“Helping those who are far from God become committed followers of Jesus Christ from the Scenic City to the nations.”

Life Group Leader Guide

Sermon Text: Mark 3:13-21| Complementary Text: Matt. 9:35-10:4 Opening/Community: Ideas for beginning your Life Group ● Icebreaker: Come up with a fun and fitting question to help people get to know one another. ● Sing Together: BX Spotify Playlist ● Highs & Lows: What were the best and the most challenging parts of your week? ● Follow up: How did you apply what you learned from last week’s discussion in your life this week. ● God at work: How have you seen God at work this week? ● Prayer: Thank God for his character and the ways you've seen his faithfulness this week.

Sermon Review: Review and discuss the sermon together ● Main Point: ● Sermon Outline:

● What challenged you in the sermon to deepen your commitment as a follower of Christ?

Complementary Text: Additional material to help deepen your Life Group’s understanding of Scripture and become more committed followers of Christ.

Text: Matthew 9:35-10:4

Author & Date: Matthew/AD 50s or 60s

Audience: Jews

Theme of the Book: The Kingship of Jesus Christ

Immediate Context: The Calling of the Disciples

Main Point: Jesus delegated his authority

1 How does the sermon text complement this text?

The calling of the twelve disciples is significant to the church today because Christ continues to call disciples, believers who will serve and follow Him to the ends of the earth. Throughout the gospels, Jesus had already invited these men to follow Him, but now he was charging them with the task of proclaiming the gospel, and giving them his specific authority to cast out demons and preach the Word of God.

The account in Matthew prefaces Jesus’ specific instructions to the disciples as they went out into the villages to preach the Word. Mark tells us that took them on a mountain and commissioned them to serve Him there. Both accounts give us a list of the twelve men, pointing out by their description that some of these men were seemingly unlikely candidates to serve Jesus, and the Holy Spirit reveals to us who would betray Him, Judas Iscariot.

What does this passage teach us about God?

Jesus calls us to pray for workers in the harvest. -- Matt. 9:36-38.

Matthew’s gospel does not always follow a chronological order, but rather, a thematic order. The point here is that the specific call of the disciples in these verses refers to a specific commissioning to service. These men were being given authority by Jesus to do the work He had called them to do. Stuart Weber comments as follows:

Verse 1 is the summary of chapter 10. The key word is authority. This is the same authority Jesus demonstrated through his teaching in chapters 5-7 and through his miracles in chapters 8-9. The authority to exorcise demons and heal illnesses is a summary encompassing all of the other actions mentioned later in the discourse, including preaching (10:7,14,26-27) and resurrecting the dead (10:8).

The authority Jesus delegated here was also the authority with which he would commission his followers in 28:18-20. He continued to be personally involved in making bold fishers of men (4:19). There is one major difference, however. In chapter 10 Jesus commissioned his disciples to go to the lost sheep of Israel alone. In chapter 28 his commission is to go to the Gentiles ("all nations"). This is a critical difference in understanding Matthew. (Holman New Testament Commentary: Matthew)

David Platt takes the calling of the disciples and makes it personal for us as believers today. Previous verses in Matthew left out of the Mark account are very familiar: “When He saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.’ (Matt. 9:36-38).

Against the backdrop of this commissioning, we come to Matthew 10. Christ’s compassion for the lost sheep of Israel and the Gentile nations mingled into this crowd compelled him to commission his laborers and send them into the harvest. David Platt comments as follows:

At the end of chapter 9, Jesus mentions two main things that we must do with urgency. First, in light of the abundant harvest of people who are separated from God, Jesus beckons us to pray. He says, "Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest" (v. 38; emphasis added). Notice that Jesus doesn't say, "Here's the harvest, now go!" Instead, He says, "Here's the harvest, now pray." ...And when we pray, God will send us out in different ways to different places. For

2 some, this will simply mean going into the workplace, not simply to provide for your family, but also to spread the gospel. For others, this will mean being a part of a church plant in an area that's difficult to reach with the gospel. Still for others, this will mean going to live with an unreached people group. Jesus beckons us to pray to the Lord of the harvest for the glorious goal of spreading His gospel to the whole world. (Christ-Centered Exposition: Matthew)

Christ delegates his authority to the disciples. -- Mark 3:13-19; Matt. 10:1-4.

