I would like to begin today’s sermon by reading two juxtaposing prayers. If you listen to them closely, you will hear a distinctive difference in the author’s approach to prayer. Here is the first one:

Grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast once adopted us, and continues to confirm this thy favour by calling us unceasingly to thyself, and dost not only severely chastise us, but also gently and paternally invite us to thyself, and exhort us at the same time to repentance, grant that we may not be so hardened as to resist thy goodness, nor abuse this thine incredible forbearance, but submit ourselves in obedience to thee; that whenever thou mayest severely chastise us, we may bear thy corrections with genuine submission of faith, and not continue untameable and obstinate to the last, but return to thee the only fountain of life and salvation, that as thou has once begun in us a good work, so thou mayest perfect it to the day of our Lord. Amen.

This prayer was written by John Calvin, the influential 16^th century French theologian and one of the chief fathers of the Protestant Reformation.

Here is the second prayer:

Dear Lord Baby Jesus, or as our brothers in the South call you: ‘Hee-suz’. We thank you so much for this bountiful harvest of Dominos, KFC, and the always delicious Taco Bell. I just want to take time to say thank you for my family: my two beautiful, beautiful, handsome striking sons, Walker and Texas Ranger, or TR as we call him. And, of course, my red hot smokin’ wife Carley, who is a stone cold fox, who if you would rate her on 100 scale, she would easily be a 94. I also want to thank you for my best friend and teammate, Cal Naughton Jr, who’s got my back no matter what…whoo—shake and bake! Dear Lord Baby Jesus, we also thank you for my wife’s father Chip. We hope that you can use your Baby Jesus powers to heal him and his horrible leg. It smells terrible and the dogs are always botherin’ with it. Dear Eight Pound, Six Ounce, Newborn Baby Jesus, don’t even know a word yet, just a little infant, so cuddly, but still omnipotent. We just thank you for all the races I’ve won and the $21.2 million dollars…Whoo! LOVE THAT MONEY! Amen!

This prayer was spoken by NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby in the 2006 non-Oscar nominated film “Talladega Nights.”

Although these two prayers both begin by addressing God, end with the word “Amen”, and are, for the most part, theologically correct, they couldn’t be more different from each other in style. Calvin’s prayer is what we might call “high church”—it is a written form prayer of dense theological terminology, lofty poetic nomenclature, and it invokes God as the transcendent judge who watches over the affairs of the world. Bobby’s prayer, on the other hand, is what we call “low church” or “really really low church”—it is a spontaneous spoken prayer of coarsely colloquial vocabulary, crude and unsophisticated slang, and appeals to the immanence of Jesus Christ in a manner that is borderline blasphemous.

            These prayers brilliantly represent the contrasting extremes in approach to prayer. Now that you have heard both of them, let me ask you: Which one is correct? My instinct is that most of you are somewhat uncomfortable with Ricky Bobby’s prayer. Even if it is true, it just feels irreverent to express thanksgiving to God for your “red hot smokin’ wife and 21.2 million dollar winnings.” I don’t mean any disrespect to NASCAR fans, but if we are honest, this prayer is outrageous and sacrilegious.

Moreover, I also suspect that most of you weren’t too keen on John Calvin’s prayer either. Many of you were probably thinking, “Wow, that prayer sure sounded nice, but I didn’t have the slightest idea what he was talking about.” It is accurate to say that some prayers are so heavenly that they are of no earthly value!

            Unfortunately, many of our models of prayer, both inside and outside the church, have left us scratching our heads and wondering how are we supposed to pray? Should we recite form prayers from prayer books or should we employ extemporaneous prayers like casual conversations? Should prayer be an act of public piety or a discipline of private solitude? Should our prayers emphasize the holiness and majesty of God or humility and meekness of God? Should we only pray for others or is it OK to pray for ourselves as well? With so many ecclesiastical traditions and competing philosophies about prayer, don’t you just wish that Jesus was with us physically so that we could say to him, “Lord, give us a pedagogy of prayer!”

 

The Lord’s Prayer (1-4)

Well, that is precisely the question that Jesus’ disciples asked him while they were on their journey to Jerusalem. The disciples had long admired Jesus’ prayer life; on many occasions they watched Jesus go off to a private place and engage in profound and intimate periods of prayer with his Heavenly Father. They wanted to know how to pray like Jesus. Furthermore, it was the custom that rabbis would teach their followers how to pray; John the Baptist had apparently done this with his disciples.

So, Jesus decided to oblige his disciples and grant their request. He spoke the words that we commonly refer to as “The Lord’s Prayer.” Over the centuries, there has been much debate about the purpose of this prayer. Was it meant to be a form prayer recited in unison during a public worship gathering or a pattern to guide individuals through the categories of private devotion? The answer is a resounding “Both!”

First, when Jesus says, “When you pray…” the “you” is plural. It is almost impossible to distinguish in the English translation, but it is crystal clear in the Greek. He is speaking to them as a group, not individuals. Therefore, this prayer was meant to be recited as a group.

Second, many of you may not know this, but the Lord’s prayer bears a striking resemblance to the Amidah and Qaddish, which were Jewish form prayers; they were recited on a daily basis, both privately and publicly. Jesus did not try to reinvent the wheel when it came to prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is really an augmentation and distillation of two common form prayers. Therefore, like the others, it was originally intended to be memorized and recited regularly. The repetition of these words provides personal continuity in devotion and corporate solidarity in worship.

On the other hand, Jesus most certainly intended this prayer to be a pattern to guide the prayer life of his followers. Notice that Luke’s version of the prayer is different than Matthew’s version. This form is more simplified, but it still covers the same basic categories. Both prayers begin by addressing God as a loving Father figure, offering praise to his name, and submitting to his sovereign rule, as it is manifested throughout creation. From there, both prayers move to corporate petitions for God to provide our daily needs, forgive our sins, and to lead us away from temptation. These categories form the pattern that should guide our prayer life. Some of you are familiar with the helpful acronym, ACTS, that summarizes the components of the Lord’s Prayer: A-Adoration of God; C-Confession of Sin; T-Thanksgiving; S-Supplication.

            Therefore, let us not fall into the trap of setting up a false dichotomy about the use of the Lord’s Prayer. Did you know that there are many Baptist, Pentecostal, and Evangelical churches that never recite the Lord’s Prayer in church? Some of them don’t even know the words by heart. They protest all forms of liturgy and are quick to declare that the Lord’s Prayer is only a pattern for extemporaneous prayer.

