, I told Bo this morning, never say never. I'm not gonna say that this is our last time to preach here. Who knows? Right? Only God knows. Um, on that note, I just I just want to to make one thing, well, a lot of things clear. There have been so many misunderstandings over the last X amount of weeks, okay? I have heard everything from, oh, so you're going back to Papua New Guinea. No, we're not planning on going back to Papua New Guinea. I I I heard this morning, I was told that you're gonna go down the road and open up a new church. No, we're not gonna go down the road and open up a new church, okay? What we are doing is we are leaving to go to Alberton, Georgia. Why Alberton? Because everybody needs a place to call home. Okay, we went back with our daughter, we've been partnering with our daughter and son-in-law for 16 years, and I was shocked when they told me that they want to continue to partner together. I figured by now they'd want to leave us. Okay, and they said, let's so we went in together and we bought some property in Elverton, has two houses, so that's gonna be home base for us. And uh home base meaning we don't know exactly where the Lord's gonna send us. Okay, we're gonna definitely stay involved in Costa Rica. We're going there for two months, we're gonna welcome some teams, and we're gonna see exactly what the Lord has planned for us. But what we're trying to do is we're leaving the RV park unhampered. Okay, unhampered, so the Lord can use us for ministry. And wherever that is, we're gonna say, yes, Lord, here I am, send me. Okay, we'll keep you guys updated. But uh, so understand that we are definitely being sent for full-time ministry. At this point in time, we don't know if there's gonna be a specific place. Okay, so that being said, my message this morning, get a drink. Uh my message this morning is a titled Just Do It. Okay, and I think you'll understand why I say that when I finish this morning. I've always shared that with the church, I've shared multiple times with you guys how the Lord has always directed my path, how he's planted our steps, how he took us to exotic locations. He challenged us so many times to step outside the boat, put us in places that we did not necessarily choose to go, and he forced us to fully 100% rely on him. I have shared with this church how the Lord has allowed us to prosper, how the Lord has directed us at times to give it all up, how the Lord has put us in third world countries. Sometimes we had plenty and sometimes we had very little. But there's one thing I've learned the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. I've always stated that if the Lord calls, I will answer the call. Here I am, Lord, right? Here I am, send me. But I gotta tell you, I gotta confess, honestly, I really thought that those days were behind me. I kind of secretly thought that maybe retirement would be white sandy beach on a Caribbean island somewhere. But then something happened that I didn't really expect. We were living our lives comfortably at an RV park building a business, and we always considered that our ministry. I've shared with you many times the amazing things that take place out there, the lives that have changed. But we truly felt, not just Shelly and I, but my daughter and son-in-law, we all felt the Lord was truly saying, it's time to leave. It's time to get back on mission. Boy. I took a deep breath and said, Lord, what exactly does that mean? And he basically said, You're not done. I'm not. Lord, what exactly does that mean? And I truly felt like God saying, go out and preach to the lost. Go out and share the gospel, go make disciples, go out and win the victory, go out and fight the enemy. That's what I felt the Lord telling us to do. So I went to Shelly and I said, Shelly, I've really been praying about this, and I went to Julie and Andy. And I wasn't surprised at all when the answer came back. We felt the same thing. We've heard the Lord telling us the very same thing. Folks, that's confirmation. God was saying it's time to move on. There was no question at all in our mind that building a business, being content, living a lifestyle of leisure, having abundance is soon coming to an end. God is making it clear that the time is short. This is for you guys, not just me. Time is short. The harvest is plentiful, the workers are few, and it's time to get back to work. So, Lord, what exactly does that mean? I'm sorry to say, but I don't know. I don't know. But I do know one thing, Ephesians 4, 1 tells us, therefore, I, Paul, a prisoner of serving the Lord, beg you, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling. For you have been called by God. We felt that calling. And this time it was a little bit different. We just feel called to be ministering somewhere, somehow. Time is short. So what's the point? The point is this when God calls, you don't ask, why me, Lord. You simply say, yes, Lord, and wait for God to reveal his plan. We don't know what that plan is yet, but we know we've been called. But I do know this. It's not our first rodeo. Okay, we don't go in fear, we don't doubt. I'm not trying to find a way out. Rather, I am super excited about this next chapter in our life. Remember when Jesus looked at Peter and said, Peter, follow me. What did Peter say? He didn't ask why, he didn't ask what. He didn't hesitate. He said, Yes, Lord. And he followed Jesus. So what exactly did Jesus mean when he said, follow me? For that answer, I'm gonna ask you to turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 10. If you're able, you can stand. We're gonna be reading the first 11 verses of chapter 10. If you have a pew Bible, please turn to page 1031 in your pew Bible. And I think this is gonna answer the question of exactly what did Jesus mean when he said, Come follow me. Luke 10, verses 1 through 11. The Lord now chose 72 other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places that he visited. These were his instructions to them. The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest. Ask him to send more workers into his field. