Sermon: Pentecost 6C (Lectionary 14)

7-4-10

            There are a number of similar themes that run throughout the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. This is not surprising, since both books were written by the same author. One particular theme that rises to the surface is this. Anyone who is suffering, because of illness, demonic possession, separation from community, various disabilities, or any form of evil is being oppressed, or bound, by Satan. We see this reflected in Acts 10:38, when Peter preaches these words: Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. Thus, for the writer of Luke and Acts, Jesus is stronger than the devil and the forces of evil.

            Jesus, through his actions, and the actions of those he commissions, frees people from oppression. We even hear Jesus point to this in today’s gospel (Luke 10:1-11, 16-20) when he says he saw Satan fall from heaven. We hear this and what immediately jumps to mind is the event Milton described in Paradise Lost. However, Jesus is probably not talking about an historic event he witnessed. It is more likely that Jesus is saying he is seeing the forces of evil crumble and fall at that very moment. The things that bind, oppress, and hold back are being overcome.

            While this is abundant good news, it can be hard for us to hear! We live in a world where the forces of evil seem to have an extraordinarily strong hold. Oil spills into Gulf waters, destroying countless creatures and hurting those whose livelihoods depend on area. All the while, we continue our dependence on oil and gas. We read or hear of murders, robberies, violence and warfare. Thousands die each day in other countries because of preventable diseases, like malaria.

            In our own lives, there is the struggle with mental illnesses. I have shared with you before how well I know the devastating darkness of depression. We watch as those we love deal with suffering and anxiety. Relationships with family and friends are broken by addictions and abuse. We, as individuals, also face the reality of our sinfulness. The words of the confession sum it up nicely, but when we look at our lives, we see how far reaching the power of sin is. We don’t want to be laborers in God’s harvest. Instead, we want to choose sin.

            On the same note, we don’t like admitting that we are sinful. We would rather not hear about it. We insist that all the talk in the church about sin is a downer. Can’t we just gloss over it and pretend sin isn’t there? In the midst of this, we also want to blame others for our sinfulness. We are like Flip Wilson’s character Geraldine who insisted “the devil made me buy this dress”; or the Church Lady from Saturday Night Live who regularly asked, “Could it be … Satan????”

            As we face the reality of the power and presence of evil and brokenness, it is hard to hear the words of Jesus in verse 19, when he says, “None of them, the evil things, will hurt you”. How can Jesus say this? Certainly each of us knows how much we are hurt by sin and how much we hurt others when we sin. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus wasn’t talking about not being physically or emotionally hurt. Perhaps he is reminding us that nothing that is evil can hurt us forever. Instead, God promises us eternal life.

            Jesus has defeated sin, death, and the power of the devil through his death and resurrection. While these things are struggling to be the victor, the battle is won. We will see those struggles finally stamped out on the day of the resurrection. Christ will come again, utterly destroy sin, death, and the power of devil, and we will be raised to new life in Christ. As one my seminary professors often said, “The battle is won. What’s happening right now is mop up”.

            This promise of new life holds true for us because our names are written in heaven. They are etched there forever, like the cross marked on our foreheads in baptism. No amount of white out or erasers can remove our names or take away this promise for us. So, Christ tells us, rejoice! Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

            It is wonderful news! We respond by rejoicing and giving thanks to God. At the same time, we also respond by going into the world to do God’s work. At the end of the service, the assisting minister says, “Go in peace, serve the Lord”. It’s not a suggestion. It is a call from God. We respond “thanks be to God” because we rejoice that God sends us with good news to tell. Indeed, God sends us to proclaim that the kingdom has come near and to point to the places we see it.

            This will most certainly be hard work. People may reject us or refuse to hear us. Though our desire might be to judge them, today’s gospel text reminds us to just wipe off the dust on our feet. In fact, verses 12-15, which were left out of today’s reading, are pretty clear. We are to leave the judgment to God. We also know it will be hard because Jesus tells the 70 that they are sent as lambs into the midst of wolves. The Greek word used means more than just “lambs”. It means “sacrificial lambs”.

            We are to be sacrificial lambs. God sends us out to freely give of ourselves, to live as a sacrifice. This is where the rubber meets the road for us. You see, God sends us to journey out into the world and live out our faith; to love and serve God and love and serve neighbor; and to give sacrificially of our time, talents, abilities, finances, and selves, all of which are from God. We go to give! We go to tell! We go to point! We go to participate in God’s kingdom.

            Martin Luther talked about this when he said our faith is to be busy, living, active, and mighty. If you take the first letter of each word, you get the acronym “LAMB”.  We are lambs who are able to do this work because of the LAMB, Jesus Christ, who feeds us with body and blood and forgives and nourishes us. You also can find the acronym “BALM”.  We go to be a balm, a sign and source of healing for those who are oppressed. Finally, you get the acronym “BLAM”.  Faith is explosive and exciting. It is a loud thing!

            There are many ways we are busy, living, active and mighty in this place. We show concern for the needy by providing baby supplies, feeding the hungry, and providing a place for people to grow their own food. We show concerns for the suffering through the quilts made for Lutheran World Relief, the funeral meals prepared, the prayer shawls knitted, and by those who serve as communion ministers and hospital visitors. We show concern for those who suffer because of natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and tsunamis; and human disasters like oil spills. In short, these are the ways we minister to those who are oppressed.

            At the same time, there is more. God is calling us to new things. God is moving us on our journey to new ministries. God is empowering us to continue to announce a word of freedom in Christ to those oppressed. After all, a busy, mighty, active faith is also living, and that which is living changes, grows, forms, and shapes in new ways.

            Yet, none of what we do now and will begin is about us or our glory; rather, it is about God. We are busy, because God feeds, nourishes and empowers us. We are living because God redeems us in baptism and promises us eternal life. We are active, because all we have belongs to God. We are mighty because God strengthens us.

            Who knows what new ways the LAMB might lead us to be a BALM as we express our faith with a BLAM in the world? I do know this. We are not called to complacency. Instead, God calls us to be at work, to labor in His harvest, and to be sacrificial lambs. With God’s help, we can jump up and go. And results will, most certainly, be explosive! BLAM!

© 2010 Rev. Todd A. Cutter. Please do not reproduce or distribute without permission