Comings and Goings

Week Three - Day 1

Today's Reading -- Luke 9:1 to Luke 10:37

We begin our third week of our New Testament Journey with stories of comings and goings.  It makes no difference when a follower is called or the length and level of his or her training.  To take the journey with Jesus is to live ready to be sent out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

Jesus first sent out the twelve apostles (9:1-6), telling them to travel light and not to waste too much time anywhere they are not welcomed.  To send out the apostles seems only right, for that is what they were commissioned to do by Jesus.  When they came back they told Jesus all they had done, but Luke does not give us any details.  They still had more to learn, however, such as trusting in the abundance of God (the feeding of the five thousand, 9:10-17), the glory that belonged to Jesus as the Son of God (the Transfiguration, 9:28-36), humility amongst themselves (arguing who was greatest, 9:46-48), and leaving judgment to God (the Samaritan village, 9:51-56).

But before anyone thinks that this ministry is for the ‘professional’ apostles, Jesus appoints seventy others and commissions them as advance teams to pave the way for his appearance to others (10:1).  And the charge that he gives to these followers is the same he gave to the apostles: travel light, greet the people, accept hospitality where offered, and don’t bother to linger around places where you’re not welcomed.

All of this might have us thinking that if we don’t go far away from home or do something on a grand scale, then we are not up to snuff as followers of Jesus.  Today’s reading ends, however, with the lesson that we also must be attentive to the one-on-one relationships that result from our encounters with have at home as well as on the road.  If we could all truly live the lesson of the Good Samaritan (10:25-37), the kingdom of God would indeed be known to the whole world.