Just Go! (Luke 9:1-6)

If you're like, man, Pastor, you talk about missions a lot, just buckle up.

The Holy Spirit has a lot for you today.

And so today, the passage is one of the passages that Jesus is sending people.

Did you know that we serve a God that sends people?

He doesn't just expect for you to come in on Sunday morning, sit in your seat and do nothing.

He expects you to go.

And so my wife and I, one day, my wife came to me.

And guys, does your your spouse ever do this?

She'll come up to you and say, We need to do something.

But the we means you need to do something, right?

She's including her because we are one, but she really means I want you to do something.

And so we were on a trip.

Uh we got blessed to go with the the North Texas Assemblies of God.

We were we were actually on a train in Romania, uh, headed, headed from one place to another.

Uh, and she said, We need to talk to Pastor Kermit, who was the assistant superintendent at the time, because I want our older two kids to go on a mission trip.

And I want and we need to take them, which means I need to take them.

So we went to uh the mission, we went to the assistant superintendent who's over all the missions and said, Hey, we want to take our kids on a mission trip.

What would be the best?

He said, Well, Latin America is really good because it's far enough away, but not a long plane ride.

So your plane rides are max five, six hours, but it's it's good enough.

And so there were two options.

We had some missionaries in El Salvador and we had some missionaries in Guatemala.

So El Salvador weren't taking anybody, but the missionaries in Guatemala said, Yeah, y'all come.

We didn't know until then that the AGWM cutoff is 12 years old, and we took both of our kids under the age of 12.

Shh, don't tell the assemblies of God.

Uh so we took them down to Guatemala, and I thought I was just doing a honeydew errand.

Okay.

We had a good time.

We went and did Christmas programs with child hope, but little did I know that God was setting me up for bigger things.

The other every time that you just kind of walk into something and you're and God's like, I've been here the whole time.

I've just been waiting for you to get here.

And that's what I felt.

We went from school to school to school, and God began to work on my heart.

And he said, Todd, I want you to raise funds from America to do this.

And I said, Do you know where I pastor?

I pastor in Cleaver, Texas.

Did you know Johnson County is one of the lowest socioeconomic counties in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex?

And I was telling God why I can't do something.

Y'all ever do that?

You ever stop and go, God, listen, you know, do you know how hard my life is?

Right?

Do you do you know who I am?

Well, the one that formed the brain that you're using to speak to him, right?

And he said, I want you to do it.

And so you've probably heard this part of the story.

So as you know, we have financial directors, a board of directors here at the church.

Uh, and I kind of big decisions like that, I have to filter through them.

So I was like, you know what?

I'm gonna tell them, and they're gonna say, nah, I don't think we could do that.

Because you know, when I when we went, money was tight around the church.

So I sent them a long message, and I expected Monica to be the first one, go, nope, don't need to do that.

Guess what they did?

One after another.

I think we need to do it, Pastor.

Yes, and then I sat at my computer and went, now we gotta do it.

So I came back, and the first year, you raised$9,000.

Second year, 11.

And this year,$13,000.

Why?

Because we aren't called to just watch what God is doing, we're called to be a part of it.

And this morning, what Jesus is encouraging his disciples to do is he's encouraging them to go.

Stop waiting around.

Jesus is saying, just go.

So that's the shift.

We go to a new chapter of Luke.

We feel like we've been in Luke chapter 8 the whole time, but Luke chapter 9, for eight chapters, the disciples have watched Jesus work.

Luke 8 · chapter mention Luke 9 · chapter mention

For eight chapters, they've watched Jesus work.

Then essentially, Jesus turns to him and says, You've watched me work, it's time to get to work, buddy.

And this morning, I think what Jesus is saying to each and every one of you is you've watched me work.

Now it's time to get to work, buddy.

You've watched me do all these amazing things in your life.

Now it's time that you do something.

Now, this may come across a little harsh.

I know the saved people are in the first service, amen.

But y'all pray for the second service when I say this, okay?

I think we live in a world, we live in a nation that we expect everybody to cater to us.

We like our worship music the way we like it.