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don't take any money with you, nor a traveler's bag, nor an extra pair of sandals, and don't stop to greet anyone on the road. Whenever you enter someone's home, first say, May God's peace be in this house. If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand. If they are not, the blessing will return to you. Verse 7. Don't move around from home to home, stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don't hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay. If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. Heal the sick, and tell them the kingdom of God is near. But if a town refuses to welcome you, go into the streets and say, We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this the kingdom of God is near. Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word. Lord, we have felt a call. And Lord, you have not totally revealed where, but you just said, be obedient because great things are coming. Father, you've told us the time is short. Father, you've warned us that there may be trials and tribulations and new experiences ahead, and we look to those with eagerness and we accept that challenge. And Lord, I am just grateful for this church, for them sending us. And Lord, we are just fully anticipating amazing things to be done with you and through you. Lord, we love you and we thank you. In Christ's name. Amen. Okay, understand in these passages, folks, that these were not Jesus' twelve disciples. Okay, these were laymen that Jesus wrote this to. They were regular followers and believers. They had no special talents, they had no real education, they had no degree, they just had an obedience. An obedience to follow Jesus Christ. So I ask you, what can we anticipate when we receive that call from God? Let me repeat that. What can you and I anticipate when God says go? Well, a call from God first means to pray. Verse 2 says, pray to the Lord of the harvest and ask him to send workers. Folks, when was the last time you got on your knees? I mean on your knees, and prayed to God and said, Here I am, Lord. Lord, where is the biggest need? Lord, I'm yours. Lord, send me. When was the last time you sat still and just listened to what God had to say to you? You know, sometimes we don't for different reasons. Sometimes we don't because we're fearful of what God might tell us to do. Sometimes we're fearful of our ability or in some cases lack thereof. Sometimes we're fearful to get out of our comfort zone. And sometimes we're fearful of going to the unknown, places that are unfamiliar. Where would you send me, Lord? What would you have me do, Lord? Would it mean having to move? Is that what it means? Would it mean having to give up the things that I love? My home? My community? My church? My family? 1 Thessalonians says we are to pray without ceasing. The question is, are you willing to do that? Are you willing to truly listen to what God is calling you to do? Time is short. Are you willing to say, here I am, Lord, send me? Yes. Yes. The Lord is calling every one of us to pray. The Lord wants us to seek Him and know His will for our lives. The Lord is looking to send workers out into the harvest. But let me warn you, do not go off half-cocked. Please. Bo touched on that a couple weeks ago. Get confirmation. Pray. Let others reveal to you. Know the Lord's will for your life. Do not make any major decision without spending time in prayer. Please. Romans 12, 2 says, then, right, after you pray, then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is. His good and pleasing and perfect will. So first, a call from God means to pray. Second, a call from God means to go. Verse 3A simply says, now go. You know, I was recently asked by a brother in here recently, how do you know God is calling you to go? And I shared with him, I said, you know, when I was in Honduras many, many years ago, I was on a short-term trip, and uh and I was there, and God was just tugging at me. And there were times, right about that time I was at the at the Christian camp having an amazing ministry, and God is tugging. And I went to Honduras, and one night I went out to pray just by myself, and I'm sitting in total darkness, and I felt like God's saying, it's time. It's time, Jim, that you you get on the field because I don't want you to camp. That was tough. I mean, I loved my camp. Well, I immediately got on the phone and I called Shelly. And I said, Shelly, you wouldn't believe what just happened. And