Sunday, June 18, 2023

Third Sunday in Pentecost
Exodus 19:2-8
Psalm 100
Romans 5:6-15
Matthew 9:35-10:8 (9-20)

For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Priests are called and separated by their god to serve as mediators by offering sacrifices and teaching. This is true of many different types of religions.

The priests of ancient Egypt had an extraordinary vocation in their place and time. They were servants of their god in a much different way. They did not serve the people at all. They did not preach or teach. They did not act as doctors or judges. They were set apart to meet their god’s every need, from sun-up to sun-down. At the break of day, the Egyptian priests sang a hymn calling their god to awake for the day. The priests then opened the sanctuary door, the place where their god slept, said a prayer over the image of the god so as to bring it back to life again. The god’s image was bathed, anointed, and purified. Linen clothes were removed, and fresh garments were put on the image. The sanctuary was cleansed with incense, perfumes and cosmetics were applied to the image. Food was laid out for the god. The sanctuary was sprinkled with water, natron (which is a salt mixture harvested from dry lake beds), and resin. The doors were closed and sealed. This ritual happened three times a day. The Egyptian priests spent their lives serving the physical needs of the god of their temple, whatever it might be.

Our understanding of God is much different than the ancient Egyptians, who had no traditional religious theology (each temple served a different god and had different, sometimes contradictory doctrines). Our God does not need to be aroused in the morning. He does not need to be cleansed and clothed. He needs no meals laid at His feet or baths of water, natron, and resin. We do not give God anything because everything we have is His.

The Jewish priests served God in the Temple and synagogues, but they also served God’s people with medical and judicial duties. They were the teachers, providing both religious instruction as well as practical life lessons to their students. The priests were considered servants of God because they were doing the work God called them to do. They were set aside to a special vocation by God for His people. Even in our Christian understanding, priests are set aside to do the work of God serving mankind both in the church and in the world.

In today’s Old Testament passage, God promised that His people would be a kingdom of priests if they kept His covenant. The covenant at Sinai was a conditional pledge from God that He would act as protector over Israel and assure for her a blessed place among the nations as His treasured possession. The people were being called to separation as a priesthood, servants of God, a holy nation. After time the people lost touch with this idea that each person was called to live in this vocation, setting aside those in the priesthood, separated to act as mediators between God and man.

As priests, we serve God by serving others. What is our focus? People of every faith and even no faith do great and wonderful works for others. They feed the hungry and clothe the poor. People of every faith and no faith have compassion on those who need shelter and companionship. There are religious and non-religious people who are concerned about justice and mercy. They are many people we might call good. However, God called the people of Israel to be a kingdom of priests, to be people who served Him. We are called to do the same, to serve God by serving others in His name.

We are so much like the Israelites, though, because we have let our priests become separate, with a special vocation. There is good reason to have specially trained clergy, to have people whose job is to serve God in our sanctuaries, to serve the sacraments and preach God’s Word. Our God is a God of order, not chaos, and churches without good leadership tend to be chaotic. Most denominations provide at least some training and education for their priests and pastors, and processes to select the right people to serve.

We are in the process of searching for a new associate pastor to take over for ours who is retiring. It is quite a process. The committee must consider what we need, what the position entails, and read through many resumes to see who might be the best fit. Then we hear from the candidate, make an offer, and hope that God has put the same heart on them that He put on us. It isn’t easy, and most searches take nearly two years to complete. In these days when there are fewer and fewer pastors, the search can take even longer. It doesn’t help that the people making the decisions are human. One friend recently told me that being on a call committee nearly destroyed his faith, because people disagree and fight over the littlest things. Everyone has an opinion, and it isn’t always a godly one.

You’ve probably seen this joke on the Internet: “Report from the Pastor Search Committee. Did you ever wonder how great Bible characters would be rated by a typical church committee? Now, the truth can be revealed. ‘We do not have a happy report to give. We have not been able to find a suitable candidate for this church, though we have one promising prospect. ADAM: Good man but has problems with his wife. One reference told us how he and his wife enjoyed walking nude in the woods. NOAH: Former pastorate of 120 years with no converts. Prone to unrealistic building projects. JOSEPH: A big thinker, but a braggart; believes in dream-interpreting and has a prison record. MOSES: A modest and meek man, but poor communicator; even stutters at times. Sometimes blows his stack and acts rashly in business meetings. Some say he left an earlier church over a murder charge. DEBORAH: One word - Female. DAVID: The most promising leader of all until we discovered the affair he had with his neighbor’s wife. SOLOMON: Great preacher, but serious woman problem. ELIJAH: Prone to depression; collapses under pressure. HOSEA: A tender and loving pastor, but our people could never handle his wife’s occupation. JONAH: Told us he was swallowed up by a great fish. He said the fish later spit him out on the shore near here. We hung up. AMOS: Too much of a country hick. Backward and unpolished. With some seminary training, he might have promise; but he has a hang-up against wealthy people. JOHN: Says he is a Baptist, but doesn’t dress like one. May be too Pentecostal. Tends to lift both hands in the air to worship when he gets excited. You know we limit to one hand. Sleeps in the outdoors, has a weird diet, and provokes denominational leaders. PETER: Too blue collar. Has a bad temper, even said to have cursed. He’s a loose cannon. PAUL: Powerful CEO type and fascinating preacher. However, he’s short on tact, unforgiving with young ministers, harsh, and has been known to preach all night. TIMOTHY: Too young. JESUS: Has had popular times, but once when his church grew to 5000, He managed to offend them all; and his church dwindled down to twelve people. Seldom stays in one place very long. And, of course, he is single. JUDAS: His references are solid. A steady plodder. Conservative. Good connections. Knows how to handle money. We’re inviting him to preach this Sunday in view of a call.’”