            Likewise, there are many Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and liturgical churches that only recite the Lord’s prayer and other written prayers. They wouldn’t have a clue what to say to Jesus Christ if he was standing right in front of them. They would say, “Oh, no! I can’t find a prayer in my prayer book for this!”

            But Jesus presents a balanced pedagogy of prayer. There is great value and power in the gathered church reciting the Lord’s Prayer and other form prayers together. There is also a wonderful pattern to inform and guide every prayer that we ever pray, regardless of where we are or what we are doing.

 

A Parable about Prayer (5-13)

After Jesus taught his disciples The Lord’s Prayer, he continued his pedagogy of prayer by telling them a parable. He poses the parable in the form of a question: Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived from a long journey, and I have nothing to set before him?” This parable picks up on two cultural dynamics. First, food was not readily available like it is today. Second, Jewish culture put a high priority on hospitality.

Even though the friend’s door was already shut and he had put his kids to bed, he decides to help the petitioner, not on the foundation of their friendship, but on the basis of his boldness. The Greek term translated here as “boldness” carries the idea of unrelenting persistence and shameful audacity.

In verses 9-10, Jesus directly applies this parable to the prayer life of his disciples. Jesus commands his disciples to approach their heavenly Father with the same boldness and shameful audacity—“Ask, seek, and knock!” Like the friend in the parable, the Lord responds to persistence in prayer—“For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks the door will be opened.”

Jesus drives home his point and concludes his pedagogy of prayer by asking a few rhetorical questions: “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

            This pedagogical parable teaches us that God desires prayers that are bold, even shameless, in its approach to him. It is not shameless in the sense of coming to God for all the selfish wants and desires we have. God is not a cosmic Santa Claus; nor is he a galactic Grinch! He simply desires prayer with nerve; where we openly and honestly pour our hearts out to him. The response, of course, is up to him! What should you do if God doesn’t answer your prayer? Keep knock knock knocking on heaven’s door!

 

In this passage, the Lord has taught us how to pray. He has presented to us a powerful pedagogy of prayer. As I conclude, allow me to challenge you with a few action points for your prayer life!

1. If you don’t already know it, memorize the Lord’s Prayer. Recite it once a day and twice on Sunday’s. (once in church, of course!)
2. Try reading some form prayers! Use a resource like The Book of Common Prayer or The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions. You can learn a lot about prayer and enrich your own prayer life by reading good prayers.
3. Try writing some of your own prayers. Use descriptive, theological, and poetic language.
4. Try some extemporaneous and passionate prayers! Approach your heavenly Father with boldness, persistence, and shameful audacity! Cry out to God from the depths of your soul. Lay your sins, fears, anxieties, griefs, and shortcomings at the foot of his cross!
5. And finally, stay as far away from Ricki Bobby as you can!

I’m in a hurry to get things done, I rush and rush until life’s no fun

            All I really got to do is live and die, but I’m in a hurry and don’t know why!

 

Maybe some of you remember hearing this refrain on country radio back in the 1990’s. Every time I hear this old Alabama song, its convicting truth resounds through my heart and mind, and I say to myself, “I really need to stop and apply the words of this song to my life—if I could just find the time to do it!”

How about you? Do you ever feel like your life is moving too fast? Do you ever feel stressed out or burned out because you have so much to do and not enough time to do it? Do you find yourself constantly worrying and bearing the weight of anxiety?

I think about this song every time I read Luke’s story about Jesus having dinner at the home of Mary and Martha!

 

1) Martha’s Dinner Party (38)

As Jesus and his disciples were traveling throughout Judea, they came into the tiny village of Bethany which was situated on the slope of the Mount of Olives a few miles to the east of Jerusalem. In this town lived a woman named Martha who lived with her sister Mary. Now we don’t know exactly how it happened, but somehow Martha found out that Jesus just arrived in town. Being the outgoing Type A personality she was, she decided to exercise her spiritual gift of hospitality by opening her home to them. At the very least she was having them over for dinner, but she was more than likely putting them up for the night.

Now it is always a little nerve-racking when you have people over for dinner, let alone spend the night. But when was the last time you hosted a party of 13? And remember, we’re not talking about some Friday night slumber party for teenage girls; these were distinguished guests. It isn’t every day that the Son of God drops by for dinner and dessert. You would want to make a good impression, and so did Martha!

Do you see Martha walking in the back door? Her arms are full of extra food and supplies. She is tying her apron around her waist and bouncing around the kitchen like a pinball. The bread is in the oven, the lamb is roasting on the fire, and she is cutting fresh fruits and vegetables. If there was ever a biblical candidate to host their own show on the Food Network, it would be Martha. She had more pizzazz than Emeril, more southern charm than Paula Dean, and she could pull a Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Meal in only 15 minutes, but the deck was stacked against her this day. Has Martha Stewart ever cooked for the Son of God? I don’t think so!

Just when she thought she had a handle on all of the preparations, she hears “Knock, knock!” Jesus and the disciples are at the door! But there was still so much to do!

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever had someone show up way too early for dinner? That happened to Jennifer and I a few years ago. We were having some folks over for dinner at 6:00 p.m. We hadn’t set the table, chopped the salad, nor put the meat on the grill yet, but then again, we had plenty of time, or so we thought.

            All of the sudden we heard “Ding dong!” I looked at the clock and it read 5:25 p.m., and I said to Jennifer, “Who could that be?” She shrugged her shoulders as I opened the door. There before us stood our guests with smiles a mile wide. Needless to say, I wasn’t smiling as wide as they were. I murmured to myself, “Who in the world shows up for dinner 35 minutes early?” I believe this was the type of anxiety Martha was experiencing!

 

2) Mary’s Conversation (39-40)

Just as Jesus and his disciples got settled in, Martha’s sister Mary got home. Mary was thrilled to see Jesus! Martha was thrilled to see Mary! Finally, Martha had someone to lend a helping hand. Sure, she was good in the kitchen, but she wasn’t a miracle worker! Martha interrupted the conversation and hinted, “I’ll be in the kitchen if anyone needs me.” Mary haphazardly said, “I’ll be there in a minute,” and resumed her conversation with Jesus. Martha was mildly annoyed by Mary’s apathy toward the preparations that still needed to be made, but she was still grateful to have another set of hands in the kitchen.

