June 30, 2002
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Family Service - Pr. Jens Arne Dale Matthew 10: 38-42
Do you remember this picture? It was painted at our last family service. This is Jesus on the mountain in Galilee, saying: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…" He got the authority when he died on the cross and rose again. He said to his disciples: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." This was the great commission. In the text two weeks ago, Jesus repeated this with other words: "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." And then we heard how Jesus sent out his disciples to heal the sick and preach the gospel. Last Sunday’s text predicted that the task would be very difficult. The disciples would meet resistance. "Some will call you Beelzebul or Satan, as they have called me," Jesus said. Some will not welcome you. Even in your own family you may experience antagonism and conflict. A man will stand up against his father because he doesn’t want to believe. And you might even be killed for my sake, Jesus said. Jesus draws a dark picture. Going out with the gospel means persecution. Is it worth it? Yes, those who lose their life for my sake will find it. They may take your life, but they can’t take away the love of Christ. I am with you always, to the end of the age. Keeping in mind the words of Jesus about persecution and antagonism from the world, we turn to today’s text.
What is this? The skyline of Minneapolis? This is the world where Jesus wants us to go out with the gospel. Actually, these boxes are not skyscrapers, but persons. This is a disciple of Jesus, reaching out his open hand with charity and the good news of the love of Jesus. Is there a possibility that some will accept this? (or not?) Yes, this is the world (w). There will be some, or even a lot of people who welcome you. There will be people who will be baptized who will believe in Jesus. The church will grow. These account for some of the happiest moments in our lives – when people receive the gospel, you really feel welcomed as a disciple. Jesus reminds us of something very important in today’s text. Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me. That’s God the Father. To receive a messenger is the same as to receive the person himself. We are ambassadors for Jesus and God to the world. We represent Jesus in the world. When Jesus came to his disciples after the resurrection he said: "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." John 20: 19-23. Jesus uses us as his disciples to give his love and forgiveness of sin to the world. This is a gift that we should not keep for ourselves. We should share it with our family even though we may risk that they will not welcome us. Share it with your friends, with people you meet, even if it might cost a lot. The text today shows us four links in the chain of salvation: God who sent Jesus who sent us to go to all nations. What will happen to the chain if our link is missing? Then the world would be lost. Paul says: I am a debtor both the Greeks and to barbarians (Rom. 1:14). Therefore he was so eager to proclaim the gospel. Now I would like to go a step further and think of ourselves as the world who receives God’s messengers. We cannot all be prophets. That’s a special service in the church. The church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ himself as the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20) But Jesus says: Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s REWARD. You and I are not a Peter or Paul or a Billy Graham. But we receive the same reward: Eternal life, the fellowship with God and all the saints. How can you and I receive the prophets or "the big disciples."? This expression is a funny thing. Did you notice what Jesus called the big disciples in today’s text? These little ones… It’s true. The little ones is an accurate name for the disciples. And then, how can we receive them. By giving them a cup of cold water. At the time of Jesus, giving a cup of cold water was the fundamental good deed. The great beauty of this passage is its stress on simple things. The church of God needs prophets, disciples, great preachers. But they need to be served. I remember my first service here at Mindekirken. Ray Olson was on altar guild, and he asked: Would you like a cup of cold water at the pulpit? (That doesn’t automatically mean that I’m a prophet… but never mind) In this church there are so many people who give a cup of cold water: People who do the simple things that have to be done in the church: People working in the kitchen, some are ushers and greeters, some deal with technical things, some serve on the Boards…some show mercy. Jesus says: None of these will lose their reward. We are one body in Christ. Every one of us has a gift with which we may serve the others. Use your gift, even if it is as little as giving a cup of cold water to a disciple. Remember that Jesus said: "Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." Matt 25: 40
A story tells; There was a lad in a country village who, after great struggle, reached the ministry. His helper in his days of study had been the village cobbler (shoemaker) The cobbler, like so many of his trade, was a man of broad reading and far thinking, and he had done so much for the lad. In due time, the lad was licensed to preach. On that day, the cobbler said to him, "It was always my desire to be a minister of the gospel, but the circumstances of my life made it impossible. But you are achieving what was closed to me. And I want you to promise me one thing – I want you to let me make and cobble your shoes for nothing, and I want you to wear them in the pulpit when you preach, and then I’ll feel you are preaching the gospel that I always wanted to preach standing in my shoes." Beyond a doubt the cobbler was serving God as the preacher was, and his reward would one day be the same. Glory be to God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. |
The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church · 924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 · (612)874-0716 |
