Jesus' D-Day Pep Talk

• Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

on Matthew 10:16-25, Jesus sent the Twelve to teach and preach and heal, to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is near... and tells 'em there will be opposition.

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• That was quite a storm we had yesterday. High winds, black clouds, sideways rain... reminded me of my cousin's wedding 20 years ago, at least the rehearsal. Incredible storm the night before the wedding. It was an outdoor wedding, on the banks of the San Antonio River, which was a raging torrent of swirling muddy water from the rains the night before. Perfect illustration for the priest's wedding homily, don't you think?

Kind of like Jesus' little pep talk here. Pep talk? It's alarming! True, but...
see General Patton's address to troops just two weeks before D-Day...

“You are not all going to die.  Only two percent of you, right here today, would be killed in a major battle.  Death must not be feared.  Death, in time, comes to all of us.  And every man is scared in his first action... Every single man in the Army plays a vital role.  Every man has his job to do and must do it.” (G. Patton, pre-D-Day pep talk.)

Jesus, sending The Twelve into discipleship, does not sugar coat. Some will die. Persevere.

Don't ask why do bad things happen, but what do we do when bad things happen? Peresevere. Hold head high. Think outside the box. Be creative.
What DON'T we do? Don't despair. Don't cave in. Don't give up.

• One aspect of Christianity is discipleship, resolve. Be like Christ.
In difficult circumstances, what did Christ do? Held head high.
Withdrew. Prayed.
Face circumstances w/ fear maybe, but not cowardice.
Jesus' pep talk: Trials and beatings, even execution, they're gonna happen. Persevere.

& when it happens, it's not a sign that you're supposed to stop.
Sometimes we look at difficult circumstances as signs to quit,
when in fact they may be signs that we're on the right path!

Rev. Shauna Hyde, (First UMC, Ravenswood) addressing local hunger needs via outdoor refrigrator. Until complaints brought in Health Dept. Tuck tail or persevere?

• Jesus says you will have opposition.
From trusted leaders maybe. Even from family.
Don't despair. Persevere.
Jesus was betrayed by close friend. He's with you.

The original audience of this passage would've thought of Micah 7:6 Son disrespects father / a daughter rises up against her mother / a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law / the enemies of a man are those of his own household.

How about the next verse:

7 But me! I will keep watch for the Lord /
 I will wait for the God of my salvation; / my God will hear me.

• Per last week: there's an urgency to Jesus' message.
The time to proclaim is now.
Verse 23 you won't even get through all of Israel before the Son of Man comes...
By our understanding, SOM hasn't returned... but...
I work better w/ deadline than ambiguity, how about you? Don't delay.

• Also trials = witness opportunity. Whereas last week's message was to go to the lost sheep of Israel, this week you'll speak to foreign kings... your witness will be heard far and wide, and news of the Kingdom will spread.

• Hymn 617 I Come With Joy...