Sermon, 04 July

2 Kings 5:1-14; Psalm 66:1-9; Galatians 6:1-16; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Let’s imagine that we’re intending to build something. Hypothetically, let’s say it’s a garage. And we’ve decided that we are going to be the labourers. What do we need? Well, we need tools – hammers, drills, etc. And we need materials – lumber, nails, screws. Without these, we don’t have a garage. We also need a plan. A blueprint. Instructions on how to construct said garage. Otherwise, if we just start hammering wood together, we’ll end up with something that resembles a child’s craft involving popsicle sticks and glue- which is not what we’re after.
Now that we have collected what we need, we need to look at the method of HOW we will build this garage. There has to be some semblance of organisation and order – otherwise, we’ve got chaos with power tools – somewhat less than ideal! We need to do things in a particular way – first we pour the foundation, then put up the walls, then put the roof on – otherwise we’ll be pouring a foundation on top of the roof sitting on the ground. We’ll need to do some prep work, and determine what’s possible. We need to have some flat land, and good weather, and some reality -we’re not building the Taj Mahal or Buckingham Palace, we’re building a garage. We need to be focused, not chatting with the folks across the back lane, or the work will never get done. And we need to each do our own job, whatever specific task we’ve agreed to – otherwise we’re back to the popsicle sticks and glue kind of mess.
So – we have the stuff, we know the method, now we have to have a process. We need to make sure that the area we’re working on is a clean space – no big rocks in the way, no old crumbing foundation, no big tree. We need a space that’s going to be ready to support our new garage. We also need to keep our egos in check – have you noticed that some people, as soon as they strap on a tool belt, think they’re a master carpenter? A healthy dose of humility while handling a hammer is a very good thing. We need also to accept what’s offered – if the to-be owner of the to-be garage offers up lemonade to the workers, we can’t hold out for pina coladas. And we need to be working together – someone has to hold up the beam while the other hammers in a nail; someone has to pick up the screwdriver that the person at the top of the ladder dropped – for the fourth time.
If we put all of this together – the needs, the method, and the process, we will reach success. We will be able to assemble the garage that we’ve planned. And then we can celebrate it’s completion.
So what if we were building something else? We’d follow the same basic principles.
What about for building the kingdom of God?
Well, there are things that we will need. We need tools – the best tool is our sacred scriptures, which will do for us everything we need it to. We’ll need materials – and what better material could we have than our faith? Not someone else’s faith, but our own. Laura Marie can’t use Hap’s faith to try to build the kingdom, because she’s followed a very different journey. Murray can’t use Muriel’s faith, because he lives his own, and thus can only share his own experiences and journey. Our faith is as individual as we are, because we’ve all come to it from different directions. But when we truly know our faith, it is stronger than any piece of lumber we might find. And we can share that strength in the building. So now we need a plan – and the blueprint is before us today. Go out – into every town and village, and offer your peace, your faith, to prepare them for Jesus.
So now we need our method – our HOW. We need to be organised. Have you noticed that when people of faith start telling faith stories, we jump around all over the place form one topic to another? Sometimes it’s hard to follow where the conversation is going. Imagine if you were not a person of strong faith, who could not follow the conversation at all because of it’s erratic nature . You might not only be not convinced of the benefits of faith, you might be put off it altogether because of the apparent chaos you’d heard. A clear message is so important. We need to build the kingdom in a particular way – by moving beyond just the convention of the church building into the world around us, slowly preparing people to receive Jesus. We can’t force other to believe in the kingdom when they don’t understand who God is. Our prep work is also needed here – we need to know that the people we’re talking to about the kingdom want to hear the message of the Gospel, the Good News of Christ. There has to be space in their hearts to hear the message, or what we say will not be truly heard. And we all need to do what our specific task is. God has given us all very unique talents and abilities, and we’re called to use them. Whatever your gift is, its use is your task in building the kingdom of God. Trying to deny that gift is denying your contribution to the building project.
So now we move on to the process itself. The actual getting it done. The space has to be clear. We need to clear our own hearts to know for ourselves that those we speak to will hear only God’s love working through us. We hope and pray that they will hear it. And we need to know that there will be some who we will not be able to reach, no matter how hard we try, no matter how much we want to. That’s part of accepting our limitations, the reality of what is given to us. We cannot do it all. We need to remember whose kingdom we’re building, and focus on heavenly gains, not earthly rewards – it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of the building of the kingdom and start bragging about how many people we’ve shared the Light of Christ with – but those things do not matter, so much as the act of have the conversations, quietly and privately. Our rewards are not of this world. And, of course, we need to work together. God’s kingdom will be built in 2s and 3s, in small gatherings and large, but not alone. We need to support one another in our ministries – in prayer, in compassion, in simply being there for one another.
This is what today’s Gospel reading is all about. Jesus sends out his followers to build. Interestingly, Jesus does not want his followers to simply move behind him and continue his works, He wants them in front of Him, preparing the way for Him. They are called to humble service of leadership.
The disciples are given exactly what they need – the tools of the scripture and the authority of Jesus, the material of faith, and the plan to share the peace of God with those they meet.
They’re given a method – they know which towns to go towards, so they don’t all end up in the same place. They know exactly how to enter into the homes, staying where they are and offering peace, leaving a town is no peace is returned to them; curing those who are ill, casting out demons. They know that they are preparing people to receive the full Christ when He reaches them. They are to follow a very specific and focused plan, always assuring that the Kingdom of God is near, and not getting distracted on the road.
And they’re given a process. They learn what areas will accept Jesus, so His work will be starting with a clear space. They are accepting whatever hospitality is given to them, in their pairs, not moving from house to house for a better meal or more comfortable bed. They are reminded to remain humble despite their successes, with the gentle reminder that their reward is that their names are written in Heaven, and that if they get too full of themselves for their earthly works, they (like Satan) may fall as they have forgotten who and whose they are.
The disciples demonstrate servant leadership in their mission field, just as the readings from Kings and Galatians echo. The King of Israel suggests that the man suffering leprosy submit to God and simply wash, which heals him – a reminder of our own cleansing through baptism and the power of God in simple acts. Paul’s letter on supporting one another in community to do God’s bidding is so important for him to write that he scribbles it out himself rather than employ a scribe. They are offering servant leadership. We are called today to be leaders within our spiritual communities, acting humbly for our God.
So we are called to the mission field, where we as the few labourers can work for the bountiful harvest. Our mission field is not in a far away land, it’s not somewhere with a different language, it’s right here. And right now. Our mission field lies just outside our doors. Our task, or project, is to meet those folks out there who need the Gospel – taking with us our tools and materials, our method, and our process. When we do this, we can celebrate our victory, our reward; we will know that our names are written in Heaven, and that our labours here promise us the nearness of the Kingdom of God, a kingdom towards which we are helping to prepare. Let’s go into the mission field, preparing the way of our Lord.