When a student asks his professors how to become like them, he hears about getting up before dawn, years of studying languages, and conversations that will never take place. And suddenly, becoming like them ceases to be appealing. This scene opens a sermon about Jesus, who sends out his disciples, gives them the power to perform miracles, but also honestly warns them of the cost (Matt. 10). Wanting to do what Jesus did means accepting to feel what He felt: the world says, “Take for yourself,” while the Kingdom says, “Receive from the Father and wait for the Lord.” Listen: if you’re looking for miracles and signs but fail to notice the greatest one of all: a heart that continues to trust God in a difficult world.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- In Matthew 10:5-8 Jesus sends the disciples first to Israel and gives them authority to heal and cast out demons. According to the sermon, why are miracles signs rather than an end in themselves, and what are they pushing against?
- In verses 24-25 Jesus says a disciple is not above his teacher and warns of opposition, even within families. What might this warning have meant to the first disciples as they were about to set out on their mission?
- The speaker contrasted the world's message, "take for yourself, go, go, go," with the kingdom's message, "receive from the Father, wait." Where in your life do you feel the pull of the world's message most strongly?
- The sermon said that being a mom, a construction worker, or caring for someone with an addiction is real ministry if it is what God has given you. What task is God sending you to right where you are and in your relationships?
- The world offers endless ways to escape suffering and stop feeling, while the gospel calls us to embrace our fragility and wait on God. What does waiting on God look like for you in a hard season, instead of running to something that gives quick relief?
- The speaker pointed to miracles like believers staying faithful when their homes are destroyed, changed hearts, and people from different countries becoming family. Where can you intentionally look for such signs this week, and how can you take part in them?