After about 10 minutes Mary still hadn’t made it to the kitchen. Martha’s frustration mounted when she went back into the other room and saw Mary just sitting at Jesus’ feet doing anything. She waited for a pause in the conversation and again motioned for Mary to come to the kitchen. Mary held up her index finger to indicate that she would be there momentarily. Martha stomped back into the kitchen to chop a few more vegetables (as loudly as she could). All the while she was steaming like a tea kettle because Mary wouldn’t lift a finger to help her.

Meanwhile, another 10 minutes go by and still no Mary. Martha peeked her head through the door and saw that Mary hadn’t moved an inch since her last request. When she sees this, her cheeks get flushed and her temper boiled over. She stomped into the living room. Her entrance was so dramatic that all conversation stopped and everyone looked up at her.

This time she didn’t even acknowledge Mary, but she took her complaint to a higher power. On the verge of tears, she looked at Jesus and said, “Don’t you even care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” She surely thought that Jesus would be on her side. Jesus would not tolerate such laziness or injustice. Maybe Jesus would spontaneously break into a sermon about the importance of hospitality and hard work. She certainly wasn’t prepared for Jesus’ response!

 

3) Jesus’ Priorities (41-42)

After Martha made her plea, Jesus sat back with a peaceful and compassionate smile on his face and said, “Martha, Martha!” Just by repeating her name he was already telling her to settle down; assuring her that everything was going to be okay. Then he added, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.” By this he meant that all of these preparations weren’t as necessary as she thought. Now don’t get me wrong, Jesus appreciated what Martha was doing; who doesn’t appreciate a nice place to stay and a home cooked meal, especially when you’ve been traveling? But Jesus is simply telling her to relax.

But what does he mean by “only one thing is needed”? The one thing that was truly important was for her to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to him and fellowship with him. Then he makes a comparison to Mary’s choice. He says that Mary’s choice to sit at his feet was better than Martha’s choice to be consumed with serving him. Mary’s priorities were better than Martha’s and Jesus says that it will not be taken away from her.

Now the text doesn’t tell us how Martha responded to Jesus’ gentle rebuke, but I imagine it was something like this: “Oh my gosh, you are right! This whole time I’ve been distracted by all of the preparations and I have neglected the guest of honor. Jesus, I am so sorry. Mary will you forgive me?” And then she sat down right beside her sister and listened to Jesus. They probably ate a little later that night!

 

This story teaches about proper priorities in our relationship with Jesus. Throughout history, there has always been a tension between commotion and contemplation in the spiritual life. Spending time with him is more important than doing things for him. Listening is better than activity. Worship should be a higher priority than service!

            I would be willing to bet that we have a few Martha’s hear this morning. Action and activity come more naturally than sitting still and quietly listening. Serving Jesus is often easier than just sitting at his feet.

How is it in your life? Is it easier to help a neighbor in need or to spend time reading your Bible? Does making something for someone come more naturally than spending an hour in silent prayer, just listening to Jesus? Do you find it easier to serve Jesus than to fellowship with him?

            Just sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to him is difficult. Americans are addicted to action and activity. Reflection doesn’t come naturally for most of us. How many times have you heard someone say, “Don’t just stand there…do something!” When Haddon Robinson preaches this text, he titles it, “Don’t just do something, sit there!” That is exactly what Jesus is saying in this passage.

            So, I ask you this question: Can you put aside all your busyness and distractions? Can you give up the motion of your own feet to sit at Jesus’ feet? Will you spend time with him, listen to him, and fellowship with him? Can you be a Mary in a Martha world?

During cross examination, an experienced attorney was taking great delight in forcing witnesses to admit that they did not remember every single detail of an automobile accident. While the lawyer knew that no witness has a perfect memory, he was skilled at exploiting minor inconsistencies in order to challenge the credibility of honest witnesses.

After a series of scathing questions, he was looking forward to badgering yet another witness. “Did you actually see the accident?” he asked. The witness responded with a polite, “Yes, sir.” “How far away were you when the accident happened?” “I was thirty-four feet, seven and three quarter inches away from the point of collision.”

“Thirty-four feet, seven and three quarter inches?” the lawyer asked, sarcastically, “Do you expect us to believe that your memory is so good, and your sense of distance is so precise, that months after the accident you can come into court and give that type of detail?”

The witness was undaunted. “Sir, I had a hunch that some obnoxious, know-it-all lawyer would ask me the distance, and would try to make it seem like I was lying if I could not give an exact answer. So I got a tape measure, and measured out the exact distance.”

Lawyers have a reputation for finding loopholes! They often twist words and exploit technicalities to gain legal advantage. This is one of the reasons why lawyers are the bane of so many people’s existence today. But this is not just a modern phenomenon; it even goes back to biblical times. In today’s Scripture reading, Luke tells us the story Jesus’ encounter with a savvy lawyer.

 

A Lawyer’s Question (25-28)

While Jesus was still journeying from Galilee to Jerusalem, he ran into a Jewish lawyer, or shall I say, the lawyer ran into him. This expert in the Law of Moses was no doubt seething with suspicion because Jesus had quickly gained notoriety as a brilliant Bible teacher. To the lawyer’s credit, he probably just wanted to protect his community from a potential false teacher. (Believe me, if Joel Osteen ever came to Franklin, I would have some hard questions for him.)

So, when he finally met Jesus face to face, he posed a question to test Jesus’ theology. He reached deep into his lawyer’s bag of tricks and disguised his question as a request for advice. “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” is certainly an important question, but he was being manipulative. He wasn’t really interested in eternal life; he wanted to engage Jesus in a debate.

Has this ever happened to you? Has someone ever asked you a question and you knew that they weren’t really interested in the answer. They ask things like, “What do you think about…?” or “What would you do if…?” But they were just testing your reaction. Have you ever felt cross examined in casual conversation?

