As You Are Going

In one paragraph

Pastor Ray walked through three connected Gospel passages to show that Jesus ministers "as He is going," and that He calls His followers into the same kind of ready, on-the-move faith. The sermon fell between two larger sections of Matthew, and Pastor Ray noted that from this point in the narrative the tension with the religious leaders begins building steadily toward the cross. The thread that...

Read together

1. Matthew 9 Primary passage for the sermon, covering the healing of two blind men and a mute demon-possessed man
2. Mark 6 Jesus returning to his hometown Nazareth and being amazed at their unbelief, then going through villages teaching
3. Matthew 13 Mentioned as a passage to be covered alongside Matthew 9 and Mark 6
4. Isaiah 61 Jesus read this scroll in Nazareth about healing the blind, deaf, lame and setting captives free and proclaiming the favorable time of the Lord
5. Genesis 12 Referenced alongside Deuteronomy as forecasting the concept of a coming Messiah to bless every tribe, tongue and nation
6. Deuteronomy Referenced as part of the law forecasting the coming Messiah
7. Matthew 12:22-45 The Beelzebub controversy where Jesus responds to accusations that he casts out demons by the ruler of demons
8. Mark 3:20-30 Parallel passage to the Beelzebub controversy in Matthew 12
9. Luke 11 Another parallel passage to the Beelzebub controversy
10. Matthew 8:10 Jesus amazed at the Roman centurion's faith, saying he had not found such great faith in all of Israel
11. 1 Corinthians 14:33 Quoted by Erin Anderson regarding prophecy and tongues: for God is not a God of confusion but of peace
12. John 10:27 Used as benediction: my sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow me

Talk about it

1. Erin described her canceled flights and solo layover in Dallas as a moment God used to put her in the path of the shuttle driver. Can you think of a time when a frustrating change of plans turned out to be an opportunity to minister to someone? What made you recognize it as that?
2. Pastor Ray pointed out that the Greek behind 'Go ye therefore' is actually a participle meaning 'as you are going.' How does that shift in understanding change the way you think about who is responsible for sharing the gospel, and what it looks like day to day?
3. When Jesus asked the two blind men 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' he was pressing them on the quality of their faith before he acted. Are there areas of your life where you find yourself praying to a God you are not fully sure is able? What shapes that doubt?
4. The people of Nazareth had the same exposure to Jesus that the blind men and the formerly mute man did, yet they took offense and did not believe. Jesus was amazed at their unbelief. What do you think hardens a person to evidence that others find life-changing?
5. Pastor Ray said that if you are earnestly praying for God to send workers into the harvest, you are de facto saying you are willing to go yourself. Do you agree with that? What would it look like practically for you to pray that prayer and mean it?