July 3

Gospel for July 3, 2022

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Jesus is grooming and training a cadre of missionaries to take the message of the kingdom everywhere he intends to go. When we think of what is to come in the book of Acts, and the spread of the gospel throughout the Roman empire after his ascension, what he does in our current passage fits into a larger strategy of mission work.

We have already seen the first stages of his larger vision. In Luke 6:12-16, Jesus selected the twelve members of his “cabinet” after a night of prayer. Then in Luke 9:1-6, after these disciples have heard his teaching and watched his ministry of healing and exorcism, he in turn sends the twelve out to preach the good news, heal, and cast out demons.

Now, Jesus multiplies the ministry of the 12 by 6 (some ancient authorities say he chose 72 rather than 70) and sends them out as he did the 12.

First, Jesus appoints his recruits:

These 70-72 missionaries are emissaries who go ahead of him to prepare the way for his visits. He sent them ahead:

in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.
He sends them two by two so that no missionary is alone — there is mutual support, and a sense of teamwork. Ministry is best not done alone.

Second, Jesus gives these newly appointed recruits clear instructions, as well as warnings.

He can see that the fields are ripe for harvest, but more workers will be necessary to bring others into the kingdom — so he encourages them to pray:

He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Jesus also is aware of the dangers and the risks for his missionaries:

Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.

He advises his missionaries to be dependent on those who welcome them and who are receptive to the work of the kingdom, and to be grateful for what they receive:

Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 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.”

At the same time, when they are not welcomed, they are not to waste time on those who reject the kingdom of God:

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.”

Curiously, the lectionary editors have chosen to edit out the more difficult and harsh judgments against those who reject the gospel of the kingdom. In verses 12-15, Jesus isn’t “gentle” in his denunciation of those who deny him:

I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.

What is significant, and tragic, is that these cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum were so close to the Kingdom of God! The Lord of heaven and earth had come among them, and they had rejected him!

He says both to those who receive the kingdom and those who reject it:

The kingdom of God has come near to you.

For those who receive him, what joy! For those who reject him, what sorrow!

Jesus makes clear that these 72 missionaries are his representatives. How they are received reflects how he is received, and ultimately how the Father is received:

“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

The passage fast forwards to the results of this “mission trip.” The mission team returns flushed with success:

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!”

This is a reminder that in some sense this is a spiritual, supernatural battle that is being waged between Jesus and the powers of darkness. He makes a fascinating statement to his missionaries:

I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.

On the one hand, this is a statement we must first take in context. The seventy-two have engaged in spiritual battle against demons, and have tasted victory. Jesus assures them of spiritual protection:

See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you.

However, when we pull back a little so that we can gain a perspective on the “bigger picture” we wonder what Jesus means when he says he saw Satan fall from heaven. Is he only referring to the recent missionary exorcisms of the seventy-two? Or is he speaking in a more cosmic sense?

While we must be very careful about proof-texting, there is another place in Scripture where the fall of Satan is described vividly, in Revelation 12:9.

The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Granted, this is a passage subject to multiple interpretations in Christian theology. But one possible view is that when Jesus says in Luke 10:18 that he watched Satan fall from heaven, he not only refers to the successful exorcisms of the missionaries; he may also be speaking of a more metaphysical experience that he witnessed when he was pre-existent with the Father.

This of course delves into somewhat esoteric theological matters. And Jesus himself turns the attention of the disciples back to more practical matters:

Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

While their spiritual victories may encourage and excite the disciples, their success isn’t what really matters. Ultimately what really matters is their status as citizens of the kingdom of heaven — their eternal relationship with God.

Again, we return to the vision in Revelation, this time of the holy city, where we are told:

…nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27).

APPLY:

Ministry isn’t accidental. Although our spiritual gifts and fruits and our call may be inspired by the unpredictability of the Holy Spirit, this doesn’t preclude a planned, Spirit-led vision and strategy. Jesus has a clear plan and strategy for his expanding ministry.

Jesus is obviously grooming and training people for ministry. He starts with the twelve, then expands his cadre to seventy-two. He invites all of these folks to hear his teaching, watch his healings and his exorcisms, and then sends them out in a kind of “internship” or “training exercise.” When they return, he has the opportunity to hear their reports and to interpret what they have experienced.

