Summary
I usually start to prepare to write a sermon, by reading through the scriptures on Monday. I also often copy off some thoughts by various theologians that, sometimes I read through, and other times I don’t. It all depends upon how I feel I am being led, in my reading, thinking and praying.
This week I did read from a couple of professors, and I am glad that I did, for a few sentences got me to start thinking in a slightly different way about whom Jesus calls, and whom he prepares to do his work.
Two and three weeks ago as we remembered and celebrated, first the Ascension and then the day of Pentecost, we remembered first how Jesus gave his disciples the mission to go, teach and baptize, and then the Holy Spirit drove them out into the world to fulfill the command. They were inspiring scriptures, and so, sometimes we forget that they were not the first time that the disciples were sent out in mission.
For, in fact today we are reminded of the first time they are sent, right after Jesus names the twelve as apostles. In Matthew’s gospel this takes place after Jesus’ sermon on the mount, and the start of his ministry of healing and teaching.
It is actually very fitting that the twelve are named as apostles before they are sent out with authority, to, “proclaim the good news…cast out unclean spirits, and cure every disease and every sickness.”
You see the title, ‘apostle’ comes from the Greek word, ‘apostolos’, which means, “to be sent”, or “emissary.” So, when naming them apostles, Jesus is simply telling them who they will be, and what they will do, and so their new title makes total sense!
The more interesting part in Jesus naming of the twelve apostles, is whom he chooses to name. Some of these characters we get to know quite well, like the first, Simon Peter, and to a lesser extent the last, Judas Iscariot, but some of those between we only know from this first introduction.
Colin Yuckman writes, “the ‘first’ apostle…will deny the Lord three times and the last apostle…will betray him to death, while two apostles in between held opposite positions on the Roman occupation (the tax collector Matthew worked for them, while Simon the Cananaean or ‘zealot’ worked against them.)
We always remember Peter and his denials, and Judas’s betrayal, but we tend to forget that some of these fellows whom Jesus chose as his emissaries did not necessarily see eye-to-eye on important matters of the day. Simon the Zealot, belonged to a political movement, “the zealots” whose aim was to overthrow the Romans, and their puppet king, while Matthew supported the Romans by actually gathering the taxes that made the entire system of oppression work. So then, we see that Jesus has chosen for inclusion into the same group, one man whom is a stooge of the Romans, and another whom is a revolutionary fighting against the Romans!
Wow! Jesus not only did not force his followers to think the same politically, he even made those who were diametrically opposed work together. Might there be a lesson for the modern church in today’s scriptures?
I think so.
And frankly the lesson is not simply that Jesus calls all kinds of people to be his followers, and even more his workers, but more importantly, when he calls us as his disciples and then apostles, he forms us, by giving us all that we need to do the work to which we’re called, the first thing being grace, God’s grace, which relieves us of the burden of our sins, and gives us the faith in which we stand.
To understand what I am trying to get at here, we need to look back to our first reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans. In these verses we read of all that God gives to us, and does for us, making us Christians by his gift of salvation.
Listen to what Jesus does. Jesus justifies us, gives us peace and access to his grace. Then, the Holy Spirit pours into us God’s love, which is shown to us forever, because of Jesus’ death and then resurrection. Wow! God provides for all of our needs, and then he sends us out to do his work, and to proclaim, “the kingdom of Heaven has come near.”
In other words, God gives us salvation, and then all that we need to live out his love in the world, so that the world may know that Jesus has come here, into the life of the world, for them.
In the naming of the disciples, we are reminded that each of us, created by God as very unique and different people, are called with our various passions, realities, life stories and faults, to be Jesus’ people. Yet, not on our own, but as part of his band of followers, as his disciples.
As his disciples, his church, Jesus works in us, and through us, even when we do not see eye-to-eye, believe exactly the same theologically, work in similar fields, or even hold political views that agree. The Holy Spirit is the one filling us with what we need in order to fulfill Jesus’ commands, and share God’s love.
When I look around at our congregation, I see a group of believers whom are being called together as disciples, so that they can then go out as apostles into the world. We may be a motley crew, gathered from the four corners of the world, coming from a multitude of cultures, speaking in a great variety of languages, and comprised theologically of a whole host of churches and denominations, and yet, and yet like the first apostles we are gathered because of our shared faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
We are just like the first disciples who were gathered from fishing boats, tax-collecting tables, revolutionary circles, and who knows where else, God gave them what they needed in order to go, and proclaim the good news of the kingdom of Heaven.
I encourage you to trust in the Lord. Trust that God will give you what you need in your faith, in order to; speak and share about who Jesus is in your own life, to be courageous and step up to act justly in the lives of others, and for God’s creation, and that your heart is continually filled by the Holy Spirit with God’s love, so that it might be shared with the world.
The world only hears of God’s love given us in Jesus the Christ if we testify to our relationship with Jesus, by sharing with our family, our friends and co-workers, and those whom we meet out in the world. And remember, we need to share in a genuine way, in a way that is honest to ourselves and our personalities. It is only when we share out of our gifts and passions that we will be truly received by the other. We need to be true, not fake. We are not selling Jesus to the world, we are not forcing Jesus on others, and we are not scaring others with Jesus, no, we are sharing of what we know from our own lives. We are sharing what it’s like to be loved by the Savior of the world.
If Jesus brings you joy, you share that joy. If Jesus gives you courage, you act out in that courage. If Jesus forgives you, you give his forgiveness. If Jesus heals you, you pray for healing for others. If Jesus listens to you, listen to others in their needs. If Jesus teaches you, teach others. If Jesus loves you unconditionally…which is how Jesus loves, then try and love unconditionally, and when you struggle to do that, ask Jesus for his love, and try again.
Cause, Jesus is ultimately all about love and grace, and the only way that others will truly listen to you about Jesus, is when you deal with them in grace, and share Jesus’ love. Then let the Holy Spirit move, and see that the Kingdom of Heaven is here!
Amen
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