Luke 10: 1-11, 16-20 

Pope John XXIII, the pope who initiated reform in the Roman Catholic Church by calling Vatican II into session in 1962, was known for his sense of humor. When asked by a reporter how many people worked in the Vatican, Pope John answered, “About half of them!” On another occasion, when he was being interviewed by the media, the pope was asked what he would tell the church to do today if he knew Christ’s return was to occur tomorrow. He smiled and answered, “Look busy!” 

Jesus appointed 70/72 to go ahead of him and his team to the towns he intended to visit. He told his ambassadors the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. There needs to be more of them. In the sending, Jesus told the group they would be like lambs among wolves. There is no way to express differently Jesus’ insistence to proceed soberly and carefully. Lambs cannot oppose the wolves defensively. There cannot be a fight. You are lambs; there will be wolves.  

They were to travel light and greet no one on the road. Nothing should deter them from their predetermined mission. The business was to manifest the kingdom of God wherever they went. They were ambassadors, not of Rome, not of David and Solomon’s temple, but of God’s realm and kingdom.  

All these details convey simplicity. The focus isn’t on accommodations or making lifelong friendships. The business was for the 72 appointed ambassadors to enter towns and hamlets and manifest what the kingdom of God looks and sounds like: peace and truth, healings and deliverance from all that beset they met. It was a matter of bringing the kingdom. If the town’s folk did not welcome Jesus’ friends, the 72 were to wipe the dust from their feet. It’s the town’s dust. It was God’s kingdom that came near to them. The ambassadors had something to share – the kingdom of God in peace, truth and deliverance. Those who listened heard God’s voice. Those who rejected we’re rejecting God, plain and simple. All these details convey simplicity.  

The church we know today is complicated. We live amidst the complications we’ve accepted as normal. Real estate, buildings, mortgages, heating, cooling, sound systems, video systems, landscaping, paid staff. Over the centuries the complications were accepted because we believed ministry couldn’t happen any other way. IT COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT A PRIESTHOOD. A minister was spotted in the hallway by one of the preschool students. The youngster asked, “Do you have an owie?” The minister was perplexed until he realized that the boy was staring at his clerical collar which probably looked like a Band-Aid to him. So the minister took it off and handed it to the little boy. On the back of the collar tab was the manufacturer’s name. Seeing the boy running his fingers across the letters, the minister asked, “Do you know what those words say?” “Yes,” said the boy, still too young to read. “Kills ticks and fleas up to 6 months!” 

MINISTRY COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT A PRIESTHOOD, A FACILITY, A BUDGET. We’ve established headquarters, sanctuaries, places where the church is safe. But, we forgot, we are lambs among wolves. We’re supposed to travel light. Food and housing matter little. We’re so familiar with being domesticated, in a domicile, safe and sound. We invite people into our safe confines, and when they come, we hope they’ll bring plenty of good things with them because, like Jesus said, THE LABORERS ARE FEW. The normality of buildings and property and budgets and paid staff are just what they are. IT IS WHAT IT IS. We want our church, with its complicated issues, to survive and thrive. It’s all we know.  

Those 70/72, they never knew about going and sharing the kingdom of God. All they knew was staying put, remaining domesticated, serving their families, harvesting their fields, BUT JESUS CAME TO THEM. He shared with them what the kingdom of God looks and sounds like: peace and truth, healings and deliverance from all that beset them. They saw and heard and experienced the goodness of God in what Jesus shared with them. THINGS CHANGED FOR THEM. They were not the same as they were. He then invited them, appointed them to go and share what they’d experienced. There was simplicity in the going. Jesus sent them out two by two.   

They returned with joy, simplicity in their returning. “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” The adversary that steals, kills and destroys couldn’t oppose the ambassadors from God’s kingdom. But the significant point Jesus made with his friends was that their joy should always be in that they are known and eternally loved by their Father in heaven. All these details convey simplicity.  

Jesus returned to heaven after his sojourn here on earth. The angels gathered around the Lord to find out about all the things that happened on earth. When he finished telling his story of living among people, sharing his teachings, expressing his love, dying on the cross to atone for humanity’s sin and rising from the dead to declare the new Kingdom is at hand, Michael, the archangel asked the Lord, “What happens now?” Jesus answered, “I left behind a handful of faithful people. They will tell the story! They will express the love! They will spread the Kingdom!” But Michael asked, “What if they fail? What will then be the plan?” Jesus answered Michael by saying, “There is no other plan!” 

You and I live complicated lives in a complicated world with our membership and attendance in a complicated church. Details, details, details. This is not what we share with the world. We offer peace and truth and confidence in our God who longs for the broken to be made whole and the lost to be found. He sends us to share a simple message of grace and mercy for all in Jesus Christ. Don’t make it complicated. 

(Preached at St Mark United Methodist Church in Anniston, AL, 7-6-25)