After his resurrection and ascension, his disciples gather yet again as per his instructions, and wait for the Teacher or Advocate — the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost about 120 persons are gathered when the Holy Spirit comes to distribute the power that Jesus had promised — and 3,000 respond to the preaching of Peter that day by being baptized and devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the practices of the church (Acts 2:41-42).

The plan of Jesus is in place — teach and model the gospel to a small group of followers; send them out; and invite them to reproduce the same model with other believers.

RESPOND:

It has been many years since I was in seminary, and began to study theology, Biblical interpretation, and practical ministry. But the truth is that my real training in ministry didn’t really happen until I got out into the local church, with wise mentors who passed on their faith and their experience.

Then my education was further advanced by my own experiences in ministry. And I in turn have preached, started small groups and Sunday School classes, Bible studies and accountability groups, with the original design of Jesus in mind.

The church thrives when the faith is passed on by passionate evangelists. The church is sustained and reinforced by transformed disciples.

This pattern of following, learning the faith, and then passing it on, is modeled after Jesus’ own practices.

Our Lord, you call us and then equip us for ministry, so that we in turn can equip others. Ultimately, we rejoice not because of “our” success in ministry, but because you have written our names in the book of life! Amen.

PHOTOS:
"Harvest" by WELS net is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Epistle for July 3, 2022

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Galatians 6:1-16
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

The Apostle Paul is summing up and offering his closing remarks to the Galatians in chapter 6. He is concerned about making a pastoral and practical application of his teaching about the law and grace in the lives of the Galatians.

For example, how are they to deal with sin when it occurs? The answer is not to ignore it, but to seek to reconcile the sinner if possible, while avoiding falling into the same sin!

My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted.

He is not arguing that transgressors should not be held accountable — we certainly see that he has high standards for the Christian community elsewhere in his letters:

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one (1 Corinthians 5:11).

Obviously, there is a difference between the repentant sinner and the recalcitrant sinner who refuses to repent.

As a part of this spirit of gentleness, Paul reminds the Galatians of the importance of mutual concern:

Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

We are reminded that the law of Christ is summed up in love:

For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14).

But Paul also balances mutual, corporate support with personal accountability. He is not letting individuals off the hook for bad behavior:

For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor’s work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads.

Paul seems to be thinking more quickly than he can express himself, for he leaps from subject to subject, as though he knows he’s out of time. In a sentence unrelated to his previous subject of moral restoration, mutual support, and personal accountability, he reminds the Galatians to provide financial support to their pastoral leadership:

Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.

Then Paul returns to his concern for the ethical practices of the Galatians with a very vivid image:

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

Again, he reminds the Galatians that there are consequences for the works of the flesh and for the fruits of the Spirit. There is a cause-and-effect relationship between actions and their results. Nowhere does Paul repudiate the moral law that is suggested by the law of love.

He exhorts the Galatians to live out their faith working through love (Galatians 5:6):

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.

He is clearly eager to make sure the Galatians know these are his words — and the eclecticism of his advice in this passage suggest that his mind is racing. He has likely been dictating this letter to a secretary, and then seems to seize the pen in his own hand:

See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand!

So he returns to his original thesis with the Galatians concerning the false teachers who have been trying to persuade them to undergo circumcision so they can be really sure they’re saved:

It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh.

Paul is suggesting that the Judaizers, who themselves are Jews who have converted to faith in Christ, are motivated by self-preservation. These Judaizers are promoting a kind of “both/and” approach — believe in Jesus, but also obey all the ritual and ceremonial laws so that the non-Messianic Jews won’t persecute us. And Paul insinuates that these Judaizers are themselves hypocrites because they no longer keep all the law that they are pushing on the Gentile Galatians!

Paul once again declares the foundation of his salvation:

May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything!

To die with Christ is to die to sin, and to be raised to new life, to a new creation. Outward marks or rules and regulations are now obsolete to one who walks in the Spirit.

This is the rule of grace, and these are the results — peace, God’s mercy, and a new identity as the true people of God:

As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

APPLY:

There are numerous applications that today’s passage may have in our lives.

