"Advice for the Road"

Sermon by The Rev. Cindy Carter

July 7, 2024

Simon (later called Peter)

And, his brother Andrew

James, the son of Zebedee

And, his brother John

Philip

Bartholomew

Matthew, who was also called Levi

Thomas

James, the son of Alphaeus

Thaddeus

Simon, the Cananaean

Judas Iscariot

These were the twelve that the third chapter of Mark’s Gospel tells us Jesus had chosen “to be with him.” But at this point in Mark’s Gospel, we don’t really know much about these twelve men. 

Simon, Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee – James and John – had been fishermen before Jesus called them to go with him. Matthew – or Levi – had been a tax collector. What the rest had been doing before Jesus chose them we don’t know. 

All we really know is that Jesus had chosen them to be with him as he taught and as he cast out demons, bringing peace and calm to those whose world seemed to be turning upside down. 

They had been with Jesus as he sat in a boat anchored at the Galilean shore and taught the crowd in parables. Then, he had taught the twelve privately, explaining the parables to them.

They had been with Jesus in the boat, crossing to the Gentile side of the Sea of Galilee, when a big storm blew up. The storm had terrified them, but they seemed to be perhaps even more terrified when they saw the awesome power that Jesus displayed as he quieted the wind and the waves with only a word. And, they wondered just who in the world Jesus was, a man who could speak and the wind and sea obeyed.

They were with Jesus when he encountered a madman, living out in a graveyard, possessed by many demons. And, they saw Jesus send the demons out of the poor tormented man into a herd of pigs. And, they saw the man restored to calm and peace, just like the sea had been.

As we heard in our Gospel reading last Sunday, they were with Jesus when a woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve long life-draining, money-draining years secretly touched Jesus clothing, knowing that even a touch would result in her healing. They couldn’t seem to figure out how Jesus could possibly know that any one person had touched him, given the press of the large crowd. But, then they saw Jesus call the woman out of the crowd, recognizing her with the loving name “daughter,” and sending her away in peace.

Peter, James, and John were with Jesus when he went home with a religious leader whose little girl had just died. They saw him restore her and bring that twelve year old girl back from death. And, they saw him make sure that she had something to eat, not only giving the little girl her life back but putting normal life back together for this little girl and her parents.

And, as we have heard in today’s Gospel reading, they were with Jesus when he went back to his hometown to teach on the Sabbath and they saw the ridicule that the people Jesus had grown up with heaped on him. “Hey, isn’t this Mary and Joseph’s boy? The little guy who used to run around his father’s carpenter shop? Why, we know his brothers and sisters. What is he doing trying to teach us? Just who does he think he is?”

And, now, now in the second half of today’s reading, Jesus does what I believe he has been planning to do with these twelve all along, ever since he chose them to be with him. 

He is sending them out to proclaim the same message that he is sharing. He is giving them his authority to teach and to cast out demons. These twelve men who don’t seem to bring any special credentials or preparation for this mission. These twelve who frankly haven’t really seemed to understand exactly who Jesus is or what he is all about. Twelve men who just didn’t seem to get it. 

But, even so, Jesus is making them his agents in the world, sharing his work with them. Commissioning them to be God’s partners in the work of the Kingdom.

Now, I believe that Jesus is still in the business of choosing people truly to be with him, to be his agents in the world, to share his work, to be about the Kingdom and about what God’s intention is for the world that God created.

Like the twelve in Mark’s Gospel, he gives those of us we are with him his authority to teach and to cast out demons, all the evil that opposes God’s intention for creation. 

He does this even though we don’t seem to bring any special credentials or preparation for this incredible, sacred mission, even though at times we may not understand exactly who Jesus is or what he is all about, even when we just don’t seem to get it.

Lutheran pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber in her book Accidental Saints: Finding

God in All the Wrong People wrote,

Never once did Jesus scan the room for the best example of holy living and send that person out to tell others about him. He always sent stumblers and sinners. I find that comforting.

I don’t know about you, but like Pastor Nadia, I, too, find that comforting.

Now, Jesus gave these twelve he commissioned as God’s partners a few words of advice, and I think that advice is still good for those of us who would be with Jesus today.

Work together. This is not a mission you can do alone. Be part of a community. And, always remember that none of you is more important than the other. There are no “stars” in this work. 

Travel light. Your mission is urgent; you can’t be weighed down with a lot of baggage. Extra equipment won’t be needed. You yourselves are the equipment for this mission, and you can rely on God for whatever you need. 

Live simply and accept the hospitality offered you. This will allow you to keep your minds and energies focused on the accomplishment of the task you’ve been given.

If those to whom you go don’t accept you and your message, quietly move on. Don’t fret about it and get upset. You cannot force yourself on other people or take responsibility for their decision and their response. You are responsible only for your faithfulness to God’s mission. People must make their own decision. And, as Jesus knew all too well, as we heard in today’s Gospel reading,  there are inherent limitations for any ministry that comes from a place of grace.

When those first, flawed, unprepared, and at times confused twelve went out in obedience, the authority that Jesus had given them became operative and effective. They preached repentance, cast out demons, and healed many. Their resources or the quality of their lives did not accomplish this. What counted was the power of God conferred on them by Jesus.

The work of Jesus is to continue in the world, and that is why Jesus still calls the church today and sends it out to share in his work. It is why Jesus continues to speak to the church and to say, “Work together. Travel light. Live in simplicity and trust, so you can stay focused on the work of the Kingdom. Be faithful in sharing the message you are given, and do not fret when it is not received.” 

Jesus dares to send us out. And, may we dare to go - knowing that remarkable good can come through the obedience of seemingly inadequate messengers. Not because of what we do, but because of the authority conferred on us by Jesus.

And, you see we know something important that those first twelve did not know. They had seen Jesus do mighty deeds – healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead. But, we live on this side of the cross, in the light of the resurrection. We know, that through Jesus, God said the ultimate “no” to the evil powers that would destroy creation.     

We can share, with that knowledge and with Christ’s authority, that life can be radically different. We can send the demons that still live in our world today - the evils of hate, prejudice, oppression, and greed – we can work to send them packing; we can bring wellness to those who are sick; and we can bring healing the spirits of those who are broken and without hope.

So, my friends, it is time to hit the road, to be God’s faithful partners and witnesses, and to engage in the work that we’ve been given to do.

AMEN.