Sermon - 2019-07-07
With seventy people, Jesus sends them out into the world. They would go out to be among the people, to be with them in their daily life, and these seventy would go be with them to teach, comfort, and simply grow stronger in their own faith by teaching others. In the world, they would be challenged and they would feel like they are overwhelmed. Jesus told them how to travel into the world. Do not take any money, no change of clothes, and simply go be in the world.
What do you think they would receive if we did that today?
Would we get the door slammed in our faces?
Would anyone welcome us into their homes to stay the night and be fed?
For many of us, we know the answers to these questions or at least we think we do. For many of us, we engage in these questions but we answer them as we think others would do but then I wonder, how would you answer them? Please understand, I do want you to still be safe but at the same time, how do we show hospitality and compassion to those among us?
In studying history and looking at our modern times, we would find ourselves in very similar situations that the seventy who were sent found themselves in. We would find ourselves in situations in which we would be rejected. We would find ourselves in situations in which we would be welcomed. Some would ask us questions because they wanted to learn and others would ask us questions because they wanted to prove us wrong. However, in these joys and challenges, we begin to realize how God is at work within our own lives and in the lives of others.
Within our society, there is a whole industry of hospitality that did not exist in quite the same capacity as it does today. Today we have large hotels and motels. But remember that Mary and Joseph had no place for them even in the Inn. Today, we have restaurants and cafes that are on every block if not five on every block. Where would we sleep? The hotel. Where would we eat? The restaurant.
But remember, we have no money and only the clothes on our backs. When a crisis like this comes into your life, where do you turn? Family? Friends? For many now within the community, they will turn to organizations and churches. Places of grace and mercy. However, when I hear this account of Jesus sending the 70 into the world. I do not simply here, how is that we are being a more compassionate or generous church? No, I hear Jesus calling us, how are we generous and compassionate in our daily lives, outside of these walls and even into our homes.
This is a calling for you and me to not simply listen to Jesus and say that it sounds nice but now, we are asked to put these words into practice. However, in going into the world, we are not to go alone. We have that community of people, remember, there are seventy people who are sent. Not only that but in the world, they would surely encounter people who were willing to hear, share, and understand more of what God is doing in the world. However, in the church, this is not simply something we talk about, every week, we invited everyone to share in God’s peace with one another. Every week you practice it here but now the challenge comes when you go out into the world, without the safety net of knowing the people around you.
What do you think they would receive if we did that today?
Would we get the door slammed in our faces?
Would anyone welcome us into their homes to stay the night and be fed?
For many of us, we know the answers to these questions or at least we think we do. For many of us, we engage in these questions but we answer them as we think others would do but then I wonder, how would you answer them? Please understand, I do want you to still be safe but at the same time, how do we show hospitality and compassion to those among us?
In studying history and looking at our modern times, we would find ourselves in very similar situations that the seventy who were sent found themselves in. We would find ourselves in situations in which we would be rejected. We would find ourselves in situations in which we would be welcomed. Some would ask us questions because they wanted to learn and others would ask us questions because they wanted to prove us wrong. However, in these joys and challenges, we begin to realize how God is at work within our own lives and in the lives of others.
Within our society, there is a whole industry of hospitality that did not exist in quite the same capacity as it does today. Today we have large hotels and motels. But remember that Mary and Joseph had no place for them even in the Inn. Today, we have restaurants and cafes that are on every block if not five on every block. Where would we sleep? The hotel. Where would we eat? The restaurant.
But remember, we have no money and only the clothes on our backs. When a crisis like this comes into your life, where do you turn? Family? Friends? For many now within the community, they will turn to organizations and churches. Places of grace and mercy. However, when I hear this account of Jesus sending the 70 into the world. I do not simply here, how is that we are being a more compassionate or generous church? No, I hear Jesus calling us, how are we generous and compassionate in our daily lives, outside of these walls and even into our homes.
This is a calling for you and me to not simply listen to Jesus and say that it sounds nice but now, we are asked to put these words into practice. However, in going into the world, we are not to go alone. We have that community of people, remember, there are seventy people who are sent. Not only that but in the world, they would surely encounter people who were willing to hear, share, and understand more of what God is doing in the world. However, in the church, this is not simply something we talk about, every week, we invited everyone to share in God’s peace with one another. Every week you practice it here but now the challenge comes when you go out into the world, without the safety net of knowing the people around you.
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