“THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS COME NIGH UNTO YOU”
Saint Luke 10: 1-9
Saint Luke's Day: 18 October Anno Domini 2020
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
“After these things The Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before His face into every city and place, whither He himself would come…” And there you have the import, beauty, and Grace of Saint Luke’s Day. Tradition suggests strongly, and the Church correctly teaches that Luke was one of those 70 deacons (i.e. servants) sent out by Christ’s command and in His stead. The term deacon is later used in scripture as synonymous with presbyter. The church used this term for their poimen—their pastors. Saint Luke was Pastor Luke, and both Apostles Saint Paul and Saint Peter greatly benefited by Luke’s care and ministry to them near the end of their lives. Poimen-shepherd, or pastor, is also used as a verb. A Shepherd is to shepherd the flock; a Pastor is to Pastor the flock. While not knowing the details of all of Saint Luke’s Holy Call into the Ministry we do know his written work.
There was only one Moses to be sure but there were 12 Apostles, 14 when you properly include Matthias and Paul. But there were only four men in the history of the Universe that are blessed to be called and named Evangelist. Saints Matthew and John were of the “12” but Luke was not. And yet his Holy Gospel, Christ’s Holy Gospel penned by the blessed physician, is the longest of the Four Evangels and contains the most detailed and beautiful account of our Lord’s Nativity. And you know and delight in his prologue to the 3rd Gospel: “Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.” The Evangel of Saint Luke is catechetical (instructional) in that it is meant to teach The Faith so that its hearers might the more firmly believe, teach, and confess The Faith, The Christ, by the power of The Holy Ghost. That they (you) might hold and defend The Faith until their blessed martyr deaths. The individual “Theophilus” to whom Luke addresses this Holy Scripture is both an individual and a representative, a “type,” of all of you, of all the New Testament Church. “Theophilus” means “lover of God.” That is what Luke’s Gospel engenders, creates, and sustains. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” [1 Jn. 4.10] Luke fades into the background while his account of Christ’s Person and life comes into focus.
The blessed Physician (as St. Paul refers to dear Luke in Colossians 4) would already be embarrassed that he has been mentioned this much this morning, and fair enough. Though look to the back of your worship folder to see how true Christians respect and honor the Saints. Luke points to Christ and then Gospels The Lord into your ears.
“The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few.” This is a statement of Jesus’ will (that is His desire to) “have all men to be saved, to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” [1 Ti. 2.4] Christ in our text this morning is showing you just how He, and only He, is tending to His harvest—His planting, His watering, His fertilizing, His care and eventual harvesting. Christ does it all through earthly “means.” Faith cometh by hearing and “how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” [Rom. 10. 14-15]
Jesus speaks to you this morning through a faithful Evangelist 2,000 years dead; dead but not gone—alive in Christ awaiting the Resurrection of all flesh. Tradition informs us that Luke died as a martyr either by decapitation or hanging sometime after Paul’s death. These red paraments and vestments point to Luke’s crimson confession of Christ Crucified for your forgiveness and life eternal.
Though Luke, and Barnabas, Mark, Apollos, Silas, Titus, Timothy, and a host of others (myriads) were indeed sent as “lambs among wolves,” they were as bold as lions for they were “in, with, and under” The Lion of Judah Who is The True Paschal Lamb of Life! Luke’s own symbol is that of the Ox, or, the bull, kine, Hebrew steer/cattle “beast of burden.” The ox has wings because The Evangelist is a Ev (Good) Angelus/Angel (Messenger). How fitting that this animal that was so crucial in the Exodus escape from Pharaoh and Egypt; which was so wrongly turned into a “golden calf” of Idolatry by rebellious sinners in the desert; is now a true sign of faith and endurance unto the end. All the Lambs and OXEN sacrificed for the sins of the people—with the blood poured out in Tabernacle and later Temple, again points to The Blood of Jesus, The precious Body of Jesus suffering and dying on Calvary. That blood covers Luke and makes him white in righteousness. That blood covers you and will soon be on your very tongues.
“Peace be to this house…heal the sick that are therein…The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.”
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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