Luke 10:1–11, 16–20
After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Reflection
We are sent out too. We are sent to proclaim that the kingdom of God is here. Yes, the kingdom of God has come. The kingdom comes to us today. The kingdom came with Jesus. The kingdom will be fulfilled when Jesus comes again.
The kingdom of God comes to us and we don't have to do one thing for this to take place. We don't have to pray for it and we don't have to stand on a hill and look for it. The kingdom of God comes to us without any of our effort. Yes, we pray that we may be a part of this kingdom and play a God given role in the kingdom. That's why we are sent too. We are sent to declare that the kingdom of God is here.
What is this kingdom? God sent Jesus to this place to save us from sin, death and the devil. God sent Jesus to us and to this world to deliver us from death. Jesus came to bring us to him out of love for our hopeless situation. And not only Jesus. God gave us the Holy Spirit to lead us to teach us his Word and to strengthen us on this earthly journey.
We pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead us into the kingdom of grace that we may be in God's kingdom for eternity. Eternity that starts here and now and goes on and on in God's presence.
God's kingdom comes to us in the Word, written, spoken and in the Word made flesh in the bread and wine, the body and blood of Jesus, in the Sacrament of baptism. God's kingdom comes to us in the return of Jesus to this place.
The kingdom of God is such a rich blessing. It's beyond what we can imagine with our flesh but proceeds through our spirit to eternity.
We are sent too. We are sent with this message that God's kingdom is here and now. Salvation was complete through Jesus in God's kingdom. God's kingdom will be fulfilled in finality when Jesus comes again. But for now we are in God's kingdom. We have Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Word and so many blessings that healing abounds and flourishes. Healing that lives beyond death into eternity.
So, go and proclaim the kingdom of God! Go for God is with you.
Prayer
Lord... Your kingdom come... your kingdom has come through Jesus and your kingdom is here now and your kingdom will be fulfilled in Jesus return. Send your Holy Spirit, I pray and open your Word to my mind that I may learn and understand and proclaim the grace and glory of your kingdom... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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