Rejected Yet Rejoicing

[00:00:00] Those of us who follow Jesus and try to use our gifts will inevitably fail but this should not cause us to lose heart

[00:00:09] but to learn whose approval really matters.

[00:00:15] It is the approval of God and that is given to us as a gift through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[00:00:25] And this is particularly important for teachers to remember.

[00:00:31] It's why I believe that when Jesus sent out his disciples to preach and to cast out demons he prepared them for what?

[00:00:39] Rejection, but he also prepared them for rejoicing.

[00:00:47] Hey, welcome to the Expositors Collective Podcast episode 310.

[00:00:53] I'm your host Mike Neglia. Thanks so much for listening.

[00:00:57] The voice that you just heard is our guest preacher for this week Tim Chaddick.

[00:01:03] This was recorded in Austin, Texas back in 2023 and it was the final message of our two day training event.

[00:01:15] And Tim really ended things very well speaking to us from the parable of the sower about preparing our hearts for rejection and then also rejoicing.

[00:01:29] Some of these things are just out of our hands, but we want to faithfully be the one who casts the seeds of the Word of God.

[00:01:38] So it's a great message.

[00:01:39] I want to thank our sponsor for this episode, sermons.com.

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[00:02:28] All right, so thank you so much to Tim for sharing your heart and your life and the Word of God with us.

[00:02:38] I'm going to let you listen to Tim on rejected yet rejoicing.

[00:02:49] A recent publication revealed America's top 10 worst fears.

[00:02:56] And surprisingly at the top, yes even above snakes, clowns, confined spaces and deep waters.

[00:03:05] Am I triggering anyone? The number one on every list is the fear of public speaking.

[00:03:15] Yay for all of us in this room. It is in many cases the worst.

[00:03:21] There's the pressure to say the right things, make eye contact but not too much because that's creepy.

[00:03:27] Make sure people don't fall asleep all of that.

[00:03:30] But psychologists believe the main reason that this fear topped all of the lists year over year is because underneath is a deep fear of rejection and failure.

[00:03:45] And yet anyone who follows Jesus will experience rejection.

[00:03:52] Why? Jesus himself was rejected and opposed.

[00:03:59] But this should not cause us to lose heart.

[00:04:05] Those of us who follow Jesus and try to use our gifts will inevitably fail but this should not cause us to lose heart, but to learn whose approval really matters.

[00:04:21] It is the approval of God and that is given to us as a gift through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[00:04:31] And this is particularly important for teachers to remember.

[00:04:37] It's why I believe that when Jesus sent out his disciples to preach and to cast out demons he prepared them for what?

[00:04:45] Rejection. But he also prepared them for rejoicing because though there will be opposition, though we will inevitably stumble and fail along the way for those who do receive God's good word it means a changed life.

[00:05:09] And so in spite of the challenges of teaching it is a glorious, glorious privilege.

[00:05:18] So as we come to a close how do we apply some of what we have learned with confidence in Christ but also doing so with our unique call and personality?

[00:05:29] It's a theme that I've been given called finding your voice. And what I'd like to do just for a brief time is I just want to share four practical principles about finding your voice as teachers.

[00:05:44] But then I want to offer three encouragement for you to go out and use your voice from Mark chapter four.

[00:05:51] So if you have a Bible, you can open to Mark chapter four.

[00:05:54] But as you're doing that let me just mention a few practical ways that you can find your voice as they have come to my mind this week.

[00:06:03] And the first is this. Finding your voice means first attending to Christ's voice.

[00:06:14] We've referenced this in a lot of different ways. Rod so wonderfully reminded us yesterday that man, the study of God's word is first about us meeting with God.

[00:06:28] I was reminded yesterday as Rod was sharing of Charles Spurgeon who once said that the message that will break the heart of the hearer must first break the heart of the preacher.

[00:06:40] That I hear Christ's voice finding my voice means first being attentive to the work that the word is doing in our own hearts and in our own lives.

[00:06:53] Is this transforming me am I feeling convicted am I feeling comforted by the word of God?

[00:07:02] It's often been said that preaching or teaching is truth mediated through personality.

[00:07:09] And I like that. I would just like to clarify that preaching is truth mediated through your personality.

[00:07:17] So Lord what are you saying to me? How does this apply to my life?

[00:07:24] We must never forget that in finding your voice and trying to step out and use this gift it means first attending to the voice of Christ.

[00:07:34] But practically as we try to work this out we do want to be practical secondly finding your voice means listening to many other voices.

[00:07:44] I'm thinking of preachers and teachers now this is a brief but I think important point to make.

