June 28, 2020

Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
Jeremiah 28:5-9
Psalm 89:1-4, 15-19
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 10:40-42

Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
 grace and peace to you from the one who welcomes us. Amen
 
Today we have a very short gospel text 
where the word welcome 
is repeated over and over.
 
 Now when we hear this word
 we perk up a bit because “welcome” 
is such an important concept in Christianity, 
particularly because we are called
 to keep expanding the community
Sharing the message of Christ
Growing the community
 
So when we hear this passage 
as Professor Rolf Jacobson remarks
we hear it as a command. 
 
We place ourselves in the role of the welcomers 
who will receive the reward that Jesus is talking about
 and yet when we back up 
and look at the whole passage that this little chunk of gospel is a part of, 
we realize that rather than a command, 
this passage is a promise 
and the disciples are not the ones who will be doing the welcoming, 
rather they will be the welcomed.
 
Our gospel for today
 comes at the end of what is known as The Missionary Discourse, 
we’ve heard parts of it over the past two weeks. 
 
Jesus summons his twelve disciples, 
gives them power over unclean spirits 
and then he sends them out
 
 instructing them to travel light, 
not to pack extra sandals or clothes
not even food.
  
 as they travel they are to proclaim the good news 
that the kingdom of God has come near
 and to rely on the hospitality 
of those they encounter for their livelihood, 
 
it’s a very vulnerable position 
and Jesus tells them up front 
that it’s not going to be easy, 
“see I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves” he tells them,
 and predicts that they will be beaten and driven out of towns 
that the message they bring will divide families, 
that as disciples they are to take up the cross 
and in following Jesus expecting to lose their lives,
 
 but do not be afraid Jesus tells them, 
this is something bigger than just yourselves 
and at the very end, our gospel for today, 
Jesus promises that despite all the hardships 
the disciples can expect
 there will be those they encounter 
who will welcome them and take care of them 
 
and in doing so these people they encounter
 are welcoming Jesus and his father. 
The disciples represent the full presence 
of the one who sends them. 
 Those who welcome the disciples
 are the ones who will receive the reward.
 
Jesus’ call to discipleship
 is first and foremost a call to vulnerability,
 to dependence on others,
 a call to be present with others, 
to accept their hospitality 
and in that way bring the presence of God.
 
Now this is a very different picture of discipleship 
and even evangelism than we are used to,
 we’re used to being on the action end of things, 
of going out and making things happen
Of doing things for people, 
which sometimes turns into doing things to people,
 
 We generally think it’s others 
who are supposed to accept our message 
and way of doing things.
 
But that’s not what Jesus tells the disciples,
 he tells them simply, go and be among people, 
to offer the message of the kingdom of God
 and to expect that most people will reject it and you, 
but some will receive it and you, 
and that makes the whole thing worthwhile.
 
This is a hard for message for us
 who are so individualistic, 
who love to depend on ourselves, 
who like to make things happen, 
but sometimes it just doesn’t work that way.
 
 Sometimes change, 
of mind, of way of being 
takes the small everyday presence of many people.
 
I’ve experienced this a little bit myself, 
as a woman pastor. 
This week marked the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women 
in the predecessor bodies of the ELCA 
and it took ten more years before a woman of color was ordained. 
 
The big decision was made 50 years ago
 but the culture didn’t change overnight, 
it took years of my foremothers serving
 to get to the place where I could pursue ordination
 without my gender being the primary focus of my resume. 
 
And yet along the way 
there have been reminders 
that it was not always so, 
 
my seminary was built in the 1960s, 
they didn’t anticipate female students, 
so on the main classroom floor 
while the men’s bathroom was just across the hall 
the women’s bathroom was tucked back in a corner
 by the office section, 
and not all denominations ordain women, 
I’ve been in some places
 where I’ve been the first female clergy that people have encountered
 and they haven’t quite known what to do with me, 
especially on CPE where most of the patients in the hospital 
were either Baptist or Catholic,
 I often got ‘are you a nun?’ and ‘what do I call you? Mother?’ 
And I would tell them what to call me
And go on with my job.
My presence a stronger argument than any words
For women serving as pastors.
 
Some interactions are not so mild, 
one of my friends,
 upon meeting a new colleague out in the community, 
(she wasn’t wearing clergy attire at the time,)
 introduced herself and was treated warmly
 but as soon as she got to the part 
where she explained that she was the new pastor 
the colleague withdrew his hand from the handshake 
and refused to acknowledge her existence, 
but her presence in that community
 was a living testament to what the colleague rejected.
 
 Jesus gives each of the disciples gifts 
then sends them out to be the presence of God wherever they go. 
 
Jesus gives each of us gifts
 and calls us to be the presence of God wherever we go, 
 
discipleship, evangelism is a way of life, 
it’s not something we do on Sunday mornings 
or at special times 
and then go back to doing whatever we want, 
 
who we are, how we live, 
the way we treat others
 all show those around us what it means,
 for us at least,
 to be in relationship with God 
and when our actions fail to reflect the ways of God
 people notice. 
 
One of the major critiques of religion
is the hypocrisy of those who practice it imperfectly.
People notice how we live
 
And yet if the expectation to live perfectly sounds impossible, 
you’d be correct,
 no matter how hard we try
 we will never be perfect, 
 
God knows this 
which is why God offers us grace
 in Christ who is perfect, 
Offering forgiveness when we mess up and confess and repent, 
allowing us the chance to grow in faith and life with God, 
sending others into our lives,
 to bring the presence of God
 with their own God given gifts 
To bring the kingdom of God near to us.
 
this is the life that Jesus calls us to live,
 lives that give witness to the grace of God 
who receives us as we are 
and who encourages us to witness
 to the kingdom of God with our whole selves
 even as we are called to grow and be changed
 by the witness of others we encounter along the way. 
 
Rather than attempted perfection
I think the opportunity for forgiveness
and the commitment to growth, to do better
 is a much more compelling way of life 
 
The grace of God sets us free from the need to be perfect 
and the accompanying fear of failure
The grace of God calls us to be vulnerable
To dare to be the presence of God
And to allow others 
to be the presence of God ,
with their own God given gifts, to us
 
And Jesus knows that at times this is difficult
 that some we encounter will expect perfection immediately,
 or will reject the message of grace,
That in the process of living this way
we will lose our lives, 
the lives where we’ve always done it this way, 
 
but in losing our lives we will find new life, 
and God promises
 that there will be people along the way who will welcome us, 
and encourage us,
 even if it’s as simple as offering us a cold cup of water.
 
All this is possible because Christ first welcomes us,
Forgives us,
And sends us out.
 
The kingdom of God has come near. Amen