June 12, 2005

Mindekirken, June 12, 2005
Pastor Jens Arne Dale

Matthew 9.35- 10.8

It is the nature of the church to grow. The body of Christ is equipped with a growth gene. Mission and evangelization are not optional activities. A congregation which are not focused on reaching new people with the gospel contradicts itself.

I don’t think people at the time of Jesus lived under worse circumstances than people who have lived at other times. We who live today enjoy the benefit of progress in many areas, but I’m not so sure if we have fewer worries than our grandparents did, or our great grandparents or people at the time of Jesus for that matter.

Jesus saw people who were harassed. I think Jesus sees the same today. Technology, the economy and general conditions of life have changed. But what about the character of people? Has it improved? Do we deal with each other with greater respect than before? The answer may be both yes and no. Slavery has been abandoned, but some might say other and more invisible forms of oppression still exist. The basic moral dilemma of humankind has not been solved. Lack of love, what the Bible calls sin, is still a common human characteristic. Seen in that perspective, the people of 2005 may still be seen as harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus still sees people in distress, people who may need healing in one way or another, people who need to be freed by the gospel about the kingdom of God. What Jesus called the harvest is a description of people who need salvation. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Do we dare to pray about the gift to see people with the sight of Jesus? Are we able to carry the burden of seeing people in distress? Jesus cared about people by serving them. Do we have the same heart as he? Jesus' love was a love that even was willing to suffer for others. Our call is to follow Jesus.

If we ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers to harvest his harvest, we may become answers to our own prayer. Jesus wants to send us. The text today tells how the disciples were sent. We get to hear the names of the 12 disciples. We are informed about their authorization and the power they got from Jesus. Their task is described as preaching and healing. You have received without payment, give without payment. In other words: It is a service by and with grace that it’s all about, the love of God, active in word and deed in this world. In spite of all our weakness we have been sent with this mission: To bring salvation, restoration and the kingdom of God to the end of the world.

When we in Norway sing: Din rikssak, Jesus, være skal min største herlighet (Your greatest sake, oh Jesus, shall be my passion too) there is a tradition that people will rise up and stand. It’s the national anthem of the people of mission. It was written by a man who was deeply touched by Jesus, and who committed his whole life to the service for others. In the hymn we

I remember my father showing us the Kirkefjellet outside Arendal, Norway, where Karl Ludvig Reichelt who wrote this hymn, had his vision: He would be a misionary to China. Exactly 100 years ago he had a new vision at a mountain top in China: To preach for the Buddhist and Taoist monks. The idea of a brother-home for pilgrims was conceived. Reichelt started extensive studies of buddhism, he went far to meet the monks in their search for the truth. The Norwegian Missionary Society and Reichelt couldn’t agree on method and theology and did finally split. Reichelt’s brother-home was similar to a buddhist monastary, but based on love for Christ.

During the civil war in 1927, Reichelt had to risk his own life and escape. The communists took over his center, but Reichelt established new work in Hong Kong on what he called Tao Fong Shan, The mountain where the Christ wind blows. When the Japanese attacked during WWII, his life was saved in a miraculous way. Reichelt’s mission has opened for a deeper understanding of Buddhism, and he has helped many Buddhists to believe in Christ. Reichelt’s buddhist mission is called Areopagos today. It is one of many Norwegian organizations working for mission. For more than 150 years, we have had a culture for mission in Norway. Still people come together for mission meetings in private homes and prayer houses. In fact, there are more prayer houses than churches in Norway. When I grew up, it was common among Christians to attend the church worship on Sunday morning and go to the prayer house on Sunday evening or another day of the week. At the mission meetings, money is collected in order for the mission organizations to send out missionaries and support sister churches in foreign countries. No country has sent out more missionaries than Norway, the population taken into consideration. The Norwegian missionary organizations are independent and self sustaining even though they kind of operate within the state church. When Norwegian immigrants came to the US, it didn’t take them more than a few years before they starated sending some of their sons and daughters as missionaries to China for instance.

In a few weeks I will visit with my mother in Norway. She is about to downsize and move to an apartment. And she says that some of the stuff she won't use or doesn’t have space for, will be given to the Mission’s used store. So maybe the bed in which I slept as a child will be sold, and the money given to the church in Ethiopia or Japan.

As a congregation and individual Christians we are part of God’s sending to the world. Mission and evangelization are the matter of burning hearts. May God touch our hearts that we may see what a privilege it is for us to bring Christ to our neighbors. It doesn’t always mean to cross an ocean. Sometimes it’s enough to cross the street to come to another culture. And maybe we should look critically at our own church budget. Might a bigger percentage be spent on missionary work? Great promises are given to those who are generous. Send your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will get it back. Ecclesiastes 11.1.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and for ever. Amen

The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church ·  924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 ·  (612)874-0716