Just Go!

As well as a selection of the usual readings for the Covenant service this year I opted for Matthew 10:1, 5-20 as my Gospel reading, Jesus sending the 12 apostles out to heal the sick, fight demons and preach the word of God.

Whilst watching the Military Wives recently Claire and I were in almost continuous tears as the story was told. I remember Gareth Malone describing the trip to the Royal Albert Hall for the Festival of Rememberance in front of the royal family as the biggest thing that he had ever done. My reflection on the passage above was that this is probably the biggest thing that the disciples will ever do. They have spent a good chunk of time watching Jesus do it all, they have been the support act to his main part. They have seen him cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, and preach to and feed thousands. And then all of a sudden he is no longer doing it, they are! The biggest thing that they have ever done.

The thing is, we need to remember the opening verse of the passage. To see this as mission impossible would not do justice to Christs opening move.

"Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."

They are not left out in the cold for this task, they have most powerful name in the world behind them. As we pray the covenant prayer, Jesus says the same thing to us. "Go", go out there and fulfil the mission that I have called you for. And that mission might feel like the biggest thing that we have ever done. And yet we have his authority behind us.

The Christ who gave it all for us, the Christ who came from heaven, the Christ who went to the cross, who went to the depths of hell, who went to the grave and came back again gave his disciples a mission and he is giving us a mission. A mission to do his will and reach out to his people, especially those who do not yet know him.

And when we say the words of the covenant prayer, we say them promising to do just that, promising to fulfil his mission. So may it never be an empty prayer, I pray that these words are always a response to the love that Christ shows us in his death and resurrection. Let us be challenged to Go, to relinquish comfort and the safety of the known and the normal and let us Go and change the world, one life at a time.