This is funny, but there is always some truth to the funniest jokes. I’m not on the call committee, so I don’t know what they have seen in the candidates, but we all make judgments about people, especially those to whom we are giving such great responsibility, that sometimes appear ridiculous to people on the outside. Would any of us have chosen any of the Apostles to be leaders of our churches?

In the Gospel lesson for this week, Matthew wrote, “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother; Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.” These were the men who were closest to Jesus during His life. There were other disciples, others who followed Jesus and even who were sent into the world. Luke tells of a second mission when seventy-two are sent to share the Kingdom of God with the nations.

There is an order to Matthew’s list. Peter is listed first, and we know from the scriptures that Peter was the one chosen to lead the other disciples after Jesus was gone. The book of Acts tells of amazing works of power. Peter raised the dead and healed the sick, signs of his authority to do what God called and gifted him to do. Andrew, Peter’s brother, is a key character in the stories of Jesus’ life and ministry. Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus. Andrew was also a disciple of great faith who handed Jesus a small boy’s lunch as a way to feed thousands of people. Next are listed James and John. They were part of Jesus’ inner circle and were present with Him at the transfiguration and are part of other key stories. Philip, Bartholomew, and Thomas are mentioned in some of the stories. Matthew is identified as a publican or tax collector. We know little about the second James, Thaddeus and the second Simon. Judas Iscariot is the betrayer.

These disciples were sent into the world not only with the power to heal, but also the authority of God. There is a difference between power and authority, although they seem to be very much the same. Power is the ability to achieve certain ends. There must have been something about Matthew that he had the power to collect taxes. He had to prove his worth to the government that hired him. He had to accomplish the task, not only receiving the taxes due but also managing to squeeze out enough money to earn his own living. He had power, the ability to do the job, but he could not have done it on his own. I doubt the Roman government would have stood for a guy collecting taxes without their authority, especially since a freelance publican is not likely to share his take with the government.

Matthew not only had the power to collect taxes, but he also had the authority to do so. The Roman government gave Matthew the right to exercise his power. Roman authority made his claim of vocation legitimate. The disciples not only had the power to heal the sick and cast out unclean spirits, but they also had the authority to do God’s work. Jesus’ authority was given directly from God. Jesus passed that authority to His apostles.

The twelve apostles would never be enough to continue the work of Jesus Christ in the world. The mission on which Jesus sent them in today’s passage was just the beginning. They were learning how to be His messengers, how to use the power and how to handle the authority. They had so much to learn, and Jesus spent years teaching them. For that moment, however, they were just twelve men going out to share the Kingdom of God with others. Jesus said, “Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.” Even today we need more people to share in the work of Christ. The world gets bigger even as it gets smaller. There are more and more opportunities to take the Gospel to others, and never enough laborers. It isn’t an easy task, but God gives all that is necessary. Then He calls us, as He called the apostles, to share freely all that He has given. We may not be apostles, but we are priests in His kingdom, called to serve Him by serving others.

Jesus sent the disciples into the world with nothing. They weren’t to take extra money or clothing, not even an extra set of shoes. I prefer to take road trips when I travel so I don’t have to limit my luggage. I like having a pair of sneakers to match every color I plan to wear and extra outfits because you never know what will happen. I take my own pillows, things to do if I get bored, and more snacks and drinks than I’ll ever consume. I always make sure I have some extra cash stashed away, just in case. The apostles were commanded to enjoy the hospitality of the people in the towns they visited, staying in one place for a time so that they could meet and teach the people. People have traveled this way for thousands of years, but I can’t imagine not knowing where I will sleep or find a meal on my journey. They didn’t have a LaQuinta or a Denny’s off the highway every few miles.

The apostles were not to force themselves on the people during this mission. If they were not welcomed, they were not to stay. Jesus said, “Shake off the dust your feet.” Then He told them the consequences of rejection. “Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.” This does not seem very merciful. However, we have to remember that this was a training mission. The disciples, though gifted and authorized, were inexperienced. How could they convince people when they were not really familiar with everything Jesus would teach them? Unfortunately, those who rejected the disciples might not have the chance to hear the good news again.

The work would not be easy. Jesus said, “I send you out as sheep among wolves.” Some people will not only reject them, but some might also threaten them for the things they would do and say. The people were often afraid after Jesus did miraculous things, like the time he sent the demons into the pigs. Jesus was able to get through those tough times. The disciples might not have been so lucky. It was better for them to leave the places where people rejected them than to face spiritual, emotional, and physical harm they were not prepared to deal with. Jesus said, “Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” They were not being sent into the world to be hard or harsh. Wisdom in this case meant leaving unbelievers behind.