she said, I know exactly what happened. We're going on the mission field. And I'm like, whoa. And she says, I know. She says, I've been praying. Folks, that's confirmation. I got home from that trip, and uh I was having a board meeting in two weeks with a board of directors, and two weeks later I resigned from my position from Rock River Christian Camp. And they asked me, they said, Where are you going? I don't know. When are you going? I don't know. Where are you going? I don't know. What are you gonna be doing? I don't know. Why are you doing this, Jim? You know, you have you don't have any answers, why are you doing this? And I said it's in it's simple because God said so. God called me. And I know that sounds totally ridiculous, doesn't it? I mean, who in the right mind would pray about something, go back, and quit an amazing job without having any plan at all? I would. If God told me, I would. And we felt that call. And that's exactly what took place recently with us. Don't know. But God said it's time. It's time to move. But folks, it takes faith. There's no question about that. And even a little bit of radical faith. But that's okay. Because I want you to think of Abraham. Okay, and you know what I'm gonna tell you, right? What did God tell Abraham, right? Go out and sacrifice your son. And Abraham had to think, this is nuts. But he went out and he started to do it. And what did God say? No, Abraham, that's okay. And in Genesis 15, 6, Abraham believed the Lord, and God credited to him as righteousness. When we're faithful to God, we're being righteous. 2 Corinthians 5, 7 says, we live by faith, not by sight. My question, folks, are we truly living by faith? Do we have the faith to know that God is in control? Do we have the faith to know that if God calls, I'm gonna raise my hand and say, yes, Lord. Even though you don't have all the details, God will figure it out. Are you really doing that? Are we living by faith, truly trusting God will direct us? Or are we just kind of going through the motion? You know, it's easy sometimes when you feel God's telling you to do something, like buy a new truck. God told me, right? Take a vacation. Oh, I love when God tells me to do that. You know? Or go out and treat yourself to something special, or even give money to someone in need. Boy, but when he's telling you to do something radical, when it's totally outside the plan, people think you're crazy. I remember back in 1987, Shelly and I decided to give our life to full-time Christian ministry. We were on top of the world. We had jobs that were bringing us six figures back in the 80s. That was a lot of money. And we gave it all up to take a job paying $150 a week at a children's home. I went back and I talked to my family. They thought I went off the deep end. They truly did. You know, they said, Do you have any idea how much money you're giving up? Of course, they're thinking money. They kept asking, how foolish could you be? You couldn't possibly be in your right mind. Well, we continue to have more discussions. And they said, What led you to do this? Same answer. God said. God said, they said, okay, that's it. That's the fun. Next week, you're going to see a psychiatrist. Okay, I mean, this is it. I mean, this is that. So the moral of the story, folks, if God calls you to do something totally out of the box, if you feel like you're stepping out of the boat and God calls you to do something radical, don't listen to your non-Christian family and friends. They're going to be thinking about the money. They're going to be thinking about the comforts of life. They're going to be thinking about conveniences. They're not going to be thinking about the things of God. It's not capable. They're not capable of doing it. But can I give you a piece of advice? Answer the call and be obedient to God. If he says, do it. So first, a call from God means you pray. A call from God means you go. And third, a call from God means there will be trials. Verse 3B says, I'm sending you out as lambs among wolves. Have you been there? God sent us to an island out in the South Pacific, a small tiny little island. He said, Go out and build a translation center. So we got on the plane and we went to this little island with the hopes of building a translation center. We arrived and were we surprised. They had a thing there, and I understand in these parts of the world, there's a lot of animism. They believe in spirits and spiritualism and curses. Well, they have a plant, it's a red plant, it's called a tamboo plant. And when they put this tamboo plant up, it means stay out. Okay, it's to keep away evil spirits and it's to keep away people. We arrived at our job site, and the entire job site was surrounded by tamboo. Wow. So what do you do? Okay? Well, we prayed about it. We spent about the first 24 hours praying for the Lord. What are we supposed to do, Lord? And we finally realized that we're just facing a spiritual battle. Right? So we crossed the tamboo and nothing happened. Okay, we were not cursed, everything was fine. But we realized that this is no longer a physical project. This became a spiritual war. Well, to make a long story short, at the end of those ten days, we found seven youth who were working on this, we're supposed to work on this project. We