Well, this lawyer had no idea who he was dealing with. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. He was the smartest and wittiest man in the world. Jesus was about to turn the table and test the tester. Instead of diving into a senseless debate, Jesus answers his question by asking another question. (Elie Wiesel, the famous Jewish writer and novelist was once why Jews often answer questions by asking another question? To which Wiesel replied, “Why not?”) (Peterson 38)

Jesus asks him how he would answer his own question: “What is written in the law? How do you interpret it?” The lawyer quoted two passages from the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and all of your strength and all of your mind.” Leviticus 19:18 says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The conflation of these two verses forms what is commonly called “The Great Commandment” because it summarizes the Ten Commandants in a single sentence. Jesus gave the lawyer an “A+” for his answer! Bravo! You passed the test! “Do this, and you will live!”

The lawyer’s question ought to make all of us stop and think for a moment. Even though the lawyer was just using this question to test Jesus, I don’t think there has ever been a more important question asked than this. How does one inherit eternal life? How can we know for sure that we will go to heaven after we die? I’m sure that every one of us has asked that question at some point in our lives. How would you answer that question?

Many people answer this question with the common clichés “Be a good person! Live a moral life! Obey the 10 Commandments! Try to do the right thing! Do random acts of kindness! Read the Bible! Go to church! And so on!” Don’t get me wrong, these are all good things and we should do them, but none of them saves our souls or earns us eternal life! Which one of us really loves God with everything we have? Which one of us really loves our neighbor as ourselves?

Jesus was giving a legal answer to a legal question. We can inherit eternal life if we live a perfect life! But that is the problem, none of us have lived perfect lives; we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Jesus was laying down an impossible challenge designed to drive sinners to seek a Savior. The only way to receive eternal life is to admit that we are helpless and accept Jesus’ free gift of grace. (Ryken 539)

 

Looking for a Loophole (29)

Well, the lawyer never got that far with Jesus. He actually got tripped up on the second half of the Greatest Command. He was fine with the part about loving God, but when it came to loving his neighbor, he felt uneasy. So, like any lawyer worth his salt, he began looking for a loophole. He tried to justify himself by asking Jesus the copout question, “Who is my neighbor?” This question reminds me of Cain’s question to God after he murdered his brother Abel. He asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

When we think about the ethical demands of the kingdom of God, I suppose most of us are like this lawyer. We are OK with the loving God part, but we get hung up on the loving our neighbor part. We pray, “Lord, if there is any way to get around loving this particular neighbor, please let me know.” So, instead of just loving people who are hard to love, we like to play a little game of “Who is My Neighbor?”

 

Neighborly Love (30-37)

Well, Jesus wasn’t really into playing these types of games, but he was into telling stories. So, instead of answering the lawyer’s question directly, he tells one of his most famous parables: The Parable of the Good Samaritan. It goes something like this: A man was walking along the dangerous road between Jerusalem and Jericho, where he was mugged by a gang of thugs. They took his money, stripped his clothes, beat him into a bloody pulp, and left him on the road half dead. Now by chance a little while later, the man heard footsteps approaching him. He was barely able to lift his head and look through one eye to see that it was a priest, a holy man of God. He thought to himself, “Praise God, certainly this priest will help me.” But for some unknown reason, the priest promptly passed by on the other side of the road and kept walking. A little while later, the man heard footsteps again. This time it was a Levite, a layman coming from the local church. The man opened his swollen eyes again and whispered, “Thank you Lord for sending this Levite to save me.” But the Levite crossed to the other side of the road and hurried by, and the man’s heart sunk again.

Before we finish the story, let us pause and reflect for a minute. Like everyone who reads this story, we are horrified by the callous posture of the priest and Levite. Of all people, they should have helped the Samaritan, right? Well, Jesus doesn’t tell us why the priest or Levite didn’t help the man, so let me defend them a bit. Maybe they didn’t help the man because they didn’t know him. It is awkward helping someone you don’t know. Maybe they didn’t help him because they were in a rush. It is hard to stop and help someone when you have a deadline to meet. Maybe they didn’t help him because they didn’t have enough money to care for him. You can’t fault them for that! Maybe they didn’t help him because they were afraid they would be attacked too. You can’t expect someone to act when it might put them in danger. Or maybe they didn’t help because they were paralyzed by confusion. They simply did not know what to do!

Well, I hope this line of defense has perturbed you a bit. I raise these ridiculous reasons with a sense of sarcasm, but I have heard people today use every one of these excuses for not helping someone in need. I hope none of us will ever do this!

Sometime later, the man heard footsteps again, but this time he didn’t even have the strength to lift his head or open his eyes. Had the man looked, he would have been utterly shocked. It was a filthy half-breed Samaritan. But the Samaritan put his racial and religious differences aside, and he treated the man’s wounds, set him on his donkey, took him to a nearby clinic, and even paid the medical bill.

After Jesus finished his story, he asked the lawyer, “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who was mugged.” The answer was obvious, but notice how the lawyer responded in verse 37. He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” He couldn’t even bring himself to use the word “Samaritan.” The racial and religious tensions were too deep. But Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Wow! What a powerful story! The point is crystal clear: every human being is our neighbor. Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians are our neighbors. Buddhists, Jews, and Muslims are our neighbors! Homosexuals, transsexuals, and sex offenders are our neighbors! Republicans, Democrats, and Bernie Sanders are our neighbors! Illegal aliens and Donald Trump are our neighbors! Unborn babies, abandoned children, and people with disabilities are our neighbors! Even lawyers are our neighbors!

 

Allow me to conclude by telling you a story of my own. It is about the first black man I ever met. Most of you know that my mom died when I was four years old. That was 33 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember seeing her body lying in the casket at the funeral home. Her eyes were closed and face was pale. I cried as I kissed her cheek and said goodbye. Even at such a tender age, I knew that she was gone and that I wouldn’t see her again. It was a sad day for all of us.

            Later that afternoon, when the funeral was over, my sister and I went home with my dad and continued to process everything. A number of people had stopped by to drop off food and offer their condolences. A while later I heard another knock on the door and I went out to see who it was. There stood an old black man holding two brown paper bags. Living in a very white town, I had never seen a black person before. I just kept looking at his skin. I wondered if he was made out of chocolate, but I was too afraid to ask.

            He spoke to my Dad for a few minutes and then my Dad said, “Kids, this is Mr. Whitfield and he has something for you.” He knelt down and gave my sister and me a big hug. He handed each of us a bag with our name written on it in black magic marker and he said, “Jason and Amy, I know that your mom has passed on and you must be really sad. I just wanted to get you something to try to make you feel a little bit better.” And when I looked into bag and saw that it was filled with candy bars, lollipops, baseball cards, and toys, I did feel a little bit better!

