“Blessed and Sent”

2^nd Lent                                                                                               03/17/19—Highland—Meute

“Blessed and Sent”

Genesis 17: 1-8; Exodus 19: 2-8a; Matthew 10: 5-42 (selected verses)

 

Pearl: We are agents of the awesome, powerful gospel of Jesus Christ.

Function: To motivate worshippers to share the blessings of the gospel by speaking and relieving.

God’s work of salvation history began as described in Genesis and Exodus with God showering attention and affection upon one particular people: the children of Abraham and in particular the line of descent through Jacob—the Jews. They were chosen by God as the object of God’s special favor.

1. Knowing humankind as you do, you understand why they are the object of hatred and persecution down through the ages. The Jews remain targets of general ridicule all throughout the world. Incidentally, in the wake of the attack on Muslim worshippers in New Zealand only a few days ago, Muslims remain targets of hatred and violence as well. Perhaps it stems from the fact that they also trace their heritage to Abraham in the line of descent through his son Ishmael. Both Jews and Muslims originally enjoyed favored status before God.
   1. That these two branches from Abraham have always been targets of hatred and prejudice must be rooted in this fact that they were uniquely favored of God from the beginning. Not that God didn’t love other peoples. But God chose to bless a specific line of descent from father Abraham, granting that favored status through Abraham’s son Isaac and then to Isaac’s son Jacob and so on. There was a specific line of blessing. There was a people who were special and highly favored above all others: the Jews.
   2. A few weeks ago I preached on Joseph and how he was betrayed by his brothers because he was his father’s favorite son. It is human nature to be jealous.
   3. If only people could be content! No people need be over and above any other people. There are hateful and dangerous ideologies inciting terrible violence and suffering throughout our world over ancient jealousies. We cry out “How long, O Lord?!”
2. So as God’s favored people, they knew tremendous blessing from God as well as significant suffering. While they knew suffering God always restored them and provided for them.
   1. Releasing them from Egyptian bondage was the preeminent act of saving. As recorded in Exodus, God said: “I bore you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself…you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation” (19: 5, 6).

Everything changed through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Followers of Jesus Christ are now “the blessed.” Followers of Jesus Christ now belong to all of the nations of the world, demonstrating God’s underlying affection and love toward all of the peoples of all of the nations.

1. There is no favoritism of one group over another. Through faith in Jesus Christ anyone becomes a part of the “new Israel.” It is a “spiritual Israel,” if you will. God began with one people to demonstrate what he intended for all people. God showed affection and devotion to one people in order to demonstrate the blessings of relationship with God that would be available to all peoples.
   1. The blessed gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone. That was the message of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The kingdom of heaven is for anyone and everyone. The gospel is that capable and powerful.
2. The kingdom of heaven was at hand.
   1. Yet as we read in the sending of the twelve, Jesus, still in his lifetime went to the Jews first. In his life he was still attending to the Father’s mission of salvation-history to the Jews first. They were the original recipients of God’s blessings. This is why he told them not to go to the Samaritans or among any other Gentiles. Their time would come. All nations would be blessed.
   2. God’s intent from the beginning was to save all. But he would first relate to one people as a demonstration of the blessedness of knowing the living God.
3. Do you who are worshipping here today know the spiritual blessings which you possess? Through Jesus Christ you are among the very blessed.
   1. You may not realize all that you have spiritually.
   2. You are rich in spiritual things, through your connection to Jesus Christ.
   3. You belong to the “New Israel” which includes all nations, of every tribe.

Being so blessed you have a mission. You are agents of the kingdom of heaven, also known as the gospel of Jesus Christ. You are blessed and you are therefore sent to announce the message of the reign of heaven at hand and to be agents of relief due to the tremendous blessings of the kingdom of heaven at hand.

1. Jesus told the original twelve “As you go, proclaim the [gospel], ‘the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment” (Matthew 10:7).
2. As blessed agents of the gospel you announce and you relieve.
   1. As announcers of God’s reign being present we will always have optimism that God’s light is burning and will never be snuffed out.
      1. In a world filled with hate and darkness, we relentlessly announce that God reigns at all times and in all seasons.
      2. In the wake of another day of terror heard around the world the candles are lit, the cries of lament go up, saying “Lord, have mercy.”

• As agents of the gospel you and I defer to the Lord of heaven and of earth and proclaim God as our refuge.

1. As agents of relief in the spirit of “curing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the leper, and releasing demons” it means that we are agents of compassion toward the hurting.
   1. When disaster strikes the helpers run to the scene. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and all other relief agencies fly to the scene of destruction offering compassionate presence and relief.
   2. In a similar way as agents of the gospel you run to people who are suffering. You run to the side of the one who is hurting.
      1. As an agent of the gospel of Jesus Christ your presence alone is a demonstration of the kingdom of heaven being at hand. Your compassion is a flame that burns brightly and steadily in a dark and dangerous world.
   3. When Jesus directed the original twelve to cure and to raise and to cleanse and to release it was a mandate for all time that his followers would wage a relentless and heroic campaign to address the deep and systemic problems which afflict humanity. I suggest these actions of curing, raising, cleansing, and releasing are metaphors of the compassion Christ’s followers carry out.
      1. Remember how blessed you are to be called children of God. Remember how blessed you are to know Jesus Christ.
      2. So you are blessed to be a blessing.
      3. You are blessed and you are sent.

You are called to give of yourself because you are agents of the kingdom of heaven at hand.

The world needs you as much as ever it has! The world needs to know that God reigns and that there is relief as much as it ever has! Your mission is to announce and to relieve in the power of the reality of the kingdom of heaven being present through the gift of God in Jesus Christ.

1. You are sent to welcome and to receive.
   1. Highland Presbyterian Church, you are a sacred community to be a people of refuge for the weary.
   2. Highland Presbyterian Church, this place of worship is a sacred space established to be a place of refuge for the weary and the heavily-burdened.
   3. You are a people and you are a place of refuge where the awesome gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to do its blessed work!
2. In a few moments we will dedicate the gift of the “In Loving Memory” windows which are placed with love in memory of many of our dear ones. It is also a colorful beacon of compassion and hope meant to welcome and to announce that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is meant to proclaim what Jesus said one time and I will let his words be the last words in this message:
   1. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11: 28-30).