First, when a brother or sister in Christ is detected in a transgression, the goal is not to judge them, nor to expel them but to gently restore them. This includes repentance, of course. But using the litmus test judge not that you be not judged, we are to be reminded that we also need to remain above reproach!
Second, part of the DNA of the church is to bear one another’s burdens. We are never more Christ-like than when we are caring for one another.
Third, though we are part of the corporate life of the church, we are still responsible for our own work and our own lives.
Fourth, there are consequences for our good choices and our bad choices:
God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.
This is an important spiritual and moral lesson. We are encouraged to remain steadfast in doing what is right, and not giving up, because we will reap eternal life from the Spirit.
Finally, we are reminded that external rules, rituals and regulations don’t bring us closer to God, but faithful identification with the cross of Christ does.

RESPOND:

In my 36 years in ministry, I’ve had the opportunity to counsel with many people about difficulties in their lives. By nature, I’m compassionate; and Scripture reminds me repeatedly to be gentle, yet firm with people.

There is one thing that has become very clear to me through all of these experiences — living an un-Biblical life has its consequences.

Yes, it’s true that there have been many people who have suffered through no apparent fault of their own. Still, even in those cases, the cause of their difficulty may often be traced back to someone who was living for themselves.

Addictive behavior, infidelity, pornography, covetous materialism, and many other behaviors may be described as sowing to the flesh — that is, they are living for themselves rather than living for Christ and for others.

This is a principle that keeps on proving itself — selfish, sinful behavior results in corruption; living the life of the Spirit results in a harvest of abundant life in this life and into eternity.

Lord, the principles that you teach in your Word are timeless. Enable me to walk in your Spirit so that I may live by these principles and reap a harvest of eternal life. Amen.

 PHOTOS:
"River Crossing" by WELS net is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for July 3, 2022

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 30
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is a Psalm of Thanksgiving on the occasion of “Recovery from Grave Illness,” according to the Psalm’s ascription [NRSV].

David’s experience of illness brought him close to death. He gives thanks that the Lord has drawn him up, and then reveals his plight:

O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

This is an example of the literary device called parallelism, often used in the Psalms. The first line makes a statement, and then the second line paraphrases the first line in such a way that it is amplified.

Here, that technique relates to David’s sense that he was already virtually dead. He was very close to Sheol. Sheol is not identical with the Christian understanding of Hell, but it does describe the shady, gloomy experience of an afterlife without hope or joy. He had the sense that he was already among the dead who were in the Pit of the grave.

In the second section (verses 4-5), David invites the faithful to praise God. He is not necessarily describing his own experience, but describes God’s inclination toward mercy, again with the technique of parallelism:

For his anger is but for a moment;
his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

This is a vivid way of describing the temporary nature of suffering, especially when compared with God’s grace and joy. God’s favor and joy are enduring, and anger and grief are momentary.

The Apostle Paul expresses this same understanding of suffering:

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).

But David also confesses that he had begun to take his well-being for granted prior to his catastrophe:

As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”

He had counted on the Lord’s constant favor, but he learned not to be presumptuous:

By your favor, O Lord,
you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.

Only so long as the Lord sustained him did he experience the Lord’s favor.

But David responds to his plight as any faithful believer might respond — he cries out in supplication. Interestingly, he frames his prayer as a kind of debate, putting forth his request for healing and life as a better bargain for the Lord than his death:

“What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
O Lord, be my helper!”

In this section, he reminds us a little of Job, who felt comfortable enough in his relationship with the Lord to challenge God to a debate! In this case, though, David is arguing that he can serve God far more effectively if he lives than if he dies.

As David closes this Psalm of praise, he celebrates:

You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

This passage reminds us of David when he danced with all his might as he led the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:14-15).

Sackcloth was the garment of a penitent. We are reminded of David’s profound penitence when Nathan confronted him with his sin of adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12:13). We are also reminded of his heartsickness as he prayed and fasted when his infant son was dying (2 Samuel 12:16).

This Psalm is a triumphant declaration that God does heal.

APPLY:

This is a Psalm that explores the spiritual and emotional dynamics of serious illness and the tremendous relief of healing.

Someone who has experienced cancer or heart surgery or kidney failure may be able to identify with the feeling that he was already in the grave. To be delivered from such an illness is almost like a resurrection!

But this Psalm also captures our very human tendency to take our health and well-being for granted — until something happens that reminds us of just how fragile our health may be.