Heaven forbid Pastor Mo sings a song that we don't know.

If you didn't figure out that last song, I didn't know.

I was trying to sing along and I didn't know the words very well.

Uh my fault.

Mo had sent me the song.

I didn't listen to it well enough.

But, you know, heaven, heaven forbid the worship team sings a song that we don't like.

Heaven forbid the pastor preaches the message that steps on our toes.

Heaven forbid we walk into church and somebody sat in our spot.

But here's the thing if you read your Bible long enough, you're gonna figure out this isn't about your comfort.

God calls us, he equips us, and then he sends us.

Because Jesus eventually wants us to be sent.

Because Jesus doesn't call us to watch what he's doing, he equips us and teaches us to depend on him and send us into participating in his mission's work.

Now I know what you're all saying this morning.

Listen, Pastor, I don't have my passport.

I can't get on the plane in the morning with you to Guatemala.

That's fine.

I don't need you to do that.

But I do need you to be sent where Jesus is sending you.

Because yes, we as a church, we've sent money to Guatemala.

My most of my family is headed to Guatemala tomorrow.

It's kind of funny that this message ends up the Sunday before I leave, and I'm actually gonna turn around and preach this message in Guatemala City.

So I'm gonna tell Guatemalan people to go too.

But I can't tell them before I tell my own church.

Jesus is saying to you, just go.

That's the title of my message this morning.

If you're taking notes, just go.

Stop making excuses.

Stop saying, but Pastor, I don't know this.

But Pastor, I don't, but Pastor, but Pastor, but listen, you don't know how hard my life is.

I barely had enough money for my Netflix bill this month.

And this week, the TV asked me, Are you still watching?

But I barely have any time, Pastor.

So the Bible is telling us, just go.

So if you have your Bibles, grab them, go to Luke chapter 9.

Luke 9 · chapter mention

We're gonna start in verse one this morning.

If you've read the Bible long enough, you've heard this passage preached at you.

But if this is your first time with us at Hope Church, I want to invite you to tap the NFC tag on the chair in front of you.

There is a new are you new, or I think it's new here tab tag that you can click, fill out that form, and you will get a personal text message from me.

Uh and so if that's something that you want, make sure you do that and our team will make sure that your contact gets to me.

Uh, and whether I do it before I leave or I'll pay for the Wi-Fi on the plane to text you because Jesus tells me to go, right?

I'm gonna text you and I'd love to reach out to you.

Uh, we also have candy uh going out there for the trunk retreat.

Sign up for the trunk retreat.

That's all the announcements I have time for today because it's a busy service.

Luke chapter 9, starting in verse 1.

Luke 9 · chapter mention

And he called the 12 together and gave them power and authority over all the demons to cure diseases.

Stop right there.

Stop right there.

What more power do you need?

You know, I think sometimes we make excuses like, God, I can't.

The same power he gives to the disciples, if you are saved and baptized, you have that same power and authority over all demons and can cure diseases.

What else do you need?

And then he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

So, point number one: if he sends you, he'll equip you, just go.

If he sends you, he'll give you the tools that you need, just go.

So Jesus calls the 12 together, he gives them power and authority, and he sends them out.

Notice, he equips them before he sends them.

Jesus never gives them an assignment without giving them what they need to do.

The authority of the 12 was unique, but the principle remains the same.

God never intended his church to accomplish his mission in our own strength.

God is not expecting us to do it by ourselves.

We need the Holy Spirit, we need his power because Jesus calls you to it, he will equip you to do it.

How many times do I have to tell you I didn't want to speak in front of people?

In fact, I used to hide behind my guitar, just ask Cheryl, she was here.

I'd play one song, go to the next song, but God said, Listen, I've called you to be a pastor.

And now I talk so much that my wife's like, you know, you don't have to talk all the time.

But think about going on a mission trip.

And you quickly realize.

When you quickly, if you've never gone on a mission trip, one thing you'll realize when you get to the country, especially when you go to a country like Guatemala and you know speake like me, you get there and you figure out I'm not enough for this.

