A sermon preached at Kowloon Union
Church on Sunday 3 July 2016, the seventh Sunday after
Pentecost, by the Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that
day were 2 Kings 5:1-14; Galatians 6: 1-16; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20.
Opening prayer:
Gracious God,
May you send the holy spirit upon us. May your word inspire
and transform us. Amen.
Today’s Gospel is about mission. In Christ we serve
together.
Jesus sent his disciples to do his mission.
They were asked to greet households with peace, to heal the sick and to
declare the good news of the arrival of God’s Kingdom.
As Christians, Jesus’ followers, we are called to continue the mission.
Jesus’ warning to the disciples of rejection and being placed in a hostile
and dangerous environment in their mission continues in our time.
In the era we are living, we too face many wolves.
The community we are living in and the world around us are full of
terror and violence. Terrorist attacks become more frequent and unpredictable.
It seems that there is no place that is safe anymore in the world now. Level of tolerance
is low. Division, fear and hatred are prevalent. The massive killing of 49
people in a gay club in Orlando two weeks ago is one of the extreme and
terrifying examples to quote. Near home in Hong Kong, the abducted Causeway Bay
booksellers have given us a strong message. To speak the truth against
authoritative regime has a great cost to pay.
Are Christians willing to risk their life and freedom to demonstrate
solidarity with the marginalized and the oppressed? Are Christians willing to
be sent by God to preach the gospel of peace and God’s kingdom of love and
justice?
The joyful return of the 70 disciples after their mission trip has set a
good example for us. They had given us encouragement and hope. In Christ,
difficult mission is possible to achieve. Jesus Christ is our source of
strength. In his name, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to stand against
wickedness and unjust systems.
Jesus said, “I have given you authorities to tread on snakes and
scorpions, and over all power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you.”
We indeed need strong faith in Jesus Christ to carry on the impossible
mission in the world we are living in.
Jesus sent 70 disciples, in other ancient text, it said 72 to go for the
mission.
All Jesus’
disciples are called to engage in his mission.
Jesus called
his disciples to work as a team to declare God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick
and bring wholeness to the people.
Jesus sent
his disciples in pairs. In engaging and completing God’s mission, we need
companions. We need teammates. We need co-workers. Therefore we need to prepare
to work with other people God has sent. We can never complete the mission
alone.
To engage in
God’s mission called by Jesus, it is always collective actions and collective
efforts. It is ‘we’ instead of ‘I’ that serve.
However, it
is always a challenge to work as a team. Difficulties in mission quite often
come from our own community.
What should
we do then?
Apostle Paul has given us some wisdom that we heard from today’s letter
– Galatians 6. We may make some reference from his message.
The first one is - be forgiving and loving –
“if anyone is detected in a transgression, you, who have received the
Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that
you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burden, and in this way you
will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6: 1-2)
To address differences and resolve conflicts, to be forgiving and
loving, to listen and to understand each other is the starting point to begin
with.
The second point – is to take our own loads and calling with a
responsible and humble manner. We try to work out what we can do before we put
the blames on others.
3 For if those who are
nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. 4 All must test their
own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor’s work, will become a
cause for pride. 5 For all must carry
their own loads.
(Galatians 6:3-5)
The third point – is to serve the Lord with perseverance. Focus our
mission in God and serving others but not our own ego.
“Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at
harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity,
let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of
faith.” (Galatians 6: 9-10)
Within the
community of Christ and within ourselves, we would face threats and
temptations. We need to be careful and alert.
From the
gospel account we saw that the disciples were very excited and joyful when they
found that even the demons listen to them when they made Jesus’ name be known.
Jesus warned
his disciples to stay cool and should not rejoice for the power they had and the
impact they could make. But they should focus on God, their relationship with
God – their name registered in heaven, in God’s book of life.
We need to examine our motivation and our focus of
mission- is it for God’s or for our own sake? Do I build up my power and my
name on earth or do I make my name in God’s book of life. Do I engage the work
of God for God’s sake or my selfish motives/ own ideas?
We need to be
careful of being victims of our own success.
Arrogance
and self-righteousness could be the result of success to many people.
The more
successful we are in the past, the more alert, self-critical and reflective we
have to be.
Power and control,
sense of importance and influence are the evil and sins that would take away
the soul of Christ’s followers. We thank God for the reminder given today.
Jesus called
his disciples to engage in his mission. The other end of challenges in participating
in God’s mission could be lack of confidence and fear of inadequacy.
Jesus has promised
to give to his disciples authorities to overcome all evils.
Jesus used
everyone who is willing. The father God of Jesus loves and uses the little ones
to serve him.
The old
testament reading today about Naama was a great story to share. Naama was a
warrior of Aram. He won many battles and yet he suffered from a deadly skin
disease – Leprosy. It was a slave girl who was seized in one of their wars
against Israel that saved him. This slave girl whose name was not even
mentioned, suggested her master to go to seek help from an Israelite
prophet. Naama listened and then went.
When Naama was angry with prophet Elisha who did not greet him and heal him
direct and he was about to leave Israel. It was his servant told him and
encouraged him to do according to the instruction of Elisha. He did it and was
healed. From the story, we see how God
used the little one, people with low status and little power in society to heal
another person, a powerful person and to make impact on another person’s life.
Therefore,
we should never look down upon ourselves. We should never be suspicious of our
own ability. We should open up ourselves for God. God will give us power and
strength to fulfill his purpose and will.
I would like
to end my sermon with Apostle Paul’s words from Galatians 6:14.
“May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
When we boast of nothing but the cross of our Lord Jesus and focus our
lives in Christ, we will let go of our fear, our sense of inadequacy, our ego
to win and to control.
To echo what I preached in my sermon in June, I would like to encourage
you sisters and brothers with these words as we engage in God’s mission on
earth today.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ
lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
In Christ let
us serve together! Amen.
# posted by Kowloon Union Church : Sunday, July 03, 2016
