We continue this morning in exploring spiritual practices to strengthen our role as disciples (student/followers) and apostles (messengers). Each of the practices we have explored on previous Sundays prepares us for the spiritual practice of being sent out.
There is a call placed upon our lives by Jesus to 
follow him serving and loving God and serving and loving neighbor. We are called to this simply by being people of faith – our calls will look different depending on our gifts and talents and the desires placed upon our hearts.
We aren’t meant to keep that call hidden under a bushel but to bring it out in the light – to share it with others. I wonder if acknowledging we are called and growing comfortable with that call helps us as we contemplate being sent out into the world to bring the good news of the Gospel.
We are people of prayer – taught to pray by Jesus and strengthened in prayer by the Holy Spirit. It is God who invites us to prayer and conversation individually and as a community. Prayer can be a difficult practice if we move it beyond our own prayers and the prayers we pray as a worshiping community.
How comfortable are we praying with others? But I wonder if praying with a partner or in small groups helps us get more honest and real with God and one another. Helps us voice what is going on in our own lives and in the lives of others. Does such prayer transform us? Praying together, can we find the courage to be sent in whatever form that takes?
Then learning which we explored as sharing stories. Does our ability to share our faith stories open us up to hearing others? Do we become better listeners if we have become better storytellers? We often worry about what we might say to someone we don’t know if they share their story – but remember, the Advocate has been gifted to us by Jesus to teach us, to give us the right words.
I remember so clearly from my pastoral care class not to forget to pray for guidance and wisdom and the right words before each visit. I thought duh! How could I forget that essential step?! Why do I need to be reminded of that – why doesn’t it come more naturally!
Then on to spiritual healing – as we encounter folks and hear their stories, are we willing to invite them here not because we want more members, but because we really feel that at this Table, they might find healing? As we have found healing? Might they see this congregation as a healing one?
If we have been able to develop these spiritual practices as part of our own growth as disciples and apostles, then are we ready to be sent as Jesus sent these 72? Are we ready to be sent out to plant good works not for our own egos, but for the good we can do in our work lives, our retirement lives, our volunteer lives, our everyday lives, our missional lives? Can we bring goodness and warmth and kindness into a world that feels so divisive? Can we see that when we help a neighbor or do volunteer work, we are being sent and we are doing good.
But it does take some courage to be sent out, doesn’t it? Because look at how we are sent out – lambs to the wolves, no provisions, no things of sustenance. Does that mean though that the 72 weren’t equipped to go out to the cities and towns that understood a bit about the peace of Jesus? I don’t think so – isn’t that what Jesus has been doing all along – equipping them and modeling his own call, his own prayer life, his own learning through sharing stories, his own practice of healing people? Do we really think they weren’t equipped? Do we really think that we are not equipped to do this work?
Now, note, they aren’t alone – they have a partner! And, they have the Holy Spirit guiding them. Their fear did not overcome their desire to share the good news of the Gospel – the euangelion (pronounced yoo-an-GHEL-ee-on).
All of these practices have as their anchor a deepening trust in God who is the one who sends us out. These are practices rooted in trust and joy – that deep abiding joy that is a firm hope and gladness in God’s promises and God’s desires for us – as individuals and as a congregation.
The harvest is indeed plentiful – because there are so many people who need to hear a message of love not judgment and condemnation, need to experience a place of belonging and healing, need to not be pressured but simply be loved. But the laborers are few – why? Is it discomfort?
Is it that we have experienced euangelion as a deeply negative experience and are afraid of repeating it? Is it that we grow too weary sharing the good news – in our work life, our volunteer life, the demands placed on our time? These questions are worth praying about – how is God sending you, me, us? What are we to say and do?
The 72 Jesus followers were indeed equipped to go out as they were sent and look how excited they are when they come back, sharing all of their stories with Jesus. But they get a reminder too – don’t do this for your own glory, do it for the good you bring to people. Do the work for the good of all. Whatever way God is calling you, root yourself in these other spiritual practices before you say no. See what might happen when you say yes. The harvest is plentiful, the laborers few. May it be so. Amen.