July 3, 2016
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
If you know my great love for sermon props, you can thank me later for not bringing in snakes and scorpions this morning for us all to tread on.
Instead, the prop today is either completely intangible, or maybe the most utterly tangible thing possible, depending on how we look at it and whether we are paying attention: the Kingdom of God.
In our story from Luke today, Jesus sends out ambassadors far and wide. We are told he appoints 70 of them to prepare the way, but that is really intended not so much as a descriptive number as it is a reminder of the 70 descendants of Noah’s sons listed in the book of Genesis. In Genesis, we get an exhaustive and largely unpronounceable list of the descendants of Shem, Ham and Japheth, and are told that “from these, the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.”
So the number 70 is Luke’s way of telling us that all of humanity is represented in Jesus’ choice of messengers, and that the message Jesus is sending about the Kingdom is meant for all the world.
And what is the message? Don’t get lost in all the talk of wolves, snakes and scorpions. The message is simple: The kingdom of God has come near!
This is the word Jesus wants his people to spread: “Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” In that context it is a beautiful and assuring promise. The kingdom of God is right here!
But the message is the same even when the people refuse to listen: “Whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’” In that context it sounds more like a foreboding warning. The kingdom of God is right here and you missed it!
But maybe in both instances it’s just a statement of reality. God’s kingdom is right on our doorstep, a gift so close we can touch it, glimmering with promise and possibility. And every once in a while, we have the great joy of noticing it. But even when we don’t, it’s still there all the same.
Jesus’ disciples all had their moments of noticing. Nathaniel understanding himself to be truly known by God when he heard that Jesus had seen him under the fig tree. Simon Peter recognizing the abundance of God’s love in a huge catch of fish. Matthew the outcast tax collector recognizing the radical inclusion of God when Jesus called even him.
The Kingdom of God came near them. And they noticed. And the Kingdom of God continued coming near holy people. And holy people continued noticing.
I love the story of how Dorothy Day noticed it.
Dorothy Day, recognized as a saint by the Episcopal Church, was a social activist and one of the founders of the Catholic Worker movement, seeking to care for the poor and homeless during the Great Depression and beyond. But her work stemmed from something that happened when she was 8 years old. She was living in Oakland, California, during the huge earthquake in 1906. There was destruction and death everywhere. But what struck her was the way the adults around her reached out to each other — speaking with kindness, helping take care of each other, sharing food and water, aiding emergency workers and clearing rubble. Dorothy said the spontaneous selflessness was a shocking revelation since she was accustomed to busy and distracted self-interest from the adults around her. “They’ve known how to do this all along!” her 8-year old self realized. And she wondered why they couldn’t live this way all the time. For Dorothy Day, the kingdom of God came near in that time of crisis. And she noticed. And she was forever transformed.
The Kingdom of God continues coming near us regular people too. And every once in a while, we notice.
The other day I was sitting in my office, surrounded by carefully constructed stacks of things I needed to work on. One for my sermon, one for youth group, one for Godly Play, one for EYOA, one for youth group, one for Kay Brill’s funeral, one for acolytes, one for liturgy ideas, one for our Shrine Mont parish retreat. You get the idea. I couldn’t figure out where to start and was feeling a little overwhelmed. And then I looked out my window. I used to look out pretty much at just the parking lot. But then Peg Bartel planted some things around the mailbox and has been expanding it ever since. She plants with an eye toward butterflies and birds, and so there are lots of beautiful colors. But what caught my eye at this moment was the gorgeous goldfinch perch on top of the coneflowers. Tiny and bright yellow and patiently sitting on a flower while it worked to get to the seeds.
And it was a reminder to me that the stacks on my desk represent the wonderful, bountiful gifts of God that are my ministry in this moment. That each one of them is worthwhile and good. And that it is ok to choose one at this moment to perch atop and work through. A small thing, I know. But a glimpse of the kingdom of God coming near, nonetheless.
Now it’s your turn. Where have you have seen the kingdom of God come near you recently? Or maybe, can you look back and see in retrospect where you might have missed it coming near? It doesn’t need to be big; God works in ways big and small.
The kingdom of God has come near! Thanks be to God.
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