Though the work they were being called to do was difficult, Jesus reminded them the source of their power and their authority. “Don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” Sharing the Kingdom of God is not something we can do by our own power. It is His power that brings healing and restoration. He approves those whom He calls and gives them (us) the power and authority to do the work. He speaks through us. The word that saves is His. When we face those tough times, we need not worry for God is with us. As priests in His Kingdom, we are all called to this life of ministry, serving God by serving others. We may not be trained the way our pastors are trained, but Jesus chose fishermen, zealots, and even a tax collector. He chose you, too. We might not be able to preach a sermon, but the Gospel is so simple that everyone can share it.

A story is told about a famous theologian who, after giving a lengthy presentation on Christianity, was approached by a reporter who asked him to summarize his lecture. The professor thought a moment, and then said, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” There are times when such simple words express more than elaborate dissertations on theology ever could. These simple and familiar words come from the song “Jesus Loves Me,” written by Anna Bartlett Warner. The song was written by Anna as a poem for inclusion in one of her sister Susan’s books and was set to music by William Bradbury. Anna was a Bible study teacher at the Academy at West Point and shared the song with her students. The cadets were often heard singing it on campus. Who would have thought that such a simple song could become such a powerful witness of God’s grace?

Psalm 100 is the Gospel message. The psalmist invites the whole world, all nations, to enter the sanctuary of God to praise their Creator and Shepherd. It is a universal psalm that looks forward to the day when everyone will acknowledge the Lord and confess His Holy name. This is not a confession just from the head and mouth, but it is about living a life of thanksgiving. It is true that not everyone lives by this today, but we are called to go out into the world to share the Gospel message with others, to invite them into God’s sanctuary to join us in singing His praise. The Lord is good, His covenant love is forever, and it is for everyone.

God promised that His people would be a Kingdom of priests if they kept His covenant. This was not a priesthood like those in Egypt but would serve Him by serving others. They were His treasured possession, blessed to be a blessing. Unfortunately, they forgot their calling and let others be mediators for them. We have trained clergy, but the promise in today’s Old Testament is still meant for us. Peter applied that same promise to Christians in his first letter (1 Peter 2:5) because we are all called to serve God as His priesthood and to dwell in this world as a holy nation.

That’s what the disciples were sent to do on that first missionary journey. They were to serve God by sharing His grace with those who would listen. They had the power to heal and the authority to invite others into the sanctuary to sing praise and thanksgiving to the God who saves.

Jesus told the disciples, “Freely you received, so freely give.” They were never to expect payment for the gift they were given. Jesus also told them that the worker is worth his keep, and we can’t expect our pastors to do the work for free. Unfortunately, the call process in churches is often difficult because the candidates demand more than can be offered, not trusting in God’s provision for their welfare, but taking control so that they can life according to their desires. Of course, sometimes churches do not value the gifts of their pastors. We expect too much, forgetting that we are part of God’s Kingdom, called to share in the work of the Gospel with them. We need to trust God, too, that He will provide everything we need to do His work, even the salary of those we call to serve God in our sanctuaries, serving the sacraments and preaching God’s Word.

I learned long ago, however, that the ministry I do is not about what I can get out of it, but rather about giving freely that which has been given to me. You’ve probably hear it said, “You only get out of it what you put into it.” While this might true, Christians are not to be motivated by the blessings we will receive, but rather by the blessings we have already received. God has given freely; we receive and pass on the blessings. Any payment we receive is to be received with thanksgiving and joy, but never expected.

The bottom line is that we would be nowhere if it were not for the power and authority that He gave us. There would be no message to share if He had not died on the cross. The Kingdom of God would still be under that covenant given at Mt. Sinai, a covenant dependent on our obedience to His Law. Paul tells us that our peace with God is not based on our ability to walk rightly, but rather it comes because we are made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.

It is not hard to see the appropriateness of today’s Psalm since it is a song of thanksgiving and joy. It is a song we should sing each day, no matter what we face in our journey of life. We prepare when we travel: we plan our trip, decide what to pack, and reserve hotel rooms. We do this because the nature of hospitality is different in our world today. Yet, when it comes to matters of faith, when it comes to sharing the Gospel, we are called to live as they did: trusting in God to provide all we need, sharing everything freely because we have received it freely.

None of us are perfect. We fail and we suffer the consequences of our failure. A call committee could easily write us off for some imperfection. We are simply not qualified to do this work God has called us to do. We make mistakes, but God has given us this power and authority, as well as everything we need to accomplish His work. He chose a motley crew of men that we would probably reject, but Jesus saw in them something He could use. He sees the same in us. We can trust that God will give us all we need to be priests in His Kingdom, do be His holy nation. It is His Word that we are speaking, and He will speak through us to accomplish His will in this world. This is the best reason to sing songs of joy, giving Him thanks and praising His name!