And, to be honest, we have a very human tendency to want to bargain with God when we are in “the pits.” But we are reminded by this Psalm that God’s grace and mercy far exceed our superficial negotiations:

his favor is for a lifetime.

RESPOND:

One thing is clear — all of us will go through hard times. We will watch our friends and our family members suffer. And we will also suffer.

I have visited with folks many times in my ministry who have been perilously close to death. In nearly all cases, when they recover they have a sense that they have been rescued from the grave and been given a reprieve.

They have almost always said to me: “God did this for a reason. I have been given another chance. Now I need to find out what he wants me to do.”

Lord, I have prayed many times for those who have been grievously ill. In some cases they recovered. In a few cases they did die. I have thus far escaped serious illness in my own life — but I know that if I live long enough, I will face those moments as well. I pray that I might not bargain with you when that time comes, but that I will trust you that whether I live or die, I am in your hands. Amen.

PHOTOS:
“Psalm 30-3 1024×768” by Dr. Johnson Cherian is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for July 3, 2022

This stained glass panel depicting the healing of Naaman is one of many in the V&A Museum in London that comes from the cloisters at Mariawald, a Cistercian abbey, c.1510-30. [photograph by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.]

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
2 Kings 5:1-14
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

What happens when the wars of nations and the conflict of religions and cultures bring dissimilar people together? And what happens when the pride of a mighty man with a profound illness meets the simple faith of a young girl? These are some of the issues that collide in 2 Kings 5.

Naaman commands the army of Aram. The relationship of the Arameans and the Israelites goes back quite a way in Biblical history. For one thing, the Arameans and the Hebrews share a common Semitic ancestry. Jacob, the ancestor of the Israelites, is called a wandering Aramean.

But now Aram is a rival nation occupying roughly the same area of modern-day Syria. There have been wars between the Israelites and the Arameans at least since the time of the Judges almost 300 years earlier.

Furthermore, the Arameans were polytheists who worshiped many of the gods and goddesses common to the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Canaanites. Israel, despite the defections of some of its kings and queens, still officially followed the Lord. This difference in deities heightens the tension between Aram and Israel.

As with any good tale, this story begins with a complication — Naaman has leprosy. Leprosy has been identified as a nerve disease that manifests itself in disfiguring symptoms in the skin, face, and joints of its victims. The fact that leprosy was regarded as highly contagious and rendered its victim ritually unclean in the Torah (Leviticus 13:1-3) makes Naaman’s condition far more serious. Although he is an Aramean and not an Israelite, leprosy would likely have caused revulsion throughout the region.

How ironic, then, that an Israelite girl offers a solution to Naaman’s plight! This young girl, captured and enslaved by the Arameans, isn’t even named. Yet she has the faith and the courage to point Naaman’s wife to a cure:

“If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

We may imagine that Naaman, who has won victories on the battlefield over Israel in the past, has to swallow his pride. But he is desperate. He’ll try anything!

So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. And the king of Aram said, “Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.”

Just as the magi from the east would bring gifts to the king in Jerusalem many centuries later, so Naaman goes to the king of Israel — loaded down with silver, gold, and garments as gifts.

However, the king of Israel sees this visitation as a ruse, a political ploy to embarrass him and stir up a fight. Interestingly, just as the Israelite girl isn’t named, neither is the Israelite king.

Fortunately for the king — and for Naaman — Elisha hears that the king of Israel has torn his clothes, which is a sign of deep distress. Elisha bails him out:

“Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.”

We can imagine the pageantry as Naaman and his entourage of horses and chariots pull up in front of the humble home of Elisha. Elisha doesn’t even bother to meet Naaman, this great warrior. He simply sends a messenger with simple instructions:

“Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.”

We cannot tell if Elisha declines to meet Naaman in person because he is unclean, due to his leprosy; or because he is a non-Israelite; or simply because Elisha sees this as a “teachable moment” that will lead Naaman to faith.

Naaman’s pride is hurt. He expects Elisha to at least act like a holy man, a shaman who casts a magical spell:

But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!”

His wounded pride is further irritated because he regards the Jordan as a mere creek compared to rivers in his own land:

Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?”

His servants, however, take a more pragmatic approach. Why not give it a shot? What can it hurt to at least try?

But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

Naaman overcomes his angry pride, and follows the prescription:

So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

APPLY:

God does tend to turn things upside down. God does things that are counter-intuitive.

