Advent Lutheran Church

"The Unknown but Known Disciple"

When you are a person of different origin who lives among people that are not from the same origin - like my family and me - in order to learn about the people, you ask a lot of interesting questions.

In the same way, people will ask you many interesting questions. Of course, when you are from Africa you encounter some funny questions like, “Did you used to live in a tree? Do you have a pet lion?  Did you ride elephants to school?” and so on.

While in seminary most of questions I encountered were whether I would stay in United States or go back to Ethiopia after graduation. Because of my origin, some presume that either I should go back or even if I stay, I should minister to Ethiopians who live in United States.

This summer our family attended a prayer meeting in Virginia for two days. In that prayer meeting, there were a lot of people from diverse communities.  During lunchtime, I was chatting with a pastor. He asked me the same common questions where I came from and why I am here. I gave him a brief introduction.  He asked me what my plan is after graduation. I told him I would wait for a call to minister wherever God would lead me.

With a great astonishment, he said “don’t tell me that you are planning to minister in America?”  I firmly told him “yes”.

Then he continued saying “my brother, there are enough ministers in America.  You better go back to your country and minister to your own people in the language you know.”  At this moment, he even looked at my wife and some other Ethiopians who were around the table and said, “Tell this brother to go back to his country and minister to his own people.” And he continued to try to convince me by telling a story about how once he convinced an Indian family to go back to their home country that had planned to stay and minister in America.  (It would be a good thing for you to know that this pastor is not a Lutheran pastor.  He has nothing to do with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.)  

The first part of our gospel reading is about a disciple who is unknown by the disciples of Jesus Christ, but known by Christ. The person was found while doing an exorcism ministry. Exorcism is a gospel ministry that brings the good news, freedom, hope, love and care. There are many needs to be reached out to in our communities and in our world. To care for the poor is as equivalent as casting out demons, to feed the hungry, to care for the orphan, to care to the elderly and the lists goes on and on.

In order to reach out to all the people in our community and in our world, we need more workers in the Kingdom of God. The task is beyond one church. It is beyond one nation. We cannot be in all places at all times. We have limited resources.  Do you remember what Jesus said about the need of more workers?

In Matthew 9:36-38   Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

If the disciples had received that prayer request when they saw the person who was doing exorcism ministry, they would have reported to Jesus like this: “Teacher!  Praise be to the Lord, we saw one laborer working in the harvest. We encouraged him to continue his ministry, because he was following you.”

Instead, John said, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”

It is almost to say that, we saw someone ministering in your name but we tried to stop her because she was a woman. We tried to stop him because he was black, or because she was white, we tried to stop him because he was young. We tried to stop him because he was old. We tried to stop her because she was poor. We tried to stop them because they were not a member of our church.

For the disciples, it was not about whether this person was following Christ and fulfilling his or her call.  Rather, it was about their group, their race, or their tradition.  It was not all about Christ. But it was all about a group of Christians. They seemed to forget how the Kingdom of God is beyond one group. They seemed to forget that Christ came for all. They seemed to forget that Christ’s disciples are known by their fruit, not by their origin or their group. And that fruit is called love.

The same is true with the story of Eldad and Medad in our first reading.   Please read with me verse 26, printed in your bulletin. Numbers 11:25-29  ²⁶Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.

Eldad and Medad were not part of the event. They remained in the camp.  However, they received the Spirit of God. Gracious, God could reach even those that were not gathering at the tent.  Joshua was not happy about the fact that Eldad and Medad were able to minister without being part of the event. He seems to forget that God is able to give the Spirit as God pleases, and nothing will stop God.

Let us hear the report and the response." ²⁸And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, "My lord Moses, stop them!"  ²⁹ But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit on them!"

I think the key point is to discern where such concerns are coming from.  Moses responded, “Hello Josh, don’t you get it?  We worship the God of all.  Are you telling me to stop the Spirit of God?  I cannot stop God.”  My response is, “Do not stop him.” Do not stop her, them.” Why? It is simple. Whoever is not against us is for us.

What are the similarities between John and Joshua? Both found some people doing a ministry that are not a part of a certain group or event.  The difference is Joshua asked Moses to stop them. But John and the rest of the disciples tried to stop him.  I like the word tried. Do you know why? Because that is the only thing that they could do. Humans cannot stop God’s work. Of course, we always try but we cannot stop it.

My brothers and sisters, Is there anything in your life that is trying to stop God’s work?  Has anyone tried to stop you from doing what God is calling you to do because of who you are?   I tell you they will try but they cannot stop God.

One should not forget that even to try to stop or to try to cause someone to stumble has a consequence. That is what the second part of our gospel reading warns us about, not to put stumbling blocks before others and ourselves.

Brothers and sisters, there are many who are unknown to us, to the congregation, to the community or to the society but known by God, who are doing God’s work with their hands. Let us not measure their works and try to stop knowingly and unknowingly because they do not following us.  No matter what kind group we follow, the center of our message is not to tell people to follow us but to follow Christ.

What was the point that Pastor and others tried to tell me during our conversation?

It was to tell me that I don’t belong here.  Of course, they are right, and I know that.

 But I also know...

            - someone who belongs here and there.

      - who belongs then and now. 

      - someone who is not limited by space and time.

 He died for all. In Him there is no male or female, slave or free, Jew or gentile, rich or poor, young or old, African or American, we all belong to Him. We all are one in Him. His name is Jesus Christ, who was crucified, died and resurrected. Hale Luya.  We worship the God of all, and all means ALL.

Amen.