(~) A Full-Time Responsibility
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 6
June 12, 2005
Exodus 19:2-8a
Psalm 100
Romans
5:1-8
Matthew 9:35--10:8 [9-23]
A Full-Time Responsibility
More so than the other three gospels, Matthew's Gospel was written to show
that Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Jewish Scriptures (the Old
Testament). Matthew shows that the Good News that Jesus taught was based
on the laws and teachings found in these early texts. Moses went up to
Mount Sinai where God gave the people of Israel laws to live by. In the
Sermon on the Mount, Jesus went up on a mountain to tell his followers how
God wanted them to live. The teachings of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel are
arranged in five parts, just like the Law of Moses (Torah) contains five
parts: the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
There are also a number of connections between Jesus and Moses in what
they said. One of these is found in today's Gospel reading.
The first two verses of the reading from Matthew (9:35-36) describe Jesus'
ministry of teaching, proclaiming the good news, and meeting the needs of
those around him. Verse 36 names his emotion when he sees the crowd of
people: "he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and
helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (NRSV). Jesus is referred to as
the true shepherd two other times in Matthew's Gospel (2:6; 26:31). In
today's verse, however, there is a further connection back to Moses with
the words "like sheep without a shepherd."
In Numbers 27:12-23, Moses prays to God and asks God to appoint a leader
to take his place in leading the people of Israel into the promised land
of Canaan. Moses is concerned with the transfer of authority to someone
who will complete the task of service and leadership, "so that the
congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep without a shepherd" (27:17,
NRSV).
In Matthew 9, Jesus has a similar concern. Knowing the tasks before him
are numerous (9:37-38), Jesus wants to be sure there are others who will
carry on this ministry of teaching and compassion. Jesus responds by
conferring authority on his closest followers to leave his side and
perform the acts they had seen him perform firsthand (10:1).
As followers of Jesus, we stand within the tradition of those who are
called and challenged to carry out the ministry of Jesus in the parts of
the world where we live and work and play. Just as Jesus chose,
authorized, and sent out his twelve
apostles to teach, preach, and minister to people around them, so we have
been chosen, authorized, and sent out to do the same. The apostles'
ministry was not a voluntary activity; Jesus did not give them the option
to minister in Jesus' name sometimes and ignore that call at other times.
Being a disciple of Jesus is a full-time responsibility that falls to
every one of us.
As you read and reflect on today's Scriptures, pray that God will give you
the courage to accept fully the calling of Jesus to minister to those
around you, taking on his shepherd qualities and meeting their needs as
one who cares for them, just as a shepherd cares for sheep.
This week'sReflection was prepared by Steve Berneking, Ph.D., who serves
on the staff of the American Bible Society as Translations Officer in the
Translations Unit of the Nida Institute for Biblical Scholarship.
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Peace,
• Ninure Saunders aka Rainbow Christian
The Lord is my Shepherd and He knows I'm Gay
http://Ninure-Saunders.tk
My Yahoo Group
http://Ninure.tk
Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches
http://www.MCCchurch.org
The Bible Site - help provide free scripture
http://www.thebiblesite.org
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