As the Father has sent me, so I send you

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."- John 20:19‭-‬23 ESV

Dr. Kyuboem Lee

This is the story immediately after the resurrection. It seems apt that we look at this after Easter. Now Jesus is risen... now what? What is your purpose or mission? Why are you in this city (Philly)? This is a key passage for answering these questions.

Let's start at the beginning of the story. God creates Adam. This is in Genesis chapter 2. God sculpts Adam from clay. Just like an artist takes a boulder or babe clay and brings out the likeness of a human being. But after the artist is done, it is still rock or clay. But God, he breathes into the clay and Adam comes to life. Then what? God gives Adam the woman, Eve. He gives them work in the garden. They have a specific place. They are to love one another and love God.

So it is with us. God have given us a specific place to work for Him. He calls us to love those around us and love God. Consider that Jesus, in this passage breathes on his disciples. And he sends or calls them.

What happened just before this passage? Mary has told the disciples that Jesus is risen. They had heard, but they were afraid. Don't despise then for their fear. Their world has been turned upside down. Their leader, Jesus was arrested and before they knew it, Jesus was dying on the cross. They were afraid of the religious leaders and authorities. They were hiding.

Doesn't that characterize many of our actions and reactions? We make so many decisions to avoid failure. We fight changes so that we can worship with the praise music style we prefer. We want ministry that addresses our needs and our demographics.

So God tells us again and again. Do not be afraid. God is saying, "I've got this." So God sends them out and says, "I will be with you till the end of the age." God will be with us on this mission.

Adam and Eve sinned and were sent out of the garden. So it is with us, we are reminded that this is a broken and dangerous world. Mass shootings and violence. The first church had plenty of things to fear as well. They went out into the world as God sent and paid the price. They were beaten, persecuted, threatened, and some even killed for their faith. But they made disciples and kept the faith.

Jesus breathes a new life into the disciples. Just as God breathed life into Adam. Jesus is making a new creation with the Holy Spirit. Every believer is never alone. Jesus is giving the Holy Spirit, the power that resurrected Him. He gives this so that they would be resurrected. So it is with Jesus' disciples. For those who are addicts, people who can't handle their anger, people who have themselves... Jesus can give us new life. The timeline may be days or years, but that is the path of the believer. Each one of us can testify to that. Ezekiel 37 speaks to the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. Dry and dead bones with no hope of life... come to life.

So what happens after the Holy Spirit comes into our lives? We need to adjust our lives. What are we supposed to do? We are to look for how God is moving and work with Him. But we don't like change. God brought persecution to the first church and the disciples were scattered. They had to get used to new neighbors. They continued to share about Jesus and so continued to grow the church and bring people to salvation.

There are people who are called halfway across the world. They get new neighbors, new cultural context. But what of those who remain behind? What about the church that has sent? They are also of the same purpose. They are to share the gospel and live out their lives. We are called to incarnational ministry. Jesus didn't just send a message, a text, an email, or a podcast. He came down to us. God came and moved into the neighborhood. We are called to the same. We are to be a good presence, a good neighbor, a life lived out in love. This is how we can earn the opportunity to share about Jesus.

Jesus is not coming for the nice Christians. He isn't here for those in the Christians and those on the inside. Jesus is moving out towards the outcasts. He doesn't move towards the powerful. He turns away a young prince who wished to follow Him. Instead, He seeks out the prostitute, the uneducated fisherman, the unclean lepers, and the tax collectors. Those who were hated and despised. Jesus moves towards ones such as these.

God calls us to uncomfortable places like this. He calls us to people who are in need and in difficult situations. How should we approach this? We need to remember what Jesus has done for us. We need to remember that the Holy Spirit is with us. We need not fear. Listen to God and be challenged, be called to difficult things, difficult people, & situations.

Not a fan, but a follower

"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.  "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.  "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.  "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'  And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'  "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."  And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.- Matthew 7:12‭-‬29 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Do not presume that you are a Christian. This is not a question we should gloss over. Even those who have been walking with God for many years should stop and check. Sin so easily misleads and blinds us. It is easy to be a fan of Jesus. To admire the miracles, the theology, the teachings... but this isn't enough to be counted as a disciple. We cannot afford to be wrong about this.

