Sermon ideas

• In the synagogue we find Jesus teaching the disciples and some other interested listeners. He generates dispute and, ultimately, rejection. This does not lead to retreat, however. Jesus gathers his followers and sends them off on an experiential journey. Some might have preferred to continue arguing in the synagogue, marshalling intellectual ideas to convince the opposition. But actions speak louder than words. Jesus doesn’t engage in argument; he moves on and encourages the disciples to be active. It can be tempting for Christians to get sidetracked from action by arguments about credibility and intellectual credentials. But the proof about Jesus is in the actions we take. It is not staying in but going out.

• Three chapters have passed since the disciples’ ‘first call’ (Mark 3.13-15). They were told then what was involved. Now, after a period of observation, they are going to do it themselves. This is a time-honoured method of training people, formerly known as ‘Learning from Nellie’, and is exemplied in the TV game show The Cube. The disciples know the risks and they can go into the task realistically. They must identify people in the local context who will be strategically supportive, and be prepared and realistic about the local situation.
• Many organisations, from the Scouts to management training groups, participate in survival exercises, where people are sent to face challenging circumstances with little to help them. The purpose of this is to develop teamwork. In the situation in which they nd themselves, members of the group very quickly become dependent on each other, and on the environment they are in. Relationships have to be made and they have to work. The disciples are sent out with very little, not for ascetic reasons, but so they have to make relationships. There are many stories, historical and contemporary, of missionaries finding the house that welcomes them.
• There are some shining contemporary examples of mission in pairs. Some years ago, the Catholic and Anglican bishops of Liverpool, Derek Worlock and David Sheppard, worked in partnership to inspire Christians in their then troubled city.
• The challenge for those involved in mission is discerning when it is time to move on. The gospel is not to be forced on people: if visitors are not welcome, they need to leave. There is a balance to be struck between long-term faithful commitment to a place or a role, and the value of the new broom. How do we discern what God is calling us to? How can we persuade others that it is time for a change?