Meditation on Matthew 10:40-42
First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown
Pastor Karen Crawford
July 2, 2023
Today, we had the joy of presenting an A.B. Lawrence Memorial Scholarship to Alyssa Hubbs, who has grown up in our congregation!
I have seen her faith in action, and her loving, giving ways up close. I marvel at her servant spirit, something I don’t often see in a person so young. I wrote this in a letter of recommendation for the Rambo Scholarship from Northport, which she also received!
I told the scholarship committee that among her many spiritual gifts, the one I see the most often is her gift of “helps” – offering and following through with any task that is needed, without any fanfare. She is humble and hardworking, probably embarrassed by all this attention!
She puts the needs of others before her own.
The list of her acts of service is long. She served as a junior deacon for more than two years. She baked bread for Communion and cookies for bake sales and assisted at fundraisers. She has a great rapport with young children and adults and has labored as a teacher and helper in Sunday school for five years. Just think how many lives she has already touched with her gentle spirit!
She shows up for church clean up days, in spite of her busy schedule, with her family, not being afraid to get her hands dirty—weeding and blowing leaves, power washing the parking lot, and washing windows. During the pandemic when the church was closed, she helped deliver Communion baskets to members, with bread and juice and inspirational pamphlets. She has wrapped countless presents for Adopt-an-Angel.
She isn’t just a worker. She isn’t JUST a Martha, though you know how important Martha’s gifts were for the Lord and his disciples. She is also a Mary—and I want to encourage her, today, to continue in her pursuit of Mary gifts in her busy life—the gift of contemplation, meditation on Scripture and pursuit of peace with God, drawing nearer to the Lord in prayer. This will give you strength and purpose, Alyssa, to do all that God has ordained for you to do.
On the first Sunday that I led worship—on March 20, 2022—Alyssa raised her hand during the sharing of joys and concerns. She asked for prayer for healing for her younger sister, Sara, who had just recently been diagnosed with diabetes. I could hear the concern in her voice and sense her strong belief in prayer. Since then, she has made other prayer requests for family and friends during worship.
There’s so much more to Alyssa—and I am sure some of you have beautiful Alyssa stories to share.
I have never seen her without a smile and a cheerful word on greeting, even if she has one of those headaches that she sometimes gets. Alyssa is a hugger! She possesses the gift of WELCOME.
As we praise and encourage Alyssa to keep going in her faith journey and discern God’s will for her life, let us be reminded that this young woman didn’t become the person she is all by herself. She has a close-knit, loving and faithful family. Her parents have brought her and her sister to church and Sunday School since they were babes in their arms, as they say. They model what it means to be humble servants. They work behind the scenes, quietly doing things that are important for the Kingdom of God. They are huggers, too! They possess the gift of WELCOME.
As we encourage Alyssa’s family to hold onto their faith and keep going in the works that God is leading them to do, let us be reminded that this family isn’t the family they are today all by themselves. Healthy families come from healthy communities, and especially healthy congregations. You have modeled to Alyssa’s family the love and welcome of Christ and encouraged them in their gifts!
Friends, we are connected by this common calling to serve Christ –and by the power of the Spirit, we can see the beauty of the Lord in each other. Every time we show love to one another and humbly serve each one, with acts of kindness and generosity both quiet and loud, small and large… we show the love and welcome of Christ to those whom Jesus called “the little ones.” This is his term of endearment for his followers. For all of us!
As he sends us out on a dangerous mission, just like he sent out the original 12, he sends us out with a promise. “Truly, I tell you,” he says, “none of these (his followers) will lose their reward.”
Our passage in Matthew falls at the end of chapter 10, and so much happens in this chapter! He calls the 12 disciples and “gives them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness!” He provides a list of instructions as they go to proclaim the good news that “The Kingdom of heaven has come near.” Their job is to do what he has been doing, with the Spirit’s power: “cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.”
Isn’t it curious that He gives them a list of things NOT to take with them? This goes against everything his society would expect. It goes against logic! Don’t take any money, he says. “For you received without payment; give without payment.” “Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff…” he says.