Two paths

The way is narrow and few enter. The narrowness of the Christian life is spoken this way by Jesus: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." There is only one path to salvation. Additionally, "the way is hard" speaks to the difficulties of following Jesus. He spoke truth and not out to win any popularity contest. The first generation of disciples literally died for their faith. We may not be called to lay down our very lives, but we are called to daily lay down our lives for Christ. We need to make sure that we are living out our lives according to what Jesus desires. Following Christ will bring hardship and difficulties in this life.

Two trees

Here are two trees that look very similar. It's hard to tell at first which ones are healthy. False prophets are dressed in sheep's clothing. It is hard to tell at first. But it takes time to tell... We have to look at the fruit. It is more than being doctrinally and theologically sound. It is more than doing miracles in Jesus name. These things cannot be used to verify salvation. Busyness and the level of activity is not enough. The religious leaders of that day were very busy.
Passion and zeal isn't enough either. We can be passionate about social justice but not for Jesus.

So then how do we figure out someone's spiritual state? It is character. Over the course of time, we cannot fake character. The fruits of the Spirit will be found all at once. If someone is patient with no self control, then we have to wonder. Not that all the fruits are big, but they are there in some measure. This is the marks of an authentic disciple. It cannot be faked over time.

Two houses

The two houses look the same. The difference is the foundation. What is the difference? Obedience. Two church goers hear the same sermon. They go to the same Bible study. Then they go home and apply it. This is not sinless obedience but rather a "sin less" obedience. No man enters the kingdom by obedience, but no man enters the kingdom without obedience.

Trials and temptations reveal us like the storms that visit these two houses. Prosperity is a trial. What happens to our Christian walk when we get what we want? The authentic believer follows the words of Jesus not out of fear of judgement, but because of who Jesus is. He is the one who left his heavenly home for us. He hung on a tree for us. He spoke of the hard and narrow way, but those are just words. He walked the hard and narrow way. Believers walk the hard and narrow way because they love Jesus.

Ask Your Father

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.  Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!- Matthew 7:7‭-‬11 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

Each of our sermons in this series on the Sermon on the Mount is not just a call for outward conforming to some behavior, but a change of inward character that brings us closer to the character of Christ.

Ask, seek, and knock

We are told to pray for God's aid. We are invited to pray and ask. This is not a guilt trip. The tone is not forcing the believer to pray but rather a friendly invitation.

We need to consider this call to prayer in the context of the passage. God is our heavenly father. He does no wrong. He loves us. He is omniscient and omnipotent. God will do us good. This is the backdrop of the invitation.

And this is not limited to spiritually strong. God answers everyone. Not just pastors or overseas missionaries. We can all pray and receive an answer.

Are you a child of God? Then you have been received into the family of God at the price of God's own beloved son. We have already received the most costly gift from God. Why would he withhold any good thing from us? The cross tells us that any thing is no problem... It is no big deal. Because our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus. The big deal has already been handled.

What prayer will God fulfill? Ask for God's kingdom to come and for God's will to be done. God will answer prayers for spiritual harvest and salvation. God will answer calls to equip and mature the church, the body of Christ. God will answer these prayers in the affirmative.

Freed by Faith from the Weight of Worry

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,  yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.- Matthew 6:25‭-‬34 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Worry, anxiety, and depression is a common malady in this day and age. It even afflicts our children. Singles worry about finding a significant other. Married couples worry about fertility, sustaining their marriages. Parents worry about their children. Their schooling being sufficient. Them not being bullied or picked on.

Reasons not to worry

Worrying makes no impact on our situation. It does not change circumstances. Worrying about your life does not extend it, it actually shortens your life. Worry comes from a word that originally meant strangling. Anxiety comes from German, a word that meant a tightening feeling in the chest.

Jesus tells us not to worry. He points out that God takes care of birds. God cares more about us than birds. He points out how well dressed flowers are which are so ephemeral.  This does not mean that we need not work. We do still need to work, but need not be anxious about it. But even more than that, Jesus died not for the birds or the flowers of the field, but for us. If our heavenly Father took care of our eternal needs, how could he overlook anything?

God knows what we need and will provide it. What we need and what we want are two very different things. God will take care of our needs.

The root of worry

Jesus says we don't need to worry because we have a heavenly father. So if we are constantly living in anxiety, then we are living as an orphan. Then we are living as if it were us alone scraping out a life. We are living as functional atheists. Jesus says our lives are not than just food and clothing. Living only for this life is pagan living. It is about living your best life now.

