Greg Ford - The Frenemy Test
Here we are. We’re in now Mark 3. So, we’ve gone Mark 1, Mark 2, Mark 3. We’ll keep going. It says that in verse 13, «Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him». Alright, let me pause there real quick. So, anytime you read in Mark 1-3 up until now, you see it talks about Jesus' disciples, don’t think of the 12 apostles, think of just a whole bunch of people who were following Jesus. So, there’s this mass of people who Jesus has invited to follow him, but he’s been listening to them, and they’ve been listening to him, and now he’s ready to actually select some leaders. Verse 14, it says, «Then he appointed the 12 of them and called them his apostles».
When you think disciple, think learner, think student, think follower. When you think apostle, think emissary, think leader, think someone who’s sent out. «Apostle» would have had the connotation of «I’m gonna send you out and on my behalf, you can make decisions. You can speak as if you were me». And so, Jesus selects 12 of them and calls them his apostle. These are leaders. And look what it says they were to do. It said, «They were to accompany him». In other words, they were to be in Jesus' orbit, in his inner circle. «He would send them out to preach without him and he would give them authority to cast out demons». Who are these people? Verse 16, «These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he named Peter), James and John (sons of Zebedee, also known as the 'sons of thunder'), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,» makes the list.
Who’s Mathew? Levi, a tax collector made the list. «Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who would later betray him)». I don’t wanna bury the headline today in Mark 3. Here’s the headline, «Jesus chooses a tax collector and a zealot to be on his team of apostles». That’s the headline. «Jesus chooses a tax collector and a zealot to be on the same team, on his team of selected, developed, groomed, trusted, empowered leaders». Let’s play with this dynamic for a minute. Let’s think about this now. You know who the tax collectors are. You know what you think about them.
Let’s think about tax collectors and what they might think about you. We mentioned last week in order, the tax collectors were so rejected socially that they were not welcomed in the temple, and even their family members would have been pushed out socially. You have to have a certain type of personality to be able to survive with that kind of social rejection. You have to have a certain ethos. You have to come from a certain ilk to be able to face that magnitude of social rejection and be able to function. Okay?
So, we all just think you’re corrupt but if you’re a tax collector, just to be able to survive with all of that sort of attitude and that energy coming at you, you have to be, you know, «I don’t care what you think. I don’t care what you think. Give me whatever finger you want. What do you want me to do? Beat up Rome? Is that what you want me to do? I didn’t ask for this system, I was born into this system. While you guys are out here coming up with a revolution, what are you gonna do, a revolution? You’re gonna draw a line in the sand? Is that what you’re gonna do? You wanna know which line on the sand I’m gonna be on? I’m gonna be on the side with the money and the guns. That’s where I’m gonna be. I didn’t ask for this system, but you know what I am gonna do? I’mma get mine. I’mma take care of mine. And if that causes me to be a social outcast, sorry, ms. Jackson, I am for real».
That’s tax collector energy. Jesus invites this guy in who’s a zealot, Simon, the zealot. What’s that? A zealot was zealous about everything opposite of that. Zealous about two things. First of all, zealous about the fact that we wanna be free from Rome. So, the fact that the tax collector is in cahoots with Rome makes you my sworn enemy. So, I am zealous about, «We gotta get out from under Rome». And so, this is revolution energy. This is «No taxation without representation» energy. So, what you have is two people on opposite ends of the Philosophical, political, social spectrum and Jesus invites, this is the headline. Don’t bury the headline. Jesus invites a tax collector and a zealot to be on the same team.
What is Jesus up to here? What is he doing? Alright, I want you to think about the mission of God. Think about the mission of God. If we were to fly up to 30,000 feet and look down at the Bible, you would see, all the way from Genesis to Revelation, you would see God’s mission. We could look back into Genesis 22. Genesis 22, God speaks to Abraham. He makes a covenant. He makes a promise with Abraham. «Hey, I’m going to bless the whole world through your seed. I’m gonna bless the whole world through your people. I’m gonna do something that’s going to be timeless and global and it’s gonna hit everybody». And it is what we would call a «Macro mission». A macro mission for everyone, everywhere. Alright?