If the people open their hearts and homes to receive Christ’s good news, welcome and peace, they, too, will be Christ’s followers, proclaimers of his good news, welcome and peace to neighbors and strangers.
It really is simple, isn’t it? Why wouldn’t everyone embrace such a mission? Well, Christ promises his followers that they will be persecuted. This comes with seeking to build the present and coming Kingdom of heaven, of which we only see in glimpses in this side of eternal life. “See, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves,” he says.
The religious and political leaders will be the persecutors. They will be handed over to councils, flogged in their own religious gathering places, dragged before governors and kings—all because of Jesus. But they need not fear those in power. The Spirit will lead them and give them the words to say as if Christ were speaking through them.
One of my favorite parts of chapter 10 is when Jesus uses birds to illustrate God’s love and tender care. Beginning at verse 29, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?” he asks—and a penny was worth about what our penny is worth today. “Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all numbered,” he goes on. “So do not be afraid,” Jesus says, of his mission and our calling. “For you are of more value than sparrows.”
Sometimes, it’s hard to imagine what a mission looks like, in this day and age. We think of “missionaries.” I know some who have answered that call to overseas’ mission fields.
Most of us aren’t called to be foreign mission workers. God doesn’t expect us all to leave our jobs and families, and, like Abraham at 75, go to a place where God will show us. Our mission field, at least for now, is right here where God has sent us, planted us, and continues to use and grow us. Every day, we choose to be obedient, serve and reveal God’s love, bear Christ’s peace and welcome one another, neighbors and strangers, as if we were welcoming Christ himself.
Here in our church family, we have said goodbye to many members as they move on to live and serve God in other places. In the last year or so, we have said goodbye to Marsha Saddlemire, Timmi Nalepa and her husband, Bob O’Brien. Harriet McMahon, and Tracy Henchey and her family. But when we gather at the Lord’s Table, as we will in a few moments, we are reunited with Christ’s Body in every time and place. It’s as if they never left! And we see a glimpse of the present and coming Kingdom of heaven that Christ often talked about. The Spirit re-members and strengthens the whole Church. Renewed and refreshed by bread and cup, we are, once again, sent out on our mission to proclaim the good news and reveal the love, peace, and welcome of Christ to the world.
In a few months, we will say goodbye, for a little while to Alyssa, who will be studying nursing at Iona University. We will hold her in our hearts and prayers and look forward to seeing her at Christmastime, if not before!
Alyssa, you are being sent on a mission much like the mission of the 12 long ago. It will be challenging and hard, at times, and surprising and exciting—because God has a plan. You will learn and grow and make new friends! I know you! You will bloom wherever God plants you. We will be here waiting for you with open arms, ready to WELCOME you home! We will all want to give you hugs!
We will have more time together before we say goodbye, but when you go, I have a list of instructions. It isn’t quite the same as Christ’s list for his disciples. You will need money. Your parents will help you with that! You will need at least two sets of clothes. Probably more. And you will need more than one pair of shoes and one bag!
Alyssa, our love and peace, and the love and peace of Christ, will go with you.
Wherever you go, Christ will be with you in Spirit! He will help you to know God’s will each day. You don’t need to know more than one day—so don’t worry about the future!
Oh, and Christ will give you the words to say.
Do not fear! For the Lord loves you more than the sparrow. Not one sparrow falls to the ground apart from God’s knowing and caring.
Remember to be like Martha and continue in your humble service, with your precious gift of helps. And be like Mary—draw near to God and God will draw near to you!
Finally, remember to use your gift of WELCOME to neighbors and strangers. Keep on hugging! And in so doing, you will welcome Christ Himself.
Will you pray with me? Let us pray.
Holy One, thank you for your love and welcome—desiring all to come to you and your Kingdom of Heaven, brought near through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Fill us with your love and welcome—so that we may serve you by loving and welcoming neighbors and strangers, until all may come to know you and your love and welcome, too. As we seek to obey your word and do your will, grant us your peace. Watch over our children and grandchildren, when you send them out on their divine mission. Give us strength to release them and faith to trust them to be with you wherever they go. Be gentle with them as you transform and grow them. Then use them, dear God and Father of all humanity, to make the world a better place. In the name of Christ the Lord we pray. Amen.
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