I don't speak the language, I don't know the culture, I'm tall in Guatemala.

I feel like a giant just walking around.

In fact, I'm gonna move down there because I feel so tall.

I'm just kidding.

But here's the thing: I don't have all the answers.

I can't fix anything, but I don't go down there because I'm enough.

I go because Jesus sent me.

And I think sometimes we spend so much time trying to figure out if we are enough, and Jesus says, You're not enough, just go.

I'm gonna send you.

I'm enough to make you enough.

Because the mission is bigger than we are.

But the one who sends us is even bigger than that mission.

So maybe this morning you've been waiting until you feel qualified before God can use you.

But the question isn't, am I enough?

The question is, are you willing to go?

Jesus isn't asking you this morning, you know, are you good enough?

No, he's saying, get to work.

You've watched all I've done.

It's time to get to work.

And a lot of people are like, well, Pastor, I can't afford to go on a mission trip.

Great.

You're sent to your workplace.

Kiddos, you're sent to your school.

God placed neighbors around you.

And some of you, he's put he's placed the most grumpy neighbors there is right next door.

Maybe I'm just talking to myself.

Uh she's a sweet lady.

I love her so much.

Jesus loves her too.

He sent you to the ball field.

Some of you are skipping church to go to the ball field, so you might as well minister in the name of Jesus while you're there.

Guys, those are all mission fields too.

Yes, I love what our missionaries do.

Yes, I love to get to go to Guatemala, but if there's not English-speaking people in heaven, too, we've not done our job.

So wherever Jesus has placed you, he can use you.

Listen, you are a far greater missionary than I could ever be.

Because all of my co-workers are supposed to be saved.

Now they would say that I don't always act saved.

They don't always act saved.

But your job is to go.

His job is to provide the power that you need to do the job.

And notice what he said.

Let's keep reading verse three.

Notice what he says here.

I'm getting ahead of myself.

I have the next line on the screen.

I'm getting excited.

Notice what he says.

And he said to them, take nothing for the journey.

I don't know that he knew that I would be married to Crystal Barum.

We can't take nothing for our journey.

We've got two checked suitcases.

We're taking a lot with us, okay?

But he says, take nothing for your journey.

No staff, no bag, nor bread, nor money, and do not have two tunics.

He said, Don't bring a change of clothes.

You don't need it.

And whatever house you enter, stay there and from there depart.

How many of you are anal like me?

And if Jesus said you don't need anything, just go.

Listen, Jesus, I need stuff.

They were saying after worship, I don't know who brought it up, they were calling me a diva.

I said, I'm a divo, get it right.

Uh but I need things.

So the second thing is, you don't have all the provisions yet, just go.

So the first one is if he sends you, he will coop you, just go.

The second one is you don't have all the provisions yet, just go.

Then Jesus gives them some strange strange instructions.

No staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.

This wasn't a permanent command.

Later in Luke, Jesus gives different instructions.

He was teaching them dependence on the Holy Spirit.

Think about it.

They were going to trust God for power over demons and diseases, but they also had to trust him for dinner.

They wouldn't have every detail planned out.

That already gives me stress and anxiety, right?

But they had to trust that God who sent them would provide for a meal.

Listen, are your kids like mine?

We're sitting there at a Mexican restaurant and we've got fajitas in front of us, and they're like, What's for dinner?

Eat the food I've given you right now.

Isaiah's the worst.

So if y'all see Isaiah today, can you say, you will have lunch, you will have dinner, everything will be okay.

But some of us, we have to have that explanation.

So if Jesus said, go and I'll make sure dinner's taken care of for you, you're gonna be like, Because some of us don't travel light very well.

Do y'all ever travel with people that don't travel light very well?

Recently we went on a trip with my mom and dad, and my mom had more luggage than all my kids.

She's okay, she's not embarrassed, but you know, some of you pack 15 pairs of underwear for three days.

What could possibly happen that you would need 15 pairs of underwear?

You know what?

I don't want to know, okay?

You don't have to tell me.

But something I've told Crystal Barham, and and we've had we've had the the delight to go to many, many far-off missionary destinations.