adopted them, took them into our homes, fed them, ministered to them. At the end of the 10 days, five of those seven were baptized and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Folks, not everyone wants to hear what you have to say. Understand that. In fact, some people will get downright mad and angry. And others will actually pick up weapons and use it against you. That's another story. But do not fear. 2 Corinthians 10, 4. Our weapons are not man-made. Rather, they are powerful weapons from God to tear down strongholds. That's what we went in for. Their weapons meant nothing. We had God on our side. Amen. So what do you do? What do you do during a spiritual battle? Well, Joshua 1.9 tells us to be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, for the Lord goes with you. Philippians 4.13 says, I can do anything, all things, through Christ who gives me strength. And Isaiah 40, 31 says, We will run and not grow weary. Yes, folks, you may very well be sent out, a lamb among wolves, and you will face trials, and you will face persecution and you will face battles. But understand this with Jesus, we can do anything. Anything. So first, a call from God means to pray. A call from God means go. It means trials. Fourth, a call from God means trust. Verse 4 says, don't take any money with you, nor a travel bag, nor an extra pair of sandals, and don't stop to greet anyone. Whoa. Have you thought about that? That's pretty harsh. They were not to be distracted, is what they're saying here, folks. This is what it means. You know, don't be distracted by material things. Don't carry a bag or a sack or sandals. Trust God to provide. Understand this, please. When you go, trust God. He will provide. You don't need to bring anything. He will provide for all your needs. He also told them, do not be distracted by individuals. Don't greet anyone along the road. That sounds kind of crazy, doesn't it? I hear I'm out to minister, but don't talk to anyone. Right? What he's really trying to say is don't let anyone destroy your ministry. Don't let anyone talk you out of this. Don't let anyone get in your way, like my family who thought I was nuts. Okay? I wasn't going to let them get in my way. And that's what he's saying. Don't be distracted. If God calls you, understand it's God's calling and don't let someone talk you out of it. Because non-Christians and people who don't stand for Christ will do that. In other words, stay focused on the task and rely on God. Which brings me to the next question. Have you ever been 100% reliant upon God? I mean 100%. You didn't know where your next meal was coming from. You didn't know where your next paycheck was coming from. 100% reliant upon God. Let me tell you something. When you're there, strange things begin to happen. Really strange things. Financial needs are suddenly met. You don't know how, but they are. Letters come in the mail from people you least expect. You're given things that you've been praying for. I remember the time I was filling a commitment that I made to an organization, and I'm praying, Lord, I need $200. And I had no idea where this $200. You might have asked for $2,000 back in those days. I just didn't have it. Right? And I'm 100% relying on God and it's not there. And I'm saying, Lord, what am I going to do? I made this promise. Lord, you've got to help me fulfill it. Went out to the mailbox and had a letter from my insurance company. And I thought, just what I need, a bill. I open up that letter and it said, Jim, Mr. Savage, we have overcharged you $199. And here's a check. That doesn't happen, folks. That's not reality. Insurance company does not give you money. They don't overcharge exact amount I needed, except for $1. Philippians 4.19 says, and my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. Folks, we've been there. We have had plenty and we've had little. We've been in both positions. But let me tell you, having to trust God is the best place to be. Understand that, please. Okay, let's wrap this up. A call from God means you pray, means you go, there will be trials, you better learn to trust, and finally, a call from God means discernment. And I want to just read one more time, verses 8 through 11 in my Bible here. It says, if you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you, heal the sick, and tell them the kingdom of God is near. But if the town refuses to welcome you, go into its streets and say, We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this the kingdom of God is near. Folks, these verses are so often taken out of context. So much. Okay. Understand, this here was a specific point at a specific time. Okay? The disciples were sent out here to what? To share the gospel of Jesus Christ and to prepare the people for the resurrection. Right? They had limited time, and they had a limited area that they were supposed to cover, and they had a specific mission. And their mission was to share the gospel. And it says, and if the people don't listen, move on and shake the dust off your feet. Folks, that is not, please understand this, that is not our calling. Okay, we are not called to shake the dust off our feet. We are called to be patient. We are called to love unconditionally. We must be willing to take time to build relationships, be