“Sunshine and Buttercups”

Last week we heard Jesus sending apostles to the lost sheep of Israel, not to inform, but to save them from sin, death, and the devil.

You would think the lost sheep of the house of Israel would be pleased to receive such a gift from the Lord’s hand. I mean, hey, really: resurrection from the dead is an awfully thoughtful gift. Who wouldn’t want that for their birthday or Christmas present?

Lots of people apparently. A somewhat surprising, but true follow-up to the sending of the apostles that we heard last week is our Gospel this morning. After giving them power over sin, death, and hell, by His Gospel and Sacraments, Christ warns the ones He sends in His stead and by His command that it isn’t going to be all sunshine and buttercups, this apostle gig. They aren’t going to be warmly welcomed, feted, fussed over and coddled by the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Quite the opposite will be their future in fact.

Jesus is full of surprises. With Him, it’s often just the opposite of what you expect. He’s the king who comes incognito. He doesn’t look like a king but like a hobo. He doesn’t send armies but apostles to establish His kingdom among us. And the kingdom of Christ is not based on power and might, but weakness, suffering, and a cross which is the secret source of His divine power. It’s one reversal after another with Jesus.

So when He sends men with His authority and power, with His Gospel that saves from sin, death, and hell, He warns them that people will hate them for this. Now what kind of people would hate the apostles of Jesus coming with such great and heavenly gifts? Well, to be honest—people like you and people like me, that’s who. All the lost sheep of the house of Israel, in fact, behave like this towards the apostles Jesus sends.

It’s the first word of warning to the apostles in our Gospel. It isn’t their enemies whom they need to watch out for. It’s their own brothers. Brother will deliver up brother to death and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death—all because they come in Jesus’ Name with His Gospel power to save. That will just tick everyone off.

And I mean everyone. Jesus doesn’t say “Hey guys, good news and bad news: some people will love you for bringing Me to them and will receive you warmly. But some others will hate you…” That wouldn’t be so bad, really. But that’s not what Jesus says to His apostles. He says “You will be hated by all for My Name’s sake.” Not by some. But by all. And Jesus says what He means and means what He says. If He says the apostles will be hated by all, then that’s the way it is.

That’s why I say that you and I are the ones who hate the apostles. We are included in that “all”. All means all, see. No way around that. But Jesus follows the bad news with a good promise—he who endures to the end will be saved. So even though all will hate the apostles at first, some will be turned around, and the ones who endure with the apostles the hardships and trials that come to the faithful, will enjoy the rich bounty of heaven with Jesus. In the end, it’s all good. Really.

But in the meantime, it’s not all sunshine and buttercups on the apostle trail. Every silver lining has a cloud, as I like to say. But Jesus tells them how it is beforehand so they won’t be surprised or discouraged. So they’ll know this is how it has to be when you’re with Jesus.

So He says “When they persecute you in this city, flee to the next.” I suppose if He’d sent them out with a message only of sweetness and light and beautiful days for Christian children, they’d have been all warm-hearted and excited and filled with positive thinking and much self-esteem. And on meeting hatred and resistance after their first few weeks teaching and preaching in Jesus’ Name, they’d go “Wow. This apostle gig is a drag! This Gospel thing just doesn’t work. No one’s interested. Let’s give it up, or tweak the message, or find out what they’d like to hear better…” That’s how positive thinking people persons end up, you know—cynical snake oil salesmen who just give the people what they want. But Jesus has better, nobler things in mind for His apostles, for His Church...

So He sends them out not as people persons, but as His men—tough minded pessimists who expect failure and hardship. He sends them expecting cloudy days, rain, and cries of hate for their Gospel of peace. So that when they are persecuted, they won’t be surprised, won’t be dismayed, but will be light on their feet, always ready to pick up and move (quickly), fleeing to the next town and starting all over again. But the upside is that you get to see the world this way. And you won’t ever be bored.

But why? Why is it like this for the apostles? What kind of idiots hate being saved from sin, death, and hell? Well, idiots like us. You can get used to anything, see. And we have. We got used to sin and lying and hating and dying. As it was dealt to us, so we dealt it to others and so we got comfortable with it and were loathe to give it up—even if it was a habit that was killing us, it was our habit!

This is an old human trait. We put up with hell all the time. It doesn’t matter how lousy the hymns might have been in the old hymnal. They were our hymns that we loved in childhood, and woe to the man who would substitute something fresh or unfamiliar!

It was the same with Christ Jesus, see. He came not with the familiar old word of law and works as the Pharisees preached, but with an all powerful Gospel of Peace that gives life as a totally free gift to all. And that upset the apple cart. It wrecked the status quo. And everyone who was invested in the status quo did not like that one little bit.

But the poor and the misfits and the weary and heavy laden, who had little invested in the old system loved the change. And gradually a few others realized that the old ways weren’t so great and this deliverance from sin, death, and hell thing—well hey, that sounded good. Risky, but good.

So don’t be afraid, Jesus says to His apostles. Do not fear the ones who hate you. Because all they can do is kill you, and Jesus the Master has conquered death, you’ll see. He has made it the gateway to His kingdom of everlasting life and peace. “And whoever confesses Me,” Jesus says (a lovely word in the Greek, omologew literally “same-say”) “whoever says the same of Me as I say will hear Me say at the Last Day: this one is My friend and heir of heaven. All that is Mine is his…”

So Jesus sent His apostles into the fray with nothing but the Word of promise. They were bruised and battered, harried and harassed, persecuted and killed for Him, because…

It’s not all sunshine and buttercups along the apostles’ way. Nope. But it was and is deliverance from sin, death, and hell in the end. It was and is their everlasting life and joy. And it is here for you now, in the very same Gospel and Sacraments the first apostles proclaimed—so it is given to you now, that you too may not fear anyone, ever, but have Peace that surpasses understanding and guards heart and mind in Christ Jesus, forever. Amen. 

Rev. Kevin Martin