A Sense of Urgency from the Man with Authority
Preacher: Marcia C. Wilkinson

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Luke 10:1-20

It was in the 60’s that Norm finished grad school and was required to alert the army that he was ready to do his two years of ROTC service.  He was told however that it may take awhile to process his papers, so we took our savings, bought a tent, loaded up our VW bug complete with little Heather and headed north to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.  As we worked our way camping we would check in at home for any word.  Just before reaching Newfoundland, we were told orders had come in.  Norm was expected in San Antonio in a week.  Our VW bug flew back to Ct., we packed all of our earthly possessions on the top rack and headed south.  There was a sense of urgency.  No fooling around with good byes.  Norm was committed and was expected.

In our gospel lesson the sense of urgency comes through as Jesus and his disciples head to Jerusalem on Jesus’ final mission.  This is part two of the gospel journey.  In last week’s gospel Jesus made two foundational points:

1) His mission is to reach the whole world with his good news message of saving grace.

2) And, for those who follow Him as Savior of the world, there are expectations.  Commitment, willingness to put aside comforts and securities, sacrifice that includes putting Christ in the center of one’s life, even before family.  This mission is not for the faint hearted.  Losing all to gain Christ is demanding but exciting for all the important things in life will flow out of a Christ centered love.

Today, Jesus chose 70 to go ahead in pairs to announce that God’s kingdom had come.  Why 70?  Maybe it’s like the 70 elders appointed by Moses to assist him and who were given God’s spirit to equip them to reach the people of Israel.  Remember that the Israelites rebelled and grumbled about leaving Egypt. Even though they were slaves, at first they didn’t want to go to the Promised Land the way God wanted.

So this is a repeat.  Many of Jesus’ contemporaries simply didn’t want to know about the kingdom.  Not even his careful teaching or gracious healings would convince them.  From his first sermon in Nazareth through his last days in Jerusalem, spiritual leaders and fellow Jews did not come around.  Why?  Because they didn’t know that they needed him.

The 70 were sent out to prepare the way for Jesus’ coming into their towns.  They would go out like lambs.  They were vulnerable, and needed protection- because of wolves- those treacherous predators who would attack and try to devour.  Did Jesus say this only as a warning?  I don’t believe so!  They were lambs also because they were not to respond with violence.  That was the old way and would not work for bringing Jesus’ new message of Peace.

Jesus’ contemporaries didn’t understand his way of peace.  The Samaritans were regarded as their enemies, and there certainly was no peace with the feared and hated Romans.  The Jews wanted God’s justice- to be rid of their enemies once and for all.  Yet, Jesus told them to bring Peace into the homes that they visited.

His meaning for Peace was not a gentle greeting!  Like ‘glad to see you’ or ‘have a nice day.’  The O.T. meaning of shalom has a depth and strength to it, a sense of wellbeing and stability because there is a covenant relationship between God and God’s people.  This shalom is a covering that brings blessing because of God’s righteousness and the realization that our sin and God’s judgment are real.  To bring God’s word of peace was not a nicety.

To bring peace upon the Jewish home, was a reminder that Jews belonged to God’s covenant and had received God’s salvation.  And, now the old covenant was made new in the person of Jesus.  Hence, Jesus’ words “the kingdom is near.”  Therefore, when disciples went out in Jesus’ name, they brought peace and the completion of salvation- who is God’s Son.

And, that is why we share the peace each Sunday.  It is not a friendly gesture to the people around us, but a full recognition that salvation has come to us personally and as a Body.  Christ is alive in us; he has given us forgiveness and saved us through his own life.  By sharing the Peace of the Lord we are saying that the grace we have received in Jesus Christ is the same blessing we want to extend to others in God’s church.  Peace is the fullness of God’s well being in us because we belong to Him.  And, when we belong to him, we belong to his Body of believers.

This belonging happens because God’s power takes hold of our hearts.  God’s Spirit living in us gives us the authority to live Christ’s way and to share his message.  All of these things hang together.  They are not isolated.  God’s peace, God’s love; God’s Spirit are all real and effective because Jesus’ death and resurrection transforms.  As we are being transformed because of Christ, God is working through us as bearers of Christ.  This is the message Jesus was giving his disciples for the people.  This is the message for us today.  We need transformation.  We need to be restored in Christ.

To summarize the gospel lesson:  If restoration is going to happen with the world, if darkness is to be turned into light, if hatred and dysfunction are to be dealt with in God’s way, then the Word and message of salvation must be given along with the Peace of Christ.  There are no substitutes, no plan B.  We (you and I) have been given the power of his spirit to deal with snake pits of evil.  When Jesus spoke of Satan being brought down, he was saying that faithful believers are given what is needed to be obedient to him.  God’s word does not return void.

I believe the time for restoration of God’s world is now.  If in fact the Kingdom of God has come near, what does that mean?  And, how are we to participate?  And, what about those who reject us and reject Christ?

These are broad questions indeed and possibilities for answering them can take us in many directions.  However, I believe the first priority is living authentically in the faith.  Living in the spirit of God means we are bound in the Sprit and therefore being released from slavery and legalism.

John 8: 32 - “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”   If we are free we are free indeed and we are no longer servants but friends of Christ, and on level ground as friends in God.

In other words, we are to live by God’s grace.  Anything that holds us in bondage must be let go.  We aren’t to run away from failures, fears, and questions, or dysfunctional relationships because the foundation of freedom is freedom to receive forgiveness and a new beginning.  When Mandela was released after 20 years as a political prison, he was asked how he would handle the people who sent him away.  Standing at the airplane doorway, Mandela said there was no question in his mind.  The time had come!  He would forgive all!  Africa would move on!

Bishop J.V. Taylor, former Archbishop of Canterbury and one of George Carey’s heroes said:  “Being the new mankind means living towards one another without rules in the same glorious freedom and truth as we see in Jesus himself.”  Freedom is the nature of a spirit-filled church.  Not freedom to say and do as we please without accountability.  Rather, living by grace means we are willing to put up with failures of each other and speak to them, in order to create an environment where God can have his way with all of us.  George Carey was passionate about this at the renewal conference in Kanuga.  He said that to accept a person in Jesus Christ and to see the possibilities of this kind of freedom is to transform us all.  Nietzsche offered these words from the under side:  “the Nazarenes (followers of Jesus) will have to look a lot more redeemed before I believe in their Savior.”

We have a challenge before us, individually and as a parish to release ourselves to God, so that we can be released from all that binds us and keeps us from being a church for others.  In baptism we say “I turn to Christ.”  We not only bring people to Christ, but in Christ we are being made a Christ like people.  You and I can have no real ministry without the emptying of self and a grateful surrender to our Lord.  A radical simplicity of obedience is called for- a commitment.  This is the urgent message of the gospel.  And, I believe dear people of God, this will be our peace!