Texts for the week are:
Isaiah 66:10-14
Psalm 66:1-9
Galatians 6:1-16
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
In today’s gospel text, the disciples are sent out in sets of two. Depending on the translation you read Jesus sent either 35 or 36 pairs. But I have questions!
* How far did they go?
* How long were they gone?
* And what about those unwelcoming places? What are we to make of them?
But the big thing that seems so very interesting to me is this:
The kingdom of God was everywhere, not just in the welcoming homes. It came near whether the disciples were welcomed or not.
The kingdom of God came near to the people who rejected the disciples, too!
The kingdom of God has come near either way, which seems to indicate that God’s presence does not depend on our responses to each other. That as people who are taking our faith and witness out into the communities around us, OUR behavior or efforts are not what determines whether or not God being near.
Furthermore, while Jesus does say that rejecting the disciples is a rejection of God, he does not authorize the disciples to respond on God’s behalf. Instead he says … go on your way.
So if our behaviors don’t determine whether God is present or not, what is this story about?
I wonder if this example might help:
In my work with South Durham Connections, we had a panel discussion a couple weeks ago. Four atheists who live and work in South Durham talked about how they came to hold the belief systems they hold. The audience included people across a wide range of belief systems – from Christian pastors to avowed atheists. But we were all there together, we all listened, and everyone seemed so happy to be there. The discussion continued afterwards for nearly an hour. We all got along, and we all had things to think about.
I think that is an example of how the kingdom of God is as near to those atheists as it is to me. The distinction is not what we believe, but whether we are willing to engage with each other, welcome each other, learn about each other. So when those four people came and shared their lives, and my Christian friends were in the audience listening, we had a relationship. We shared food. It was good. We did not agree, but it was good. I believe that in that moment we were all doing what God asks of us: we were loving each other.
I’ve also been in church council meetings that, well, let’s just say they were not as harmonious as the session with atheists and Christians. Despite professing the same faith – and not just Christian but the same version of Christianity – the people in the meeting had a really hard time listening to each other. There were factions and anger, sullen silence and noisy intimidation. Not all in one meeting, of course, but if you have ever been on a contentious church council you probably have a sense of what I mean. We want to say “Of course the kingdom of God was near… it’s church council! For our particular brand of agreed-upon faith!” And yet. For more than one council member (and even a few pastors) the only solution was to walk away. To leave the contentiousness behind. The kingdom of God was near, but the people involved simply could not figure out how to live and work in relationship.
In our text, Jesus tells the disciples to go. But did you notice that Jesus did not authorize punitive measures? Maybe Jesus knew that when we disagree there are never winners and losers – there is only relationship and communication… or not. And that relationship and communication does not depend so much on whether people see God in the same way as their willingness to see each other in the same way: as people worthy of a voice, worthy of being heard, worthy of being loved. We are closer to God when we love each other, not when we punish each other.
~~~
It seems, in fact, that the kingdom of God depends only on … GOD.
So when things went well, and the disciples were well-received and everyone got along, REALLY GREAT THINGS happened. Healing, overcoming demons, peaceful homes. Disagreements set aside in favor of understanding. The kingdom of God was near. When South Durham atheists and Christians sat down to learn about each other’s lives in a caring way, everyone left energized and enthusiastic, feeling like something special had just happened.
And when things did not go well, and the disciples were not well-received and they had to leave (but not condemn!) the town missed out on those gifts of healing and freedom from demons and peaceful homes. BUT! The kingdom of God was still near, even if the people did not receive the gifts that were there for them. Just like those contentious church council meetings. People missed out on the energy of working together, but God was still in the middle of all of it.
~~~
It seems like such gentle evangelism, doesn’t it?
Go. Offer good things. If people do not want them, do not try to force it. Let it go in the service of love and go find a place where it is possible to build relationships. Somewhere there is someone who will say yes.
Now, this is not to say that we stomp off when others see things differently than we do. This is not a matter of giving up before trying. But sometimes relationships are not going to click, and rather than fight and cause destruction, it is sometimes time to go.
Knowing that even in those painful moments, it will be ok because the kingdom of God will always be near, regardless.
So there y’go. At this point in a sermon – the point where I have summarized what Jesus seems to be directing us to do – I’m always tempted to say “got it? Ok, go ahead. Go now and do that.” Today it would be… go find people and make relationships and don’t worry if they get mad at you or rebuff your efforts. Sounds good, right?
But what I’m actually thinking is more like HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE???
If Jesus is saying “ok, go on out there and make friends, build relationships over whatever food people share with you, and if people do not want to be in relationship then maybe it’s not their time so just go on, find someone else, there will always be someone else.”
Go on and love and when the demons are cast out, and the bodies and minds and spirits are healed…
When anger and fear are replaced with friendship and mutual respect…
Do not be impressed with yourself.
Because the good stuff is not because of your skill or talent. Sometimes the relationships will work, and sometimes they won’t, and that is the human way. But what makes it work is this:
The kingdom of God is near.
Our names are written in heaven, not because of what we do, but because Jesus lived:
Jesus showed us how to care and be in relationship and love one another.
Because Jesus suffered:
He loved everybody. He was so good at being in relationship with all kinds of people that the people who relied on religious and political power rather than relationship got mad.
Jesus died:
Because Jesus was so good at relationship that people got REALLY mad.
And then…
Jesus was Resurrected: he came back to life and stayed that way forever.
In his life, Jesus showed us what it’s like when the kingdom of God is near because he could do nothing else. He was God, and where he went, so also went the kingdom of God.
Because of the Resurrection, because Jesus did not succumb to death, because the kingdom built on God’s love far transcends anything we can even imagine, our names are written in heaven. Now THAT is something to celebrate! THAT is fuel for a life of relationship building.
So go out today, and tomorrow, and every day to come. Find surprising relationships. Let go of things that seem like they should be good – but they just aren’t. Let love guide what you do and who you are. Live like the kingdom of God is near.
Because it is.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment