"Travel Lightly" a sermon for the Third Sunday after Pentecost (6/14/26)
Jesus never says that
following Him is easy. In fact, time
after time, Jesus says that following Him is hard, demanding, and not for the
faint of heart. “If any want to follow
me,” Jesus says, “they must take up their cross and follow me.” This morning, in our Gospel lesson, Jesus
calls His first followers and gives them this advice:
9-10 “Don’t think you have to put on a
fund-raising campaign before you start. You
don’t need a lot of equipment. You are
the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.
11 “When you enter a town or village,
don’t insist on staying in a luxury inn. Get a modest place with some modest people,
and be content there until you leave.
12-15 “When you knock on a door, be
courteous in your greeting. If they
welcome you, be gentle in your conversation. If they don’t welcome you, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way. You can be sure that on Judgment Day they’ll
be mighty sorry—but it’s no concern of yours now.
16 “Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running through
a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as shrewd as a snake, inoffensive as a
dove.
Matthew 10:9-16 (MSG)
We normally call Simon,
John, James, Andrew and the others “disciples.”
The word comes from the Greek and means “to sit at the feet.” Jesus invites the 12 to follow Him, to travel
with Him, and to watch His ministry. Jesus
also sends them, as “apostles”, to share in His ministry of teaching, healing,
and restoration.
As we read Jesus’
instructions, it is easy to focus on the negative. All the restrictions: no bread, no bag, no
money. That feels like a daunting
ask! Not to mention downright
intimidating! So, let’s look at what the
twelve DO have as they venture forth in Jesus’ name:
Jesus sends them out with
a companion so that they are not alone.
They have what they have
heard Jesus teach and preach.
They have the promise of
finding a welcome and hospitality.
They have Jesus’ authority
to heal and to forgive sins.
Scholar Danny Zacharias
observes, “these verses capture the heart of discipleship: responding to the
needs of the people, relying on God’s provision, and carrying forth the work of
healing and restoration. To do this,
Jesus’s disciples need to imitate their Lord. This passage challenges us to see discipleship
not as passive belief but as active participation in the work of restoration.”[1]
The work of Jesus
continues today. You and I are only here because someone shared Jesus with
us. Maybe a Grandparent or a Sunday
School teacher. Perhaps a spouse or a
good friend. The Book of Common Prayer,
and the Baptismal Covenant, calls us all to offer healing and restoration.
Start with prayer. Pray for those in your life who are in need
of healing or forgiveness. Even if that
person is you. Pray for peace in our
community, in the nation, and in the world.
Pray for God to direct you to a response.
Maybe that’s calling or
writing to members of Congress.
Maybe it’s inviting a
friend, relative, associate, neighbor, or coworker to church.
Perhaps it is a phone call
or note of encouragement to someone on our prayer list.
Perhaps it’s delivering a
meal or baked goods to someone going through a tough time.
Just as with Jesus’ first
followers, you and I have been given everything we need. All that is needed is a heart filled with
Jesus-like compassion for a broken and hurting world. A world desperately in need of God’s loving
restoration and healing. Now, more than
ever, “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”
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