fifth sunday after trinity

The Walker family are keen on playing games; whenever we go on a long car journey, the first discussion as we set off is usually; what game shall we play? One favourite is “Grandma went on holiday and in her suitcase she packed …” The more ridiculous and outrageous the items packed the more hilarity in the car! You know the sort of thing … “Grandma went on holiday and in her suitcase she packed … a pair of sunglasses, a towel, suntan lotion” and once my son gets involved, grandma starts squeezing into her suitcase all sorts of wonderful items, such items as: a football, a bicycle, a canoe, a barbeque, an elephant etc!

In our gospel reading this morning, we meet a group of seventy people (or seventy-two – depending on which translation you follow), who Jesus is sending out on a journey. However, in contrast to Grandma going on her journey with a suitcase packed full to the brim, Jesus has some very different instructions for his followers about to set out on their journey. They are to take nothing with them at all! No suitcase! No bag, no purse, no sandals.

They are to take nothing on this journey; that is except for a message which they are to carry with them. They are to say to the people they meet “peace be on this house” and they are to “cure the sick … and say to them, the kingdom of God has come near to you”. They are to travel empty handed, yet they carry a message of peace and hope; to tell and show those they meet that God’s kingdom of love and reconciliation is coming, is breaking through into a broken and hopeless world, in the person of Jesus.

The calling of the seventy in Luke chapter ten, follows the mission of the twelve disciples in chapter nine, and sits amidst Luke’s description of Jesus making his way up to Jerusalem … to his destination, the cross. And I think we are meant to catch a little of the foreboding in our reading today; that the seventy are to go out to offer peace but that this peace may not always be greeted with acceptance or joy – as Jesus was not always accepted or understood as he brought in the Kingdom of God; not as a military leader but rather as one who gave his life that we might live.

Not only are the seventy to be vulnerable, taking nothing with them save a message; they are to go like lambs in the midst of wolves – it’s a dangerous journey – they are warned not to stop on the way, not to greet people they meet on the road. Unlike the twelve who went out in chapter nine to the people of Galilee - to their own people, the seventy are to go out amongst the people of Samaria – to strangers in a foreign land, to people of a different culture, race and place. Some of whom undoubtedly would reject and scorn them. Luke is pointing us to Jesus’ mission, to go out to the whole world, to all people.

If, you’re sitting there thinking, as I did, “glad I’m not one of the seventy” that all sounds a bit demanding and scary for me;  take heart, for there are some wonderful encouragements in the gospel which it’s worth taking a closer look at  these three:

Firstly: The seventy are going where Jesus himself intended to go; God calls us to go, where He already is.

Secondly: The seventy were sent out in pairs, in the company of others, they went together, and they went with God’s Spirit (remember they came back saying “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!”). As baptised followers of Jesus, we are part of God’s worldwide family and God’s Spirit enables, empowers and protects us as we work for God’s kingdom together.

And thirdly: when the seventy return they are full of joy; you can just imagine the scene as they excitedly swop stories of how they saw God at work through them. And then we hear Jesus saying,” rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” They are encouraged to rejoice because by demonstrating their faith in actions of obedience and love they are known by their loving heavenly father. And so we too, are to be encouraged to joyfully tell with one another our stories of sharing our faith.

Today, I believe Jesus calls us to take a journey just as he called the seventy. We are invited to take part in a mission – to reach out to others in our community; where we live, work, shop and take our leisure. We are called to travel with God with a simple message for those we meet: peace be on this house, to cure the sick and say to them, the kingdom of God has come near to you.

A significant number of our community have never been to a church service – so they don’t know the rules of how we behave in church. Most children today have never been inside a church building and therefore they do not know why somewhere is treated as special and appreciated for its quietness. Many in our own community feel estranged from church, it’s a place even if known long ago; is now unfamiliar. In addition to this, to live in 2010 is not and can never be the same as it was “when we were younger”. Young people, children and people in their thirties; forties and fifties are not living the lives we lived when we were their age. My daughter at 8 in 2010 lives in a very different culture to the one I lived in, in 1970! So, yes, things are different today.

But none of this seems to bother Jesus. He called out the seventy to go out to people of a different culture and place; today, he calls us to go out, to meet people where they are; in their homes, in their culture and community.  And that may feel strange to us. So when we start re-ordering our church building, or discuss use of the church hall or establish new mid-week services either at St Mary’s or at St Chad’s, or talk about re-ordering the way we do things here as a church family – in pastoral care, or sub-committees, or  as the Stafford Team. Or when our children choose to spell their worship group in a way that means something to them but is strange to us or we choose music to play and sing which feels uncomfortable to us, let’s keep a prayerful ear and eye open for God speaking to us about how we might reach out to those outside of church.

I love Archbishop Rowan Williams’ phrase, “joining in where God is already at work”. Let’s seek to be followers of Jesus who are listening to where God is already at work and join in! Let’s look for where God might be asking us to journey with Him, to bring in God’s Kingdom here in Stafford. 

Like the seventy; almost certainly we will go feeling vulnerable, it might feel a strange and different place. But we go with God and in God’s Spirit. Where we are rejected we move on, where we are received – we return, sharing our stories with great joy for what God has and is doing amongst us to bring in His Kingdom here on earth.

And quite wonderfully that continues, as it has always down the centuries, to be happening amongst us now; people are returning with stories to share: We have a group of ten or more new adults and children worshipping with us each Wednesday at Praise and Play, children have joined us at 9.30 and been thrilled to discover Kidz Prayz, the bereaved have found a place of healing at the service of rest, healing and peace held here on the second Thursday of the month and the music group has helped to enable people to find a way in to praising God at our All Age Services. And hundreds of people came to enjoy the Christmas Trees last year and they left prayers. One of which, has lead to at least two people now worshiping regularly here.  Give thanks, with joy!

In closing, a challenge for each of us who seek to follow Jesus. Jesus invites us in this gospel reading to pray, asking the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.  We don’t need a packed suitcase, just ourselves, willing to be sent and prepared to go with God, to where he leads us. Do you feel able to pray that prayer? Just a word of caution though. Be careful, for this prayer carries with it a health warning; if you ask, God will undoubtedly answer … and what an exciting journey that will undoubtedly take us on! Amen