The goal of mission

Will you join me in prayer?

Gracious Lord and Heavenly Father,

we long to be blessed

with the vision of things

that prophets and people of old

have longed to see.

Please give us that vision

that only comes by your revelation

so that we might be filled with the joy

that comes through the Holy Spirit.

We pray, Father, that you might encourage us

as we hear your word,

that you might stir us to action,

to faith and obedience.

All this we pray so that you might be glorified

through your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

I read sometime this week, last week,

that we no longer work for money.

I don't know.

Work for nothing.

At least the interns do.

Might have to turn it down.

Is that okay?

No?

How's that?

Better?

Okay, better.

Our project.

Well, apparently,

we are no longer content to work for money.

What we work for is meaning.

Is meaning.

If you were to choose a job,

would you choose a job

that's kind of meaningless,

repetitive, unrewarding,

but paid lots,

or a job that pays moderately okay,

but you get a sense of achievement?

There is a yearning, I think,

in each of us

for meaning,

for achievement.

For those of us who are a bit older,

we wrestle with those sort of questions as well too.

As we reflect on our life,

we wonder what it all means.

Have we wasted our life?

Into this restlessness,

I think God speaks to us.

It's not words necessarily

that we would immediately think of,

but the words are something like this.

Come,

come,

follow me.

Come to me,

or you are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest.

God's word for our restlessness

is a following.

It is discipleship.

But significantly,

to follow Jesus

is to wander.

To be sent out by him

into the world.

To be a disciple of Jesus

must be a missionary of Jesus.

It is impossible

to be one

and not the other.

And in the context of meaning

and legacy

and waste,

it kind of makes sense.

I was reflecting this week

on the phrase,

you know,

you look like a man

on a mission.

Well,

what do we mean by that?

It means that someone

who is not going to stop

for anything,

someone who's determined

and focused,

someone who's got

a clear purpose,

not to be distracted.

in a wandering

that is restless,

purpose,

a clear focus

kind of makes sense.

Discipleship,

understandably,

is God's word

to us

in our

restless,

aimless

wandering.

We're spending

three weeks

on mission

and evangelism.

I'm hoping

that if you

have been wandering

aimlessly,

that

through the word

of God,

you will find

your life's

ambition.

If you have started

on this journey

with Jesus,

a follower

of Jesus,

but you have

been distracted,

then I pray

that

your focus

would be

clarified.

And I've

chosen

for our

reflection

tonight

a mission

of the 70

in Luke 10.

It might be

helpful if you

turn to Luke 10

to follow

just to see

if what I'm

saying is true.

Before we

turn to Luke 10,

just a reminder

that Luke

itself is a

biography of Jesus,

for that is how

we come to know

Jesus,

through his

biography.

And Luke

explains the

purpose of his

writing in

chapter 1,

verses 1 to 4.

It is written

so that

Theophilus,

and through

him to us,

we might have

certainty.

Certainty in

a life that

is not certain.

Safety

for life

and beyond.

Of course,

ironically,

the following

of Jesus

provides

neither

safety nor

security.

Just before

our text,

in chapter 9,

verses 57

to 62,

we read this.

As they,

that is Jesus

and his followers,

were walking

along the road,

a man said to

him,

I will follow

you wherever

you go.

Jesus replied,

foxes have

holes and birds

of the air

have nests,

but the son of

man has no

place to lay

his hand.

He said to

another man,

follow me.

The man replied,

Lord, first let

me go and

bury my father.

Jesus said to

him, let the

dead bury

their own

dead, but

you go and

proclaim the

kingdom of

God.

To follow

Jesus involves

such an

uncompromising,

unyielding

commitment.

It is

a forsaking.

You cannot

follow unless

you forsake.

It is a

forsaking of

everything.

the security

of home,

the warmth

of a family.

It is

following Jesus

into a

mission,

for Jesus

himself is

on a

mission.

If you

go to

chapter 9,

51,

this is

what Luke

tells us

about Jesus.

It's a bit

of a turning

point in the

life of

Jesus.

As a

time

approach for

him to be

taken up to

heaven, to

glory, Jesus

resolutely set

out for

Jerusalem.

And it

follows the

discussion on

discipleship and

mission.

To follow

Jesus is to

follow his

mission.

Luke tells us

that the son of

man, this is in

chapter 19, has

come to seek and

save the lost.

