Thought for the Day - Sunday 14 June

Thought for the Day – Sunday 14^th June

Blessings to all our church family children who should have been leading worship on this day when we would normally be celebrating their end of term and Sunday School Prize-giving – we are all thinking of you!

Today’s reading is Matthew 9 v 35 to Matthew 10 v 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.’

Our text today takes us, as earlier in the week, to making disciples. Jesus throughout his ministry has been setting his disciples an example of how that is done and now the time has come for them to go out in his name and make disciples. Jesus knows there are many out there in the world seeking and searching, he tells his disciples this ‘the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few’ and so now he is empowering them to go and do as he has done to bring about the kingdom of heaven here on earth.

As believers we should be adding our names to that list of disciples for we too in our time are ‘sent out’ by Jesus to make disciples in his name.  So what holds us back?

Perhaps this reflection from Spill the Beans might just have some of the answers to that question:

Sometimes... often... we need one more sign; one more word of reassurance, one more affirmation, one more marker by which to gauge the evidence of God at work.

It’s not so much that we are unconvinced by the evidence all around.

It’s not that we doubt the presence and the leading of God.

But we question our own preparedness, our own competence, our own suitability for the task that lies ahead.

We know that God is faithful. The question is: are we? Are we up to the task of stepping into the unknown; ill-equipped, under-resourced, inexperienced?

And if, by some amazing quirk others should journey with us, can we keep our nerve, remain resolute along the way?

Are we able to keep on discerning and to follow the prompts revealed?

Are we able to bear the burden of those who will grumble when we cannot chart the territory or the fear of those who see no need to change direction, or the scorn of those for whom the old ways are working just fine?

Do we have the resilience it will take to weather the saboteurs, not least the doubts and fears within us that whisper that we’re not fit for the journey?

May the God of infinite wisdom and patience give us one more sign against all the odds that we are called to this journey now in faith, in hope and in love.

We are called to step out with the God of mission who maps out a new path and calls us to journey alongside, and who grounds and resources us from the depths showing us in ancient stories the way to God’s promised future one step, one sign at a time.

Prayer

Loving Lord,

As you sent out your disciples into their surrounding communities, so too do you send us into ours to proclaim the Good News that the kingdom of heaven is near. Give us an eagerness to share your love without expecting anything in return and if and when we are not made welcome help us to realise we must move on for there will be many more places in need of your grace. Lord, empower us by your spirit for all you would have us do in your name and equip us for the journey. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Hymn

Since reading this text this morning I have been singing this hymn non-stop, I cannot get it out of my head so I thought you may wish to sing it too!

God forgave my sin in Jesus' name;
I've been born again in Jesus' name
and in Jesus' name I come to you
to share his love as he told me to.

He said:

'Freely, freely you have received, freely, freely give;
go in my name, and because you believe ,others will know that I live.

All power is given in Jesus' name
in earth and heav'n in Jesus’ name;
and in Jesus' name I come to you
to share his power as he told me to.

He said:

'Freely, freely you have received, freely, freely give;
go in my name, and because you believe ,others will know that I live.