Have you ever had
one of those days when everything just went perfectly for you? I’m sure you have but you probably wish there
were more of them!
I feel like the seventy disciples that
we read about Jesus sending out in the gospel reading had several back to back
days like that. While everything seems
to have worked out perfectly for them, these Bible verses can cause us lots of
problems; and not just because we may feel like we have to become like annoying
evangelists who bug people by going door to door!
First, let’s look at the problems
these pairs of missionaries had to face.
Jesus even says he’s sending them out like lambs into the midst of wolves. They are to take no money and no
provisions. Jesus apparently doesn’t
have much regard for the Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared”! He certainly didn’t issue them tents! They are to be on the road for this
missionary trip and depend upon the hospitality of strangers.
We usually want to slam the door on an
evangelist who comes to our door. How
about if that evangelist pair came and asked if they could spend the night, and
eat supper with you!
To be fair, hospitality expectations
were different in those days. It was a
bit of an expectation to extend hospitality to travelers.
And apparently they should be prepared
to stay for several days because Jesus tells them not to move from house to
house. I guess Jesus didn’t want them
switching houses if they were getting boxed macaroni and cheese from one house
while the smell of steak and lobster tails wafted over the fence of the next
door neighbor.
Actually though, you get Jesus’
point. Your evangelism work is not about
manipulating your way into something better.
This was about preparing towns that were on Jesus’ itinerary that he
would be coming.
And Jesus tells them that if they are
rejected in one town they shouldn’t get too fussed over it. Just move on to the next. Notice Jesus doesn’t tell them to curse a
town that rejects them. Just tell them
they’ve missed the chance to have the kingdom of God come near.
We need to be clear. Kingdom of God and eternal life in heaven are
not the same thing. Kingdom of God
simply means that God’s reign, God’s means of justice, and God’s love have come
to them and they have rejected it. So
just move on.
If there is
anything we should take from this Bible passage it is that – to bring the
kingdom of God near.
No, I’m not suggesting going door to
door. That would backfire. And don’t annoy people with preaching. I’ve said before I cringe every time I’m on
an airplane and the person seated next to me finds out I’m a pastor and then he
or she decides I’m a good target to practice their evangelism spiel on.
No, I mean that wherever you are and
whatever you do, let your words and actions bring God’s kingdom to life. A key part of Luke’s gospel that we haven’t
explored yet is agency. An agent is
someone who is empowered to work and make decisions on behalf of someone
else. Luke’s gospel teaches us that we
are agents of God’s kingdom, agents of God’s reign.
Our role is to think and act on behalf
of God. Just like the seventy that were
sent out, we are to bring the kingdom of God near.
Jesus has some harsh words for those
who reject him. He references
Sodom. You probably have heard of that
one from Genesis where God destroys them for their evil ways, primarily their
inhospitality; which this passage is again about.
But Jesus also lists other cities:
Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.
These are all towns in Galilee who had seen Jesus at work first hand,
but they did not respond genuinely to Jesus’ message of salvation. He says that Tyre and Sidon, both ancient
Phoenician seacoast towns (and thus not Jewish) will have it more tolerable on
the day of judgment. Tyre and Sidon were
two towns the prophet Isaiah had criticized for their wickedness centuries
before. They had a bad reputation among
Jews. Yet Jesus asserts they would have
received him better than Jewish settlements.
They would have redirected themselves towards God’s kingdom.
You can feel the tension and despair
over Jewish towns who should have an inside track on what God is doing don’t
respond to God’s presence.
I wouldn’t get too alarmed over Jesus saying
Capernaum will be brought down to Hades; probably meaning a place of eternal
punishment for the wicked. He is not
condemning, just stating a reality.
Those who reject God’s purposes reject their hope.
At this point it
feels like Jesus’ whole public ministry has been a flop. He grew up in Nazareth. You’ll remember they rejected him when he
went back home. In fact they got so
upset with him they tried to kill him.
He then appears to have made Capernaum his home base. They’ve apparently not responded to him
either. Other towns haven’t as well.
How would it feel
if you spent years working on something only to have it all fail? I think it is good for us to remember as we
think about Jesus, that during his ministry he was for the most part a
failure. Despite the miracles, and the
healings, and the amazing sermons few people’s lives changed. He was like a great circus act who was
forgotten when the show pulled out of town.
When the seventy
return and share how successful they’ve been we can then feel Jesus’ happiness
as we read, “At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I
thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these
things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes,
Father, for such was your gracious will.”
(10:21)
This isn’t an
anti-intellectual statement. Jesus isn’t
saying that anyone above a certain score on an IQ test is doomed to hell. Notice the last line, “for such was your
gracious will.” Grace does not follow
logic and it cannot be limited or controlled.
Those who insist that God must work in ways that make sense to the human
mind are close minded. God is not so
limited.
Finally Jesus
tells the disciples how lucky they are.
They get to be on the inside for God’s greatest actions.
In the mid-week
Lenten worship last week we talked about how God’s actions don’t always make
sense. Things like faith, hope, and love
cannot be measured or defined by logic.
Yet these are the things of God.
As we live day to
day trying to be disciples, and trying to bring the kingdom of God near, we
face many struggles. Many things don’t
add up. Many things look like
failures. We may wish that we had more confidence
and more certainty. We may wish we could
see what the disciples saw. We may wish
we could experience a lot more success for our efforts. But ours is not to be successful. Ours is to keep bringing the kingdom near.
Let me conclude
with Jesus’ vivid teaching that I overlooked, his statement that he has given
them authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and nothing will hurt you.
Some churches
actually do that! I’d hate to be an
usher there! But Jesus did not mean it
literally. Snakes, scorpions, Satan, the
power of the enemy; these are all descriptions of evil. He meant that his followers need not fear
evil, for God will conquer it.
Perhaps bringing
the kingdom of God near in the face of evil feels like attacking an aircraft
carrier with a row boat; a foolish and impossible task. And indeed it is.
But faith, hope,
and love abide. They are stronger than
the mightiest fortress. With God’s
gracious promises we trust that they will triumph. And when we fail we know we receive the same
grace that we proclaim when we succeed.
So
bring the kingdom of God near. Fear no
evil. You are God’s agent, but the work
is really God’s.
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