Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Clear Instructions
Travel with humility. Accept hospitality. Shake the dust from your feet when you’re rejected. These are the instructions Jesus gives to the apostles as they are sent out to proclaim God’s reign. They know they will face opposition along the way. They know they will be called upon to speak the truth of God’s love in situations that may threaten their very safety.
Today Moravians reflect upon the witness of Jan Hus, a reformer who took these words of Jesus to heart. He preached against corruption and resisted the authorities of the day to share the Gospel with God’s people in ways that were accessible, meaningful, effective, and faithful. He certainly met with opposition, to the point of his martyrdom in 1415.
In Jesus’ instructions and Hus’s example, we find a formula for sharing the Gospel in times of opposition and challenge. We are sent with authority that comes from God. We go with humility. We accept the support we receive. We shake off the rejection as it occurs. In every circumstance, we act boldly and humbly for the sake of God’s love for all of humanity.
Who are the role models for you today of this kind of service? What are the steps you desire to take, in order to be ever more faithful to the Gospel?
Melissa Johnson, president
Eastern District, Northern Province