And I have a feeling that one day she's gonna be able to tell me, see, we didn't find this.

But I always tell her, if we forget something, we can find what we need when we get there.

You know what?

God has always provided for me as a husband when I say that.

Because, husbands, you know, if you don't find it, you won't hear about it, right?

No matter where we've gone, we've always found what we need.

Because if we're going with God, He takes care of everything.

In fact, one time, if you don't know, I have sleep apnea, which means you don't want to sleep in the same room with me unless I have my machine.

I see that hand.

But one night before we gone on a cruise ship for a family vacation, I think God even cares about family vacations.

Maddie will tell you, my CPAP machine stopped working.

How was the sleep that night, Madeline?

Ask the kids to do a reenactment.

It's pretty funny.

But Crystal got on Facebook Marketplace and found a$100 CPAP machine, and we did a drug deal in the parking lot of the hotel with a CPAP machine and$100.

She was on the way to a Houston Texans game, and we said, here's$100, I'll take your CPAP machine.

I looked up on YouTube how to fix it.

Praise the Lord.

We will find what we need when we get there.

And sometimes God says to us, just go, trust me for what you need when you get there.

Because if you have to know everything before you obey, that's not trust.

That's control.

Some of us, myself included, that's tough for us.

So what are you depending on more than God?

For some of you, it's money.

For some of you, it's a plan.

Some of you are like me.

You have every hour of every day planned out from now until eternity.

You know what stinks?

I had to learn when I'm a pastor that I actually have to let people interrupt my schedule.

Sometimes people interrupt my schedule.

And I try to be as nice as possible, but you some of you can see it in my eyes.

Like, I'm getting behind just talking to you.

But I know I need to talk to you because that's what I'm here for, right?

Some of you trust your ability, some of you trust your security.

Listen, those aren't all bad things until they replace your dependence on God.

Sometimes obedience sounds like, God, I don't know how things are going to work, but I know you told me to go, so I'm gonna go.

Because if you could see every step and guarantee every outcome, you wouldn't need faith.

So if God is your source, stop carrying what he promised to provide.

Some of you need to hear this when it comes to your time, when it comes to your finances.

Some people say, Well, well, Pastor, I don't have time to do anything for God.

Well, you never will have time until you make time.

Well, Pastor, I don't I don't have any money to give.

Well, you're never gonna have any money until you give.

Because that's what Jesus told you to do.

Stop asking Jesus for a raise when you haven't started doing what he asked you to do.

So let's keep reading.

Last part.

Verse 4.

And wherever, whatever house you enter, stay here.

And from there depart.

And wherever you do not they do not receive you when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.

Some of you people love that verse, right?

And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Number three, this is probably.

The hardest part.

You can't control the response.

Just go.

You can't control how people will respond to you, but go anyway.

Guys, Jesus also prepared them for something that nobody likes: rejection.

Some people would receive him, others wouldn't.

Jesus never promised that if they did everything right, everyone would respond in a positive way.

He simply said, When they reject you, shake the dust and keep moving.

They were responsible for delivering the message.

They weren't responsible for controlling the response.

And guys, there's freedom in that.

Stop taking responsibility for what God never gave you control over.

You can't control other people.

As a pastor, I've had to learn this.

I can plant the seed, but I can't make it grow.

I can preach the word to you as hard as I can.

But you're responsible for making it grow.

I can preach the word.

I can pray for you.

I can encourage you.

I can even point you to Jesus.

But I can't change your heart.

Only Jesus can.

And I've had to learn that.

You know, if you don't believe me, go look at the comments section of all my podcasts.

They're such nice nice people on the internet.

So kind and encouraging.

I love them so much.

But I've had to shake a lot of dust, especially in the YouTube area.

But I plant the seed.

God brings the growth.

Who has God already put in front of you who needs an invitation, who needs some encouragement, who needs a prayer, or simply needs to hear what Jesus has done in your life.

Here's the thing, guys, you don't have to be an amazing theologian to share the gospel.

Just tell them what Jesus has done that has changed your heart.