I looked it up this morning, 7.88888 billion people in the world, God’s mission is for all of 'em. He’s willing that none would perish. So, all the way back from Genesis 22, we’re talking macro, ends of the earth. Also, what we have, oh, by the way, Jesus touches on this in Mark 16:15, right? He says, here it is, «Go in», here’s the macro mission, «Go into all the world, proclaim the gospel to the whole creation». At the same time, simultaneous to that, you have the micro which is right here, right now. Right here, right now. God’s doing two things at the same time. God’s will, the gospel of Jesus Christ, is for everyone, to reach the whole, there is not one person alive that God does not care about and wanna reach.
So, in a sense, right, as believers, we, followers of Jesus, and of course, Jesus is eventually, we haven’t gotten to the Book of Acts yet. Eventually, he’s gonna unleash them to the ends of the earth: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, ends of the earth. Every continent, go. But what he does here simultaneous to this is to create a micro community to do something right here, right now that is a microcosm of what needs to happen in the whole world. But you know how it is, we live in this day now where you’ve never been more aware of how screwed up the world is. Welcome to the information age, you know? And of course, not only just that and the people who are in our communities, and now everybody’s posting on stuff, but also, we are just aware of just how dark, how devasted, how dysfunctional the world is.
And so, the idea of some sort of, like, Mark 16:15, and going to all the world, and the body of Christ, and we’re going to change the world, and all this. It feels overwhelming, like, trying to boil the ocean. We’re gonna go everywhere, everyone everywhere, come on. What do you do with that overwhelmed feeling? Because although the disciples didn’t live in the information age, and they had no idea what was going on in Japan, in Asia, in India, and they didn’t know what was happening to the ends of the earth, Jesus was gonna be sending them. And although they were ignorant of that, although they were ignorant of that, they were going to be sent to that. They were gonna to be sent to places completely and totally foreign to them.
People, cultures, completely and totally foreign to them. And what Jesus does is takes people that they think they’re polarized with, but actually, they have a ton in common. But he’s like, «I’m gonna bring you together and what I wanna do is a micro work here within this micro community of 12 people that I wanna do something here. Leaders, leaders, I’m gonna want you to lead something, but you need to experience it first». You can’t lead something you didn’t experience first. So, the first thing Jesus does is say, «Just come accompany me,» to get people who are different, who think different, who actually probably have more in common than they think they do, frankly. The zealot and the tax collector probably got a lot in common with just opposite perspectives. But we’re gonna get in Jesus' orbit.
And as we get in Jesus' orbit, we’re going to begin strumming to him. We’re going to start to tune to him. And as we do that, we’re going to see how he looks at us, and how he listens to us, and how he talks to us. And I’m gonna watch how he talks to him, and I’m gonna talk to him like that. And I’m gonna listen to how he talks me, and I’m gonna learn, just being in Jesus' orbit before I’m gonna be sent out. And so, Jesus is bringing together combustible materials, and yet what is he doing? I’m frustrated by the text in that I wish there was more info on Simon, the zealot. Trust me, I dug. I was digging in there. I was trying to get more on Simon, the zealot. There’s not a ton, but here’s what I think I know about Simon, the zealot from the text, is Jesus saw something in Simon probably teachability, flexibility, openness, a willingness to change, and a willingness to be used by God, because he was gonna wanna send him out to other zealots.
If you’ve been to this church, and the ones I’m looking at have, some maybe listening haven’t but there’s a really cool thing going on at this church, like, this church is in many ways an anomaly because we’re extremely diverse. And that’s just the eye test. Like, if you just walk around, you look around, like, you can see different generations represented, different cultures represented. But if you could go pass the eye test, okay, and this isn’t normal for church. People usually go where everyone thinks a like, very monolithic environments. «We think alike, we vote alike, we look alike». Because that’s a lot easier to get along at church. Actually, what we found is people that stick around here are people that don’t mind disagreeing. They’ll be like, they’ll hear that and instead of immediately getting angry about it, they’ll turn it over in their mind, and they’ll wrestle with it.
In fact, not only are they willing to tolerate it, they value it. Probably, outside of this room, you’re listening to things that challenge your thoughts and challenge your thinking. Why? Because I know what I think, but I also, I know there are other, I’m a human being, so other people see things differently. I have something to learn. And also, you have to start from the humble position, at least partially that, like, «If I walked a mile in your shoes, I’d probably end up about the same spot you are». Like, I probably, I mean, like, you at least have to somewhat go, «I’ve walked a mile in my shoes, I’ve not been a mile in your shoes». And to actually want to, to value, to actually see that as best as I possibly can. To have my thoughts challenged.
