\n70
\npeople are sent out by Jesus, two by two. 70 is a symbolic number. In
\nExodus, Moses was assisted by 70 elders and in Genesis 10 there is a
\nlisting of all the nations of the world: they number 70. \u00a0While all
\nthe Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) tell the story of
\nJesus sending out the 12 disciples 2 by 2, only Luke includes this
\nstory of sending out the 70 (which in some ancient manuscripts is 72,
\nbut we’re going to just live with 70). \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nIt
\nis possible that this feels a bit repetitive, since Luke says in
\nchapter 9 that Jesus sent out the 12 disciples in a similar manner.
\nHowever, there is something really strange about this story, MUCH
\nmore interesting than the version a chapter before. That is, Jesus
\nsends out the 12 disciples in Galilee, the area that he spent most of
\nhis life and most of his ministry. \u00a0However, in chapter 10 he is in
\nSAMARIA, on his way to Jerusalem. \u00a0He sends out these 70 people to
\nEXACTLY the communities that most people at the time found most
\ndistasteful.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nThis
\nis possibly the most Jesus thing I’ve ever heard. \u00a0He sends out this
\nmassive group of people to places they’d be radically uncomfortable,
\nAND refuses them any comforts: \u00a0they can have no purse or bag nor
\n(extra?) sandals. \u00a0They’re on their own dependent on the hospitality
\nof people they’ve never met and are likely terrified of. \u00a0They’re
\ntold to go into people’s homes, receive their hospitality, and eat
\ntheir food and drink their drinks.
\n When he sent out the 12 in Galilee he didn’t bother specifically
\ntelling them to eat and drink what they are given. This only happens
\nwhen he sends them out in Samaria.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\nYou \n<\/p>\n \nAt \n<\/p>\n \nThis \n<\/p>\n \nGoing \n<\/p>\n \nThe \n<\/p>\n \nMy \n<\/p>\n \nTo \n<\/p>\n \nNonviolent \n<\/p>\n \nI \n<\/p>\n \nIn \n<\/p>\n \n(It \n<\/p>\n \nWe \n<\/p>\n \nI \n<\/p>\n \nWhen \n<\/p>\n \nTruly, \n<\/p>\n \nAll \n<\/p>\n \nBetween \n<\/p>\n \nDear –<\/p>\n Rev. Sara E. Baron <\/p>\n July 3, 2016<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nremember, right, the Samaritans were so hated that people FREAKED OUT
\nat the idea that Jesus would receive a cup of water from one? The
\nSamaritans were so hated that the whole point of one of the most
\nwell-loved parables is the unexpected twist that a Samaritan could be
\nthe hero. (Ironically, and to keep things confusing, in the 2nd<\/sup>
\nKings reading the word Samaria is used interchangeably with Israel.
\nThat’s because it predates the first exile. That is, it was from a
\ntime when Samaria, Israel, and Judah were all united, well before
\nJesus.)<\/p>\n
\nthe time of Jesus, Samaritans practiced faith differently. The
\nfollowers of Jesus were Jews, I think very traditional Jews, part of
\na recommitment to orthodox practice sort of Jews. \u00a0The Samaritans
\nwere NOT CONSIDERED Jews (although that’s yet another example of the
\nbias itself.) \u00a0To make this a bit clearer: good, deeply faithful Jews
\nat the time were very careful about what they ate, when they ate it,
\nand how it it had been prepared. That was part of how they expressed
\ntheir faithfulness to God. Being sent out into Samaria to be welcomed
\ninto people’s homes as strangers and to EAT THEIR FOOD \u2026. wasn’t
\nkosher. (giggle) \u00a0Literally. \ud83d\ude09 \u00a0But the story says Jesus sent out 70
\npeople into Samaria anyway, and specifically told them to eat and
\ndrink what they were given to eat and drink.\n<\/p>\n
\nrelates to the vision of Peter in Acts 10, where Peter has a vision
\nof God telling him to consume food otherwise thought unclean. \u00a0The
\nfact that the stories reflect each other isn’t a surprise, as Luke
\nand Acts are really the same book by the author: Part 1 is Luke and
\nPart 2 is Acts (the fact that they are not one after another in our
\nBible is an atrocity.) \u00a0It does make me doubt the veracity of this
\nstory, but only the \u201cI don’t think the facts add up to be terribly
\nlike to have ACTUALLY HAPPENED\u201d way. I think the story reflects a
\ndeep and abiding set of truths about God, about Jesus, about the
\nJesus movement, and about breaking open barriers that would otherwise
\ndivide people, and that’s WAY more important than it actually having
\nhappened. \u00a0However, as I find this story to be completely and utterly
\ndelightful, I sort of hope I’m wrong. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nback into the story as it’s own narrative again, Jesus
\ndoesn’t just send them out to eat and drink. \u00a0He sends them out to
\nheal
\nand to give a message, \u201cThe
\nkingdom of God has come near to you.\u201d
\n That message is the one that Jesus shares over and over again.