            Years later, I learned that Mr. Whitfield was the patriarch of the only black family in our community. He had been the victims of racism many times. On one occasion, crosses were even burned on his front lawn. But do you know what, racism never stopped him from being a Good Samaritan to two little white kids who just lost their mother.

Jesus says, “You go, and do likewise!”

Most of you, even if you didn’t grow up on a farm, have heard the common cliché: “Make hay while the sun shines.” This old agricultural adage refers to the reality of farmers having to cut, bail, and store hay while it is dry. If the hay is harvested wet, it will develop mold be unfit for feeding the animals. This proverb was first recorded in John Heywood’s A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue, 1546:

Whan the sunne shinth make hay. Whiche is to say.
Take time whan time cometh, lest time steale away.

Ironically, as early as 1673 it was cited in a non-farming context in Richard Head’s glossary of the language of thieves and beggars.

Jesus didn’t coin this phrase, but he certainly taught the principle, especially when he was teaching about ministry. Today’s Scripture reading is a case in point. As he sends 72 of his followers into ministry, he uses farmers as a metaphor for ministers and harvest fields for the souls of men and women. This whole passage is about making hay—that is, ministry in the Kingdom of God.

This section is rather long and quite complex. To help us navigate our way through this hay field, I have summarized Jesus’ teaching into nine bullet points, each highlighting a principle for ministry. Let’s take a look at them!

1. The Call and Collaboration of Ministry (1)

We already saw how Jesus commissioned his twelve disciples for ministry back at the beginning of Luke 9, and now he extends that same call to his “other” followers here in chapter 10. This verse shows that ministry in the Kingdom of God is not limited to “elite” disciples; Jesus calls every one of his followers to ministry. Also, notice how he sent them two by two. He probably did this because Jewish culture required two witnesses to validate legal testimony, but also for companionship, collaboration, and accountability.

This verse reminds us that all Christians are called into the ministry. Every church member is a minister! Every parishioner is a priest! You don’t have to have a seminary degree to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ! You don’t have to be ordained to pray with someone! You don’t need any special talents or abilities to invite someone to church!

Like the 12 apostles, God still calls some people to enter full-time vocational ministry as pastors, missionaries, etc. I wish more of our young people would consider a career in ministry. It is a wonderful way to spend a life. (I am still mesmerized by the fact that I get paid to study the Bible, preach sermons, plan worship, give spiritual counsel, and a variety of other ministry tasks. I have the best job in the world!) But as we have learned through our faith and work testimony series, others are called to minister in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, offices, shops, and factories.

Where has God called you to minister? Do you do it within a community that provides companionship, collaboration, and accountability?

 

2. The Opportunity for Ministry (2)

Even as he sends these 72 into ministry, Jesus declares that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, and then he tells the group to pray for the Lord to send more workers into the harvest field. God had already prepared many souls for entrance into the kingdom of God, but there weren’t enough ministers to go and share the good news.

Folks, the harvest is still plentiful in 2015! There are still so many people (all around the world and right here in our own communities) who don’t know Jesus Christ. They need to know how deeply their sin has affected them, what Jesus has done for them, and the hope, joy, and peace they can have! But who will tell them? Are you willing to labor in the Lord’s harvest fields? Will you pray that the he will send more workers?

3. The Dangers of Ministry (3)

As Jesus sends these workers into the harvest fields, he wants them to be aware of the dangers. He compares them to little lambs going into a wolf den. By this, he means that ministry often involves dealing with rejection and hostility.

This was true in the early church, when the enemies of Christ often made murderous threats against his people, and when most of the apostles became martyrs. It was true in the days of African missions, when missionaries packed their possessions in a coffin. Not expecting to return home, they were planning ahead for burial. The peril still exists today wherever we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ministry always carries the threat of difficulty, danger, and death. (Ryken 515)

 

4. The Urgency of Ministry (4)

It seems strange that Jesus would send these ministers into the field with the command “carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.” Why didn’t he want them to take any provisions? Why wouldn’t he want them to be polite if they met someone on the road? Jesus said these things to underscore the urgency of ministry. He didn’t want them to be bogged down by baggage or get distracted by pointless discussions. The harvest was plentiful; they needed to make hay while the sun was shining!

Every time my family goes on a trip, I take the opportunity to preach this verse to my wife. For the life of me, I can’t understand why she needs luggage as large as the Titanic or why it takes her three days to pack for a two day trip. It only takes me ten minutes!

There is still an urgency to ministry today. Our time on earth is so short and there are so many people who still need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Let us not get bogged down or distracted by trivial things!

 

5. The Model for Ministry (5-12)

In verses 5-12, Jesus lays out a model for ministry. When they approached a house, they should first pronounce a blessing of peace. If they were welcomed, they should stay in that same house and eat and drink what the host provided. While there, Jesus instructed them to focus on the ministries of healing the sick and preaching that the kingdom of God has come near. If their ministry was rejected by a particular house or town, Jesus told them to simply shake off the dust of that town off their feet and move their ministry along to another place. They should let God judge them according to his will and timing, which would be even fiercer than the fire that fell upon the city of Sodom back in Old Testament times.

Jesus’ model for ministry is still applicable today! When we minister to someone, let us approach them in a spirit of peace and a desire to bless them. Be willing to spend time with one person or family. Invest in building a relationship them. Attend to their physical and spiritual needs: care for the sick and tell them about how the kingdom of God has come near through Jesus Christ. Be content with whatever they give you in return. If they reject you or your message, walk away and let God deal with them! This is how we should conduct our ministries today!

 

6. The Rejection of Ministry (13-16)

After Jesus unfolds his model for ministry, he offers a warning, particularly to those towns and villages that rejected the gospel message. Chorazin and Bethsaida were Jewish towns that had witnessed enough of Jesus’ miracles to inspire faith, but these towns largely rejected his ministry. If his miracles would have been performed in the pagan gentile towns of Tyre and Sidon, they would have evokes mass faith and repentance. Even the Jewish town of Capernaum, where Jesus centered his ministry, was in jeopardy of going to hell.

The people in these towns had every opportunity to trust in Jesus for their salvation, but they rejected him and refused to repent from their sin. Everyone who rejects Jesus’ messengers, rejects him. And everyone who rejects Jesus, rejects God. Rejecting God and his salvation, will doom a person to eternity in hell.