When you do that, what happens? Well, you listen, you think, you ask a question, you listen it deeper, you think deeper, eventually you start getting to some conclusions. It doesn’t mean your wishy washy, it doesn’t mean you throw out all your beliefs, it doesn’t mean that okay, what are you doing? You’re actually morphing. You’re growing. It’s the process of change. It’s a process of development. I know everything I need to know about Matthew, the tax collector and Simon, the zealot. Jesus saw among these people that had been very much labeled and were very much polarized, two people that would come go through that process in a micro community, and he wanted to use 'em to the ends of the earth. And he wanted to use them, not to keep it and bury it in the micro community, but to use it to bring healing to their people in their day, and people like them, that think like them, to come in and walk through that.
And let me tell you, the place that that sort of learning happens is in community. I gotta tell you, the community, painful. The community, difficult. Organizing community, do you understand, we’re doing these groups, okay, we’ve got, you come in and you see a banner and you see people out there, you know, developing leaders, recruiting, training, getting all this, like, actually building out the infrastructure to make sure people are supported, that nobody’s walking alone, that we’re working through things and the conflicts, do you understand how much headache is in community? Why do that? Why not just give speeches? Because then this is rhetoric. Well, I’ll give you a great speech on unity. I got one in the bag. I’ll give you a great speech on forgiveness. Got one in the bag. I’ll give you a great one on trust. We can talk about that. And I got some good stuff on racism. We can talk about that.
How does that manifest? It only happens in community, dude. That’s it. That’s where it actually happens. So, Jesus wasn’t just a speech giver. This wasn’t just about stump speeches. Jesus calls 'em micro community. Why? Because the gospel isn’t just about bullet points, it’s about people and community, so he brings 'em together. «Watch what I’m gonna do with this zealot, and this tax collector, and these fishermen». It’s gonna come alive here. It’s gonna take on a personality here. It’s gonna actually become a thing here, not just something we talk about. What’s the point? Why? Because it starts right here, right now, and then we can move it out to everyone, everywhere. At some point in Mark 2, you’re a fisherman, you put down your nets, and Jesus calls this tax collector, and you’re like, «Why? This makes no sense. This makes absolutely no sense». But Jesus calls them into his orbit, and like I said, he sends 'em out as emissary, and eventually, he’s gonna.
Acts 1, he’s gonna send them out, send out, like, go. And then, he’s like, he’s gone, see ya. But he gives 'em a test run in Matthew 10. Matthew 10, he sends them away from himself but he says, «You’re gonna come back, but I want you to go out for a little bit». Now, look at this. Matthew 10, he says, «Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you’ll be handed over in the courts and you’ll be flogged with whips in the synagogues». To which the fishermen are like, «Wait, what? I just wanna fish. Like, what? Gonna be whipped in a synagogue? I’m a fisherman, dude. I’ve not been getting whipped much». Verse 18, «You’ll stand trial before governors and kings because you’re my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell rulers and unbelievers about me. When you’re arrested, don’t be worries about how to respond. God’ll give you the right words at the right time».
Verse 20, «For it’s not you who’ll be speaking-the spirit of the father will be speaking through you». Now, watch this, verse 21. «A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own children, children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed». Verse 22, «And all nations will hate you because you’re my followers». «And all nations will hate you because you’re my followers». If you’re a fisherman or whatever Bartholomew did for a living, and you’re sitting there, you’re like, «What? I thought we were gonna be national heroes. 'be hated'? 'All nations will hate you'? I don’t know how to be hated. I don’t know how to do that». You ever been hated? It says, «Brother will betray his brother, father, children», not just biological but he’s like, «Your people gonna hate you».
You ever been hated? It’s overwhelming the first time. So, if you’re one of the other 11 disciples, all of a sudden, you got really glad that Jesus called Matthew, 'Cause we only got one guy in the whole group that knows how to be hated. We only got one guy that’s been expelled from the temple. We only have one guy who doesn’t care about the bar mitzvah. We only have one guy who said, «I don’t need your validation anyway». The rest of us are falling apart 'Cause I never been hated before. And Mathew’s like, «Get on my back».