\nReally, the combination of healing and that simple message are the
\nTHEMES of the Gospels, everything else is an expansion on those
\nideas. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nGospels are full of healing narratives, usually done by Jesus
\nhimself. \u00a0In our passage today though, we see the expansion of the
\nwork from Jesus to his followers, a reminder that the expansion
\nextends all the way out to us. \u00a0Healing, of course, takes on many
\nforms. \u00a0It can be physical, emotional, or spiritual, and at times the
\nmost appropriate healing is death itself. \u00a0Our work as followers of
\nChrist is to participate in the healing, in a holistic way. \u00a0This is
\ngood, as not all of us are medical professionals, but all of us can
\nparticipate in healing ourselves, each other, and the world. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nfriend the Rev. Dr. Barbara Thorington Green suggests that the power
\nof Jesus to heal was located in his ability to really truly SEE and
\nHEAR people, and to LOVE THEM as they really are and show them how
\nloved they were. She suspects that much of what harms us would be
\nhealable if we knew that we were seen, heard, and loved as we are.
\nThe work of healing, then, is also the work of loving \u2013 work we are
\nall called to do whether it is easy or hard for us.<\/p>\n
\nsee, to hear, and to share love with a person is also known as the
\nwork of LISTENING. \u00a0Listening is a profoundly healing act. \u00a0This
\nisn’t just something that Jesus could do. \u00a0It is passed on to us
\nalong with the rest of the work of the Body of Christ. \u00a0If you’ve
\nbeen playing along with my sermons over the past year or two, you may
\nalready know that I’m excited about Nonviolent Communication as a
\nmeans of grace.\n<\/p>\n
\ncommunications is a system of both listening and speaking meant to
\nbring healing and wholeness into the world. \u00a0It
\nis an act of love with power.
\n It happens in 4 parts, whether it is an act of listening or of
\nspeaking. \u00a0When it is an act of listening, a person practicing
\nNonviolent communication: listens for observations of what happened
\n(which may involve asking some questions), then listens for feelings
\nabout what happened (this may also involve some questions, or even
\nmaking some guesses), then listens to what the person’s deep need is
\nthat connected the experience itself to the feeling that emerged
\n(yes, yes, this too might involve questions or guesses), and finally
\nseeks to understand what the person would want in order to make life
\nmore wonderful after being heard about the experience, the feeling(s)
\nand the need(s). \u00a0This last bit is listening for a request. Often the
\nrequest is really just to be heard!<\/p>\n
\nwonder if the work of healing that the disciples and the 70 were sent
\nout to do had to do with deep listening and thereby sharing the
\nwonder of love itself. \u00a0I’ve seen that work system, rather well and
\nquite frequently.<\/p>\n
\nNonviolent Communication Theory, there is a concept of universal
\nhuman needs. \u00a0One of the lists of these needs includes 90 of them,
\nunder the categories: connection, honesty, play, peace, physical
\nwell-being, meaning, and autonomy. \u00a0All of us have all the needs, all
\nthe time, and this theory suggests that what we say and do is always
\nrelated to getting our needs met. \u00a0Some of the ways we seek to get
\nour needs met are more effective than others, and some cause less
\nharm than others. Knowing our needs, and making direct requests tends
\nto help us get the needs met, and do it without impeding anyone
\nelse’s capacity to met their needs! \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nmay also be helpful to note that not all needs are equally important
\nto everyone. \u00a0For example, I have noticed that a lot of what I do is
\nabout meeting my needs to contribute to the world, \u00a0experience
\nefficacy, and keep things in balance. \u00a0Everyone else probably has a
\ndifferent subset of needs that they tend toward most strongly.)