These warnings still ring true today! The only way to avoid the unbearable judgment of hell is by putting your faith in Jesus Christ and repenting from your sin! Have you done it? Friends, let me give you some advice: make hay while the sun shines!

 

7. The Adversary of Ministry (17-19)

When the 72 returned, they were eager to tell Jesus that even the demons submitted to them in his name. This statement draws attention to the fact that Jesus has complete power and authority over demons and the powers of darkness. In fact, he uses this occasion to teach them about Satan, the adversary of ministry. Jesus personally witnessed Satan’s eviction from heaven. Satan was originally a beautiful and high ranking angel, but he led a rebellion against God. The Lord banished him and his fallen angels from heaven and sentenced to roam on the earth. Ever since, Satan and his demons have been actively working to deceive human hearts, destroy souls, and ruin ministries. But Jesus gave his followers the power to tread on these snakes and scorpions (a metaphor for Satan and demons) and to overcome the power of the enemy.

We live in a time and culture that vastly denies the existence of Satan and demons, but don’t be deceived! They are real and they are still on a mission to wreak havoc on people’s lives today. We see their influence all around us: murder, rape, abuse, addiction, suicide, infanticide, and genocide. But when we walk with Jesus and minister to people in the name of Jesus, we have power to overcome the evil forces and liberate people from spiritual bondage!

 

8. The Joy of Ministry (20-22)

Nevertheless, Jesus did not want the source of their joy to be their power over evil spirits, but rather that their names had been written in heaven. When a person truly repents from their sin and puts their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, their name is recorded in the great registry book in heaven, which reserves their place there. This is the ultimate source of joy—a joy that can sustain people through the dark nights of life and the difficult days of ministry.

During that same hour, Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, expressed his joy to the Father, the Lord of heaven and earth, for making the gospel accessible to those who would come to him in a simple and humble childlike faith. He was so overwhelmed with the triune joy that he praised the Father out loud for giving him this ministry of revealing the will of the Father.

Even though a life of ministry contains danger and difficulty, it also filled with unimaginable joy. Just as Jesus himself experienced, there is great joy in being led by the Holy Spirit to reveal the purposes of the Father. And no matter what happens in ministry, the hope of heaven fills our hearts with joy—for we are able to say, “My place in heaven is already reserved, and I will live in perfect peace someday!”

So, I ask you: Is your name recorded in the registry book of heaven? That is—have you truly repented from your sin and put your faith in Jesus?

 

9. The Blessing of Ministry (23-24)

And finally, Jesus concludes this teaching about ministry by pronouncing a blessing on his 72 followers. They were blessed because they got to see the Messiah and hear his teaching in person, and they had the privilege of partnering with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in kingdom ministry. Many of the prophets and kings of old desired this, but they did receive it.

It is indeed a wonderful blessing to be used by God to minister to others. Whereas the 12 apostles and 72 followers had the special blessing of being with Jesus while he was on earth, we have the privilege of ministering with the written Word of God, the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, and 2000 years of church heritage. Let us appreciate all of the blessings God has given us and use them as we go to our harvest fields!

 

Well, now that we know a little bit more about ministry, let us make hay while the sun shines!

Luke 9:51 marks a major transition in the gospel story. Thus far, Jesus’ ministry has been centered in Galilee, the northern region of Israel. From here until 19:44, Luke traces Jesus’ journey through Samaria to Jerusalem, where he would ultimately be “delivered into the hands of men.” This section is like separating wheat from chaff. On one hand, it focuses on the growing opposition toward Jesus which eventually culminates in his betrayal and crucifixion. On the other hand, it highlights the growth of the disciples as Jesus continues to prepare them for ministry after his ascension. Whereas miracles dominated the previous section, parables and teaching are the key elements in this unit.

In today’s Scripture reading, Luke tells us a story about “Flame Throwers and Fox Holes.” It teaches us how to respond to rejection and about the demands of discipleship.

 

Flame Throwers: Responding to Rejection (51-56)

When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, he started his journey to Jerusalem by making the unlikely decision to travel through Samaria. There was deep racial and religious tensions between the Jews and Samaritans. To Jews, Samaritans were a bunch of yellow-bellied back-stabbing half-breed heretics. This people traced its roots back to Old Testament times when a groups of Israelites from the city of Samaria broke ranks and intermarried with the pagan Assyrians, their archenemies. The prejudice between these groups was so deep that Jews would almost always take the long way around the east side of the Jordan River to get from Galilee to Judea. Most Jews refused to dirty their feet by stepping on Samaritan soil, but that is exactly what Jesus wanted to do.

As Jesus had done many times before, he sent messengers ahead of him to make reservations for food and lodging in a nearby village. When he and his group arrived, the villagers recognized that these boys weren’t from around there. They asked, “Where you fellas head’n anyway.” Jesus casually looked up and said, “We’re heading south…to Jerusalem.” Well, that was the worst thing he could have said. The word “Jerusalem” caused their blood to boil: it was the Jews capital city and the location of what they considered to be an apostate temple.

So, they discriminated against Jesus and his followers by flat out denying them services. They may as well have put up a “No Jews Allowed” poster on the grocery store window and place a “No Vacancy” sign at the Samaritan Central Hotel.

This passage reminds me of a little poem from 1968. It goes like this:

I pulled into Nazareth, was feeling ’bout half past dead

I just need some place where I can lay my head

Hey, mister, can you tell me, where a man might find a bed?

He just grinned and shook my hand, “No” was all he said.…

Have you ever been the victim of racism, religious discrimination, or some other type of prejudice? Have you ever been turned down, turned away, or rejected because you look different, talk different, or believe differently from someone else? Rejection, of any sort, hurts the heart and wounds the soul, and it usually either causes tears to flow or tempers to rise. How do you respond to rejection?

Well, when Jesus’ disciples James and John, saw what happened, they were royally ripped and were immediately ready to retaliate. Jesus had nicknamed these two brothers “The Sons of Thunder” for good reason. Their reaction is utterly astounding, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” This is just a slightly more sanctified version of saying “Jesus, do want me to go to my pickup truck and get my sawed-off shotgun and blow these suckers away?” Their instinctual response to rejection was to pray for God to pull out his heavenly flamethrower and incinerate these Samaritan simpletons. That is certainly one way of dealing with people who treat you poorly.