Well, the

mission of the

70 is not the

first mission that

the disciples were

sent on.

At the beginning of

chapter 9, we see

that Jesus sent out

the 12.

And now we see

that he sent out a

team of 70.

Slightly larger,

but by no means

large.

Possibly slightly

larger than our

congregation tonight.

Really quite small,

if you think of the

context.

They're being sent

to prepare the

crowds to meet

Jesus.

Jesus is on his

way to Jerusalem,

wherever he would

pass.

The disciples were

to go to those

places to tell

them about the

coming of Jesus,

to prepare them

for the way of

Jesus.

Earlier on in

Luke, we see that

John the Baptist

was to prepare the

coming of Jesus,

and now the 70

is to prepare for

his coming.

Jesus also gives

them the content

of their mission,

what they are to

do.

Have a look at

verses 9.

What are the 70

to do on their

mission?

They are to

proclaim.

Jesus says in

verse 8,

When you enter

a town and are

welcome,

eat what is said

before you,

heal the sick

who are there,

and tell them,

the kingdom of

God is near you.

Their mission is

one of proclamation

of the kingdom of

God, of the

nearness of the

kingdom of God.

Verse 10,

When you enter

a town and are

not welcome,

go into the

streets and say,

even the dust of

your town that

sticks to our feet,

we wipe off

against.

Yet be sure of

this, the

kingdom of God

is near.

Their task is

one of proclamation

of the nearness

of the kingdom.

In other words,

they are to

evangelize.

That's what

evangelism is.

It is proclaiming

the news of

the kingdom.

I just want to

go through very

quickly what they

are to expect

from Jesus.

As they go out,

they are to

expect a

great harvest.

Verse 2,

a large crop,

too large for

a mere 70,

team of 70

to harvest.

That is why

they are to

pray for more

workers.

But more

significantly,

it is a

harvest.

It would be

a fruitful

harvest.

It is a

plentiful

harvest.

The context

is the

disciples are

to go into

Israel on

the way to

Jerusalem.

Israel has

been waiting

waiting for

the coming

of their

king.

Something that

we will be

turning our

minds to in

the prophet of

Malachi a little

bit later on.

They've been

waiting for him

to come and

save them for

400 years.

Now is the

time the king

is coming.

The people

have yearned for

him to come and

he has now

come.

Fruitfulness,

of course,

doesn't mean

ease or

safety.

verse 3.

Jesus says,

they are

going out

like lamb

among wolves.

I'm sure I

told this

story before,

but I'll

tell it again

because it's

really grotesque

and gruesome.

We keep

chicken in

our home.

Our first

two,

sorry,

rating PG,

just in

case.

Our first

two chicken,

lovely chicken,

great producers

of eggs.

One day,

my wife went

out to feed

the chicken,

only to come

back into the

house and say,

you've got to

come and see

this.

I went out

and there was

no chicken

left,

just feather

and a

severed head.

Some sort

of animal

got into

the hutch,

a fox or

I don't know

what it is.

Imagine if

you were

to throw

chickens at

a fox.

it's not

great for

the chicken.

This is the

closest analogy.

I didn't

grow up on

a farm.

I don't

know what

would happen

if you put

a lamb

and a wolf

together.

I suppose

there wouldn't

be much of

a lamb

left.

The mission

of the

70 is not

a game.

It's not a

career

alternative

that you

decided

somehow

when you're

in 30.

You know

when Darren

and Vanessa

go off

to South

Africa

is not

a short

holiday for

them.

It is

perilous

and it

is dangerous

and it

is urgent.

Verse 4.

When they

go they

are not

to pack

sandals

or even

greet

anyone.

Now you

might not

be surprised

by this

because when

you get up

in the morning

and you

go to work

or school

or whatever

you don't

greet anyone

either.

Or maybe

you do

but you

say how

are you

and not

wait for

a response.

Can I

say to

you people

from the

east

they just

find that

really odd.

When you

ask them

how they

are they

actually

expect you

to listen.

In that

context

not greeting

people is

really odd.

Not waiting

for you

know it's

just rude.

It's really

but the

context is

one of

urgency.

They're to

be so

urgent

they don't

have time

for things

like this.

So the

cross reference

is 2 Kings

4.

The time

of Elisha

the only

son of

the Shinamite

woman had

died and

Elisha sent

his servant

to the

woman.

