Loading...Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs to do what he had been doing
and what he was KNOWN for doing:
connecting with townspeople and villagers
receiving hospitality
talking about the reign of God
healing those who were sick, and
casting out demons.
Oh, and he sent them with some instructions:
do not bring any baggage, such as an extra tunic, money, or a bag;
eat the food that is set in front of you, and
stay in the homes where you are first welcomed.
And it worked!
They healed, they exorcised demons, they shared the good news of hope, forgiveness, and love!
Even after Jesus’ “non-starter” visit to his hometown where he taught, but was not heard and where he could not do any deeds of power, but a few healings –
even after that,
Jesus still sent his disciples out in pairs to the towns and villages.
They went and did their mission –
filled with trepidation? Anxiety? The frisson of fear?
Maybe.
But, they were not alone and the trusted
the love and hope of Jesus
the courage of the Spirit
the call from God to go out.
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We live in troubled times.
This is not the first time in our country’s history.
Nor is it the first time in world history.
But, for many of us, it’s the first time things have been so troubled in at least 40 years,
and for some of us, this is the first time in our lives.
The fear and anxiety is ramped up –
not just the personal fear or anxiety (although that may be very real for you)
but also the fear and anxiety about societal and global concerns.
For example:
the meanness of words—
hatred and bigotry in systems and institutions, yes,
but also in one-on-one encounters, now also recorded and “going viral”
such as the woman on a bus ranting about the African-Americans on board
or the man singling out a woman for proof of her “right” to be a neighborhood pool;
the policies and procedures of this administration and the government agencies
regarding immigrants and refugees;
changes being proposed regarding Medicaid and Medicare;
an increase in gun violence, intentional or accidental.
And, that’s just in our society, not to mention what is going on in the world.
It’s so easy to get “compassion fatigue” or want to stick your head in the sand, or distract yourself with stories of celebrities or other bits of popular culture –
anything to temporarily soothe the overwhelming fear and anxiety.
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But we are people of faith.
We are God’s beloved.
We are filled with the Holy Spirit.
We are Jesus people.
And we are sent out into the world.
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Our first reading today is just a snippet of Ezekiel’s call story.
Many prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Amos to name a few) include their own “call story” – God calling them to be prophets – at the beginning of the book of Scripture named for them. Ezekiel’s story is actually longer than just the 6 verses or so that we have today; you can go to the first two chapters and get more of the story, if you wish.
But, the long and short of it is that Ezekiel, a priest of Israel, is living and serving in a very fractious and difficult time of Israelite history. There has been civil war between the Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom for years. The Assyrians have already been through to wreak havoc; and then the Babylonians come along to do more damage and to desecrate and destroy the Temple in Jerusalem. There is so much destruction; and most of the people are taken off into exile to Babylon.
In the mist of this, Ezekiel is called to be a prophet – very different work than being a priest! He is called to share a difficult message to hard-hearted people, rebellious people. People who are stubborn and unwilling to listen or change.
Yet, he is told: speak the message. Share the Word of the Lord.
And he did. We have many examples of that, including
the promise from God:
“A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36: 26)
and the vision of the Valley of Dry Bones in chapter 37.
Ezekiel wasn’t always “successful”, but he was faithful.
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Jesus sent his disciples out.
Jesus sends you out
to look for how God is at work and present in the world,
to find and recognize kindness, even in unexpected places,
to tell the stories of hope and goodness – your own story, stories from scripture, or other stories that you know about,
to share the love and mercy that you know from God.
In a world overwhelmed by anger, fear, and anxiety,
you are called to share hope and love.
In the midst of darkness, you are called to share the light of Christ.
You will get overwhelmed by the task.
But, you are not alone.
The Spirit gives you courage to take risks.
God is with you always, just for the asking.
And we are all the Body of Christ –
the community gathered together shares energy, courage, and joy,
we are fed at the Table of grace,
and we are renewed in the baptismal waters of the font.
Then, renewed and restored, you are sent out again as Jesus people
living in the deeply seated joy of life in Christ.
You are sent to share hope, joy, love, and grace
to a hurting, anxious, and fearful world.
You are sent to share the message of hope that there is no need for fear,
because the reign of God is here, now;
and the love of God for is here, now.
Amen