A mighty man of war is weak with illness; and it is a young slave girl who is able to direct him to a healer. The king of Israel is completely impotent to do anything for this rival warrior; but a humble holy man is completely confident in God’s power to do something. Naaman expects some sort of magic incantation; and instead is simply told to wash seven times in a slow-moving river.

God doesn’t follow anybody’s rules but his own. He works through a young slave girl, or a crazy-eyed prophet, or through a muddy river.

So the application? Expect the unexpected. And when God gives instructions, even when they sound strange, the wisest course is to simply obey.

RESPOND:

The band, Green Day, has a song that seems to fit Naaman’s situation:

It’s something unpredictable but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

Following the God of Elisha, who tells great warriors to go take a bath, may mean that we also are called to do the unconventional and unpredictable. Who knows where God will lead us and what God will do through us?

Lord, sometimes the things that you do seem really crazy. Calling an old man and woman like Abram and Sarai to leave everything and start over — and start a family! Backing up Elijah in his duel against 850 false prophets — setting his altar and sacrifice ablaze, even after he has soaked it all in water! And using Elisha to humble the proud Naaman by having him do something so simple as bathing in the Jordan River. What will you do next? I can’t wait to find out! Amen.

PHOTOS:
“The Healing of Naaman” by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Gospel for July 3, 2016

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Now, Jesus multiplies the ministry of the 12 by 6 — some ancient authorities say he chose 72 rather than 70 — and sends them out as he did the 12.

First, Jesus appoints his recruits:

These 70-72 missionaries are emissaries who go ahead of him to prepare the way for his visits. He sent them ahead:

in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.
He sends them two by two so that no missionary is alone — there is mutual support, and a sense of teamwork. Ministry is best not done alone.

Second, Jesus gives these newly appointed recruits clear instructions, as well as warnings.

He can see that the fields are ripe for harvest, but more workers will be necessary to bring others into the kingdom — so he encourages them to pray:

He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Jesus also is aware of the dangers and the risks for his missionaries:

Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.

He advises his missionaries to be dependent on those who welcome them and who are receptive to the work of the kingdom, and to be grateful for what they receive:

Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 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.”

At the same time, when they are not welcomed, they are not to waste time on those who reject the kingdom of God:

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.”

I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum,will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.

He says both to those who receive the kingdom and those who reject it:

The kingdom of God has come near to you.

For those who receive him, what joy! For those who reject him, what sorrow!

Jesus makes clear that these 72 missionaries are his representatives. How they are received reflects how he is received, and ultimately how the Father is received:

“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

The passage fast forwards to the results of this “mission trip.” The mission team returns flushed with success:

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!”

This is a reminder that in some sense this is a spiritual, supernatural battle that is being waged between Jesus and the powers of darkness. He makes a fascinating statement to his missionaries:

I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.

See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you.

While we must be very careful about proof-texting, there is another place in Scripture where the fall of Satan is described vividly, in Revelation 12:9.

The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

This of course delves into somewhat esoteric theological matters. And Jesus himself turns the attention of the disciples back to more practical matters:

Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

Again, we return to the vision in Revelation, this time of the holy city, where we are told:

…nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27).

APPLY:

The plan of Jesus is in place — teach and model the gospel to a small group of followers; send them out; and invite them to reproduce the same model with other believers.

RESPOND:

The church thrives when the faith is passed on by passionate evangelists. The church is sustained and reinforced by transformed disciples.

This pattern of following, learning the faith, and then passing it on, is modeled after Jesus’ own practices.

PHOTOS:
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Epistle for July 3, 2016

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

Galatians 6:1-16

CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

For example, how are they to deal with sin when it occurs? The answer is not to ignore it, but to seek to reconcile the sinner if possible, while avoiding falling into the same sin!

My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted.

He is not arguing that transgressors should not be held accountable — we certainly see that he has high standards for the Christian community elsewhere in his letters:

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one (1 Corinthians 5:11).

Obviously there is a difference between the repentant sinner and the recalcitrant sinner who refuses to repent.

As a part of this spirit of gentleness, Paul reminds the Galatians of the importance of mutual concern:

Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

We are reminded that the law of Christ is summed up in love:

For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14).

