Jesus didn’t send out his disciples when his work was complete, He sent them out in the midst of the uncertainty and the unknown; Jesus didn’t send out his disciples when everything was solved or decided, He sent them out to proclaim that the Kingdom of God had come near long before His death and resurrection.
July 10, 2022
“Lessons From the Gospel of Luke”
The Kingdom of God Has Come Near
Luke 10: 1-11
Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl
Luke 10: 1-11
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you.
Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’
The Kingdom of God Has Come Near Luke 10: 1-11
I shared earlier this week that it was my hope that we as a community of faith are very familiar with this particular passage, not because it is one of Luke’s more famous passages but because as a community of faith, a few years ago, we spent over a year, studying, meditating, praying this particular scripture. We were invited to listen for God’s Spirit through these words. We gathered around tables reading this passage over and over again. We did this intentional Scripture studying as part of a process called Surfing the Edge, a process which called us to listen for where God was sending us out into our community, just like Jesus did with the disciples all those years ago.
As I spent more time with this Scripture, I realized what I had perceived as taking place just a few short years ago actually was over ten years ago. So much has changed. From the faces connected with our community of faith to who we are as a community of faith, there have been a lot of changes. 10 years later after the first Surfing the Edge process, we are no longer limited to just a physical building but now a part of an on-line community. We had our kitchen certified through the Health Department which allowed us to begin our monthly Free Community Dinners. It also allowed us to be able to rent out our kitchen to give us a better connection to our local Farmers Market. We become better connected to our local elementary school through programs like Win-Win, a tutoring program a few of our church members were a part of, inviting them to help students with math and reading.
Yet in the past fews years, it seems like the very makeup of the community which surrounds our church has shifted from what we used to know and once again, we find ourselves as a community of faith entering into what I am calling a Surfing the Edge 2.0…this time realizing that a lot of what we used to do no longer works any more and we are being called to figure out some new learnings within our community, adapting to a new way of being Midway Christian Church.
Just like ten years ago, when we as a community of faith were intentional about asking the question who is my neighbor, I find myself wanting, needing solid answers before I am ready to commit to go out and meet my neighbor, only to discover this particular text once again, mocking my need for security. Instead it offers me, offers us a way which is uncomfortable, which is uncertain, which leaves me, leaves us as people of faith not in control.
It simply reminds us that as we are sent out as Jesus’ disciples, we are to offer peace, we are to proclaim that the Kingdom of God has come near. How hard is that?
Well, pretty hard for us actually because usually our first question is what is in it for me? This is quickly followed up by “ What is the return on my investment if I do this?” To which the answer this text offers is “Nothing is guaranteed”.
Again, like 10 years ago, as I am reading these words, what I find fascinating about this text is that Jesus didn’t send out his disciples when his work was complete. He sent them out in the midst of the uncertainty, in the midst of the unknown. Jesus didn’t send out the disciples when everything was solved or decided. Jesus sent them out, telling them to proclaim that the Kingdom of God had come near long before they would experience Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Jesus didn’t also send out the disciples with everything that they would need for the journey. Rather instead, Jesus sent the disciples out with nothing except the clothes on their back.
Jesus sent the disciples with no complete thought out plans, He told them to leave their belongings and carry nothing with them all because Jesus wanted them to become vulnerable. Jesus wanted them to become open to where the Kingdom of God was leading them along their journey. Jesus wanted the disciples to really experience how they were connected with others.
All because our world tells us that it is about our own needs, about our own wants and that is all that is important. As long as I have everything I need and want, what does it matter that people are suffering or dying to meet those needs? We live in a world that tells me that I am the only one that matters. That is the world’s way, not the Kingdom of God’s way. That’s why Jesus sends his disciples out, vulnerable and exposed. They would have to rely on others. They would have to build relationships with people who may be different from them to survive. The disciples would have to experience the giving love that can only be found in true community.
Or let me say it this way..Our community of faith, like so many others, is trying to figure out the “What’s next” part of our journey. At this moment, for us as Midway Christian Church, no plans have been made. Nothing has been solved. Nothing is decided.In fact, I think, at least for me, as the minister, there are more questions than answers.
But like all those years ago, we as disciples are still being sent out to proclaim peace, to proclaim that the Kingdom of God has come near. I don’t know what shape or form these proclamations will be. All I know, all we know is that we are being sent out ahead of where Jesus already intends to be, being sent out to where God already is, moving in and among God’s people, bringing healing and wholeness to all of God’s people. All I know, all we know is that just like 10 years ago, although the process might be scary and uncomfortable, it is what we are called to do as disciples of Christ…to engage the people around us, to listen to their stories, to hear their concerns, to celebrate their gifts, to heal the sick, to make justice not only for a select few but for all of God’s people. We are being called to be the Body of Christ here on Earth, guided by a vision that is greater than we could ever imagine, a vision that connects us and sustains us, a vision that compels us to respond to this broken and hurting world with love, grace and hope, a vision that reminds us that the Kingdom of God is near.
I’m not going to pretend to have all the answers but what I am going to do is reclaim a practice that we did with this text all those years ago…I’m going to invite us to hear it again and while I am reading it, I would like for us to listen for a word or phrase that speaks to us. Then I would like all of us to spend time with that phrase in prayer, in meditation, in study….And in August, when we gather the leadership of Midway Christian Church for retreat and conversation, I would like us to bring those words and phrases, and invite them to once again bring God’s wisdom and word for us as we vision and dream what it means to go out into our community and proclaim that the Kingdom of God has come near….
I invite you to hear these words…
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’
May it be so. Amen.
See Theology Tuesday for Sunday, July 10, 2022 – The Kingdom of God Has Come Near Luke 10: 1-11.
This sermon is also available as a podcast.
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