\nAlso, FYI, we are offering another class on Nonviolent communication
\nthis fall! \u00a0Stay on the lookout for more information. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\ncan see listening like this (and nonviolent communication) in the
\nHebrew Bible text, if we read into it a little bit. \u00a0The Israelite
\nslave girl observes
\nthat Naaman has leprosy. \u00a0She seems to feel
\nsad about that, and finds in herself a need
\nto contribute to his well-being. \u00a0So she suggests (this is an
\nindirect form of a request)
\nthat he might find healing through Elisha. \u00a0She seems to be
\nsuggesting that her life would be more wonderful if his was as well!
\nAnd she is heard!<\/p>\n
\nthink the most interesting example of nonviolent communication comes
\nwhen Naaman gets a response from Elisha to \u201c’Go,
\nwash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and
\nyou shall be clean.’“ That’s what happened (observation), and he
\nfeels ANGRY. \u00a0It turns out his expectations weren’t getting met. \u00a0He
\nexpected to be healed in person, something he very well may have
\nassociated with being RESPECTED as an important person. \u00a0So, I’m
\nthinking his need TO MATTER wasn’t being met! \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nhis servants heard him, and heard him well, they were able to respond
\nto his need and help him reframe the possibilities. They helped him
\nmeet his need to matter in how they listened to him and responded to
\nhim, and that freed him up! \u00a0Once his need to matter was being met,
\nhe was able to give the washing in the River Jordan a try.<\/p>\n
\nin this story, people do a lot of good listening (and some good
\nspeaking) that ends up making a big difference:\n<\/p>\n\n
\nslave girl listens to the issues of her masters \u2013 and with a tender
\nheart.<\/li>\n
\nmistress listens to the advice of her slave.<\/li>\n
\nspouse listens to the advice of another spouse. \u00a0<\/li>\n
\nking listens to a general.<\/li>\n
\nking listens to a prophet (that almost NEVER happens in the Bible).<\/li>\n
\nthen the general listens to his servants, and to the prophet.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nin all, this whole story is extraordinary, more so in the listening
\nthan in the healing that ensues. \u00a0Repeatedly
\npeople listen to others who would normally be considered below them,
\nand are blessed by the wisdom imparted.
\nIt is a case where listening to seemingly strange advice leads to an
\nunexpectedly good outcome. Namaan’s listening is imperative to his
\nhealing. It allows others to bless him with their knowledge and
\nwisdom! He was able to receive the gifts they wanted to give him
\nbecause he listened to them. \u00a0They were able to give him the gifts he
\nneeded, because they listened as well. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nthe gift of prayer itself, which is (among other things) the
\nexperience of being listened to with love by the Holy One’s Own Self,
\nand the ways we are gifted by being able to be listened to by each
\nother, there are many opportunities for healing in our lives.
\nAssuming the veracity of the sending out of the 70, I still don’t
\nreally know what they did. \u00a0But I rather love the idea that they
\nmight have been listening to people and thereby connecting them to
\nthe love of God! It could have been very healing for everyone
\ninvolved, especially when it happened across boundaries that weren’t
\nsupposed to be crossed!<\/p>\n
\nOnes, as you leave this place, I hope you will find ways to listen:
\nto each other, to strangers, to others you meet along the way, to the
\nHoly One, and to the deepest part of yourselves. \u00a0The gift of healing
\nis as close at hand as our ability to listen. \u00a0May we practice well.
\n Amen\n<\/p>\n
First United Methodist Church of Schenectady
603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305
http:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/<\/a>
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FUMCSchenectady<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n