I don't know about you, but for me, these are words that have formed the basis of many sermons, especially about the need for more missionaries to go out into the places where Jesus name has not been heard.

I am well aware, that this is still the case. There is always a need for more worker's to bring in the harvest, but rather than using this Scriptural Text to motivate us for mission, I would like to continue explore what this has to say to us about God. I would like to continue on today with the theme that I started last week - Finding out the nature of God, as we explore the readings set down. If you like, doing Theology.

Now last week, I spoke about the God who Calls. God is not remote or isolated, but is involved with humanity, He calls he directs and he sends. In many ways, this pre-empts today's message. God is a God who involves.

Now I don't know that you have ever thought about it, but God's opinion of humanity must be pretty high, for he has chosen to work through us rather than to do it all on his own. God could with a wave of the hand do anything but God has chosen to involve humankind in the things he does.

The more I think about it, the more that I am amazed, that God has entrusted weak and frail humanity to do his work.

It is hard to put it into words the true sense of this. Perhaps it is bit like as we were growing up, there came a point where our parents trusted us enough to do various things for them, for the running of the farm or the household. The implicit trust that this implies, that we can be trusted with the job. We know as parents, the agony of handing over tasks with the risks of failure associated, but the joy as a parent to see a child achieve a new task well.

I still see our Father in heaven as the loving parent, stretching and encouraging his children to new and greater things.

Now there are two things the come from this understanding of God. First there is the sense that we have a part to play and second, the empowering through the Holy Spirit.

In as much as we have a part to play, I am reminded of an old axiom - Jesus has no hands but my hands and no feet but my feet. (I think it was said by Tess of Avilla, but I am not sure.) The understanding that Jesus has no hands but my hands, is an understanding that places all of his work into my hands or should I say our hands. The Church is commissioned with on going task of Jesus. Jesus having withdrawn to empower us from on high, has left us to continue this work on earth.

We, God's people here in Cressy are to continue doing the things that Jesus did - These are listed in his commissioning of his disciples.

The twin task is bringing the good news, and bringing health and wholeness. All to often the church chooses to do one or the other. These are the things that Jesus has left us to do as his people. Perhaps I should leave this with the question - Are we?

Are we proclaiming Good News?

Are we bringing health and wholeness to our community?

Second, is the echo of the words of Jesus in the upper room - I will not leave you as orphans and he goes on to describe the sending of the comforter.

When I worked for BHP, we used to talk about the BHP method of training - First you would get a new job, totally uncomplicated by instructions of what you had to do. You would flounder around for a few months and then be told what you should have been doing. After eighteen months to two years, you would begin to master the job, and then they would send you on a training course where you could learn the skills that you needed and when you arrived back now fully equipped, they would promote you to a new and different job. And the cycle would start again. (I am not sure that the same model is not used for curates).

Thank God, that he does not work that way. It is not that we do not face any new challenges or are not stretched, but he has promised to equip us to complete the tasks. The Holy Spirit will through gifting, give us what it is we need to do his work and will (if we listen) even give us the words to say.

It truly is the sense that God is working though us - but this requires our cooperation. God is powerless to act without us, and so in order for the things of God to be achieved, we must be available for him.

If God is a god who involves, we must be a people who gets involved.

This is how it all comes together and this is where the Theology impacts our lives. This God who we worship, wishes for our involvement - no - needs our involvement to achieve his purposes. Being his people means being willing to be involved. It is not a matter of skill but of will - We can be equipped by the Holy Spirit as is required.

So the question for us - for you and for me is Are we? But not so much about

Are we proclaiming Good News?

Are we bringing health and wholeness to our community?

But

Are we willing to be God's instruments. The rest will follow when we say Yes.

AMEN.