That's more powerful than any preacher can ever preach.

Life change preaches the gospel.

That's why when we dump people underwater, we see there's not a dry eye in the house.

You know why?

Because life change preaches the gospel.

You don't have to change their heart.

That's God's job.

Your job is obedience.

Jesus just told you to go.

And the disciples went.

So my question for you is what's your excuse?

Because you're called to bring the witness.

God's called to bring the results.

What results need to happen because of your faithfulness?

So what are transformational moments?

Well, I don't think I'm gonna have time for altar.

I'll just go straight to prayer.

What are transformational moments this morning?

Where is God calling you to go, but you've been waiting because you don't feel like you're ready?

Listen, if you are saved and baptized, you're ready.

Jesus has called you for something greater than yourself.

The problem is, Western Christianity has spent so much time telling you that you just need to, you just need to be fed.

I just need to be fed.

You ever hear that word?

Don't raise your hand, you don't have to.

Preachers, we we hate.

I just preacher, I just want to be fed.

Some of you, all you do is eat.

So what would happen in your personal life if all you did was just sit and eat and do nothing?

What would happen, Cheryl?

You get real fat, is what she said unhealthy, I said fat, right?

So why do we expect our spiritual life to be any different?

If all we do is eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, and don't do anything for the Lord, do we think we'd be in shape?

And so, yes, it's great to be fed.

Yes, you need time.

And when you're encouraged, and listen, you need time to sit in the presence of God.

But if that's all you ever do, you're not making a difference for him.

You know, the reason I highlighted Haley is because Haley's been a force for the Lord.

There's been five people that we've probably baptized this year, not because she's gone to Guatemala, just because she's sitting there cutting people's hair, going, Do you know Jesus?

It ain't hard, right?

That's all you have to do.

Haley wasn't even sure that we weren't a cult or not until about a year ago.

She's like, All right, move on, Pastor.

Stop talking about me.

That's enough.

All right, number two.

What are you trying to control that you need to trust God to provide?

What are you trying to control that you need to trust God to provide?

Listen, here's the thing.

I'm about to go spend two weeks in Guatemala, and I have no idea what's gonna happen when I get there.

But you know what?

I know the Holy Spirit is there.

I already know He's working.

We're bringing two teams from Hope Church.

I know God's gonna do an amazing work.

You know why?

Because every year I've seen God move in people's lives.

And here's what's the crazy thing.

We keep saying, we keep saying, Oh, I just need to be fed, oh, I just need to be fed, oh, I just need to be fed.

And you know when I'm fed the most, when I go.

I leave mission trips and I'm I'm ready to go save the world, man.

You know why?

Because God meets us in our obedience, and He will always provide even more than we could ever imagine.

And lastly, who has God put in front of you that you need to reach out to today?

Now, instantly, you probably thought of one person you're like, ah, they're not gonna receive it.

You're not responsible for the response, you're only responsible to go.

And so if God's put somebody on your heart today, don't go to sleep until you've reached out to them.

If God's putting something on your heart today, go into your job Monday morning and get everybody saved.

Get so many people saved at your job that we have to have a special baptism just for your job.

I'd love it.

Water's expensive, but we'll make it work, right?

So I want to ask you this morning.

What excuse are you giving Jesus to not go?

What's standing between you and doing what God has called you to do?

So I want to ask everybody in this audience right now to bow their head and close their eyes.

Because I know that there's people in this place today that don't know Jesus.

And listen, if you don't know Jesus, that is nothing to be ashamed of.

We're here and we want you to hear about Jesus.

And I hope that you saw that the people that came into this baptism water, they came an old person and God has made them new.

And I truly believe if you give your heart over to Jesus, he can make you new as well.

And so if that's you this morning, and you want to give your heart over to Jesus, I'm about to pray a prayer.

There's nothing magical about this prayer, but if you truly mean what you pray, I truly believe that God can save you today.

If that's you this morning, just repeat after me.

Dear Jesus, I'm a sinner.

I need your love in my life.

Forgive me where I failed you.

I give my heart to you today.

Take my life, use it for your purpose.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.