Fulfilling the Mission

You should see my biblical and theological library. I bet it's bigger than yours.

After announcing his mission, Jesus gets at it.

That’s how it’s supposed to work.

Traveling around the land preaching at people about the good news would be one thing. There’s nothing wrong with preaching the good news. It is indeed an important part of the mission. But to stop short of actually doing anything would be to miss the whole of God’s mission.

So after talking about people being freed and released and liberated and delivered, Jesus made way for these very things in the lives of the people throughout the land. He taught with authority. He healed the sick. He set captives free. He restored people to community. He embodied the very words he had just spoken.

The Word(s) became flesh.

Hello, Church?
Hello, preachers?
Hello, apologists?
Hello, disciples of Jesus?

The mission has never been just to say it. Almost anyone can hold a microphone. But the message is incomplete without action.

Luke 4:31-44

Jesus went down to the city of Capernaum in Galilee and taught the people each Sabbath. They were amazed by his teaching because he delivered his message with authority.

A man in the synagogue had the spirit of an unclean demon. He screamed, “Hey! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God.”

“Silence!” Jesus said, speaking harshly to the demon. “Come out of him!” The demon threw the man down before them, then came out of him without harming him.

They were all shaken and said to each other, “What kind of word is this, that he can command unclean spirits with authority and power, and they leave?” Reports about him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

After leaving the synagogue, Jesus went home with Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a high fever, and the family asked Jesus to help her. He bent over her and spoke harshly to the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and served them.

When the sun was setting, everyone brought to Jesus relatives and acquaintances with all kinds of diseases. Placing his hands on each of them, he healed them. Demons also came out of many people. They screamed, “You are God’s Son.” But he spoke harshly to them and wouldn’t allow them to speak because they recognized that he was the Christ. When daybreak arrived, Jesus went to a deserted place. The crowds were looking for him. When they found him, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s kingdom in other cities too, for this is why I was sent.” So he continued preaching in the Judean synagogues.

Psalm 103:1-6

Let my whole being bless the Lord! Let everything inside me bless his holy name!
Let my whole being bless the Lord and never forget all his good deeds:
how God forgives all your sins, heals all your sickness, saves your life from the pit, crowns you with faithful love and compassion, and satisfies you with plenty of good things so that your youth is made fresh like an eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness; does justice for all who are oppressed.

Prayer

God,

I have so many shelves of biblical commentaries and theological books. I’m sure there are bigger collections, but I think mine is pretty impressive. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be able to retain all the information they have, all at once. Just POOF and it’s all in my head and I’d be a walking library of biblical truth and development. That would be something.

Alas, Lord.

Move me to action.
Put my feet to walking and my hands to shaping.
Give my eyes awareness toward situations in need of your deliverance and move my body to do something about it all.

Frankly, I struggle sometimes with the lack of ability I have to miraculously heal people, like I read about Jesus doing. If that’s something you want me to do, I’m more than open to it. Just help me find the ability.

In the meantime, I want to do my best to work through the shifting of resources and the ministry of presence and solidarity. Give me the opportunity to do such things and the compassion to do it in the way of Jesus.

By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.