Day 365 Reflection for January 6th
Day 365
Malachi 4, Psalm 149-150, Luke 9
A Reflection on Luke 9: “Then he sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick…” (Lk.9:2)
Day 365! Congratulations! YOU MADE IT! Every day for the past year you have faithfully mined the riches of God and all of His creation as found in the Bible, as well as through other devotional materials. Undoubtedly, there were days when you wondered if you could keep the discipline but here you are…finished…or should I say finished this phase of what you and God are doing together. What an achievement that I pray has brought you deeper into the blessings of being a part of His Kingdom.
Luke 9 is such a fitting chapter to conclude this phase of our adventure in the Kingdom, “Then he sent them out…” (Lk 9:2). The primary purpose of our daily readings in the Bible has been to equip us with the mind of Christ with the primary imperative that we GO! We see the same imperative in Matthew 28:18-20, somewhat of a duplicate of Luke 9, in which Jesus is sending out his disciples to establish the Kingdom. Each, however, has certain twists that give us insights in to some of the nuances of discipleship.
In Matthew, we are given the imperative to “Go, then, to all people everywhere and make them my disciples.” (Mt. 28:18) Jesus’ final command in Matthew is for us to take the Good News to all people everywhere rather than just to the regions that the 12 disciples were accustomed to. Note that he gives very few directives as to how this is to be accomplished. We are very familiar with Jesus’ call for us to GO as recorded in Matthew but Luke 9 along with Luke 10, the sending out of the 72, have a lot to teach us about the nature of the call that must be within us in order to have the seed of the Gospel bloom in the present and next generation.
Dwight J. Zscheile in his recent publication, People of the Way, (p. 78-81) takes an insightful look at the details and resulting implications of Jesus’ call for the 12 to “preach the Kingdom and heal the sick.” Remember, this is their very first mission and Jesus is very specific as to how they are to go about it. Here are Jesus’ instructions: “Take nothing with you for the trip: no walking stick, no beggar’s bag, no food, no money, not even an extra shirt. Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that town…” (Lk. 9:3-4) I don’t know how this hits you but Jesus is really tough, coming across as the Vince Lombardi of the first Century. Oh, we learn later that they did go out two by two so at least you have a companion on this terrifying adventure. Jesus is a hard taskmaster to say the least, but, as is generally true, the harder way is often the easiest and the easiest is often the hardest.
Just imagine what that experience was like or better yet, stop for a moment and anticipate you doing likewise, NOW! TAKE NOTHING…no car, no credit card, no cell phone, no snacks, no extra clothes. Just what you have on your back! Go! GO NOW! Ah…hey Bryan…are you crazy!!!
Well, before you say no to the meditation, walk with me in your heart and hear what the Spirit says. If the two of us left right now from Pembroke Pines where I live…walking, we would probably walk east toward Hollywood and perhaps the Beach. We would look for people who had a spark of hospitality and compassion. Part of our motivation is the Kingdom and the other part is our own survival. Of course, hospitality in Jesus’ time was much more popular and regularly practiced so perhaps they had some advantage over us. That said, don’t forget that not only do we have a life-giving message to give away but we also have to deal with hunger and the possibility of living on the street. Well, at least there are two of us to enjoy the adventure.
After a few hours of this new adventure, the thrill of beginnings has us wondering what in the world Jesus had in mind or was he out of his mind? What is he trying to teach us that is so important that it is the foundation of our first mission effort? As with most valuable lessons, the ultimate lesson to be learned is not readily apparent.
We are enthusiastic and know in our hearts that we have something to give but how do we approach someone, anyone, with this life-giving message. Fatigue and hunger and a tinge of fear become a part of the adventure. We begin to engage people…some respond…some do not. Many see us as just homeless beggars except that we don’t beg. We could do a miracle to get attention but that doesn’t seem to be a valid approach. Too much power and besides, is this the way the Gospel will be shared?
With NOTHING, we have only ourselves and the memory that we have been touched in our mission tool-box. So…we touch! Yes, TOUCH. We don’t stand on the street corner and preach…we engage people…we touch…one to one! Dwight J. Zscheile reminds us how small and intimate the first Century homes were; one room, small houses where livestock and family often gathered at night. When you are on a mission for Christ, you have to be intimate, close…close enough to touch! In this environment, the Kingdom is preached and the sick are healed.
And so, the lesson is learned. Our enthusiasm to share the Kingdom and heal the sick is tempered and thereby informed by our hunger, thirst, and need for nightly lodging. And so the lesson from our mission is that to accomplish what Jesus has called us to do, we MUST engage others…we’ve got to TOUCH!
One of the true joys I have experienced the past 12 years in working with the church leaders of the diocese has brought this blessing home in so many ways. When a church experiences success in growing the Kingdom, it has always been because the church leaders have seen their mission beyond themselves. They never limited themselves by the lack or abundance of resources…that simply was not an issue. Real leaders don’t ask “why” but “why not.” They just have a passion to share the Kingdom and see people healed in the process; they draw close to people who are hurting and in need of a friend. They Touch!
What better way to end one year’s adventure and begin another…TOUCH SOMEONE!
