July 7, 2019 – Luke 10:1-11,15-20
Luke 10:1-11, 15-20
Let it Go
Lectionary 14C – July 7, 2019
First Lutheran Church
Many of you have come to me at one time or another with a problem.
Often we go through problem solving options.
You could do this, you could do that, you could try this.
Sometimes we meet again and you tell me how things have gone.
And sometimes, in sad cases,
your solutions are not amenable to the person you have the problem with.
Sometimes the other person does not want to work toward a solution.
In such cases, I usually quote at some point Jesus’ words to the disciples today:
Whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘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.’
We all know that Jesus’ disciples knew rejection.
And we all know that Jesus himself knew rejection.
Neither Jesus nor the disciples were superheroes who solved every problem or
who were successful in every single ministry situation or
made friends with every single person they encountered.
Not everyone wanted what they had to offer.
For whatever reason, not everyone wanted to hear what they had to say.
For whatever reason, not everyone wanted to be in partnership with them and
participate in ushering in God’s day of peace and justice and sharing.
Who knows why?
We wonder why people don’t want what we have to offer.
We wonder why people don’t want to be in relationship with us.
We wonder why people don’t want to be our friends.
When it comes to church and to our ministry,
we wonder why people don’t want what we have to offer.
We wonder why more people don’t come to church – despite our best efforts.
Well, there may be lots of reasons, and I think we can know some of them.
Sometimes we are not communicating the good news well.
Sometimes we are not offering a good word that people really need to hear.
Sometimes we do not do a good job of really meeting people where they are at.
And yet, and yet – sometimes we are faithful and we do a good job!
We actually do have a lot to offer.
We are bringing peace and we are bringing God’s reign of love and acceptance and healing and
justice near.
And yet, and yet – sometimes people just do not want what we have to offer.
Well, there are things that are simply beyond our control.
Whether it’s in our personal relationships or in our church ministries,
there are things that are beyond our control: they’re called human beings.
God made us all free.
We offer what we have to offer as well and as faithfully as we can – and people are free to
accept it or reject it.
And rejection is hard – when we feel like we have so much to offer and
we’ve made ourselves so vulnerable, rejection can be hard.
We can try our best and yet, and yet . . . Jesus offers some good advice today:
sometimes you just need to shake the dust of that town off your feet . . .
and head on down to the next town
where the people might actually welcome what you have to offer.
Jesus is saying that sometimes you just need to let it go.
Jesus is saying that sometimes you just need to move on: that is pretty good advice.
Jesus is saying you don’t need to let rejection define you – don’t get stuck in it.
Move on – move on down the road to where what you have to offer is welcome.
This morning, Jesus is inviting you to let some things go.
It is not necessarily assigning things to the hopeless category –
who knows? Maybe God will find another way of bringing about good.
We are not the only ones through whom God is working,
nor are we the only ones through whom God brings healing and wholeness.
We try our best – but it in the end it takes two or more to tango and sometimes
we need to entrust things to God and move on down the road.
The promise in this is that there are those who will welcome what you have to offer.
Who will share a vision with you of what is possible – in a relationship,
in a friendship, in a ministry, in partnership.
That is great news – the world is a big place.
It is bigger than this town or this relationship.
There are those who will welcome you and what you have to offer.
There are those who will want to work with you and appreciate your gifts.
You are not alone: there are those with whom you will usher in God’s kingdom.
But for those who do not appreciate what you have to offer – it’s okay.
Give it to God. Let God deal with it. Let it go. Move on.
Maybe it’s because I’m in summer vacation mode,
but this is a very compelling thing to think about on a beautiful summer day.
We can get very caught up in all the problems that are not getting sorted out,
in relationships that are not working, in ministries that are not going anywhere.
Summer can be a time to step back, take a deep breath, do a little evaluation,
and really hear what Jesus is saying: it’s okay. Try something else.
God has other things in mind for you.
There are others who will appreciate what you have to offer.
Let it go. It’s time to move on – and when you do, I will go with you.
So together, let’s all take a deep breath of beautiful warm summer air,
and together let us say, “Amen.”
Pastor Michael Kurtz
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