And this

is what

he said

in verse

29.

Elisha

said to

Gehazi

tuck up

your cloak

into your

belt take

my staff

in your

hand and

run.

If you

meet

anyone

don't

greet

him.

If

anyone

greets

you

don't

answer.

Lay

my

staff

on the

boy's

face.

See

in that

culture

not greeting

is unthinkable

unless the

task is

urgent.

It is a

matter of

life and

death.

That there

is no

time even

to stop

and to

greet.

And so

the task

of the

70, the

mission of

the disciples

of Jesus

is so

urgent that

they are to

keep moving

and moving

and keep

announcing the

news of the

coming of the

kingdom.

For that is

why it is so

urgent and

important.

They are to

proclaim the

nearness of

the kingdom

of God.

The king

is about

to come.

They are

the king's

messengers.

And Israel

is given

one last

chance

to respond

to have

peace,

to experience

peace

with this

king.

They have

been at

war with

the king.

The king

has now

come.

Amnesty

and salvation

and peace

is possible.

That is the

message which

the 70

is to

bring.

It is a

message of

salvation.

But of

course not

everyone

experiences

peace and

salvation.

For the

king will

come and

some will

say to

them,

like an

asylum seeker,

not welcome.

Keep

away.

Go back

to where

you come

from.

They desire

no part

to be

with their

God or

the people

of God

and the

consequences

are awful.

Verses

10 to

12.

For

nations

which

reject

the news

of the

king

will be

worse

than

Sodom

and

Tyre

and

Sidon.

I have

never

met

a

Sidonian,

whatever

they are,

or a

Sodomite,

like from

Sodom.

These are

the enemies

of Israel.

They have

been destroyed.

They no

longer exist.

For those

who reject

the news

of the

king,

the kingdom

of God,

they will

be as

these

nations.

This is

the expectation

of the

70.

Well,

what of

the result?

Verse 17.

What did

they report

when they

come back?

There was

great joy.

The

70 said,

Lord,

even the

demons

submit to

us in

your name.

There was

great

rejoicing,

for there

was great

success in

their ministry.

It has

been fruitful.

There has

been a

great and

wondrous

work.

The name

of Jesus

is indeed

a name

with great

power,

for even

the demons

submitted to

them in

the name

of Jesus.

Now,

the mention

of Jesus

might not

be relevant

to us,

but for

most part

of the

world,

it is

a real

world.

People

are

fearful

of this

dark

world

that exists,

fearful

of

their

misadventure

caused

by

spiritual

forces

that are

beyond

their

control.

Fearful

is how

people live,

enslaved

to this

fear

under

the

shadow

of

death.

But

according

to the

disciples,

this

dark

world

is now

overcome

in the

name

of

Jesus.

But

even

more

than

that,

verses

18 to

20,

Jesus

says,

as the

70

priest

of

kingdom

in the

name

of

Jesus,

he sees

the vision

of

the

Satan

falling

like

lightning.

The

stranglehold

that

Satan

has,

the

power

that he

exerts

of

deception

in this

world,

of

destruction

in this

world,

will

now

be

finally

destroyed

and

broken.

It is

an

anticipation,

of course,

to the

cross,

to what

Jesus

would do

finally

against

the

work of

the

devil.

But the

most curious

part of

this passage,

and in

many respects,

my main

point,

it's taken me

this long to

come to

this,

is Jesus'

own response

to the

report of

the 70.

For it is a

curious report

if you look

at it.

They came

back rejoicing,

saying,

we have

had great

success,

Lord.

Imagine if

St.

Paul's

were to

report to

Jesus,

you know,

our 2020

vision,

we killed

it.

Thank you,

Jesus.

How would

you expect

him to

respond,

well done,

my good and

faithful servant?

No,

I knew it

all along.

No.

Jesus says,

don't rejoice.

Don't rejoice

that the

Spirit submit

to you.

Don't rejoice

at this

manifestation

of power.

I know

that.

What ought

you to be

rejoicing in?

Rejoice

that your

names are

written in

heaven.

What do

you make

of that?

As we

come to

the Lord

in praise

in the

year 2020

and rejoice

as his

great work,

his response

as it were

to us

would be,

don't rejoice

at that?

Rejoice

rather that

your names

are written

in heaven.

Rather

self-serving,

don't you

think?

Perhaps

Jesus is

alluding to

the permanence

of his

work.