willing to go the extra mile. Did you know that the average person needs to hear the gospel message seven times before they'll accept Christ? These disciples here in Luke just didn't have that privilege. They didn't have that time. It's not our calling, folks, to kick the dust off of our feet. We do not have permission to determine someone's fate. I mean, what did it say? Take the dust off your feet and leave them to their fate. Right? In other words, what they're saying, if you don't listen to me, go to hell. Right? That's what it's saying, because that's exactly where I'm sending you. We do not have that right. We are to take time, we are to make disciples, we are to build relationships, we are to spend time in prayer, we are to share the message, we are to understand, we are to sit down and talk, we are to forgive, we are to, you name it, just take time to be there and minister to these people, not kick the dust off our feet. That is a very, very powerful passage that cannot be taken out of context. And what happens if the person refuses to listen? What do you do? You don't shake the dust off your feet, you pray. And then you pray some more, and you continue to build relationships with that person. So, what am I trying to say? In a nutshell, is this when God calls you, be confident that he will provide for all your needs in his time, in his way, and for his purpose. Right? Let me say that one more time. When God calls, be confident that he will provide for all your needs in his time, in his way, and for his purpose. Proverbs 3, 5 and 6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Seek Him in all you do, and He will direct your path. Folks, I want to just close for a minute by talking about our one. Remember back in April when we had the one, we had this whole stage full of flower pots, and everybody was so excited, right? And people signed up, we took these pots and they went home. We're gonna try to have an opportunity for people to share exactly what they did with those pots. We just never did that. But let me tell you what I did. Okay, I took my pot home, and Monday morning rolled around and I didn't have time. That was a crazy day, and I didn't have time to take that pot to my one. My one, his name was Pat, and he lives at the RV Park. All right, well, Tuesday rolled around and said, Lord, you know what, this is gonna be the day. And I got up and sure enough, the Lord allowed me to do it. He took that pot and I went over to Pat and I knocked on Pat's door. Now, if you know Pat, you know the first thing he would say is, Gee, Jim, you look pretty stupid carrying around a pot. But he didn't. But he didn't. Pat looked at me and he said, Jim, he said, you are exactly what I need this morning. And I said, What's up, Pat? And he starts telling me about his daughter. He just got a phone call from his daughter yesterday, last night, and she's got a disease, and she's she's going paralyzed, and it's just a crippling disease. And and he was just struggling. He's in Georgia, she's in Vermont, and he said, Jim, I just need to talk to someone. So we sat down for the next hour and we talked, and he cried, and we prayed, and I encouraged. And you know what I didn't do? I didn't tell him he's a sinner in need of a savior. You know, I didn't I didn't share the gospel message with him. I just sat and I listened to what he had to say. And I ministered to him through encouragement and through prayer and through compassion. And folks, that is missions. That is ministry. And that is exactly what God has called Shelley and I to go do. Okay? And it doesn't necessarily mean that we're gonna go across the world, it doesn't mean we're gonna go across the country, it doesn't even necessarily mean you gotta go across town. Okay? That pot I carried a couple hundred yards to a man's house and ministered to him. And that's what God is calling each and every one of us to do. Time is short. He's saying, go out and minister. Accept the call. Go and touch a heart, touch a life, pray for someone, encourage someone, and be there for. Folks, that's ministry and that is missions. Let's pray. Father, thank you for this day. Father, thank you for an opportunity to share a few words. Lord, time is short. And Lord, you told us to go out and put our faith in you, put our trust in you, just to go that you'll take care of the details, just to go, you'll provide, just to go that we'll be okay, just to go, you'll tell us when and where, but just to obey you, Lord. And Father, that's my prayer for each and every one of us this morning that we could truly look at our inner selves and know and say, Lord, are you sending me? Lord, what would you have me do? Maybe not across the world, maybe not across the country, but just in my own backyard. Lord, what would you have me to do? Father, speak to each and every one of us this morning and make that abundantly clear. Father, I pray you'd speak to Shelley and I and continue to plant our steps. We've answered the call, Lord. Now we're just waiting for you to direct our path. And Lord, we are so excited about what's going to take place. Father, thank you. We love you, and we are just so grateful, and we are so full of anticipation of what you're gonna have us do next. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.