The list of the disciples provided in Mark 13:13-19 and Matt. 10:1-4 tells us about the people whom Jesus loved, but, of course, one would betray him and one would betray him. Who were these men that Jesus called out to serve Him? Danny Akin comments as follows:

Jesus called out 12 specific individuals and they came. As His disciples (3:7), they would follow Him, be with Him, and learn from Him. They were like apprentices. As His “apostles” (3:14), they would be sent by Him with His authority to proclaim Him in the gospel.

On the mountain Jesus “appointed” them to carry out His mission. They will have the authority to preach and to cast out demons. In word and action they are to carry on His work of building the kingdom of God. The work is so serious, though, that He wants them with Him for three years, watching and learning from the Master Himself. And, in choosing 12, He shows that He is establishing a new, holy nation—a new community called the church (1 Pet 2:9).

Each of the four Gospel writers gives a list of Jesus’ 12 closest followers. The lists are not all the same. Matthew and Mark list Thaddaeus while Luke names Judas (son of James). Judas may have been his original name, and it was changed later to Thaddaeus in order to avoid the stigma attached to the name Judas Iscariot. “Simon the Canaanite” is the transliteration into English of a Greek word that probably represents an Aramaic word meaning “zealous.” The Zealots in Judaism were a group that advocated revolutionary tactics to overthrow the power of Rome. Bringing him and Matthew the tax collector together is something only the gospel could do! (Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark)

What does this passage teach us about mankind?

Christ expects obedience to the call of discipleship. -- Matt. 9:36-38.

David Platt notes that Christ doesn’t call them out just yet. He wants them to start out with prayer. As we pray for God to call out laborers, He will call those of us who are supposed to obey that specific call. Some people just need to answer the call, as martyred missionary Jim Eliot says here in the quote below:

Jesus will eventually get to the "go" part, but first His followers must be on their knees, asking and pleading with God to send out workers. This is precisely what we should be doing in our churches as we seek to send people out regularly into this dark world to proclaim the gospel. We should actually pray for people to leave... on mission! God loves to answer prayers like this. Our churches ought to be sending bases of laborers for the harvest of souls. No one is to be a spectator.

Many believers don't even consider the possibility that God could call them to proclaim the gospel in another location. Or if they do, they often have a distorted view of what such a call would look like. Jim Elliot, the missionary martyr to the Auca Indians of Peru, lamented the fact that so few were willing to 3 go to the mission field in his own day. He said, "Our young men are going into [other] fields because they don't 'feel called' to the mission field. We don't need a call; we need a kick in the pants" (Elliot, Shadow of the Almighty, 150). As followers of Christ, our lives should be "on the table" before the Lord. Wherever He says to go, we go. None of us is intended simply to coast through life until we get to heaven. (Christ-Centered Exposition: Matthew)

Sinners will disappoint you. -- Mark 3:19.

The scenario played out in Mark is left out of Matthew, but the point is that the disciples were no more human than the other people in Jesus’ day who misunderstood his mission. Danny Akin talks about Judas Iscariot’s eventual betrayal:

The Bible is brutally honest. It notes successes and failures. It has integrity in its reporting. One example of the ugliness of fallen humanity is Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus. In every list of the apostles he is listed last. In every list his betrayal is noted.

Judas was chosen by our Lord to be with Him (3:14). He did not worm his way in, and he would serve well for a while. He gave evidence of loyalty. He even served as treasurer (John 12:4-6), though he was dishonest in his assignment.

All of this is to remind us that if you live long enough and serve long enough you will be disappointed by people whom you love and who you thought loved you. You would let them guard your back, believing they would take a bullet for you, only to discover the knife in your back has their prints on it. (Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark)

Sinners will try to control you. -- Mark 3:20.

Mark mentions the crowds here and their impact on the ministry of Jesus. He had mentioned earlier in the chapter that the disciples had to use a boat to control the crowd. Here, the crowd had gotten so bad that Jesus and the disciples couldn’t even share a meal together. Danny Akin comments as follows:

Once more the crowds descend on Jesus with a selfish vengeance. It seems to never end. The house is so full of people He cannot find time or space to eat. The people are completely socially unaware; they care for no one but themselves. They will monopolize Jesus if they can, using Him only for His power to heal. They completely misunderstand that His true mission and agenda are to get to the cross and deal with their real need: their sin! Still today socially unaware people and people who lack a kingdom mind-set reflect the ancient crowd’s mistake. They often flock to big-name preachers and cling to them because they are popular. However, they completely miss the message these leaders preach, and they will smother them if given the chance. (Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark)

