We continue our journey through the gospel of Matthew. Today imagine that you are someone that Jesus has summoned to share the good news of Jesus love.
If you would like a home visit, conversation, or home communion, please call me at 573-437-2779 (church) or 573-832-2475 (cell).
- A donation to Heifer International for a gift of Honeybees be given to a family in need of assistance was made by the Dorcas to honor the men of St. Peter’s.
- MU Extension Pressure Canning Class Monday, June 19, from 5pm to 8pm,
at St. Peter’s UCC, call 437-2165 to register. - Summer Safety Day Event at Victorian Place in Owensville on Wednesday, June 12 from 11am to 3pm
- Pub Theology, Thursday, June 22 at 6:30 at Clancy’s
- All Church VBS Day at the Angell Farm on Sunday, June 25 4pm
- Youth Trip July 5-7
- Pool Party Sunday, July 9, 6:15pm
Blessings,
Pastor Stephanie DeLong
Scripture: Genesis 18:1-15, Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19, Romans 5:1-8, Matthew 9:35-10:8
Sermon: Proclaiming the Good News
On Trinity Sunday we reflected on the commissioning of the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection. After the resurrection Jesus authorized the disciples to make disciples of all the nations. Matthew 9:35-10:8 deals with Jesus’ delegation of authority to the disciples to proclaim the good news to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This sending out responds to the overwhelming number of the people who came to hear and be healed by Jesus. There were too many people in need of the healing good news for the human Jesus to manage alone.
Matthew 9:35-38 explains that many people came to Jesus to be healed and to hear the good news which he preached. Jesus declared the harvest of lonely and lost souls to be large, but the laborers few. Jesus solved this dilemma by summoning the twelve to go out and proclaim the good news to the lost sheep of Israel. Jesus commissioned them to use his authority to heal the troubled, the broken hearted and the sick. Matthew the gospel writer names the twelve who were sent out. Matthew the tax collector is on the list.
Last week we reflected on Matthew’s call to follow Jesus. There were some who questioned Jesus’ relationship with people like Matthew. These religious elite lived lives that followed the law as closely as possible and looked down upon those who failed to do the same. Matthew and his friends were derided as tax collectors and labeled as sinners. Jesus recognized that Matthew and his friends needed mercy not exclusion. Jesus taught Matthew and nurtured his faith. Now Matthew is among the special twelve who were sent out with the authority of Jesus. I wonder how Matthew felt about that.
I like to imagine that Matthew went to look for others like himself. Tax collectors seeking a change in their lives would respond well to hearing the good news proclaimed from a disciple like themselves. Matthew would have been able to find these lost sheep and share the good news with them. To know that Jesus was sent to show mercy to the troubled sheep of Israel would be of comfort. To see that one of their own was one Jesus’ twelve disciples would signal that they too were welcome in the kingdom Jesus proclaimed. Matthew’s ministry would ensure that others like him would enter the fold of Jesus.
The other disciples had their own stories about how Jesus called them and healed their personal wounds both physical and spiritual. Each of their stories would reach out to different groups of lost and wounded sheep. All of them received the authority of Jesus to proclaim the good news of and to cure every disease, even Judas.
Perhaps Jesus is calling you to share the good news with someone who needs to hear it. Maybe you have a particular life experience that will allow you to reach out to someone who needs to hear about God’s love and mercy. Maybe you at one point in your life did not believe that you could be a part of a God’s beloved community. Like Matthew the tax collector, you may be uniquely positioned to reach out to others like you.
Our congregation may be a small church in a small town, but Jesus calls upon us to proclaim the good news in our unique way. We are the people that Jesus is summoning to serve in this place and this time. There are people hurting people who need to learn that Jesus loves them. We may not be the church for everyone, but we are the church for those like us who need to hear how God loves us and loves them too. Let us share that love.
Even Jesus could not share the Gospel as a solo act. When overwhelmed, Jesus summoned the twelve. Our congregation is made up of many people who serve and share the good news in their own way. All are important and needed to make up this community. Let us go out each share the good news.
Prayer: Loving God, the harvest of hurting people is large. Help me to share the good news with those I will meet today. Amen.
Prayer list: Elizabeth, Cheryl, Dave, David, Evelyn, Jason, Paulette, Bobby, Kevin, Jim, Darryl (doing better!), Marilee, Beverly, Jim, Jenny, Jaqueline-Dixon’s daughter, Kirk, Barbara, Mitchell, Mahala, Mary, La Rae, Bud, Tyra, Marilyn, Tom, Jeff, Jesse, Kate, Kyle, Carmen, Sandy, Gary, Terry, Bob, Mark’s brother Billy and sister-in-law Jane, Delores W., Tyra, Freya, Vicki B., Barb Z., the Smith family, guide dog for Marcie, Jesse, those having surgery and for rain.
Special prayers for the family and friends of Jim Berger who passed this week.
