Call me a dreamer:
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed days, the dark sacred nights
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands, saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying, "I love you"
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Written in 1968 by Bob Thiele and George Weiss, What a Wonderful World, speaks of optimism during the Vietnam War. It spoke of hope in a time of great divisiveness and conflict in our nation. The writers claimed that they wrote it to try and bring hope to the millions of victims suffering the effect of the war. It is the song of a dreamer. So . . . call me a dreamer.
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us, only sky
Imagine all the people
Livin' for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Livin' life in peace
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Written in 1971, John Lennon’s song Imagine was described as a prayer of hope of what could be . . . a sort of global harmony. Inspired by a Christian prayer book given to him by Dick Gregory, Lennon penned the song that would become one of top five popular music songs of all time. It was a song of hope for what could be. As Lennon says: “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one.”
Jesus was a dreamer. Jesus’ dream was for the Kingdom of God. A place built on love . . . love for God and for one another. A place of peace and justice . . . respect . . . and inclusion. A place where the family was all one . . . where everyone claimed a place at the table . . . no more hunger, no more war. Only the fulfillment of God’s desire and will for oneness as the family of God. That was the dream of Jesus . . . Jesus was a dreamer.
In our scripture reading Jesus invites others to go forth and share the dream. In this reading Jesus sends out a group of seventy-two to share the Good News and to invite others to join them. As he is giving the group instructions, he tells them to share the message of God’s kingdom . . . or God’s peace. He tells them to share the wonders of God’s kingdom through healing and performing miracles. Tell the people that it is within their reach . . . that it is theirs for the taking. Tell them that the kingdom has come.
At the same time, he warns them . . . warns them that they may not be well received. Not everyone is going to be receptive to the message and invitation that they receive. He tells them: “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” Not everyone is going to buy the dream. Thus, he tells them to go and share the dream . . . share the good news and rejoice in those who embrace it and join the movement. For those others, those who won’t join . . . well, move on. It is their choice. Tell them: “’Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God has come near.’”
Being a dreamer is not an easy way to journey through life. Dreamers are not always appreciated. We know what happens to dreamers. We know what happened to Jesus . . . the difficulty of his ministry . . . the opposition to him and his dream and message . . . his eventual death. It is not easy being a dreamer and Jesus wanted those that he sent out to share the dream and message to know what they were getting into. It would be rough.
Because it would be rough Jesus did not send them out alone. He sent them out in pairs . . . two together. In this way there would be support as the teams would be there to encourage one another. There would be someone to share and celebrate in the victories . . . and someone would be there to lift one another up in the defeats and difficult times. As a team the load would be lighter as they worked together for a common goal. Together they could hold onto the dream and message. They would hold each other accountable. Alone . . . well there was the temptation to quit because it might feel like the task was too great. It was through teamwork that the dream and message would be easier to carry and live on.
Jesus provides us a powerful lesson about ministry in this reading. He points out that ministry is easier and more powerful when it is done with others. He lets us know that there is no place for Lone Rangers when it comes to doing the work of God . . . that it is a team effort. The old “all for one and one for all” practice. Without support it is hard to dream. As the followers of Jesus, we need one another in this journey of faith . . . in the ministry of dreaming. We should never travel alone.
With this Jesus invites those he sends out to share the dream . . . to share the peace of God . . . to experience God’s kingdom. Jesus equips them by telling them: “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’” This “peace” that he speaks of is a “peace” the disciples have received . . . it’s God’s peace, the peace that passes understanding. It is more than a feeling of calmness. It is confidence in God’s abiding presence . . . that God is with us . . . that all is sacred. Peace, God’s peace, is there for the taking.
To further share the dream Jesus tells them to let the people know that the Kingdom of God is near. Jesus tells them to say: “Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God has come near.” In this Jesus wants the people to know that the kingdom is available to all . . . that all are welcomed . . . that they are all one family. This “kin-dom” of God is promised to all, to those who receive as well as those who reject. This new kinship, this new way of understanding all human relationships, are God’s way of ordering things . . . it is a life-changing proclamation. And it is for everyone!
That is Jesus’ dream. It is a dream we all need in these troubling, violent, divisive times. “Peace to this house” and “the kingdom of God has come near” can firmly ground our faith in this journey through life. This is the good news that we have been called to share as the followers of Jesus . . . to follow the dream. These statements keep our gaze on God’s activity right in front of us . . . gives us a direction to go.
Yes, Jesus was a dreamer . . . but he is not the only one. As his followers we are called upon to follow the dream. Imagine the world as one . . . one family of God. What a wonderful world it would be. Amen.
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