4 Sinners will try to stop you. -- Mark 3:21.

Jesus’ family is mentioned here as people who thought he was crazy. They were seeking to protect the family’s reputation in the community, but there could have been some genuine concern for his safety. Nevertheless, they misunderstood the mission which God the Father gave Him to do. Danny Akin comments as follows:

This is the first mention of Jesus’ family. It does not reflect well on them. They hear that Jesus is swamped, apparently to the extent that He is unwilling even to care for His own physical needs. Thus, they decide to “restrain Him,” convinced “He’s out of His mind.” The word restrain means “to lay hold” and is used elsewhere of an “arrest.” The charge “He’s out of His mind” is shocking and disturbing. They understand neither who He is nor what He came to do. Perhaps they are genuinely concerned for Him. However, “in a culture in which honor and shame were critically important, there may also have been an attempt to prevent shame on the family caused by Jesus’ ... behavior” (EBC, 745).

From His family’s perspective, Jesus is a religious fanatic who is hurting the family name, and He is also a danger to Himself. He has to be stopped. He needs a straitjacket and padded cell. Today they might have said, “Give the man some drugs that will calm Him down!” Oh, if they only knew what He was doing on their behalf! (Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark)

How does this text point to Christ and the gospel?

The call to discipleship is the second part of the call of the gospel. The first is the call to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. The second part is to follow Him in complete obedience to His Word. Bruce Barton explains as follows:

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HEAR THE CALL OF GOD?

First, God calls you to faith in Jesus. You will know this call by the growing desire in your heart to settle the matter of peace with God speedily. Respond to him--answer with a grateful. “Yes, Lord, I need you!”

Second, God calls you to service in Jesus’ name. Wherever you are (and sometimes you need to move), whatever you’re doing (and sometimes you need to upgrade your skills), God has a place of service for you. Jesus calls you and he wants you. Answer this call thoughtfully, seriously, in consultation with Christian advisers, “Yes, Lord, I love you and will follow you!” (Life Application Commentary: Mark)

What specific applications does this text call us to do or believe?

What words of wisdom can we glean from this text so that we might have a faithful ministry where we start well, run well, and finish well? Jesus perfectly exemplified a master teacher and a faithful minister of the gospel of the kingdom, and we can list several points of application from His pattern:

● Surround yourself with others you can train, delegate to, and send out to do the work of ministry (3:13-19). ● Recognize that no matter how hard you try and how much you invest, some are going to disappoint you (3:19). 5 ● Remember that ministry is a 24-7 calling that requires your constant attention and management (3:20). ● Understand that those closest to you may misunderstand you and even oppose you (3:21).

Questions to Consider

1. Why is it amazing that Matthew (Levi) and Simon the Zealot served together under Christ? Does the gospel still have the power to bring contrary people together? Think of an example of people you know personally. 2. Keeping in mind the deity of Christ and His omniscience and foreknowledge, why do you think He chose Judas Iscariot as one of His apostles? 3. Do you know of friends or family members who have not supported someone’s conversion to Christianity? Is a family member more or less likely than a friend to support a zealous devotion to ministry? 4. If you were to meet a famous Christian leader, what could you do to encourage and edify him or her rather than draining energy? 5. Which is more demanding, trying to please people or trying to please God? Which is more tiring? More rewarding? (Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark)

Recommended Resources

1. Exalting Jesus in Matthew (Christ-Centered Exposition). 2. Exalting Jesus in Mark (Christ-Centered Exposition). 3. Holman New Testament Commentary | HNTC (12 vols.). 4. Mark (Life Application Bible Commentary).

Pray @ Brainerd: Please pray for: ● Those who committed to apply the text in some way this week. ● The needs in your Life Group. ● Pray if the Lord might be calling you to serve in the opportunity below. ● Pray for Brainerd members deployed around the world (Deployed requests below). ● Pray for the activities of our church (Announcements below).

Brainerd Deploy Regina | Uganda Pray for Regina as she learns the Ugandan language and adjusts to her new culture.

Serving @ Brainerd First Impressions and Kids Ministry ● As we previously considered what it meant to be "Stewards of the Mission," will you consider how God would have you serve at Brainerd Baptist Church? We have great needs in First Impressions and Kids Ministry. Talk with your Life Group about how you might collectively fill these needs. Email [email protected] if you have any questions. Announcements ● Check out the church Events Page and social media for updates on what’s happening around Brainerd.

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