This passage reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend about 11 years ago. My friend, who will remain nameless, was an excellent marksman in the United States Marine Corp. and he served as a sniper during the Vietnam War. He is one of the few veterans that I know who talks openly about his combat experience. He asked me, “How’s your ministry going up there in Franklin.” I told him that it was going well. Then he said, “Well, if anyone in your church ever gives you any problems, you let me know. I know how to deal with people.” Now my friend has that type of quirky personality where you’re never sure if he is serious or not. Consequently, I am happy to report that I have never had to call him. Well, at least not yet!

Many people today are just like James and John. When they face any form of rejection, discrimination, or hostility, their immediate response is to fight back—either verbally, legally, physically, or even spiritually. But Jesus boldly rebukes this kind of pietistic pyromaniac attitude! Jesus came to save people; not destroy them!

Notice how Jesus dealt with rejection! He didn’t form a protest march to fight for his civil rights. He didn’t organize a rally to rail against this overt racial and religious discrimination of his day. He didn’t go to the media and make some political statement about how he was victimized by an unjust system? He didn’t engage in any debates over whether “Jewish Lives Matter” or “Samaritan Lives Matter.” He didn’t whine, complain, or become angry; and he certainly did not resort to violence. Do you know what he did? He simply moved on to another village!

Do you know what happens when everybody (even Christians) digs in their heels and fights for their rights? Before long, everybody is fighting each other. But Jesus shows us a better way! He would ultimately be rejected by people and be led like a lamb to the slaughter. He would willingly allow his hands and feet to be nailed to a wooden cross and die for the very people who put him there. That is how Jesus responds to rejection! How about you?

 

Fox Holes: The Demands of Discipleship (57-62)

As the smoke began to clear and Jesus and his disciples were walking toward another village, he had three random encounters that he used to teach us about the demands of discipleship—or what it takes to be a true follower of Jesus.

One individual approached him and made the confident claim, “I will follow you wherever you go.” At least the man already understood that to be a disciple of Jesus required a willingness to follow him wherever he went, but Jesus detected an overzealousness in his voice and wondered if he really understood the ramifications of his claim. So, Jesus helped him reflect on this by offering him a vivid image of the demands of discipleship. His now famous words, “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head,” compelled the man to consider whether or not he is really willing to give up the comforts and conveniences of an ordinary life to follow Jesus. Isn’t it ironic that even the animals have a home, but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords never knew if he would have a simple bed or pillow to rest his weary head? As we just saw, Jesus had been denied basic travel necessities.

In this brief exchange, Jesus is making the point that true discipleship demands a willingness to face uncertainty, hardship, and rejection. He never promises that the Christian life will be easy, but it always requires sacrifice!

Please don’t misunderstand what Jesus is saying. He is not saying that Christians shouldn’t own property or have possessions or save money. He is saying is that one must never allow earthly possessions to get in the way of discipleship. He has not called us to a life of luxury, but to a life of sacrifice. His powerful words force us to ask ourselves, “Am I willing to give up everything to follow Jesus?

The next two encounters show Jesus initiating the call of discipleship to others, only to be met by excuses. The first man said that he would follow Jesus, but he first wanted to go and bury his father. At first glance, most people assume that this conversation took place between the time the man’s father died and when he was buried, but that is not the case here. He was really asking Jesus to let him care for his father during his declining years until he died. But Jesus discerned that this man was using his family situation as an excuse for delaying his discipleship. So, he responded with blunt but humorous paradox: “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

When Jesus extended the call of discipleship to another man, this guy offered a similar excuse, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those in my home.” Jesus responded to this plea with the proverb: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” In farming, the best way to plow a straight row is to keep looking ahead at some fixed point in the distance ahead; looking back would cause zigzags all over the countryside. Likewise, Jesus was saying: True discipleship demands fixing your eyes on me and not looking back for any reason.(Ryken 502)

Both of these encounters are getting at the same thing: If we want to be a true disciples, it demands immediate commitment and utmost loyalty, even over one’s family. Nothing is more important than following Jesus, not even the claims of our own families, which are the strongest of all earthly claims. If it comes down to a choice—as it sometimes does—we must do what Jesus wants us to do, not what our families want us to do! (Ryken 505)

When people say “I love my spouse more than anything” or “I always put my kids first,” they are committing the sin of idolatry. What they are really saying is “I love the gift more than the gift-giver!”

Who do you love most? Who is your top priority? Who has your undivided loyalty? If it is not Jesus, then you are not a true disciple yet!

 

The demands of discipleship are hard! True disciples of Jesus don’t retaliate with violence when they are rejected. True disciples are willing to leave everything behind for him: property, money, material possessions, personal ambitions, comfort, convenience, security, and yes, even your family! The story of flame throwers and fox holes requires all of us to reckon with our relationship with Jesus Christ. And so, where are you?

An airplane was on its way to Detroit when a woman in economy class casually got up and moved into an open seat in the first class section. The flight attendant watched her do this, and politely informed the woman that she must sit in economy class because that’s the type of ticket she had purchased.
The woman looked up and boldly replied, “I’m blonde, I’m beautiful, I’m going to Detroit and I’m staying right here.” After repeated attempts and no success at convincing the woman to move, the flight attendant went into the cockpit and informed the pilot and co-pilot that there’s a blonde bimbo sitting in first class who refuses to go back to her proper seat. The co-pilot went back to the woman and explained why she needed to move, but once again the woman snapped, “I’m blonde, I’m beautiful, I’m going to Detroit and I’m staying right here.”
The co-pilot returned to the cockpit and suggested that perhaps they should have the arrival gate call the police and have the woman arrested when they land. But the pilot said, “You say she’s blonde? I’ll handle this. I’m married to a blonde. I speak blonde.” He went back to the woman and whispered quietly in her ear, and she said, “Oh, I’m sorry,” then quickly moved back to her seat in economy class.
The flight attendant and co-pilot were amazed and asked him what he said to get her to move back to economy without causing any fuss. “I told her first class isn’t going to Detroit.”

            Let’s face it: Regardless of hair color or gender, some people are just dimwits. Some people are so dense that you have to put instructions on the bottom of their boot so they can figure out how to pour water out of it. According to today’s Scripture reading, that is the way Jesus’ disciples were. They had been following Jesus for a considerable period of time; they had witnessed his miracles and heard his teachings, but they still didn’t get it. They were thick-headed and had wax in their ears. As Jesus concluded his Galilean ministry, Luke records four vignettes which display Jesus’ dimwitted disciples and the fact that they still had so much to learn. Let’s take a look!