Something

greater is

coming and

something

greater is

coming.

I want to

suggest to

you that

perhaps

one of the

things that

we need to

understand is

the distinction

between the

goal of

mission and

the means

of mission.

I think

every church

that I've

been to

love to

focus on

mission

activities.

We pray

for mission.

We think

about mission.

We think

about all the

bits and

pieces.

It's really,

really important

to such an

extent that

we actually

think that

the mission

is the

mission.

Logically,

the mission

isn't the

mission.

The mission

is the

means to

get somewhere

else.

The journey

is the

journey,

the process.

There is an

end point.

There is the

journey's end.

There is the

destination.

Now,

if that were

the case,

what is the

end point,

what is the

journey's end

for the

mission of

Jesus?

What is the

thing that we

ought to

celebrate?

when we

recognise that

we have

arrived?

Come and

have a look.

This is only

almost

incidental in

what Jesus

says, but I

think it

says a lot.

In verse

22,

we'll start

in 21.

After the

response,

Jesus,

filled of joy

through the

Holy Spirit,

said,

I praise you,

Father,

Lord of

heaven and

earth,

because you

have hidden

these things

from the

wise and

learned and

revealed them

to little

children.

Yes,

Father,

for this

was your

good pleasure.

All things

have been

committed to

me by

my

Father.

No one

knows who

the Son

is except

the Father,

and no one

knows who

the Father

is except

the Son,

and those

to whom

the Son

chooses to

reveal him.

Again,

it's a curious

prayer.

Why do we

need to know

that?

See,

what Jesus

has opened

up our

eyes to

is a

glimpse

of the

greatest

reality,

of the

life within

God

himself.

See,

journey's end

for his

mission,

and for our

mission,

is the

knowledge of

God.

It's to

come into

the very

life of

God,

to know

him,

to be

known by

him,

to love

him,

to be

loved by

him.

To have

your name

written in

heaven is

to mean

that you

have

fellowship

with God.

That is

journey's end.

If you

like to

imagine

it,

mission

serves

the sake

of

church.

Fellowship

is the

goal of

mission.

Although

there is a

recursive

relationship

between the

two in

this age.

But

nevertheless,

fellowship,

relationship

with God,

participating

in the

life of

God.

Do not

rejoice in

the power

that you

have seen.

Rejoice in

the fact

that you

are in

fellowship

with God.

You are

in fellowship

with God

because you

know who

Jesus

really is.

And in

an age

of aimless

wandering,

that provides

the greatest

security.

As we

struggle to

find meaning

and purpose

in this

life,

to be

known by

God,

to be

loved by

God,

to dwell

with God

in that

relationship

of love

for eternity

provides

the greatest

security.

eternity.

Well,

a lot

has changed

since the

time of

the 70.

They look

forward to

the time

of what

Jesus will

do and

they will

eventually

see what

he has

done.

But we

look back.

We have

seen the

defeat of

Satan on

the cross.

We have

seen

Jesus,

having died

on the cross,

is offering

forgiveness

for all

our sins.

There is

no sin

that is

too great

for him

to forgive.

We have

seen

the resurrection

of our

Lord.

Death

is now

overcome.

The kingdom

is assured

and guaranteed.

It will

come again

in power

to bring

new life.

Yes,

that is

different,

but a lot

hasn't

changed.

There are

things that

are the

same.

The harvest

is still

plentiful.

I make it

a point to

go and

meet people

in our

community.

You know,

even though

it might

seem

difficult,

but what

I see is

this.

I see

ordinary

lives

dominated

by

fear.

Somebody

once said

that we

now live

in the

age of

anxiety.

My

understanding

of anxiety

is that

that is

the

sort of

almost

emotional

response

to fear,

to

uncertainty.

You know,

as we

grow in

our

material

wealth,

we are

afraid of

another

GFC

because we

might just

lose it

all.

Ironic

that the

more we

have,

the more

we fear,

the more

anxious we

are.

People of

our age,

our neighbours,

ourselves,

what we are

yearning for

is to be

secure in

the love

of God,

is it not?

The people

2,000 years

ago on the

way to

Jerusalem,

they are

longing for

God to

come and

save them.

That is

still true

in our

own age,

in our

own

place.

The workers

are few.

70 is

simply

not

enough.

It is

also true

that the

name of

Jesus

is just

as strong

to save.

