The Bible passage from the Gospel of Luke says, “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse, or a bag, or sandals.” These words are in contrast to the ones I tend to hear when I’m going out of the house. “Don’t forget your glasses. Have you got your wallet? Have you got your hanky?” It’s all about being prepared. In most circumstances we wouldn’t think of going out anywhere without having certain things with us. The absolute minimum, apart from our clothes, would probably be our shoes or our sandals. Yet here’s Jesus sending out 70-odd people to preach in the towns and villages of Judah where he was about to go, and to take nothing with them at all. Wolves are scary … They have limitless appetites … They’re eating machines. They travel in packs and jump on the helpless - especially little lambs. Jesus presents the perfect picture of vulnerability - a lamb among wolves. Complete helplessness. There’s no defence… none. Just imagine this sending moment for a minute. Jesus has them gathered around for some instructions. “There’s a big, beautiful field out there ready to harvest … Not a lot of workers. You’re all we’ve got but I’m sending you out anyway.”

They’re all standing there … there’s an excitement in the air. Then Jesus starts his speech. “Okay, friends, here’s the strategy - lambs among wolves.” And the whole room falls silent. “Travel light … Don’t pack anything, not even an extra pair of sandals.”

In all three of the synoptic gospels – Matthew 10, Mark 6 and Luke 9 – Jesus sends out the twelve disciples and he tells them not to take much with them. If you take all three gospels together, the things the disciples are not allowed to take are money, a bag, an extra cloak, sandals, a staff, and bread. I think if you were a lamb you’d understand that to imply a certain element of risk.

“And once you get there … don’t try to find a better place to stay … just stay and deal with things there. And eat whatever is put in front of you.”
“Oh Jesus, do we have to ask for food and lodging - that’s always so embarrassing. “Lambs among wolves,” huh… Well, don’t send us out two by two …. How about sending us out as ‘lambs in wolves clothing.’ We better fight fire with fire and tooth with tooth, Jesus, or we don’t stand a chance.”

I think those are the kinds of internal protests that are going on. Who wants to be that vulnerable … to be in a place that is foreign, where you aren’t in control and you have to be dependent? Who wants to be in a place where you don’t have the upper hand?

Who wants to be out there like that where great failure is an option? Who would allow their weaknesses to be exposed that way? Why would anyone do that? We would only do it if walking a certain path were something we were committed to. We would do it because this is the way we were told to walk - as lambs among wolves. We would only do it because we’re people of the way and it’s a vulnerable way.

Have you ever considered just how vulnerable God is? God the Father, creating this beautiful world for us to cherish - or not … And sends a Son we can follow - or not … And sets up a Church to be faithful - or not. How else could the sent ones be sent but as vulnerable as he is?
No one really wants to be sent out like a lamb. The Church has never really liked it either. Historically, the Church is driven more by its need for success and survival than by its call to be faithful to our founder. We were very impressed with Rome and its power and decided to try that on for size - and it seemed to fit very well, so we dressed up like that wolf. We tend to adopt the ways of the wolf because they just work better.

Let me just say a few things here to get your attention… The Church of Jesus Christ in Sri Lanka isn’t dependant on the powers of the world… The Church doesn’t need the right structure and organization in order to insure its success. The Church is not in the insurance business. We’re people on a path. We don’t need forced uniformity in order to make sure we don’t head down the wrong road.

The Church is eternal - there’s no need for anxiety or defensiveness. It doesn’t need the world’s yardsticks - how many? How big? How influential? How powerful?
The minute we stop being lambs we forsake who we really are and whose we are. We cut off the connection to our real protection. Whatever a lamb has in the way of protection and power and sustenance and life comes from the Good Shepherd - Who, I know, doesn’t look all that powerful … And lots of his lambs get hurt just like he does, don’t they?

It is our story, remember … You have read the way it ends, haven’t you? In the end, it’s the lamb that is left standing. Remember in Revelation? It’s the Lamb standing - and listen to the language - “looking as if it had been slain.” Wolf marks all over this Lamb. But the wolves that seemed so significant have scattered and it’s the Lamb left standing and to whom all creation is singing.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise! Every creature in heaven and on earth… from the ants to the angels… they’re all singing and we’re singing… To him be praise and honour forever and ever forever and ever. Amen!