 

A Failed Exorcism (37-43)

Peter, James, and John had just witnessed Jesus’ majestic transfiguration on the mountain. The next day they came down and joined the other disciples and a large crowd that had gathered. There was a man in that crowd who was particularly pleased to see Jesus. He was desperate because his only son was literally plagued by a demon. The demon caused the boy’s body to convulse, mouth to foam, and he screamed uncontrollably. They had tried everything they knew to get rid of the demon and stop it from destroying him, but nothing worked. The father even brought his boy to nine of Jesus’ disciples who were stationed at the bottom of the mountain, but all of their attempts at exorcism failed. So, the father waited for Jesus and begged him to look at his son.

Back at the beginning of chapter 9, Jesus gave all of his disciples the power to drive out demons, but they failed on this occasion. Luke doesn’t tell us exactly why they failed, but the corresponding passages in Matthew 17:20 and Mark 9:29 attribute their failure to a lack of faith and prayer. Jesus expressed his discouragement with the disciples by saying, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? His question is really more of a rebuke: the current generation displayed a lack of faith and a crooked path, forcing God to bear with them. He is urging them to “get with the program” because he would not always be physically with them.

            I wonder what Jesus would say about our generation? Would he say that we are faithless and twisted?

Even though he was disheartened by his dimwitted disciples, he showed great compassion for the demon-possessed boy and his father. As the demon threw the boy to the ground, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy. And the rest of the crowd was amazed by the majesty of God.

            Like he did here, isn’t it great when Jesus steps in fix covers our mistakes and fixes our failures? As he did with these dense disciples, he demonstrates incredible grace and patience with us! Praise God, he is willing to put up with slow learning disciples!

 

Misunderstanding Suffering (43a-45)

In the midst of the crowd’s marveling, Jesus reminded his disciples that such admiration is short-lived. For the second time, he makes a prediction of his coming passion. He said plainly, “Let these words sink into your ears, the Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” This is obviously a euphemism for his coming betrayal, crucifixion, and death.

But the disciples failed to grasp the meaning of Jesus’ prediction and they were too afraid to ask him to clarify. It wasn’t that they failed in intellectual comprehension as in willingness to face an unwelcome new perspective. What they don’t understand is how betrayal can happen to the person whom they have just confessed as Messiah. How can such a good and worthy person suffer? How can God let his own Son be crucified? (Bock 368)

            Many people ask these same kinds of questions about themselves today? How about the ever popular question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Well, there are two problems with that question. First, we need to question our definition of “bad things.” We almost always consider the death of a loved one, disease, unemployment, financial problems to be bad things, but sometimes what we consider to be a bad is actually the best thing for us—if God uses it to save our eternal soul or to accomplish his divine purpose. If you don’t believe me, just think about the cross. Was Jesus’ death a bad thing or a good thing? Well, it was bad for Jesus but it was very good for the rest of us. We often act like we are omniscient and have an eternal perspective, but we don’t. Only God does!

            Second, we really need to rethink our definition of “good people.” If we are really honest with ourselves, which one of us is really good? Our standard of goodness is usually pretty low—I commonly hear words like “decent” or “good enough” to describe good, but is that what God means by goodness? The Bible says that none of us are good. Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Have we lived such perfect lives that we don’t deserve to suffer? Do we have such an unblemished moral record that we don’t merit misery? Jesus is the only one who is truly good and even he expected to suffer. Why should we think that we are better than him?

            So, when we experience “bad things”, instead of complaining, “God, why me?” or declaring “I don’t deserve this,” let us humbly say, “Lord, even though this is painful, it is an honor to suffer for you. Please use these trials to mold my character into the image of Christ and accomplish your sovereign will in the world.”

 

An Arrogant Argument (46-48)

The next vignette pinpoints the disciple’s arrogance and slowness to learn. Jesus found them bickering over which one has the highest rank in the discipleship Hall of Fame. It is utterly amazing that these men could engage in such a petty argument after following Jesus for so long. Jesus must have been completely exacerbated by this exchange. Can’t you just picture him shaking his head and thinking, “Oh boys, haven’t you learned anything?”

When Jesus overheard their paltry dispute, he used a child to chide them. Taking a little boy from the crowd, he shows them the value of receiving such a humble figure (children were culturally viewed as powerless and irrelevant.) In Jesus’ estimation, this humble child was greater than all of the conceited disciples! Jesus’ kingdom ethics are a total reversal from the worlds—for the one who is least among you all is the one who is great.

            Humility—not strength and talent, confidence and charisma, or pride and power—is the chief virtue of the kingdom of God.

 

Ministry Monopoly (49-50)

The fourth and final vignette portrays the disciple’s jealousy of someone else’s ministry. The gospels tell us that John was the disciple whom Jesus loved, and that is a good thing because in this passage he is the disciple who put his foot in his mouth. He puckered his lips and griped, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” Can you hear the whimper in his voice? What a crybaby?

Isn’t this interesting? The first vignette pictured the disciple’s failure to cast out a demon, and now they are complaining because someone else was succeeding at it. Once again, Jesus had to correct his fallible followers. He told them to leave the man alone and reminded them that they did not have a monopoly on ministry. They weren’t the only ones who could preach, heal, or cast out demons. Ministry in Jesus’ name is not limited to a select few. Jesus told them that whoever is not against them is on their side.

            Unlike the Marines, who want a few good men, Jesus wants all of his followers to use their gifts in his service. Ministry should be collaborative, not competitive. It should not be limited to one group, one church, one denomination, or one theological tradition. We all have something to contribute to the ministry of God’s kingdom, and we should not be jealous of what others have or do. All who serve faithfully deserve our support.

            It is unfortunate that we live in a time and culture where so many churches and ministries compete against one another. Many of them have an outlook that they can do ministry better than others, and they refuse to work together. But this attitude grieves Jesus’ heart. There is no monopoly on ministry!

 

            Well, as you can see, Jesus’ disciples were dimwitted and slow to learn. I sure am glad that we aren’t like them! We have come so far in 2000 years of discipleship! Unlike his original disciples, I guess that we really don’t have much more to learn!