Sermon for Sunday July 3 2022 - Receiving Hospitality: Simply Go With God

GOSPEL: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

The holy gospel according to Luke.

Glory to you, O Lord.

1After 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. 2He 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. 3Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ 6And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7Remain 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. 8Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11‘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.’ ”

The gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

The harvest is plentiful,

but the workers are few.

So we pray:

we ask the Lord of the harvest

to send out labourers into God’s harvest.

I think often of one particular family get away

from when I was a child.

We packed a couple bags in the trunk

and drove to Jasper for the weekend.

One of the first tasks was to find a hotel.

In those days,

booking ahead was not something that

my parents did for trips like these.

Driving through the streets of Jasper,

we were greeted much like

the Bethlehem Innkeeper greeted Mary and Joseph -

there is no room at the inn.

All the signs said “No Vacancy”

We started getting ready to spend the night in the car,

and I was afraid.

How were we going to stay warm?

How am I supposed to sleep while sitting?

Where do I go to the bathroom???

I think that was the last trip

in which my parent’s didn’t book a hotel room in advance.

I think.

There was another trip where we ended up

staying in a condemned hotel

during a motorcycle convention.

Maybe that was the last trip without booking-in-advance.

It was one of the two..

I’ve learned from these adventures

to always book the hotel in advance.

I can’t leave my nighttime fate to chance.

I need the assurance that

I’ll have bed and pillow,

let alone washroom.

The apostles are not granted such luxury.

There is no booking ahead for the sent ones.

There is no packing of a bag,

nor extra sandals.

Simply go with God.

Not long before the sending of the 70 into the towns and villages,

Jesus sent the 12 disciples on a similar preaching tour.

Take nothing for your journey:

no staff,

nor bag,

nor bread,

nor money,

not even an extra tunic.

Travel light.

Simply go with God.

In such a venture,

the apostles would be completely reliant

upon God providing food and shelter for them

through the hospitality of strangers

who would welcome them on their journey.

Hospitality is key for God’s mission:

and in particular: receiving hospitality.

Jesus instructs:

Which ever house you first enter

- remain in that house -

do not move about from house to house.

Don’t go looking for better accommodations;

for those who welcome you, welcome Jesus.

Don’t go looking for a softer bed,

nor a bigger house with a backyard pool.

Receive the hospitality you are first given.

Leaving to find a better house could be offensive.

Plus, it’s hard to believe the message of peace,

hard to accept that

the Kingdom of God has come near to you

if you’re leave their house

to find a better room with a view.

Jesus instructs: Eat what is set before you.

The 70 apostles - the 70 sent-ones -

are most likely Jews.

What if they are served pork?

Not everyone keeps kosher food laws.

  Not everyone is a good cook.

Not everyone likes cilantro.

Like it or not,

Eat what is set before you.

Receive the hospitality you are given.

As they serve you food,

they are welcoming you,

working for you,

giving you a piece of their livelihood.

It is hard to accept the message of peace

and the Kingdom of God coming near to you

if you reject their home cooked meal,

or go to find a better cook.

That night in Jasper,

I remember the thoughts going through my young head;

the fear,

the anxiety,

the uncertainty of not knowing

how we would get through the night.

Would we be safe sleeping in the car?

Would the police arrest us?

What if it gets really cold?

One of my parents noticed a basement light on

in the local Lutheran Church in Jasper.

We happened to be parked nearby.

Perhaps someone there could help us

find a place to stay.

One of my parents knocked on the door,

and we learned that there was

a Pastor and spouse staying there.

You may know that Jasper Lutheran Church

often had pastors visit through the summer,

and would be given free accommodation

in the building

in exchange for preaching and leading worship

on the Sunday.

We didn’t know that at the time.

This couple welcomed us into their temporary church home.

We had our own beds to sleep in. 

We had a washroom.

We did not need to learn what it meant

to spend the night in the cold car.

I was beyond grateful for this gift of hospitality.

