“Jesus said, ‘I have compassion on the crowd…’” Mark 8:2

We spent time yesterday in our study of Mark’s gospel considering the nature and effects of the compassion that Jesus has for us. It does not take a lot of mental energy to think about the ways in which we have been given so much by God in Christ. Clearly, his compassion is great and it is directed toward us, his children.

Toward the end of the worship service yesterday, Dean mentioned that having compassion on others can often be a costly endeavor. We see that most clearly in the compassion of Christ being manifested in the cross. Indeed, Jesus’ compassion for us cost him his life.

For us, as we extend compassion toward others, we can expect to pay a price as well. Sometimes it is as little as a few minutes of our time and a few dollars from our pockets. In other instances, it costs us more.

For the next few weeks I would like to introduce you to some people who have counted the cost of following Jesus and of extending compassion to the world around them, and have found that the reward of knowing Christ is far more valuable than anything they might have to give away. These are folks who are North American Missionaries.

That may sound strange to you. Why would we need to send missionaries to North America. The reality is that the nations are coming in droves to America, and, in our culture today, more and more people are growing up here never hearing about Jesus.

The North American Mission Board is the sending agency for the Southern Baptist Convention. Every time we give in our weekly offering, a portion of that money goes to NAMB in order to support North American Missions. Each year we also take up a special offering for missions here in North America. This offering is called, “The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions.”

The beautiful thing about this offering is that 100% of it goes straight to strategic mission work. This offering does not go to cover administrative costs at the home office or anything like that. This is money to get missionaries on the field, keep missionaries on the field, and mobilize missionaries to do what God has called them to do.

The first missionary I would like you to meet is Scott Venable. He is working in Chicago to bring the gospel to people who are in need of knowing Jesus. As you meet these missionaries, please ask God to lead you in generosity and show you how much you might give to the Annie Armstrong Offering this year.

You can access the Household Worship Guide from today’s sermon here.  The message came from Mark 6:45-52. This familiar story of Jesus walking on the water to his disciples. There is a lot to learn here, so listen to the sermon again and work through the guide.

Mark 6:45-52 Household Worship Guide

It is one thing to say that Jesus possesses the greatest value of all things in our lives. It is another all together to actually believe that and live that way.  With so many things in our world calling out with their siren songs for our total allegiance and affection, we are in need of continually be reminded that the value of Jesus is above all things.

Today we considered the cost of discipleship. The original readers of the gospel of Mark would have read the account of John the Baptist’s death stuck in the middle of the apostle’s mission trip and known what the message was for them: following Jesus may cost them everything.

We were reminded from this text, though, that while the cost is great, the reward is greater. Jesus alone is our reward. When we gain him, we keep him forever. When he gains us, he keeps us forever. When Jesus tells us, “I have you,” we can tell the world, “Take whatever you want, I have Jesus.”

The cost is great. The reward is greater.

Take time to work through this week’s household worship guide below.

Household Worship Guide Mark 6:6b-30

Listen to today’s sermon here