Matthew’s like Connor McGregor or George Jefferson, whichever generation you’re in. Matthew’s like, «I’ve been here before. Get in my draft. I’ve been hated before». And this is the beauty of diverse community is this, there are some things in your life experience that were fashioned in dark places. There are some things you’ve been through, tax collector stuff, and when you get in Jesus' orbit, he will reshape your heart but will use your experience. And all of a sudden, you didn’t know why he called this tax collector in Mark 2 until Matthew 10 happens, and you go, «I’m sure glad he did. 'Cause Jesus sent us out as emissaries, he’s not even here now».
So, all of a sudden, you’re sticking real close to Matthew. Sticking close to, Matthew’s been there, done that. Matthew knows how to live this life. And this is the beauty of community. This is what Jesus is still doing. He’s still doing. He’s bringing people together who had been different places, grew up in different sides of the tracks, have walked through different things. You got the stuff you can see at the eye test. You got stuff you have absolutely no idea about what somebody’s been through.
And for some of you, have been through some things that has changed you. And understand this, when you get a tax collector and a zealot, and a bunch of fishermen to get in Jesus' orbit, he does something in common, he reshapes their heart. He takes the tax collector who at one point had the willingness to take all the smoke, and all the dirty looks, and all the sideways comments, and everything to exploit people, and he reshapes that man’s heart to love people, to be willing for the sake of the gospel, and for the sake of their good, to be hated for their good. Before he was willing to be hated for their bad, now, he’s willing to be hated for their good. But he’s the one guy on the team that knows how to be hated. And all of a sudden, we’re real glad Matthew’s on the team.
I read a book a number of years ago. I’ve referenced this before, Malcolm Gladwell, wrote «David and Goliath». In the book, he talks about the advantages of disadvantages. And he talks about dyslexia. He says when a kid is dyslexic, they struggle in school early on. They’re having a hard time reading. They can’t read. So, they get put in remedial classes. They get separated from the general population. They sit alone at lunch often. And because of that, they become isolated, and often they become disruptive.
So, you’ll see there’s a large percentage, you know of a prison population or people who commit crimes who are dyslexic. Why? 'Cause at a young age, they felt like they were such an outsider that they rebelled. But he said what you’ll also see is that there are outliers in areas of success. Everybody from Richard Branson, to he talks about a CEO from Goldman Sachs to one of the great trial lawyers in American history were dyslexic. And the reason, he said is actually not in spite of being dyslexic, but because they were dyslexic, they were willing to actually be able to not need the social affirmation of everyone. They knew how to sit alone at the table.
And so, they would disrupt either in a bad way or a good way to take their life experience when everybody else is like, «We can’t do that 'Cause everybody will think this». They’re like, «So, what? I’ve been there, dude, I sat alone when I was six». What I’m telling you is there are some things in your life that God, not just in spite of this but because of this God can use you and to use you as part of a team, and use you as part of his mission. And we look to the ends of the earth of the things that God wants to do, but God wants to do something right here, right now. I’ll say this last thing.
You have to think for the disciples, they thought that the polar opposites that they were on in their world was probably, you know, was the ultimate polar opposite. Like, 'Cause your world tends to be the world. And yet, they had not even approached Acts 1 yet where Jesus is gonna say «No, I wanna send you to foreign places. I wanna send you to people and environments that you can’t even fathom. But if you can’t figure out a zealot and a tax collector to get in the orbit of Jesus, and to find a way to come together, and to grow, and evolve, and develop, and heal, and unify, then I can’t use to the ends of the earth».
This whole series, and I believe this whole story is about leadership, and it’s about what do you want your life to be, man? Do you wanna be the follower that just, «Okay, cool. I’ll do this category. I’ll do this thing»? Or do you wanna be used by God, called out, selected out, «I’m gonna bring you in here. I wanna try, I got something I wanna do in you, through you, around you, okay»? The tax collector needs the zealot, the zealot needs the tax collector, we all need the fishermen, the fishermen need us. We gotta get in here and do this and allow God to do what he wants to do there in you so that he can use outward.
I would encourage you to honestly search your heart and soul, and go, «Do I wanna be a follower in this world or do I wanna be called out by God, selected by God to say, 'I’m gonna bring my whole self but I’m gonna come in'». And guess what? It’s not cute. It’s painful. It’s hard. You gotta go in and you gotta work that process. But just to throw your hand up and say, «Lord, here I am. I’d like to be a part of this, Lord. I don’t know where exactly where this is leading but I’m going to trust you, and I wanna be used by you, right here, right now, and then to go to people and places beyond what I would have ever put on my own radar. But Lord, I wanna take the path that you’re calling».