I’m sure my parents were even more grateful.

I remember this couple being kind and welcoming

as we intruded on,

what was likely, their own holiday.

The next morning,

they made us breakfast,

and we got back in the car

and looked for a hotel room right away.

The only room we found was outrageous in cost,

my parents groaned,

but beggars can’t be choosers,

so my folks booked it.

I don’t intend to be hard on my parents,

but I remember thinking;

why didn’t we just stay at the church again?

What was wrong with their hospitality?

Then again, the church didn’t have a TV,

so maybe the hotel was the better option!

In the end, we all were happy leave.

Do not move about from house to house; Jesus instructs.

Eat what is set before you.

Receive their hospitality.

Our culture is quite different today than in ancient Palestine.

Weary travellers don’t knock on doors looking for a bed;

they log onto vacation websites

or search the streets for vacancy signs.

We don’t want to intrude

and we don’t want to be a burden on others,

we have to pay our own way;

all symptoms of an individualistic society.

When someone buys us lunch,

we find a way to return the favour.

When invited to a dinner party,

we want to bring wine or dessert.

We have trouble simply accepting the hospitality of others.

Times have changed,

hospitality is different today,

yet we followers of Jesus are sent with the Gospel;

commissioned to share God’s love,

called to proclaim that with Jesus

the Kingdom of God has come near;

that part hasn’t changed,

but we know how people feel about

strangers coming to your door unannounced,

especially two by two with a bible in hand.

We don’t want to proselytize,

and we know telling someone to repent

isn’t going to go very well.

We don’t want to offend anyone.

We are afraid of evangelism.

We do not live in ancient Palestine;

our culture is very different,

yet we are still sent with the Gospel,

and there remains an undeniable link

between the mission of God

- joining God’s work in the world -

and receiving hospitality.

We value giving hospitality,

and many of us are pretty good at it.

How good are we at receiving hospitality?

Are we willing to simply go with God?

That night in Jasper,

we were not on an evangelistic mission,

yet we experienced God

through receiving the hospitality of others,

and I believe they did too.

Maybe we can travel light

and not book ahead.

I was too young to remember all the details:

I don’t know if we tried to pay them,

I can’t remember what was for breakfast,

and I hope we didn’t offend them

by leaving early the next morning,

but what I do know is that

in the giving and receiving hospitality,

the peace of Jesus Christ multiplied.

Jesus instructs the sent-ones:

“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.”

And whether you are welcomed or not,

the message is the same:

“know this -

the Kingdom of God has come near to you.”

How profound is this?

When you share Christ’s peace and it is accepted,

that peace multiplies.

The peace of Christ,

which surpasses all understanding,

the peace which guards our hearts and minds

in Christ Jesus,

grows when shared.

If Christ’s peace isn’t received,

it doesn’t shrink,

it doesn’t divide;

it simply returns to you.

That night in Jasper;

peace multiplied.

We might be afraid to evangelize,

afraid to share our faith,

afraid to tell people about Jesus;

when God gives us these opportunities.

Yet God still gives us the opportunities.

The good news that the Kingdom of God

has come near to you

is the same message whether we are welcomed or not.

As we simply go with God,

Whether we are accepted or rejected;

God has come near,

and we can trust that sharing

the peace we have with Jesus,

in the giving and in receiving hospitality,

the peace of Jesus Christ will never divide,

never shrink -

only grow,

or at the very least return to you.

By your baptism into Christ,

Jesus has chosen you,

the Holy Spirit has called you,

gathered you,

enlightened you with gifts,

and made you holy

for such a task as to be sent with the Gospel;

sent to receive hospitality,

sent with the peace of Christ

for a world in need of peace.

What a privilege it is to be chosen.

Indeed the harvest is plentiful,

but the workers are few.

So we pray:

we ask the Lord of the harvest

to send out labourers into God’s harvest,

and know that you are the answer to that prayer.

So go on your way.

Travel light.

Simply go with God.

Thanks be to God. Amen.