6/13/20

Our scripture this week is Matthew 9:35-10:8.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”

“The kingdom of heaven has come near” – what a wonderful message to share with the world. The first to tell us this was John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2). After John was imprisoned, Jesus preached these words to the people (Matthew 4:17). Now He instructs the disciples to proclaim it as they witness.

This is the best statement of “God with us”. In Jesus, God has come to be one of us, to love and care and teach us about His kingdom. According to His plan, He taught the disciples and sent them into the world to share the Good News. As the disciples of today, it is our responsibility to continue spreading the word.

Jesus calls each of us to be His representative, a living testament to His sacrifice for us. We must be strong in an often difficult world. Our challenge is to be the messengers of Christ, to ensure all hear the truth that “the kingdom of heaven has come near”.

Holy Lord, we are humbled that You call us to do as You have done, sharing Your love with the world. Help us to be effective disciples that speak the truth of Your kingdom always. Amen.

6/12/20

Our scripture this week is Matthew 9:35-10:8.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”
Matthew 9:35-10:8

Jesus chose twelve men to be His closest friends and students, but there was a larger group of men and women who followed Him that are not individually named. Perhaps their words and actions are not recorded, but this doesn’t mean they are any less important. If we follow Jesus to be noticed, we are there for the wrong reason.

Jesus taught that we should seek to serve others in our efforts to share the Good News. He never sought glory for Himself, instead He always pointed people toward God as the source of all goodness. Like Jesus, we must not be after fame or recognition as part of our discipleship.

If our actions are performed to attract attention, we are missing the love for others Jesus sought to instill in us. We are thinking of ourselves first when we do this. Jesus said “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28) and we must follow His example.

Gracious God, we are nothing without Your love and care. Help us to value our connection to You above all else and to humbly go into the world to proclaim Your glory. Amen.

6/11/20

Our scripture this week is Matthew 9:35-10:8.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”
Matthew 10:5-8

Jesus tells the disciples to go to those closest to them, “the lost sheep of Israel” (10:6). He wants them to see there are plenty of people right where they are that need to hear the Good News. By their witness those around them can find a new relationship with God.

Those closest to them can be both the easiest and the hardest to reach. On one hand they know about each other, their customs and culture are the same. However, this familiarity can also lead to rejecting the message because they are “nobody special”.

We have the same to call, to ensure those around us know the love and saving power of Christ, and we face these same challenges. Reach out with honesty, telling what Jesus has done for you and the world. Offer others the chance to know the risen Christ as you do. By sharing your faith you obey His commandment to love others as yourself.

Loving Lord, we hear Your call to bring the truth of Your love to all the world. Help us to be energetic workers, open and unafraid. Amen.

6/10/20

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Matthew 10:1-4

In this passage we hear the listing of the first disciples, and as important as it is for us to know them, it is more important to know what Jesus called them to do. The gospel tells us “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” (v. 1). The disciples were given gifts they would need for ministry.

Jesus wanted the disciples to understand how much God loves us and calls us to care for one another. None of the gifts mentioned here were for the benefit of the disciples specifically, they are only useful when applied to others. All of our God-given gifts are for sharing.

God has blessed each of us with a talent to use in our world. Are your talents apparent to those around you? We must explore these gifts and ensure we are using them to the highest purpose – expressing our love for God and making the world a better place for everyone.

Loving Lord, we are thankful for the many ways You send Your love. Help us to share it with our brothers and sisters, driving out evil and healing as You have called us to do. Amen.

6/9/20

Our scripture this week is Matthew 9:35-10:8.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:35-38

Jesus describes us as “sheep without a shepherd” (9:36) and it is a sad but true statement. Without a relationship to God through Him, we wander aimlessly. For this reason He sends His disciples into the world, that all may know God’s love and care for us.

Just like the people of that time, we need a connection to our Creator, and we need to share that wonderful blessing with all the world. Jesus calls us to be the disciples of today, going into His harvest field to bring others to the Lord. He has shown us the way, now it is up to us to show our brothers and sisters.

We have received the gifts we need in order to accomplish this mission and we must help others recognize their gifts as well. Those who are new to God’s kingdom need our guidance. Making disciples means sharing and teaching, pointing them to God’s harvest fields that all the world may know Him.

Gracious God, we realize the awesome responsibility You have given us. Help us to be energetic in our discipleship, to bring everyone at last into the folds prepared for us. Amen.

6/8/20

Our scripture this week is Matthew 9:35-10:8.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 9:35-10:8

In our lesson this week we hear of Jesus sending the twelve out into the world. He tells them of the need for them to minister to the people with the statement “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (9:37). Jesus wants them (and us) to understand how important it is for us to share God’s love in our world.

We are all called to do as they did, to go and proclaim “The kingdom of heaven has come near” (10:7). Jesus has a double purpose in this assignment for them – He wants His message of peace spread among the people that they may know God’s love, but He also wants the disciples to see how effective they can be at sharing the Good News.

Today, ask God to give you the strength and courage to share your faith by telling someone about His love. Help make the world a better and softer place. It is up to each person to accept the offer of relationship with Him, but it is up to us to carry the message.

Loving Lord, help us to go into the world to let people know how much You love and value them. Make us the disciples of today to share the message of hope with everyone. Amen.

6/6/20

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

I have a shortened version of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission that I use often – Love God, love neighbor, make disciples. It reminds me daily of what is really important in life. Jesus was much more eloquent in His phrasing, but just repeating this to myself helps me focus on priorities.

One of my former bishops used to tell us “The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing”. He was encouraging us not to get distracted in our call to follow Christ and share the Good News. All Satan needs to win is our lack of action. If we waver, we may stumble and fall.

Keeping Jesus first in our lives is sometimes hard but He is there for us always. I remember a prayer response from my days in youth choir that sums it up pretty well: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

Loving Lord, help us to maintain our focus and make following You our top priority. Give us the strength to resist evil and go to the world in Your name. Amen.

6/5/20

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

Read verse 17 of this passage carefully – “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted”. Even after the time they had spent with Him and now being present with the risen Christ, some were still unsure in their faith. Yet Jesus gives them all the same instruction and duty. He doesn’t single out just those who “believe”.

Jesus knows our human weakness. He understands how hard it can be to have faith in an unbelieving world. He doesn’t let our doubt keep us from continuing the journey with Him. As with Thomas, He can use our doubt to deepen our faith and our questions to strengthen our connection.

Jesus wants us all to believe in Him, not for His sake but for ours. He calls us to give up the weight of our doubt. He comforts us saying “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Give your doubts to Him that you may be made whole and ready for the task for which He calls you.

Loving Lord, we are sorry that our faith is not always what it should be. Help us to lay down our unbelief and be strong in Your love. Amen.

6/4/20

Our scripture this week is Matthew 28:16-20.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

Jesus displays great trust in His disciples by leaving them to carry on His ministry. He has taken the time to teach them what they need to know about their relationship to God and the responsibility that places on them. Now it is their turn to tell the world about our wonderful Creator and the blessings He provides.

His disciples didn’t see it, but from the very beginning He had been training them to take over for Him. Everything He taught was meant to prepare them to live in God’s world and tell of His love. After He returns to the Father, they will be the voice of the kingdom, sharing the Gospel and training the next generation to continue their work.

As the disciples of today, we are now responsible for this work. It is up to us to continue to share the Good News with everyone. We must also help to train the disciples of tomorrow, who will take our place when needed. Who are you teaching to be the next disciples?

Gracious God, it is amazing how much You love and trust us, giving us the duty to share the joy of our relationship to You with all the world. Help us to be diligent in our teaching and honest in our love. Amen.