I have called you by name – you are mine!
Reading Galatians 6.(1-6)7-16
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.
Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.
Gospel Luke 10.1-11,16-20
The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’
“He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Sermon
When I was taking A-levels – parents moved house – left me with elderly neighbours as lodger to finish studies. Not well off – served heart, offal, hard grisly stewed meat, bread and dripping, dumplings, and lots of green veg. I tried refusal – met with stern lecture – not about starving peoples of world, but courtesy to woman who had cooked the meal – about politeness and hospitality.
Once asked to reflect on deprivations of mission of 70 or 72. 70 just means many.
· Risks on road (bandits)
· No money or possessions (cannot be robbed)
· Depending on hospitality of strangers
· Not being welcomed
· Not being able to choose travelling partner
Or was it – eat whatever is set before you?
Hospitality in Cheddington means reciprocating – you ask someone to dinner – you expect to be asked in return. Society works that way. Mission of 70 is more about dependence on others rather than hospitality.
· Jesus dined regularly
· Never gave a dinner party
· Always a guest
· Someone else provided and prepared – even at Last Supper
· No returning the favour – Jesus graced meal by his very presence
Paul writing to Galatians – sharing good things with others – carry each other’s burdens – reaping what you sow – doing good to all people. Vision of the Reign or Kingdom of God – also described in mission of 70.
What is this Kingdom, and when does it come about? NIV: Kingdom of God is near. NRSV: Kingdom of God has come near to you. Confusing.
Does near mean near in time or near in location? Is it temporal or spacial?
1. Time - If they had welcomed the gospel, would they join the mission effort and inherit the Kingdom now, or at some point in future?
2. Location - Have those who rejected mission of 70 missed out on something that they would have seen and experienced here and now had they accepted the good news?
We don’t know. Church teaches Kingdom is a partial reality – we can glimpse and be part of it now – but will not come in all its fullness until end of time.
A clue is how 70 received by Jesus on return. They did experience many wonderful things. They were able to do in name of Jesus what they did not have power to accomplish of themselves alone. So something had changed for them.
But – warned by Jesus not to trumpet and boast in what happens on earth – but look forward to Kingdom in heaven where their names are written down.
Reminds me of favourite verse Isaiah 43:1 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. How special when we meet someone to be called by our name – we are individual, recognised as a person not just someone we meet. How special to be called by our names, and to belong to God.
How do we belong? In what capacity are we members of Kingdom of Heaven? We are workers, with Christ, in harvest of souls. Jesus told the 70: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
For us in church – it’s important to note the 70 were sent ahead of Jesus. He sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. Did not revisit places he had already gone to.
So it is with the church – body of Christ. We are preaching return of Jesus Christ in the future. We are, by our lives mainly but sometimes by our words, to announce the present and future reality of Kingdom. In this we are not alone. Not from our own resources. We only have to ask Lord of the harvest to send workers who will join us in mission – for the harvest is plentiful, but we the workers are few.
There’s a lot of worry about mission. Will our message be welcomed? Will we be shunned, side-lined or ignored? Much of the concern is allayed by two things:
1. We must not rely on ourselves, but ask for God’s help in others
2. Most of the time, our words are not needed or even welcome. This is not evangelism as we understand it, but living in Christ by example, so that as we yearn to be more like him, this will be apparent to others.
This passage is a continuation of our gospel readings from Luke that extend through to October. Jesus has turned his face towards Jerusalem. He has seen his destiny, and will not be diverted from it even though he knows what it means.
This same Jesus invites us to walk with him. He is not hiding the difficulties. He tells the 70 they are like lambs in the midst of a wolf pack. He does not hide the dangers, but promises to be with us and to call us by name.
We are to help bring God’s reign nearer. So let us ask him for workers to join us in the harvest, and join the mission of the many in bringing it about – not only in the future, but now in its partial reality. Amen
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