If you don't live for heavenly treasure, then you are living for something earth bound. And as we covered previously, all these things can be lost. We will succumb to anxiety.

If there is no God, then everything is up to you. It is just random events. And you are trying to control all these things in your life. If you lose sight of the King, you will end up trying to be king.

We should remember that the opposite of worry is passivity. That is not to be commended. We are not to just ignore everything. We should be rightly concerned about some things. We should not take it easy about everything. We are not to be completely passive nor overly concerned.

Concern yourself most with the true treasure. To know Christ and treasure Him. All gifts, blessings, and pleasures in this life ultimately point to Him. Loving Jesus properly will bring our disorganized loves into line. Seeking Jesus and his kingdom first will ensure that God is King in our lives. Not only is this King all powerful, but He also loves us. Not only does he wear a crown, he wore a crown of thorns for me.

"The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith. The beginning of faith is the end of anxiety." - George Mueller

Redirect our energy

Jesus does not promise a trouble free life. He does promise to be with us. Worriers are visionaries minus the optimism. Take that energy and apply it to the troubles of today.

"I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of the year to a great bundle of sticks, far too large for us to lift. But God does not require us to carry the whole bundle at once. He mercifully unties the bundle, and gives us first one stick which we are to carry today, and then another, which we are to carry tomorrow. We can easily manage our troubles, if we would only carry the trouble appointed for each day. But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday's burden today, and then add the burden of tomorrow." - John Newton

PEACE, an acronym to help us apply this in our lives

Pray
Express your worries to God
Ask if you're prioritized the wrong kingdom or playing king
Claim his promises
Engage today's troubles

God and money

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,  but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!  "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.- Matthew 6:19‭-‬24 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

How should we relate to money? Jesus speaks more about money than sex, hell, etc. It is addressed in the majority of His parables. God cares about how we handle money, how we spend it, save it, budget it. Money can be a powerful force in your life whether for good or evil.

How to invest money

They didn't have banking institutions in Jesus day. They held wealth in possessions. It was a cloak, grain stores, and precious metals/gems. Today's day is different. We get paid by direct deposit and hold money in the bank and retirement accounts. We might not even use cash anymore. But God's wisdom still applies. You cannot take any of these things with you. To handle your money as if there is only this life is foolishness.

So then what is the wise way to handle money? We are to lay up heavenly treasure. What is this treasure? Is it a heavenly dwelling? Some perfect place? It is not. Our treasure is Jesus. He will be our joy and satisfaction. What does this mean? It means that we will treasure what Jesus treasures. We will make his kingdom first. Sharing the gospel. Our financial advisors tell us to invest for what should happen in 30 years. Jesus tells us to plan for 30,000 years... And off into eternity. It is wise to save. But our priority should be for eternity, not here and now.

Should all rich Christians just sell all their possessions and become poor? No, let's look at Paul's letter.

"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."- 1 Timothy 6:17‭-‬19 ESV

To be rich is a blessing and they are called to be humble and to spend this wealth in good works. Their riches are to be shared in light of heaven. Luke speaks of how to handle our money for God

He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.  And he called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'  And the manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.  I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.'  So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  He said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.  And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. - Luke 16:1‭-‬9 ESV

When we need money and resources for good works, do not hem and haw. Those who have money need to put their treasure in heaven. It is good to give them the opportunity to support missions and invest in the kingdom.

How money reveals

If you look at your checkbook (monthly expenses), it reveals a lot about you. Consider when you say that you don't have time for something, it's not true. It is a question of value. We don't value what activity or person. We will make time for what is important. We will save money, but for what? What will we splurge on? Food, clothes, comfort?

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.- 2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV

What will we cheerful spend money on? Most especially if it is not to advance the kingdom of God. This will show us what we treasure more than Jesus. It reveals our true priorities.

HW: go over your finances (with wife) and consider what they say about your priorities

How to be a steward of money and not a slave to it

Our eyes direct us. If our eyes are fixed on money and earthly things, then they are dark. If we only consider money in decision making, then we are overlooking our spiritual gifts, our families, and our strengths. This is the slave mentality. There are many who think they are serving God, but they are serving money. So then what is the remedy? We need each other to help us see this sin in our lives. We need the church to point out our blindspots in regards to handling money.

