Sunday
July 7th 2019 14th Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle C)
Move ‘Em Out!
The tie in
between today’s readings: Missions
Last
week’s Mass Prep dealt with the importance of answering the call to become a
disciple. I hope that you found it helpful in your pursuit of maturing in
Christ. Do we ever get there? Today’s installment takes a deeper look into the
“Go” aspect of discipleship: missions. We in the church don’t really think of
ourselves as missionaries. After all, there are trained and ordained people for
that. Just send money and let the professionals do it. Yes, there are special
people God calls to do special things in special places and we definitely need
to support them, but you are special too. Every believer has the Holy Spirit
and a sphere of influence that they can affect with the message of the gospel.
Stepping out in faith in order to share
your faith can be a little daunting, but do it anyway! Take the challenge of
being a missionary for Jesus in your own part of the world. It will motivate
your Bible study, grow your faith, deepen your worship, and give an
anticipation of adventure to your life. Walking with God is never boring!
Imagine yourself on the scene with Jesus as He sent the seventy out on
their first missionary endeavor, (Luke 10:1-20). See Him standing on the side
of the hill so that they all could hear Him: “Alright men, let Me have your attention!
Give me two lines, here and here. Good! OK, the man opposite you will be your
partner on this assignment. I’m glad to see all of you here today. I wish there
were more of you. We have a lot to do. So when you pray, ask My Father to send
more laborers out into the field to be with us. There are specific rules I want
you to follow on this mission. Listen up! First, this is a faith exercise for
you guys. DO NOT bring any money, backpack, or shoes. You go just as you are.
Have faith! I don’t want any idle chit chat with people that you meet along the
way. Get to your assigned towns ASAP. Keep Focused! When you get there start
knocking on doors and bid peace to the household. If they take you in,
blessings will be upon that house. Stay there the whole time. Eat what they
give you with thanksgiving. Now, very important! While you are there, you will
have the power to heal the sick...and to do a few other things if needed. Don’t
let it go to your heads. These signs will give you the credentials that you’ll
need for the real mission: spreading
the word about the kingdom of God! Look, I am sending you like lambs among
wolves. If they receive you, then they receive Me. If they reject you, then
they reject Me and My Father. Either way, your message must stay consistent and
that message is: the kingdom of God has come near! You don’t embellish it for
the believers nor will you water it down for those who oppose you. You will
notice that none of you men will be going to Chorazin, Bethsaida, or Capernaum.
They had their chance. I will deal with them later. Enough said. Today, all of
you are embarking on a great adventure. Amazing things are going to happen, but
remember, most importantly, don’t get caught up in the excitement of doing
miracles. Instead rejoice in the reality that your names are recorded in
heaven! Now, go and make me proud!”
Dangerous! Understaffed! Jesus sent those men on a bare bones operation
with uncertain outcomes. Missions haven’t changed in two thousand years. It is
reach out, be daring, be clear, and overcome objections with truth and love.
Whether you’re in the ministry halfway around the world or talking with a
neighbor over coffee, being a missionary is putting your vulnerable self out
there. It can go one of two ways. When the Gospel is accepted, you rejoice like
the man in Psalm 66 and praise God for all of His wonders along with the angels
in heaven. When the Good News is rejected, it’s like the Apostle Paul who bore
in his body the brand-marks of Christ (Gal 6:17). Well, maybe not as bad for us
as he had it, but it hurts! Either way the gospel message stays the same as
Paul said, “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me...” (Gal
6:14-15).
Why
does the Almighty want us to spread the Word whether it’s a good time or not as
stated in 2 Timothy 4:2? The gospel is the
greatest message to mankind, more precious than gold. It’s the guide to eternal
life in the Lord Jesus Christ and a joyful citizenship in heaven as described
in Isaiah 66:10-14. So be ready to give a reason for your faith (1 Peter 3:15).
Be fearless and trust in Him when you do witness to others about salvation in
Jesus (Matthew 10:19). It’s the calling of every Christian. Also, remember it’s
not about you. You are just the messenger. Whether the Good News is accepted or
rejected it’s done unto the Lord, (2Corinthians 2:16). So study, pray, and go spread
the precious seeds of the gospel personally, but don’t take the rejections
personally. You are not alone. The God of the universe goes with you. Countless
souls are in need of the gospel’s salvation message. The fields are white and
ready for the reaping. The laborers are few. Join in the harvest and you will
come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
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