[00:07:52] If you only ever listen to one Bible teacher or read one teacher or one commentator chances are you will end up sounding just like them.

[00:08:05] And I'm sure we've all heard that but if you listen to preachers and teachers more widely if you read more widely the range of influences will result in something more unique in your delivery.

[00:08:21] I was raised in the San Francisco Bay area very musical place my mother was a music teacher. She did get me a trumpet which I subsequently sold in fifth grade to buy a guitar because I thought it was way cooler.

[00:08:37] And I was influenced by one particular style of music and I learned to play that way and that's all I played and everyone said that so derivative it sounds just like the thing you listen to.

[00:08:48] So I had to broaden my influences listen to more things which developed into a more unique style.

[00:08:55] Listen to a lot of different teachers read a lot of different commentators when you do now some might push back saying well I just listen to the spirits.

[00:09:05] I would just say that I think it's naive to think that you're not influenced by anyone or that you don't need to learn from others.

[00:09:13] One of the ways you find your voice is by listening to the voices of others but third to be more specific finding your voice means listening to feedback the voices of feedback to your voice.

[00:09:28] I think this has been really formative for me not that we are necessarily controlled by feedback sometimes the critique that you'll get is unfair or unfounded but we are to be informed by the feedback and this works in two ways.

[00:09:46] There's feedback from your church or the group that you're responsible for teaching to and then there's the feedback from your context let me just give you example.

[00:09:56] The feedback from your church is very important a very basic example of this would be when you make a mistake when you speak there are many times where I literally would say something wrong now when I was passing reality lay we had been a church for about seven years and the church was growing we had to bring on staff and we brought on this guy's name was Jeremy tree or I should say doctor Jeremy tree.

[00:10:24] This guy is like so sharp so smart he's got his PhD to which I used to also say I've got three letters to it's called GED.

[00:10:34] Anyway no yeah thank you thank you so great it was great to have him on the on our pastoral bench he was responsible for a lot of equipping in the church here's the deal we had three services he would always sit with his wife in the first and then he would come and give me a immediate feedback

[00:10:52] and it was terrifying we called it his last name is treat we called it the treat sheet after first service I would dread and all the other staff be oh he's getting the treat sheet and it would always start with this 10 overall it was good.

[00:11:10] Oh gosh however 10 things oh my gosh you know I already talked to you about this on Friday you know but there was one time where I just I said something like the Apostle Paul wrote two thirds of the New Testament and he literally said you said the Apostle Paul wrote two thirds of the New Testament that's wrong.

[00:11:28] Oh okay it's roughly a third okay that's good I didn't intend to say something untrue I accidentally said something untrue but doesn't that matter I wouldn't have known unless he'd given me the feedback.

[00:11:44] Let me give you a few more examples more broadly if you're mimicking someone or if you're just trying to be an echo of someone else or parent someone else or even share their personal stories which you should never do but some of them are not in the same way as you do.

[00:11:57] You should never do but sometimes people do the people who know you and love you in your church particularly your spouse and your friends they'll let you know.

[00:12:05] They're like hey wasn't that a Tim Keller story? Oh yeah I guess it was. They'll give you feedback you need to hear that but there's also practical elements like the length or the speed at which you talk I used to get a lot of feedback like that like oh my gosh Tim you talk so fast.

[00:12:24] I thought I was being passionate they couldn't understand what I was saying. I need to know and the Lord and the this and the chapter two and chapter three knows like oh my gosh stop it okay I need to reign myself and that was good I wouldn't have learned that without feedback but let me give you one more example how this helps you find your voice context is also important as I mentioned I pastored in L.A. for 10 years and then my family and I moved to the UK and pasted in London

[00:12:53] and there's the obvious ways in which you have to pay attention to your context different words are used in England. In fact I was told when I moved there there's no such thing as English and American. There's English and mistakes.

[00:13:07] It was like do you mean out it so there's certain words that I needed to get right but then there was just the context I was in an international city many of the people in my church were those for whom English was a second language.

[00:13:22] There are many in our church who came from you know in this one row in the front row whenever I preach there was one guy who worked for JP Morgan very wealthy high at the top and next to him was a dear friend who lived on what we would call social housing it was a council estate in central London he dropped out of school and he was 12.

[00:13:42] And one of the first sermons I preached in London I was giving all these quotes like I thought I was giving them gold and I will never forget this man Paul I love him he came up to me and said you know I didn't really understand a lot of what you were saying but I loved it when you talked about Jesus.

[00:14:01] Okay that's good that's good feedback that's good for me to hear finding your voice means listening to the voices of feedback but one more very practical finding your voice means using your voice often.

