An Unsuspected Missionary Evangelist

• Tuesday, 06 July 2010 22:10
• Written by Nick Block

From a classical perspective missionaries are those who are sent out as announcers of God’s grace. In a very real sense they are evangelists.   These missionary evangelists that go as Jesus’ representatives in Luke 10 are told to declare that “the kingdom of God has come near (to you)”. Have you ever noticed how such a message is upsetting? Actually it’s divisive. The theme appears As early in the Jesus narratives as when Simeon blesses the infant Jesus and declares that he “is destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed”.  And of course the theme continues as Jesus tells his disciples about his going to Jerusalem. Both Jesus’ own ministry and the story of the church’s early mission in Acts play this out this theme.   Some who hear the message respond positively, and others, for some reason, oppose it - bitterly. Some of the verses in our New Testament reading anticipate the rejection Jesus will experience, others accentuate the positive by celebrating their own missionary experience. Taken together, the positive and negative aspects combine to emphasize that the gospel message calls for decision. Now were God’s kingdom exclusively future focused maybe there would be less opposition but, as our text declares, the Kingdom of God has come near, and is here and begins its work in this present moment. That means change.