In Luke’s Gospel, the first ten chapters, we find much about Jesus, his message, his methods.
He was announced by John the Baptist, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and quoting Isaiah: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord.’
Jesus quotes Isaiah of himself, that he has been ‘sent to proclaim freedom to the prisoners’.
After many healings, miracles and exorcisms, he says that he must keep on the move: ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’
He calls Simon and the others to ‘come and catch men’, and they follow him’. He calls Levi, who ‘got up, left everything to follow him.’
He responds to enquiries from the disciples of John that miracles are taking place and that ‘the good news is preached to the poor’.
He teaches his own disciples that not all will receive the good news and act on it, by telling them of the parable of the sower and the soils, in the context that he ‘travelled from one town to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.’
He says we are all to be like a lamp on a stand, shining brightly. We should ‘consider carefully how we listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him’. As if to prove it, his own family try to have him committed! He miraculously sets free the demon possessed man called Legion, but the people of that land are scared and ask him to leave.
Then Jesus sends out the Twelve, to ‘drive out all demons and cure diseases’ and ‘to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.’
On their return, when they witness the feeding of the five thousand, Peter correctly announces that Jesus is the promised Messiah, and Jesus responds that he is going up to Jerusalem to die; shortly after he is transfigured before them, and Moses and Elijah appear to discuss his departure. The whole direction of the Gospel changes, as Jesus ‘resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went to a Samaritan village to get things ready for him.’
‘After this 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.’ When Jesus appeared at a place, they were expecting him; they had had a foretaste of who he was and what he could do.
‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.’ This is still true today! If the numbers of people in church is reported as declining, what can we do about this?
‘Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’ The mainspring is prayer, something we can all do, from the youngest to the oldest.
‘Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.’ We will often be the answers to our own prayers! And the task will not always be easy.
‘Do not take a purse or a bag or sandals’ How often do we allow concerns for comfort and security to slow us down and possibly miss opportunities to serve?
‘Do not greet anyone on the road’ Middle eastern politeness meant that you might be involved in long conversations, obliged to accept hospitality, and therefore kept from your urgent mission.
‘Say “Peace to this house”.’ Offer the shalom of God; it will be accepted by those who are seeking after God.
‘Eat what is set before you.’ Share the lives of the people you visit; this is incarnational. It is also appropriate for those who receive ministry to provide the resources to pay for it!
‘Heal the sick who are there and tell them: “The kingdom of God is near you.”’ Do good for them in material ways, but bring them the spiritual blessings of prayer, healing and God’s word.
So, what should we be spending our money on? As a church community, we are here primarily for mission. We are heirs to those first disciples and the only way that we can with any integrity claim to be Christ’s is to follow his methods and mission. We are called to pray and seek him, but also to plan and work methodically to share the good news of the kingdom of God with the people of our generation.
The good news is that this does not have to be expensive. If we, each of us, take our share in being messengers, gossiping the good news, this will be far the most telling, effective way to help those whom we like and love, serving them by sharing the good news of the kingdom with them. And all else that we do, the building, services, groups, meetings, all – are held up the light of Jesus, to ensure that we are not doing them in any way just for our convenience but so that God’s kingdom can be built.
And above all, we need to pray. Jesus tells his disciples to wait for the power of the Holy spirit to come upon them, and then the will be his ‘witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’
Questions for discussion
1. What do you make of the picture of Jesus on the move, planning and orchestrating his mission?
2. How often do we allow concerns for comfort and security to slow us down and possibly miss opportunities to serve?
3. What examples can we give of times when we have been distracted by ‘greetings along the road’?
4. What do you understand by ‘Eat what is set before you’?
5. What message would you like the PCC to hear about the way that we raise and spend money?
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