JESUS WENT ABOUT ALL THE CITIES AND VILLAGES, TEACHINGS IN THEIR SYNAGOGUES, AND PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPELS OF THE KINGDOM, AND HEALING EVERY MANNER OF SICKNESS AND EVERY DISEASE AMONG THE PEOPLE. BUT WHEN HE SAW THE MULTITUDES, HE WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION ON THEM, BECAUSE THEY FAINTED, AND WERE SCATTERED ABROAD, LIKE SHEEP HAVING NO SHEPHERD. THE HARVEST IS SO GREAT, "THE WORKERS ARE SO FEW.", HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLES. SO PRAY TO THE ONE IN CHARGE OF HARVESTING, AND ASK HIM TO RECRUIT MORE WORKERS FOR HIS HARVEST FIELDS.
WHEN HE HAD CALLED UNTO HIM IS TWELVE DISCIPLES, HE GAVE THEM POWER AGAINST UNCLEAD SPIRITS, TO CAST THEM OUT, AND TO HEAL ALL MANNER OF SICKNESS AND ALL MANNER OF DISEASE. NOW THE NAMES OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES ARE THESE; THE FIRST, SIMON, WHO IS CALLED PETER, AND ANDREW HIS BROTHER; JAMES THE SON OF ZEB'-E-DEE, AND JOHN HIS BROTHER; PHILIP, AND BARTHOLOMEW; THOMAS, AND MATTHEW THE PUBLICAN; JAMES THE SON OF AL-PHAE'-US, AND LEB-BAE'US, WHOSE SURNAME WAS THAD-DAE'-US; SIMON THE
C'-NAANITE AND JUDAS IS-CAR'-I-OT, WHO ALSO BETRAYED HIM. IN MATTEWS GOSPEL TEXT, JESUS SPEAKS OF THE CHURCH'S MISSION. WITH IMAGES DRAWN FROM DAILY LIFE. HE SENDS OUT THE TWELVE DISCIPLES AND COMMANDED THEM, SAYING: "NDO NOT GO INTO THE WAY OF THE GENTILES, AND DO NOT ENTER A CITY OF THE SAMARITANS. BUT GO RATHER TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL., AND AS YOU GO, PREACH SAYING, "THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND. HEAL THE SICK, CLEANSE THE LEPER'S, RAISE THE DEAD, CAST OUT DEMONS. FREELY YOU HAVE RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE. PROVIDE NEITHER GOLD, NOR SILVER NOR COPPER, IN YOUR MONEY BELTS, NOR BAG FOR YOUR JOURNEY. TODAY TRAVEL HAS BECOME A SIGNIFICANCE FORCE IN OUR LIVES. WE LOVE TO ROAM, TO SEEK NEW VISTA AND ADVENTURES. BUT, TODAY'S TRAVELERS ARE SEEKING MORE THAN JUST GOING SOMEPLACE NEW, THEY ARE SEEKING MORE THAN JUST GOING SOMEPLACE NEW, THEY ARE SEEKING EXPERIENCES. THEY WANT TO TELL THE FOLKS BACK HOME, NOT JUST TO WHERE THEY WENT, BUT TO WHAT THEY DID. THE TOURIST INDUSTRY HAS A NEW CHALLENGE: TO PROVIDE PEOPLE NOT ONLY WITH A DESTINATION, BUT AN EXPERIENCE.
THAT'S WHY JESUS INVITES US TO A JOURNEY OF FAITH AND EXPERIENCE OF DISCIPLESHIP. WHAT WOULD HE SAY TO US AS THE PROSPECTIVE TRAVELER THAT HAS JUSTAKEN OFF?
1) THERE IS NO MAP FOR THIS JOURNEY. THE KEY IS TO FOLLOW ME TO THOSE WHO NEED HEALING, TO PLACES OF DARKNESS, TO LOST PEOPLE IN NEED OF HOPE.
2.) LEAVE YOUR CREDIT CARD AT HOME. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR GOD IT IS BEST TO BE EMPTY AND IN NEED. TRAVEL MORE AS A REFUGEE, THAN A TOURIST. YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL; GOD IS.
3). THE JOURNEY IS RISKY PLAN ON ENCOUNTING DEAD ENDS, AND TAKING WRONG TURNS. PEOPLE WILL NOT ALWAYS WELCOME YOUR PRESENCE OR THE GIFTS OF GOOD NEWS AND PEACE YOU BRING. YOU WILL EXPERIENCE SUFFERING.
4). ENJOY NEW VISTA AND SEE LIFE IN A NEW WAY. YOU WILL FIND REFRESHMENT IN THE COMPANY OF FELLOW TRAVELERS. A MEAL OF GRACE WILL SATISFY YOU.
5). NO MATTER WHERE THE JOURNEY TAKES YOU, TRAVEL IN THE ASSURANCE OF GOD'S PRESENSE. IF YOU GET LOST, OR IF THE LOAD IS TOO HEAVY OR THE ROAD IS TO LONG GOD WILL SEARCH TILL YOU ARE FOUND AND WILL SUSTAIN YOU. THIS IS A PROMISE DON'T LEAVE HOME WITH OUT IT. REMEMBER OUR PURPOSE IS TO LET OUR CONVERSATIONS BE SHAPED BY THE GOOD NEWS, AND EXTEND CHRIST PEACE WHEREVER WE FIND OURSELVES, AND SHARE OUR BREAD WITH THE HUNGRY.
WHEN TRAVELERS ARE LOST OR DOWN ON THEIR HOPE AND DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO GO AND LOOK UP AND SPOT THE CROSS ON A CHURCH, IT SHOULD BE LIKE A PORT IN A STORM. IT MUST BE A SIGN OF A SAFE HAVEN.
JESUS PROMISED HARD TIMES, BUT HE ALSO PROMISED COMFORT. WE MUST REMEMBER THE DISCIPLES WERE COMMON MEN GIVEN COMPELLING TASK, BEFORE THEY WERE GIVEN STAINED-GLASS SAINTS IN WINDOWS OF CATHEDRALS.. THERE IS AN OLD FABLE THAT SHEDS SOME LIGHT FOR US IN THIS DAY AND AGE IT TELLS ABOUT AN ELDERLY MAN WHO WAS TRAVELING WITH A BOY AND A DONKEY. AS THEY WALKED THROUGH THE VILLAGE, THE MAN WAS LEADING THE DONKEY AND THE BOY WAS WALKING BEHIND. 5THE TOWNSPEOPLE SAID THE OLD MAN WAS A FOOL. FOR NOT RIDING, SO TO PLEASE THEM HE CLIMB UP ON THE ANIMALS BACK. WHEN THEY CAME TO THE NEXT VILLAGE THE PEOPLE SAID, THE OLD MAN WAS MEAN, FOR LETTING THE CHILD WALK BEHIND WHILE HE ENJOYED THE RIDE, SO, TO PLEASE THEM, HE GOT OFF AND SET THE BOY ON THE ANIMALS BACK AND CONTINUED ON THE WAY THROUGH THE THIRD VILLAGE, ACCUSED THE BOY OF BEING LAZY FOR MAKING THE OLD MAN WALK., AND THW SUGGESTION WAS MADE THEY SHOULD BOTH RIDE.IN THE FOURTH VILLAGE, THE TOWNS PEOPLE WERE INDIGNENT AT THE CRUELTY TO THE DONKEY BECAUSE IT WAS MADE TO CARRY TWO PEOPLE. THE FRUSTRATED MAN AND BOY WERE LAST SEEN CARRING THE DONKEY DOWN THE ROAD. POINT IS, WE CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY!
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