Bryan A. Hobbs
[email protected]
Day 365
Malachi 4, Psalm 149-150, Luke 9
A Reflection on Luke 9: “Then he sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick…” (Lk.9:2)
Day 365! Congratulations! YOU MADE IT! Every day for the past year you have faithfully mined the riches of God and all of His creation as found in the Bible, as well as through other devotional materials. Undoubtedly, there were days when you wondered if you could keep the discipline but here you are…finished…or should I say finished this phase of what you and God are doing together. What an achievement that I pray has brought you deeper into the blessings of being a part of His Kingdom.
Luke 9 is such a fitting chapter to conclude this phase of our adventure in the Kingdom, “Then he sent them out…” (Lk 9:2). The primary purpose of our daily readings in the Bible has been to equip us with the mind of Christ with the primary imperative that we GO! We see the same imperative in Matthew 28:18-20, somewhat of a duplicate of Luke 9, in which Jesus is sending out his disciples to establish the Kingdom. Each, however, has certain twists that give us insights in to some of the nuances of discipleship.
In Matthew, we are given the imperative to “Go, then, to all people everywhere and make them my disciples.” (Mt. 28:18) Jesus’ final command in Matthew is for us to take the Good News to all people everywhere rather than just to the regions that the 12 disciples were accustomed to. Note that he gives very few directives as to how this is to be accomplished. We are very familiar with Jesus’ call for us to GO as recorded in Matthew but Luke 9 along with Luke 10, the sending out of the 72, have a lot to teach us about the nature of the call that must be within us in order to have the seed of the Gospel bloom in the present and next generation.
Dwight J. Zscheile in his recent publication, People of the Way, (p. 78-81) takes an insightful look at the details and resulting implications of Jesus’ call for the 12 to “preach the Kingdom and heal the sick.” Remember, this is their very first mission and Jesus is very specific as to how they are to go about it. Here are Jesus’ instructions: “Take nothing with you for the trip: no walking stick, no beggar’s bag, no food, no money, not even an extra shirt. Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that town…” (Lk. 9:3-4) I don’t know how this hits you but Jesus is really tough, coming across as the Vince Lombardi of the first Century. Oh, we learn later that they did go out two by two so at least you have a companion on this terrifying adventure. Jesus is a hard taskmaster to say the least, but, as is generally true, the harder way is often the easiest and the easiest is often the hardest.
Just imagine what that experience was like or better yet, stop for a moment and anticipate you doing likewise, NOW! TAKE NOTHING…no car, no credit card, no cell phone, no snacks, no extra clothes. Just what you have on your back! Go! GO NOW! Ah…hey Bryan…are you crazy!!!
Well, before you say no to the meditation, walk with me in your heart and hear what the Spirit says. If the two of us left right now from Pembroke Pines where I live…walking, we would probably walk east toward Hollywood and perhaps the Beach. We would look for people who had a spark of hospitality and compassion. Part of our motivation is the Kingdom and the other part is our own survival. Of course, hospitality in Jesus’ time was much more popular and regularly practiced so perhaps they had some advantage over us. That said, don’t forget that not only do we have a life-giving message to give away but we also have to deal with hunger and the possibility of living on the street. Well, at least there are two of us to enjoy the adventure.
After a few hours of this new adventure, the thrill of beginnings has us wondering what in the world Jesus had in mind or was he out of his mind? What is he trying to teach us that is so important that it is the foundation of our first mission effort? As with most valuable lessons, the ultimate lesson to be learned is not readily apparent.
We are enthusiastic and know in our hearts that we have something to give but how do we approach someone, anyone, with this life-giving message. Fatigue and hunger and a tinge of fear become a part of the adventure. We begin to engage people…some respond…some do not. Many see us as just homeless beggars except that we don’t beg. We could do a miracle to get attention but that doesn’t seem to be a valid approach. Too much power and besides, is this the way the Gospel will be shared?
With NOTHING, we have only ourselves and the memory that we have been touched in our mission tool-box. So…we touch! Yes, TOUCH. We don’t stand on the street corner and preach…we engage people…we touch…one to one! Dwight J. Zscheile reminds us how small and intimate the first Century homes were; one room, small houses where livestock and family often gathered at night. When you are on a mission for Christ, you have to be intimate, close…close enough to touch! In this environment, the Kingdom is preached and the sick are healed.
And so, the lesson is learned. Our enthusiasm to share the Kingdom and heal the sick is tempered and thereby informed by our hunger, thirst, and need for nightly lodging. And so the lesson from our mission is that to accomplish what Jesus has called us to do, we MUST engage others…we’ve got to TOUCH!
One of the true joys I have experienced the past 12 years in working with the church leaders of the diocese has brought this blessing home in so many ways. When a church experiences success in growing the Kingdom, it has always been because the church leaders have seen their mission beyond themselves. They never limited themselves by the lack or abundance of resources…that simply was not an issue. Real leaders don’t ask “why” but “why not.” They just have a passion to share the Kingdom and see people healed in the process; they draw close to people who are hurting and in need of a friend. They Touch!
What better way to end one year’s adventure and begin another…TOUCH SOMEONE!
Bryan A. Hobbs
[email protected]
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