Kingdom Building
July 6, 2019
Scripture Reading: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.”
‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’ – Luke 10:1-11, 16
This story seems to extend the call of John the Baptist (Mark 1:3) for others to act as front people to prepare the way for the Lord or make straight the way based on Isaiah 40:3, first to the twelve disciples (Mark 6:7-13) and then to the 70. It makes sense, if you think about it, do we not pay more attention to someone whose credentials have been share with us before we meet them than we do when we have no pre-knowledge of who they are? A good reference opens a lot of doors. Jesus was very carefully to guide them in not being too assertive or pushy and in building positive connections for the future. Jesus also made it very clear that they were representing him thus their behavior matters for the furtherance of Jesus’ mission: the initiation of the Kingdom of God.
Years ago, a relative of mind was a telephone operator in the days when placing an international call was a big complicated deal. A businessman who was also a leader in her church called the operator, my relative, requesting that the call be made. It took several minutes including many attempts just to contact an overseas operator. As time went by the man got angry and took his anger out using very bad language on my relative. She was so shocked she said, “Mr. ___ I cannot believe you are saying such things. I go to church with you.” Immediately after she said it, she regretted it feeling certain she was going to lose her job. He was silent for some time when he said, “You are right, I am so sorry I talked like that.
When we identify as a person of faith, others judge our faith group by our behavior.
Prayer: Lord of Love, let my actions speak loudly of your love in all that I do and say. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.