But Paul also balances mutual, corporate support with personal accountability. He is not letting individuals off the hook for bad behavior:

For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor’s work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads.

Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.

Then Paul returns to his concern for the ethical practices of the Galatians with a very vivid image:

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

Again, he reminds the Galatians that there are consequences for the works of the flesh and for the fruits of the Spirit. There is a cause and effect relationship between actions and their results. Nowhere does Paul repudiate the moral law that is suggested by the law of love.

He exhorts the Galatians to live out their faith working through love (Galatians 5:6):

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.

See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand!

So he returns to his original thesis with the Galatians concerning the false teachers who have been trying to persuade them to undergo circumcision so they can be really sure they’re saved:

It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh.

Paul is suggesting that the Judaizers, who themselves are Jews who have converted to faith in Christ, are motivated by self-preservation. These Judaizers are promoting a kind of “both/and” approach: believe in Jesus, but also obey all the ritual and ceremonial laws so that the non-Messianic Jews won’t persecute us. And Paul insinuates that these Judaizers are themselves hypocrites because they no longer keep all the law that they are pushing on the Gentile Galatians!

Paul once again declares the foundation of his salvation:

May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything!

To die with Christ is to die to sin, and to be raised to new life, to a new creation. Outward marks or rules and regulations are now obsolete to one who walks in the Spirit.

This is the rule of grace, and these are the results — peace, God’s mercy, and a new identity as the true people of God:

As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

APPLY:

There are numerous applications that today’s passage may have in our lives.

First, when a brother or sister in Christ is detected in a transgression, the goal is not to judge them, nor to expel them but to gently restore them. This includes repentance, of course. But using the litmus test judge not that you be not judged, we are to be reminded that we also need to remain above reproach!
Second, part of the DNA of the church is to bear one another’s burdens. We are never more Christ-like than when we are caring for one another.
Third, though we are part of the corporate life of the church, we are still responsible for our own work and our own lives.
Fourth, there are consequences for our good choices and our bad choices: God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. This is an important spiritual and moral lesson. We are encouraged to remain steadfast in doing what is right, and not giving up, because we will reap eternal life from the Spirit.
Finally, we are reminded that external rules, rituals and regulations don’t bring us closer to God, but faithful identification with the cross of Christ does.

RESPOND:

There is one thing that has become very clear to me through all of these experiences — living an un-Biblical life has its consequences.

Lord, the principles that you teach in your Word are timeless. Enable me to walk in your Spirit so that I may live by these principles and reap a harvest of eternal life. Amen.

 PHOTOS:
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Psalm Reading for July 3, 2016

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

Psalm 30

CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is a Psalm of Thanksgiving on the occasion of “Recovery from Grave Illness,” according to the Psalm’s ascription.

David’s experience of illness brought him close to death. He gives thanks that the Lord has drawn him up, and then reveals his plight:

O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

In the second section, verses 4-5, David invites the faithful to praise God. He is not necessarily describing his own experience, but describes God’s inclination toward mercy, again with the technique of parallelism:

For his anger is but for a moment;
his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

This is a vivid way of describing the temporary nature of suffering, especially when compared with God’s grace and joy. God’s favor and joy are enduring, and anger and grief are momentary.

The Apostle Paul expresses this same understanding of suffering:

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).

But David also confesses that he had begun to take his well-being for granted prior to his catastrophe:

As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”

He had counted on the Lord’s constant favor, but he learned not to be presumptuous:

By your favor, O Lord,
you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.

Only so long as the Lord sustained him did he experience the Lord’s favor.

“What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
O Lord, be my helper!”

As David closes this Psalm of praise, he celebrates:

You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

This passage reminds us of David when he danced with all his might as he led the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:14-15).

This Psalm is a triumphant declaration that God does heal.

APPLY:

This is a Psalm that explores the spiritual and emotional dynamics of serious illness and the tremendous relief of healing.

But this Psalm also captures our very human tendency to take our health and well-being for granted — until something happens that reminds us just how fragile our health may be.

his favor is for a lifetime.

RESPOND:

One thing is clear — all of us will go through hard times. We will watch our friends and our family members suffer. And we will also suffer.

They have almost always said to me: “God did this for a reason. I have been given another chance. Now I need to find out what he wants me to do.”

PHOTOS:
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