July 6, 2025 Sermon for the First Presbyterian Church of Merchantville

 “Jesus Preparing Us to Prepare the Way for Him”                             July 6, 2025

Luke 10: 1-11, 16-20                                                                          Rev. Peter Hofstra

            So, in the life and preparation of the Church, a…wait for it…new idea…is proposed.  It begins in the scripture we read last week.  Jesus sent messengers ahead of him into a Samaritan village to make things ready for his arrival.  When it didn’t go well, the disciples proposed to scorch the village with the fires of heaven.  So, if we were to evaluate the success of the “new idea”, we’d probably pause to think on this.  And parliamentary procedure, used both in our civil and church governments, is prepared with a response.    

            “I move that the new idea be tabled.”  We put it on a metaphoric table and there is stays.  If the idea comes back, in my experience, it is not off the table, but repackaged as a brand-ee new notion that ‘we’ve never tried before’.  For example, “New Church Development” has become “New Worshipping Communities” in the growth work of the denomination.  Different…yet not.

            The difference in the biblical case however is that this idea was not proposed by a ‘church growth’ expert.  It is not the latest thing, the latest book, the fad sweeping churches all across America.  Jesus has set it in motion.  And he is Messiah, not growth guru.  Being Jesus, I can believe Our Lord set it in motion without a lot of explanation the first time out to demonstrate what we humans would do with the idea (a bad idea).   

            First, the new idea.  Verse One:  Send his followers in pairs to every town and place where Jesus intends to do.  Same thing as in Samaria, but this time over a much wider area.  It is an area marked by undisciplined and overwhelming crowds in previous chapters.  Maybe trying to organize things a little more.  Remember the feeding of the 5000, crowds overwhelming the local resources.  Jesus provided the miracle, but perhaps now more structure? 

            This idea is a mission to address a need.  Verse 2: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”  Jesus is Lord but also one man, come to change the world.  These 72 are being practical lessons in becoming ‘force multipliers’ in the work of God.  The people are there, the need is there…

            So, mission defined, how technique.  First, the warning, you are being sent as sheep among the wolves.  Is that because the world is full of wolves, or because Jesus is sending them out on less than a shoestring?  Verse 3, no purse, no bag, no sandals…so no shoestring, or, rather, saddle strings…and greet no one on the road.  You have your assigned village or town. 

            Now we get the whole word and message of Christ summed up in a word, “Peace.”  The Peace of the Lord is to be shared in the first house the messenger enters.  If it is shared, it will remain.  If not, the peace simply returns to the messenger and the messenger moves on. 

            Then there are rules of hospitality.  Stay in one house, receive what is offered in the way of food and drink, because a laborer deserves to be paid for their work.  Do not move from house to house.  My first thought about that was from a community point of view, shuffling the evangelist from house to house to share the work.  But Jesus is not talking to the communities, but to His messengers.  Don’t go door to door.  Don’t scope the neighborhood.  Trust the Lord to guide you where to go and stay till it is time to depart. 

            Then do what Jesus does, cure the sick and share the peace that is near, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”  Which is foreshadowing the work that Jesus will bring when he comes through.

            Now, success is not guaranteed.  If the town does not welcome the messenger, NO FIRE FROM HEAVEN (are you listening Sons of Thunder?)  Knock the dust off your feet in symbolic protest, tell them so, but do not withhold the good news, “the kingdom of God has come near.”  There is an unspoken piece here, “And you missed it”, but with the qualifier, “for now?”

            Now, verses 12 to 15 are NOT in our ‘official’ lectionary reading this morning, but I want to emphasize them now. 

¹² I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

¹³ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴ But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.

            I picture Jesus looking pointedly at James and John as he shares these verses.  Rejection of the coming of Jesus carries consequences.  BUT IT IS NOT UP TO ANYONE BUT GOD TO LAY DOWN THOSE CONSEQUENCES.  IT IS ABOVE YOUR PAY GRADE.  God knows the heart, NOT US.  Remember, each messenger was given Peace to share, not anger, not punishment, not vengeance.

            Results are summed up in verse 16, whoever accepts the messenger accepts Jesus.  Whoever rejects the messenger rejects Jesus and God in Heaven who sent up our Savior.

            So here is a few questions for us.  Who here believes that the need hasn’t changed?  I will reiterate how Jesus defines it, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”  Raise your hands if you believe that the need has not changed.

            Jesus, after articulating the ‘need’, lays out a potential response, “Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into HIS harvest.”  Raise your hands if you believe that this congregation steps up together to labor in God’s harvest.

            Final question, who here is thinking, that your pastor is about to suggest some kind of barefoot walking tour of Camden and Burlington counties in way TOO much of the spirit of the sending of the seventy two?  Because I am not.

            Rather, I would share these words, “We cultivate relationships among those of all ages, allowing us to rejoice with each others joy, and sustain one another during times of need.”  These are the next words from our sending statement, our version of what Jesus lays out for the 72, our response to the need Jesus has laid out.  But let’s recognize some distinctions between the 72 and ourselves.  God has granted us a base to work from.  FPC Merchantville.  And we are not alone.  There are 57 sister Presbyterian churches in the region of Southern New Jersey, there are a dozen sister churches of all flavors within five minute drive.  But what we bring is what the 72 brought.  We bring peace, specifically, the peace of Christ, specifically the peace in the knowledge that God so loved that world that He sent his only begotten Son to us.  The peace that this Son has done all for us, dying on the cross to bear the punishment for our sins, and rising to new life to offer that free gift of forgiveness and life eternal to all who seek His name.  That’s why Jesus says, “The Kingdom of Heaven has come near you.”

            Our Sending Statement is about cultivating relationships with people of all ages  This relationship building is for a purpose, to rejoice in our joys and sustain one another in time of need.  I would suggest those are two ends of a spectrum, from joy to need, that relationship building covers everything in between.  From joy to need, we cultivate relationships with all ages to bring to them the peace of Christ (as previously outlined).   

            Is it going to work?  Look at what the 72 came back to.  From verse 17,

¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” ¹⁸ He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. ¹⁹ Indeed, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

                  Is it going to work?  Well, in Jesus name, even demons submit to them.  Jesus gives them authority over all the power of the enemy (Satan, whom he saw fall from heaven like a flash of lightning), and nothing will harm them (us). 

Is it going to work?  Wrong question, because, well, God is in control. 

And Jesus tells us it’s the wrong question.  Why then shall we rejoice?  Rejoice that we have entered as laborers into God’s harvest.  Rejoice that we have exercised our salvation in Christ Jesus, our entry into the Kingdom of Heaven, with others, letting them know the Kingdom is near.  Rejoice that we have and proclaim the Peace of Christ, and that, as a result (?), our names are written in heaven.

Amen.