A way to live a mission in spiritual health:
Jesus helps us to proclaim that God has the ultimate power; and we are to help the sick and see to their care; and to lead others to the real leader, Jesus.
Based on Matthew 9:38-10:8
A way to live a mission in spiritual health based on Matthew 9:38-10:8, a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the Second Sunday after Pentecost.
Jesus goes to towns and cities, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom [God is at work among them and is stronger than evil], and healing the sick. He has pity on the crowds for they are under stress and do not know where to turn like a herd of sheep without a shepherd. He tells the disciples there is a harvest [of followers] out there but they need God’s workers to bring them in. Next, he sends out the twelve to bring in the harvest. Jesus calls the twelve to him and gives them authority over unclean spirits [usually illness of various kinds]. Matthew names all twelve. Jesus sends them out telling them to avoid both non-Jews [Gentiles] and the Samaritans. They are to proclaim the good news that “the kingdom of heaven has come near [“at hand” or “at work among us].” They are to heal, raise the dead, and cast out demons. They are to avoid being paid because Jesus has come to them without being paid to come.
A theme: Followers of Jesus have been given power to heal the sick and to lead others.
