Luke 10:1–11, 16–20
You all would agree with this statement. We live in a time when the world around us seems increasingly complicated and unsettled. Values shift. Communities grow more fragmented. And often, we who have walked long with the Lord find ourselves wondering. In this time of challenge, we ask ourselves, “what does God ask of us now?” The answer comes to us today in this remarkable passage from Luke’s Gospel, where Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples—not apostles or theologians, but ordinary followers—to prepare the way for him.
The disciples were sent in pairs, which reminds us right away: we are not called to do God’s work alone. And more importantly, they weren’t sent to solve every problem or convert every soul. Their job was simply to prepare the way—to speak peace, to stay where they were welcomed, to share a bit of good news. That’s a call most of us can still answer, no matter who we are and what our ages are.
Jesus begins by saying, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Now I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word “labor,” I start thinking of sore backs and early mornings. But Jesus doesn’t start by asking us to do more. He starts by inviting us to pray as prayer is the beginning of bold witness. Not bold because it’s loud or aggressive, but bold because it trusts that God is still at work—even when we don’t see it. And when we pray for others—for our family, for our neighbors, for the world—we are quietly joining God in his mission.
He then says, “I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” It is not a comforting image! But let’s be honest: Jesus isn’t sugarcoating it. Sharing our faith isn’t always easy. Sometimes we feel awkward. Sometime, we feel unsure. But we should remember this. Jesus never says we have to go far, or do it perfectly. We are simply called to be ourselves: followers of Jesus who, when the opportunity comes, speak with kindness, humility, and courage.
Jesus calls us to be his witnesses. Sometimes, we feel overwhelmed by that invitation. Especially, these days, many people stop coming to church as they have commitment issues. But let us remember this. Witnessing doesn’t mean standing on a street corner with a megaphone. Witnessing doesn’t require attending every committee meeting or taking on exhausting responsibilities in church ministry. It’s not about being busy or doing something grand. Instead, for most of us, it’s found in the quiet, faithful acts of love we offer every day. It looks like calling a friend who’s going through a hard time, listening with patience instead of rushing to give advice, or simply sitting with someone in their sorrow without needing to fix it. These small, intentional moments—offered with compassion—can speak volumes about God’s grace. Never underestimate the power of your presence. When Christ dwells in you, even your quiet companionship can become a holy witness.
Jesus also tells the disciples what to do if they’re not welcomed. That is a quite challenging one. You are not welcomed, that means you are rejected. That feeling of rejection stings. I don’t like it at all. When I begin my pastoral duty for the frist time in 2012, I visited a neighbor who lost his wife. I let him know that I would visit him soon. I pressed the doorbell and knocked the door several times and no answers. So, I waited for him like 10 minutes. Still no answers. So, I went back to my car and left. As I drove my car backward to the street, I saw him coming out of his house through side door to reach his garage. And I thought he didn’t want my visitation. I should’ve known that. Honestly, I was a little discouraged.
For those people like me, Jesus says, “Shake the dust off your feet.” In other words, don’t take it personally. Don’t get discouraged. If someone doesn’t want to hear the Good News, that’s okay. Our job is faithfulness, not results. As theologian Karl Barth once said, “To be a Christian is to be a witness.” But that witness can be quiet. It can be small. It can be simple.
Let me share with you another experience which is totally opposite to the story I shared. It was my first year of ministry in 2012. One day, I went to the hospital as a chaplain. It was my first time to visit the hospital as a chaplain. I hesitated a little and worried if they might not want my visitation. I was a just graduated pastor and Asian and after all, my English was so bad. I really didn’t want to visit anyone. But it was my duty and I believed I had to do it. So, I stopped in the lobby on the second floor and prayed to God. With a little courage and big smile, I went to the patient rooms. I entered the first room. An old man was sitting on a chair and saw me. I was very nervous. But thankfully he welcomed me. I introduced myself. All of a sudden, he asked me, “What is your mission?” So, I told him that my mission is to visit patients to talk to them, comfort them, and pray for them. Then, he told me his mission. It was “to stay alive.” He was 91 years old and was waiting for the end of his life. All of a sudden, he got emotional and trembled with fear. I grabbed his hands and prayed for him. While praying for him, he cried and even cried loudly. I couldn’t stop myself from getting emotional and crying also. I couldn’t stop praying for him. I prayed and prayed. After the prayer, he didn’t stop crying and said to me, “It is the most blessed day in my life ever.” “Thank God, thank God!” And he said to me, “Bless you, bless you, bless you.” It was my first visit as a chaplain and I realized that many are waiting for God’s comfort, grace, mercy, and love. I was ashamed of myself because I hesitated to visit them. This visit clearly reminded me of why I am in the hospital and what I am doing in that hospital. I prayed for him and shared God’s love with him and he kept saying “thank God and “bless you!” That day for me was full of blessing. For your information, he had not attended a church for so long years. But that day, he met God and found God’s grace and peace. A week later, I found his picture and name in the obituary section of the local paper.
I believe the idea of “bold witness” doesn’t mean you have to suddenly become someone you’re not. It just means being willing to speak or act from the heart when the time is right. To trust that your faith journey has something worth sharing. And to know that even a quiet voice, when it speaks the truth in love, can echo with eternal significance. I pray that your faith journey will be filled with bold witnesses by words and deeds. Amen.
John Street United Methodist Church 