HW: take the assessment for above and share it with someone who will help you stay accountable and investing in kingdom priorities.

The trustworthiness of God

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion! May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans! May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. O Lord , save the king! May he answer us when we call.- Psalms 20:1‭-‬9 ESV

Pastor Travis Drake

How committed is God? Forever, till eternity. What extent will he go? Through torture and death. God is trustworthy because of the cross.

Who will we trust? In what will we trust? We are at war and our enemies are sin, Satan, and death. They are out to destroy us. Sin is not looking out for your good.

Are your finances under attack? Are your relationships under strain? Does your health feel like it is disintegrating? Is your mental health under pressure? God is there. He remembers us and fights for us. His people are under His protection.

But this isn't a magical incantation. God does not always deliver on our timeline. He does not always answer in what we would consider a timely manner. Sometimes we'll see God act on this life and in other cases, we might not see deliverance under we awake in heaven.

Who or what are you trusting in today?

1. Take a self assessment. (What is making you tense, anxious, and angry? This helps reveal what you are trusting in.)
2. Share of how God has helped us through tough times. Share of how God revealed himself or encouraged or matured us.

For the Audience of one

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.  "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  Pray then like this:  "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread,  and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,  but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,  that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.- Matthew 6:1‭-‬18 ESV

Rev. Charles Han

We are all careful about impression management. We want others to think us clever, intelligent, assertive, kind, loving, etc. Jesus confronts religious righteousness that is more about impressions than God.

The futility of seeking people's approval

There is no reward for those who practice righteousness for appearances. This is not to say that we should avoid all public service. We are not called to never publicly pray. So do we show good works or not? We are to show righteousness so as to glorify God. As a old Scottish theologian said, "when we are tempted to hide, we should show. When we are tempted to show, we should hide."

Giving, praying, and fasting as singled out as practices to consider. The religious leaders who performed these acts were called hypocrites. This Greek term, hypocrite, was a reference to actors. These acts were a show put on for the audience, the people. The motive behind giving is often for our personal acclaim. Prayer is often for ourselves rather than God. We spend more time considering our words rather than God to whom the prayer is addressed.

Jesus doesn't just say this is wrong. He says that those who seek these things have had their reward in full. Wait, what? Jesus is saying that if all these people want is people's approval, then they will have this fleeting reward. Here's trying to say that we are missing out on a greater award...

Seeking God's approval

What does it mean to not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing? It means "don't congratulate yourself." Be self forgetful. Do good to the poor and don't pat yourself on the back.

Doing good quietly without the clamor of acclaim is what we should desire. There is a large difference between praying to be seen and being seen praying. We know.

What is the drive? Jesus appeals to our self desire for reward. Our Father in heaven will reward us. And this reward will be greater. Jesus does not condemn reward seeking... He condemns shallow and fleeting rewards. What is the nature of this reward from God? Is it better circumstances in life? Money? No, the reward cannot be mercenary. This reward is more joy in God. We will receive more of God and we will find more satisfaction in Him. As God gives more of himself, the more we will be freed from seeking men's approval.

The path to satisfaction in God

Notice that Jesus assumes that Christians give to the needy, pray, and fast. This is the essential list for Christians. But this is not where our church is. We are not concerned with deep spiritual fellowship with God. We are not concerned with religious image management at all.

Prayer changes us. We have a set of sermons on our website, search for the Lord's prayer. Adoration, submission, petition, confession & aspiration are the components of the Lord's prayer. Firstly, we are to glorify God's name. It is first and foremost in our prayers. Our reward is the lifting up of God's name. Next, we are submitting ourselves to God's desire. Then we bring our needs to God, even the smallest need. It comes halfway in the prayer so that we ask God to provide for our needs rather than fuel our greed. Lastly, we confess our need to change.

Application

Grow in the depth of your praying. In order to weave prayer more firmly in our lives, we should use the Lord's prayer in reading our Bibles. Look for how your daily passage calls us to glorify God. Consider how the passage calls us to submit to God. Look for how the passage meets needs. Lastly, look for how the passage calls us to confess sin.

What are your habits? We spend half of our waking hours in habitual ways. We run on autopilot. Where are our habits leading us? Are we feeding and growing our souls? Or are our habits starving our souls? Let us fight for our spiritual flourishing.