internship

This text always reminds me of our Seminary internship (mine in 1985), when we were sent out from the cloistered Seminary community to churches to directly work with pastors and learn what pastoral service is about, first-hand.

Jesus sent them out to serve. (Luke 10:1-12; 16-20)

They were to take nothing with them, but rather to rely on the kindness of others to host them, and offer what they had in order to make the lives of those among whom they lived more complete and whole.  They were to offer Shalom and in return receive lodging and sustenance.  They were not to get rich from their position.  The laborer deserves the pleasure of service and enough on which to live.  They were not to set themselves up with positions of power or status.  It was about service to other humans out of love for God and neighbor, as participation in the Kingdom of God.

And those who rejected them were not to be a waste of their time.  They were to wipe the dust of them off their feet and move on to those who would respond to Kingdom values.  The Kingdom had come near and they rejected it.  In fact, Jesus tells them that the fate of those who reject His Good News of the Kingdom will be worse than those who sinned by their lack of hospitality in Sodom, pointing to what a horrible sin the shameful treatment of others is in the Kingdom - the true sin of Sodom.

The seventy represented Jesus and they were to do what Jesus would do for those who God loves.  They were to serve as Jesus serves.  They were to make people's lives more complete and whole as Jesus would.  The rejection by some was not a reflection on them, but rather a reflection of the failure of some to embrace Jesus' Way of Grace and Agape Love in this part of God's Kingdom, because they embraced empire values instead.  There will always be those.  It is a rejection of God for their "religion" of self.  It is a rejection of the Gospel for their "religion" of devotion to wealth, power and status.  It is a rejection of God's better way in Jesus' Agape Love and Grace for an oppressive, destructive and divisive system that rewards the ruthless at the expense of everyone else.  The seventy were to move on, tell people that time's up and continue to spread a word of Hope and New Life out of Jesus' Good News.

And they were cautioned when they celebrated the great life changes they helped affect in the face of evil, not to get caught up in THEIR POWER or THEIR GLORY in having been a part of God's work through them, but rather to celebrate that they are with God, faithful servants and God, who had been used by God to spread Good News to those who need it in this part of God's Kingdom.  They are participating with God, aligned with God's Will and Mission for them.  They are in loving and faithful relationship with God because they follow Jesus in how they treat other human beings in this part of God's Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is not built on servants getting wealth, power or status.
The Kingdom of God is built on the sharing of Agape Love and Grace, and transforming lives in hope.
The power and glory are for God.  The joy of sharing Agape and Grace, the witness of transformation of lives and the building of loving community in peace because all have Shalom is the wondrous life in the Kingdom - that represents a WEALTH of well-being for all, equally.  To be a part of how that replaces evil systems that hold the many down, back and out is a privilege.  To be used by God in the work of bringing in the Kingdom here and now, is a joy.  The results are overwhelmingly joyous.

We will be rejected when we live Kingdom values and follow Jesus by denying self and picking up the Cross.  We will be rejected when we dare to suggest that God's Kingdom values that assure that all have enough and live in Shalom are better than a system based on empire values that insists that  the 1% have an abundance while everyone else struggles to survive.  We will be rejected when we follow Jesus, by those who want to give lip service to Jesus while pursuing what they can through their embrace of empire values.  We will be rejected by those who want the power and glory for themselves, along with the wealth they can gain through their oppression, manipulation and exploitation of others.  We will be rejected, just as Jesus was rejected.

But we will be with God.
We will not lose Jesus.
And we will be a part of the great transformation of lives that God has designed for all people, according to Kingdom values based on Agape Love and Grace.  We will be faithful to God because we will be in alignment with God's Will as we have learned through the teachings, commands and examples of Jesus.
We can rejoice that our names are written in heaven.  That is not about pie in the sky when we die, but rather celebrated here and now, because we walk with God as we follow Jesus in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now.  It is a present reality to be celebrated.

So, how is YOUR internship going?

Pastor Jamie