[00:14:18] Just do it I love what was shared earlier take the opportunities and as Rob just told us give people opportunities I learned by going into public high schools and doing like lunchtime

[00:14:30] Bible studies I learned by doing these coverage up with Costa Mason when I was working there years ago we used to do these concert out reaches and then I was the one task to give the gospel message while people were like throwing beer cans like at my face when we do these outreach so whoever asked that question about distractions I'm like oh I'm with you.

[00:14:49] I'm like hey so Jesus the son of oh my goodness you know just like launching things like Jesus loves you time across.

[00:14:56] Rose again like that's how I have to learn you just keep doing it keep doing it keep doing it I don't know if there's any better way to do it than to work it out with that feedback

[00:15:09] listening to these other voices but ultimately listening to the voice of Christ and that's where I want to end in a moment we're going to worship we're going to respond we're going to as Mike said we're going to have an opportunity to pray but I just want to land the plane with three encouragement for you as you step out in faith and use your voice

[00:15:33] to bring forth the word of God from Mark chapter 4 and the first thing I want to say is be faithful in the work and it does involve work in verse 26 of Mark chapter 4 Jesus says this is what the kingdom of God is like a man scatters seed on the ground.

[00:15:58] If you're familiar with Mark chapter 4 you'll remember or you can read that Jesus begins with what is the famous parable of the sower and the soils there's this act of the farmer the sower going out doing the work scattering the seed ultimately Christ is the capital S sower but all of us who are teachers aren't lowercase S

[00:16:26] s s s ores the same message that Jesus proclaimed about himself is the same message that you and I are called to proclaim today in fact any church that does not proclaim this message is no church at all according to the New Testament we must be faithful in the work of sowing the word.

[00:16:56] Get the word out there preach the word Paul says to young Timothy be ready in season and out of season we must be faithful to proclaim the word and that means doing the work.

[00:17:14] The power is in the word notice there's nothing said of the technique of the sower. Jesus doesn't say and the sower when he went out to sow he did this sidearm move and that's where the magic was like that's not what Jesus says now I'm not saying that God will not use your unique personality of course he will but that's not where the power is that's not to say that we shouldn't share personal things

[00:17:44] with testimonies and stories that is helpful but that's not ultimately where the power is it doesn't mean that we shouldn't think about our services and how we order them and arrange them but Jesus didn't say hey you know the field had some great LED lights around it and that's really what brought the crop.

[00:18:07] What it says. Now we've just talked about you know finding your voice but what we're not saying is if you get the technique right that people will grow but rather these practical tools simply help us explain the word and the word does the work so just to be clear in the ministry of sowing it takes work be faithful in the work study show

[00:18:36] show thyself approved a workman unto God doing what rightly dividing the word of truth but that leads to my second encouragement the effect of sowing the seed is not always immediately apparent so friends my first encouragement is be faithful in the work and it does take

[00:18:59] a lot of time and it's not always the same word but secondly there will be mystery there will be mystery I want you to quickly note two things the passing of time in this parable and the mystery of growth verse 27 through 29 night and day whether he sleeps or gets up the seeds sprouts and grows though he does not know how all by itself the soil produces grain first the soil produces grain

[00:19:29] and the stock then the head then the full kernel in the head as soon as the grain is ripe he puts the sickle to it because the harvest has come. What is Jesus emphasizing here?

[00:19:41] Well in a world where we think so much depends upon us where we think we can figure everything out with a YouTube video a TED talk where we can program it package it Jesus makes it so clear that the cause for spiritual growth and transformation is not ultimately dependent upon us and we will not always understand how it is working in the hearts of the heirs.

[00:20:08] God's work goes beyond human explanation I love that Jesus says he does not know how there will be mystery you will be preaching in a ministry and you'll be looking at people's faces man it's hard to look at people there was a person in my church for years who every time I would preach you know what they would do they would just go like this the whole time.

[00:20:36] I call it people's learning face do you know what I'm talking about everyone has a learning face my friend he was on staff his wife had a learning face that looked like disgust so I'm preaching and I'm like Jesus is awesome and I look at her down the front row and she's like.

[00:20:53] Like did I cost like what is happening here why does she look disgusted.

[00:21:00] There are times where you invite someone and you're not quite sure they're coming to church and they're hearing the Bible study and you're like hey are you getting it I don't know.

[00:21:09] Maybe somebody thought is rejecting it you know except that maybe thought somebody who initially accepted it you know might reject it Jesus talks about this in the famous parable the soils like hey some might

[00:21:19] initially receive it with enthusiasm but it doesn't actually take root Jesus is preparing us for this lesson which I like to call results may vary.

