The big word in churches is Mission. But it’s a word that can be easily misunderstood. Our parish is undergoing a review at present that we are calling “cultivating a new future” and at the heart of that is mission. We can misunderstand mission if we believe that mission is all about “us”. We go out and make disciples for Jesus. To some extent that is true. Jesus says in Matthew 28 – go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them and teaching them. Interesting that there seems to be a step missing. Why are we baptizing? What is happening before Baptism? Surely we aren’t just baptizing without any request from the person.It doesn’t say – go to all nations, convert them to Christianity and once they believe and decided to follow Christ baptize them. That’s usually how we understand mission. Convert them to become Christian, get them along to church and then baptize them. Again, that’s not saying we don’t at times do that but if that’s what we believe mission consists of – US going out converting and bringing them to church then we are missing out on an important fundamental step in mission – the work of the Holy Spirit..
Look how Jesus talks about mission and who is firstly doing it. The first thing we hear in our gospel is: All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. Notice that the first movement is that of the tax collectors and sinners coming to Jesus. It doesn’t say that his disciples went out and brought them to Jesus. It was the work of the Holy Spirit stirring up their hearts. Hearing complaints from the religious leaders that Jesus didn’t send them away Jesus then tells 2 parables.
The first one is the parable of the lost sheep. In this parable we have a shepherd who has 100 sheep. 99 of them are faithful and do as they are told. One of them, however, has decided to go his own way. And notice who goes out looking for it. The shepherd himself. He doesn’t send one of his workers but goes himself. We know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and so this parable talks about the primary and initial work of God in mission who is going after the lost. This is GOD’S MISSION. As the sheep is brought home on the Shepherd’s shoulders he is put back with the other sheep. We don’t hear of the other sheep rejecting him or criticizing him but the lost sheep is restored. And there is rejoicing in heaven by the angels. And so there’s a huge part that we play in mission of being there to receive when God brings someone into our midst. To rejoice with the angels in heaven that God has brought back one of his lost children into our flock.
The 2nd parable is similar. A woman has 10 coins but loses one. She immediately lights a lamp and then sweeps the house clean until she finds it. As I read this afresh something I noticed is that she lit the lamp – swept the house and searched for the coin. Why not just “lit a lamp and searched”. She swept the house first. Was her untidiness partly to blame for her losing the coin? I know my keys don’t walk off by themselves in the morning when I go looking for them. They are usually under newspapers and catalogues that I’ve dumped on top of them. And I’m wondering if that reference was intentional by Jesus.
Is there something we need to be doing to sweep to allow a person to be found. Is the church in a mess that we don’t realise is keeping people away or they don’t return? Are there things in our church that need to be cleaned and removed. Is there something preventing a lost member from returning? Is there perhaps a word of forgiveness that needs to be shared first?
There are so many hidden details in Jesus’ parables that we find something different each time we read them. But what we value so much in these parables is God’s insatiable love for us that is always looking for us and looking out for us and never giving up.
Today we see 3 of our young members take that next step in their Christian walk of faith. For Lachlan and Chelsea we see them confirm their Baptism vows. When they were just infants their parents and God parents made a commitment to raise them in the Christian faith which they have done through Sunday School, church and faith at home. We don’t know what that next step of faith is going to be but whatever direction that is they will have their Good Shepherd hot on their heels. If they take a wrong turn later in life then God will go with them and when they are found then God will bring them home. And they don’t have to do anything because God is looking for THEM. Just look at St Paul in today’s reading and how far he ventured off the path of God – and he didn’t even know it.
I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners– of whom I am the worst.
And Josh, you too are taking an exciting step in your faith as you receive Holy Communion for the very first time. Holy Communion is a very special gift for Christians. Many years ago it was felt so special that people would only have it a few times a year and you would have to be a lot older before you received it. But we began to realise that if it’s special then why shouldn’t we have it as often as we can and as soon as we can. So I hope that you always see this as a very special gift that Jesus gives to you.
There’s no doubt that our church has changed over the past couple of years through Covid. There’s so much uncertainty in the world whether it’s future infections, economic uncertainty or whatever concerns you. But how comforting to know that even when we travel through the darkest of valleys that we have no fear because our Good Shepherd is with us as he first promised in our Baptism. I am with you always till the end of the age. So Lachy, Chelsea and Josh, may God bless you as you take this next step in your faith journey and know that right on your heels is Jesus to take care of you.
