Peace to this household

Luke 10:1-9

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” 

Jesus sent 70 of his followers out to visit villages along the way he would travel. Not the 12 trained and expert disciples, but the 70 – including ordinary, unexceptional people. These 70 were sent out with clear instructions much of which we will jump over as I want to get to vs. 5. When they arrived in a community and found a household that would take them in – when they entered the household’s home they were to say “Peace to this house! Peace to everyone in this household.”

The followers of Jesus were not to be particularly concerned if the people of the household were peace loving or not – that was God’s problem. They were simply to announce peace and live as peacemakers. In a country that had experienced much war and had an occupying army from another nation running their lives – the statement of peace was good news, of hope, or promise. And they were to remain in that house until they left town, they were to live a pattern of peace in the midst of the community they had joined. Not only declaring peace, but also living peace.

In a world where angry language is considered normal and expected, in a world where disrespectful language is used of strangers and those who are different, the followers of Jesus are invited to speak and act differently. To speak peace into households of people they have only just met, trusting that they are people of peace. Speaking peace into the lives of people who are used to hearing the language of anger and disrespect.

We are invited to not only speak peace, but also to live patterns of peace in the contexts that we find ourselves – joining into the life of the community. Not being separate from, but part with. And holding up the ultimate source of peace – “The kingdom of God has come near.”

PRAYER:

O Lord, we are humbled that you would give us the task of speaking peace in our communities and in neighbourhoods. Give us the courage to speak in the contexts and places that you lead us to. In Jesus’ name. Amen.  

Peter Bush