[00:21:31] Preach the word results may vary it's like parenting right be faithful and parenting but once those kids this is too close to home for some of us right they're going to have to make their own choices

[00:21:48] There's going to be some mystery here there's going to be some mystery there's going to be a passage of time day and night the farmer wakes up and goes to sleep.

[00:21:57] No human intervention can make this happen I cannot change someone you cannot change me it is a work of God all by itself it says in verse 28 this growth happens because in the word of God in the gospel there's a hidden power that brings forth fruit that human effort and ingenuity

[00:22:17] and ability cannot accomplish or as Paul the Apostle says in first Corinthians chapter 3 verse 6 simply I planted a Paulus watered but God gave the increase so neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything but only God who makes things grow.

[00:22:43] We must be faithful to do the work there will be mystery in the process for ultimately though God uses our effort it does not depend on us and there will be times where we wonder in the ministry of teaching what is going on or if we should keep ongoing but my encouragement to you is you should because of this last point the harvest is worth it.

[00:23:10] Jesus then goes on to talk about the mustard seed and the smallness of it in contrast to magnificent growth in verse 30 to 32 again he said what shall we say the kingdom of God is like or what parable shall we used to describe it it is like a mustard seed which is the smallest of all seeds on earth yet when planted it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants was such a great deal.

[00:23:40] The big branches that the birds can perch in its shade the smallness of the seed produces the most magnificent harvest which is a fascinating illustration because if you read through the Old Testament you'll discover the prophets often use the image of birds nesting in branches to symbolize the arrival of the nations gathered into God's kingdom.

[00:24:10] Which shows us this is not only a parable of growth it is a parable of grace those who have no claim or write the birds who didn't do anything to make the seed grow can benefit from its shade all who come in to the kingdom of God have no claim and no right but they will be able to enjoy it as their own all because of Christ.

[00:24:40] The harvest is worth waiting for and in one sense this is a picture of the church growing miraculously against all the odds but it ultimately points us back to Christ himself who is the source of this remarkable growth.

[00:24:58] Who himself is like that mustard seed who is though infinitely great became so small and yet when that seed went into the ground became the very reason for magnificent growth.

[00:25:11] From when Jesus was laid into the tomb on Good Friday people thought it was all over and yet on the third day he rises again defeating sin Satan and death and bringing victory for us all.

[00:25:23] What looks small and insignificant in human eyes brings about the most miraculous result.

[00:25:31] It's all because of him it is through faith in him that we can look forward to this harvest keep on going.

[00:25:41] Do the work there will be mystery but the harvest is worth it.

[00:25:48] When Jesus prepared his disciples to go out he prepared them for rejection but also prepared them for rejoicing.

[00:25:57] I'm reminded as we get ready to pray into worship of the story of Martin Lloyd Jones who I was first introduced to as a young Bible college student who I loved he was the pastor of Westminster Chapel in central London for many many years wrote a million books on the book of Romans famously with great covers I might add.

[00:26:15] At the end of his life he was dying of cancer and one of his friends came and visited him in the hospital.

[00:26:24] And unlike a good friend that man said how are you feeling Lloyd Jones being out of the swim of things because many people used to listen to your teachings on every nations and now you're just in a hospital and you're out of the game first of all lame friend.

[00:26:38] But how Martin Lloyd Jones answered that day is powerful.

[00:26:46] He quoted Luke chapter 10 and he said do not rejoice that the demons tremble but rejoice in this that your names are written in heaven.

[00:27:01] Lloyd Jones said it's never been about the success it's been about the thrill of being a Christian.

[00:27:09] It's been about the thrill of knowing Jesus may that be what we take from this place that the thrill of knowing Jesus compels us to proclaim him and proclaim him with confidence because he brings the harvest.

[00:27:26] Let's pray together as we prepare to worship Father.

[00:27:32] I pray right now that your Holy Spirit would take all these truths, bring them to bear on our heart.

[00:27:42] It's such a way that we are transformed by them.

[00:27:45] Ultimately remembering where this all begins with you saving us, bringing us to yourself, enabling us to hear your voice.

[00:27:58] And that as a result you would use us to speak forth your truth into the lives of others.

[00:28:06] And so I pray that now as we have a time to pray and to respond and to reflect that Holy Spirit you would do that work in our hearts.

[00:28:15] Remind us of the fact that our names are written in heaven and that you commission us and send us out with yourself, with your spirit for we preach to the ear but you preach to the heart.

[00:28:29] So give us that confidence in Christ even now as we respond and reflect in Jesus name. Amen.

[00:28:41] Amen. Amen.

[00:28:46] Thanks to him for a great helpful and encouraging message.

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