The name

to which

the powers

of the

evil one

submits

to is

still the

same name

that saves

in this

world.

It has

not

lost

its

power.

One of

the things

that is

apparent

when you

read this

account

is that

the mission

of the

70 is

not the

mission of

the 70.

Deb has

mentioned

this.

It is

the mission

of God.

The 70

does not

have a

mission.

We do

not have

a mission.

We have

a God

who has

a mission.

It is

Jesus

who has

set his

face to

Jerusalem.

It is

Jesus

who has

come to

seek and

save the

lost.

We are

simply

invited to

participate

in this

mission.

The honors

belong to

him.

He is

the one

who

directs,

who gives

us the

content,

the method,

the expectation

of this

mission.

It is

his mission.

It is

the same

God,

the same

Jesus,

who is

at work.

It is

his name

that is

powerful in

this world.

I want

to tell

you quite

a long

story.

It is

the story

of a

pastor who

started a

church in

Canada.

I don't

know where

it is.

The church

has experienced

steady decline

over the

years.

By the time

he joined

the church,

there is

only a

small group

left.

It was

the Canadian

summer.

Josh,

Canadian

summer.

Terrible

place to

be,

Canada.

Especially

church.

I don't

know if

you guys

actually

come here

in January,

but there

is no

one here

except

everyone

who

come and

visit our

church.

In

Canadian

summer,

this guy's

church is

a tiny

little

church,

and in

summertime

is even

worse.

During

the summer

holidays,

there is

a family

visiting the

church.

Just

moving to

the city

a few

months ago,

wanting to

find a

new church.

The

father is

a successful

businessman,

the wife is

particularly

sophisticated,

they have

four kids,

and they've

been attending

a mega

church in

the city.

Beautiful

beauty,

up-to-date

technology,

a children's

program.

How about

that?

A luxury.

And this

pastor realized

that his

little church

could not

match up to

what they

have experienced,

things.

And for

him, it

was rather

embarrassing.

And to

top it all

off, to

top it all

off, you

know, I

was at a

little church

prior to

this, and

one of the

worst things,

worst things

for this

church is

when I

had to

lead the

music.

With my

guitar.

It is

awful.

You know,

my wife

said to

me, after

Sunday, she

had to go

and take

a shower.

It's

unclean.

And this

guy, his

musician was

away.

It was a

horrible

experience, so

he thought.

And during

the time of

announcement, he

was apologetic,

he said, you

know, not

directly in his

family, you

know, normally

we have more

people.

Normally, there's

someone who

can actually

play music.

You know, she's

doing fine, but

you know, we

actually have

real musicians

here.

But anyway, he

was frankly

quite embarrassed

by church.

Nothing to

offer this

powerful,

sophisticated

people.

But what

surprised him

the next week

is that this

same family

turned up.

And at the

door, rather

than, you

know, blurting

out, you

know, welcome

back, he

kind of said,

why did you

come back?

You know, he

just didn't

expect it.

I'm sure if

he were to

talk to

Deb, she

would say,

this is not

how you

welcome

people.

But to

his even

greater

surprise, this

family kept

coming back

week after

week, until

finally, they

decided to

formally join

the church.

And the

pastor had to

ask this

question, why

did you

decide to

choose us

over this

amazing mega

church down

the road?

And the

man asked,

look, quite

frankly, I

have to

admit, we

didn't decide

to join

you, we

wanted to

go back to

the other

church.

But every

time we

got into

the car, we

just ended

up coming

into your

drive, you

know, your

car park.

And one

time I

turned to

my wife and

I asked,

why do we

keep coming

back when

there is so

much less to

offer us than

this other

church?

And the

wife's response

was, because

every time we

come here, we

meet God.

Are people

looking for a

comfortable

building?

Toilets that

are more

permanent?

Yes, and we

should praise

God for those

things.

But ultimately,

what people are

looking for is

God.

when you

come tonight, I

hope that you

are expecting,

longing to

meet with God

face to face.

This is God's

mission, entrusted

to us.

It is the

gospel of

Jesus Christ

that we

have.

We have

just as

much God

to offer

as Hillsong.

And some

people will say

perhaps more.

people's

life could

be just

as

transformed

in our

midst as

any church

in this

city.

We must

never be

embarrassed

by representing

our Lord.

Whether we

minister to

hundreds of

thousands of

people or

to just