Biblical Text: Luke 9.1-6

Sometimes it can be hard to know what to make of a gospel passage. What does this brief story in the life of Jesus say to us in the 21st century? Jesus’ sending out of the twelve in Luke comes just after he has healed a woman from her bleeding and brought a girl back to life…a story which ends with him ordering them not to tell anyone. And then comes our passage.

In my bible the editors have given it the title, “The Mission of the Twelve.” It’s an implicit recognition that Jesus, in his humanity, can only be in one place at a time. If his message is going to reach more people, he must send his disciples out. And so he calls them together, and gives them “power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” That is an incredible mission for these disciples, but also a phenomenal privilege. This is not a God who keeps power to himself, but one who shares it for the good of others. He is a God of abundance.

But the next part seems odd to us. “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money – not even an extra tunic.” The disciples are to rely on the welcome of others. There’s probably more than one reason for this stipulation, but with that reliance comes a level of pragmatism. Stay where you are welcome, and move on when you are not. And so, they go. They go through the villages, “bringing good news and curing diseases everywhere.”

Soon after this passage we have the well-known feeding of the 5,000, where the disciples get to see in close up what Jesus has been asking them to do. He preaches about the kingdom, heals the sick, and then prays in faith over the loaves and fishes to feed the crowd. Just as he has asked them to believe in God’s provision in their work, so he demonstrates it in his.

So back to my original question. What does this story have to say to us now? Those brief titles we get in our bibles are not always helpful, but in this case I think it is. This is “The Mission of the Twelve.” I don’t think that this method of mission is a blueprint for all of us. We cannot all be itinerant preachers and evangelists, although I certainly think there is room for that. Some are certainly called to those roles. But the church in Acts, which was also written by Luke, didn’t follow this way of mission for all. Those few that did had a significant impact, but the church also needed those who would stay in one place – who would proclaim God’s kingdom in the same place, week in, week out.

For many of us, the call is to stay in one place. To preach the kingdom of God there. To bring healing there. But just because we are not moving around, this doesn’t mean Jesus’ words fall flat. His call to take nothing for the journey reminds me of Hebrews 12v1. There the author encourages us to “lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,” so that we might “run with perseverance the race that is set before us.” We may well know quite easily what we have in our lives that is sinful, but I think laying aside every weight points to more than just sin. Some things help us in our walk with God, and some do not. Some things, even good things, slow us down, and we can lay those aside, because we know there is something better in store for us. Letting go of one thing can free us for another.

Because, just like the disciples, when we lay some things aside, we are better able to run the race God has set before us. We are better able to keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. And when we do that, we are able to preach his kingdom in words and deeds, and join him in healing our world.

Amen.