Sermon ~ June 22, 2008 ~ “Discipleship II" ~ Matthew 10:1 – 15

A BRIEF Outline

It is in that love that God has gifted us with this scripture about Discipleship
“As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’”


Diverse
- tax collectors, fishermen, family members, and even one who would betray
- Church of All Nations intentional multiculturalism; Potter’s House involvement by all who walk in the door; Foundry UMC’s sign language interpreter & wheelchair cutout; Emory UMC has flags of all nations of members

Inward/Outward
- Teaching/Missions/Teaching/Missions – Sermon on the mount ~ Sending out of disciples
- The Sanctuary Church and CDC formed together; Inward/Outward theology of Church of the Saviour

Focused
- To the lost sheep of the house of Israel (paired with Great Commission); limited time of mission
- The Sanctuary to North Minneapolis; Church of Saviour to Adams/Morgan neighborhood; many/most leaders called to specific ministries


Fully Vested
- Jesus summoned and gave them authority; lots of confident verbs: go, proclaim, cure, raise, cleanse, cast out, give…
- Seekers Church – full members are ordained and registered with the IRS as “ministers”


Risky
- give without payment… take no gold, silver or copper… no bag for the journey…
- Interns at Church of All Nations are all seminary trained and work at the church full time… but are paid barely a stipend; No clergy in most of the Church of the Saviour Communities, and leaders aren’t paid; Emory UMC started a CDC without the money and three services without the money in hand…

Other side of the Discipleship “coin”: Hopsitality
- Not all are called to go (although Discipleship is both learning and serving) but to stay home and be hospitable.
- Jesus says find those who are WORTHY there and stay with them, not those who are nice or friendly or pleasant. We may be welcoming Christ’s disciple, God’s angel.
- NOT hospitality as we commonly define it, not “nice,” but faithful. Many congregations that interviewed me (or NOT as the case may be) were nice, friendly, welcoming, but not all lived the gospel call to “love justice, do kindness, and walk humbly with God”
- EVERY community I was a part of over my Study & Renewal Leave had one consistent habit that exhibited what it means to be truly hospitable: When I explained that I was there to learn from them, invariably they said, “Oh no, we must learn from you! What has God told you to bring to us!”

That’s Discipleship & Hospitality at its faithful best!



Rev. Allen V. Harris
Franklin Circle Christian Church
www.FranklinCircleChurch.org


 

Copyright 2008 -- The Rev. Allen V. Harris

Franklin Circle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113-3096