Isaiah 66:10-14; Psalm 66:1-8; Galatians 6:7-16; Luke 10:1-11,16-20
The Rev. Drew Brislin
In the name of the One Holy and Undivided Trinity. Amen
“Yet know this, the Kingdom of God has come near.”
What does Jesus mean when he says this? And what does it mean to us today? It sounds very apocalyptic—and it is—but we need to remember what that word actually means. Hollywood and certain religious traditions would have us believe that statements like this portend the end of the world. But I think we know better, as Jesus tells us that only the Father knows when that day will come. I wonder if Jesus is calling us to think differently about kingdoms this morning.
When we hear the word kingdom, many of us likely picture vast territories, castles, and palaces. Childhood fairy tales and films come to mind. Stories like The Wizard of Oz, for instance—a tale about a young girl trying to get home. She is told to seek a magical wizard in a grand castle, and along the yellow brick road, she gathers friends as she draws closer to her goal. That story has found renewed popularity through the Broadway hit Wicked, a sort of prequel that gives us the backstory of a young woman also trying to find her place in the world.
What’s unique about both of these stories is this: what the characters are seeking is actually within arm’s reach—if only they could recognize it. Just as Jesus tells the seventy whom he has sent out: the kingdom has come near. So what does Jesus tell us this morning about how to recognize the kingdom?
Our Gospel begins with Jesus commissioning seventy people to go out as harvesters. Most commentators believe that this number is symbolic rather than literal. The number seventy appears 77 times in the Bible and is likely a reference to Genesis 10, where a list of seventy nations represents the totality of humanity. The author may be suggesting that Jesus is instructing all of his followers to participate in this work of kingdom-building.
So what does kingdom-building actually look like?
The first instruction given to those being sent out is this: when they enter a house, they are to say, “Peace to this house!” If anyone there shares in that peace, they are to let it rest on them. The peace they offer is more than a greeting; it is more than demeanor. This peace represents the kingdom of God—it is the embodiment of shalom, a peace that is deeply concerned with the well-being of others. It is a peace so powerful that it stirs up hostility from demons, we are told.
Jesus tells those he sends that this apostolic authority gives them power: to cure the sick, to exorcise demons, to bestow God’s blessings, and to proclaim that the kingdom of God has come near. But this Gospel of peace also brings conflict, for it places them in direct opposition to Satan. The harvest is not about determining who is “in” or “out,” but about gathering the people of God. It is about those who choose to follow, growing in the maturity of turning their hearts toward God and Jesus.
The mission is a success. The seventy return with joy, reporting that even demons submitted to them. I can only imagine their amazement. It might be like when a parent gives advice before a test—“study hard”—and then you actually do well. I remember being surprised by this kind of cause-and-effect as a child. Everything about this mission subverts the systems of power and privilege in the world. The success of the seventy signals Satan’s downfall and the beginning of a new era—one marked by the restoration of relationships.
Dorothy and Elphaba, the main characters in The Wizard of Oz and Wicked, are, like many of us, searching for something. And so often, what we seek is right in front of us. Glinda tells Dorothy that her ability to go home was inside her all along. Elphaba, ostracized for much of her life, finds friendship in Glinda, who at first seemed an antagonist. What I find striking about both stories is that the protagonists collect companions along the way. In doing so, they are not unlike those Jesus sends out in today’s Gospel—they build relationships and restore community. Our desire to visit one another and create community is part of what causes evil to dissipate.
Soon we will exchange the peace, after proclaiming our faith through the Nicene Creed, confessing our sins, and receiving God’s absolution. This peace is not just a friendly hello. It’s not a passive transition from the Service of the Word to the Service of the Table. It is an act of spiritual resistance—an act of hostility toward forces that seek to divide us. Exchanging peace is a way of restoring relationships, and in doing so, we build the kingdom.
Too often, I think we believe we need some special, sacred space to embody the kingdom. But I believe the kingdom can be found in the everyday. The sacraments give us glimpses of the kingdom—they are means of communion with each other. Church buildings are beautiful representations of the beautiful communities within them. Baptism as the sacrament of initiation into community might be an especially powerful image for us.
Where do you see glimpses of the kingdom? Where do you find opportunities to build or restore relationships?
Jesus concludes today’s Gospel with these words:
“I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
God’s grace—and his desire to seek relationship with us—is the ultimate expression of love. When we do the work He has called us to, we must be careful not to become prideful. Instead, we take comfort in knowing that God desires relationship with all of us.
Amen.