Sent out into the Wild World

June 14, 2026 3rd Sunday after Pentecost Matthew 9:35-10:23 Sent out into the wild world Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship God meets us in surprising yet ordinary places—under a tree, in the smile of a stranger, in a refreshing breeze that comes at just the right time. God, open our hearts to notice your presence all around us. God speaks to us in surprising yet ordinary ways—in a well-placed word from a friend, in a prayer that comes at just the right time, in a song that resonates through our entire being. God, open our minds to recognize your voice all around us. God fulfills God’s promises in surprising yet ordinary ways—in an unexpected act of kindness, in providing just what we need at just the right time, in sending someone to listen when we feel alone. God, open our hands to receive your blessings all around us. Beloved, in the surprising and ordinary ways that God shows up among us, may we meet God and our neighbors with open hearts, minds, and hands, ready to encounter God’s miraculous work. God, open our lives to receive your blessings, that we may share together in the joy, wonder, and laughter of God’s miraculous works all around us. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, December 2025. Opening Prayer God, as you met Abraham in an ordinary moment of hospitality, meet us today in the ordinary moments of our lives. Open our minds to recognize your presence among us; open our hearts to receive your promises; open our arms to embrace your miraculous works with joy, wonder, and laughter. As we gather to worship, help us find the courage to hope, the wisdom to trust, and the perseverance to cooperate with you as you fulfill our promises as you work for abundant life for all creation. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, December 2025. Song Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life UMH 427 A Sermon for all Ages Children's Sermon: Looking Through Jesus' Eyes Object: A pair of binoculars (or pretend to use your hands as binoculars) Good morning, boys and girls! I brought something with me today. Do you know what these are? (Hold up binoculars.) That's right! They're binoculars. What do binoculars help us do? They help us see things that are far away. If I were looking for birds in a tree or a boat on a lake, binoculars would help me see them better. Let's all pretend to look through binoculars. Can you do that? What do you see? In today's Bible story, Jesus was looking at people. He didn't use binoculars, but he saw something very important. The Bible says that when Jesus looked at the crowds, he had compassion for them. Compassion is a big word. It means caring so much about someone that you want to help them. Jesus saw people who were sad, lonely, sick, worried, and confused. He said they were like sheep without a shepherd. Have you ever seen a lost pet? A lost puppy or kitten doesn't know where to go. It needs someone to guide it and care for it. Jesus saw people who needed help, and because he loved them, he wanted to help them. Then Jesus did something surprising. He told his disciples to go and help people too! And guess what? Jesus tells us the same thing. We don't have to go far away. We can help people right where we are. Maybe there's a new kid at school who needs a friend. Maybe someone in your class feels left out. Maybe a neighbor needs help carrying groceries. Maybe your parents need help around the house. Maybe your grandparent would love a phone call or a picture you drew. Jesus asks us to look through eyes of compassion and notice the people around us. The good news is that we don't have to help everyone in the whole world today. We can start with one person. This week, I want you to ask yourself, "Who needs kindness from me?" Maybe Jesus will help you notice someone who needs a smile, a helping hand, or a kind word. When we do that, we become part of Jesus' mission. Let's pray. Dear Jesus, Thank you for loving us and caring for us. Help us see people the way you see them. Help us notice those who are lonely, sad, or need a friend. Give us kind hearts and willing hands. Help us share your love wherever we go. Amen. Call to Reconciliation If you are looking for proof of God's love, here it is: at the very moment we realize we cannot help ourselves, that is the time we discover God has saved us in Christ Jesus. Join me as we pray to our God, saying, Unison Prayer for Forgiveness How easily we pat ourselves on the back, Listening Love, for the lives we lead. We welcome the praise of others, but have little compassion for those who have failed us. We assume that a comfortable life is our birthright, yet believe poor choices produce suffering for those around us. We boast of the good we do, but forget to thank you for all that you have given to us. Forgive us, Companion of Compassion, for breaking your heart, and disappointing your hopes for us. As we seek to follow your Child, may we be found with those whose lives are barren, with those who know little laughter in their day, with those who have received no love from others - for in their presence, we will find Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen. Assurance of Pardon Listen to the good news - the kingdom of God is very near. As close as a child's laughter, as embracing as a father's love, as enfolding as a mother's caress. We are God's people: called, that we may follow; gifted, that we may serve; forgiven, that we might bring hope. Thanks be to God. Amen. (Lectionary Liturgies, Thom Shuman) Passing of the Peace Scripture Matthew 9:35-10:23 Gracious and loving God, Open our eyes to see the world as Jesus sees it. Open our hearts to feel the compassion of Christ for those who are hurting, lonely, hungry, frightened, and lost. Open our ears to hear your call and our hands to do your work. Remind us that we are not spectators in your kingdom but participants in your mission. Give us courage to follow where Jesus leads, wisdom to recognize the needs around us, and faith to trust that you will provide all that we need for the journey. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Shepherd and Savior, we pray. Amen. Sermon Sent out into a Wild World Our scripture begins with a simple but powerful description of Jesus: "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness." Jesus was paying attention. He was looking. He was listening. He was noticing people. He saw what others overlooked. He saw the sick, the poor, the struggling, the grieving, the forgotten. He saw the crowds not as interruptions but as beloved children of God. Then Matthew tells us something very important: "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless. Different versions of the bible use different words – like distressed and dispirited, weary and scattered, worried and helpless. Whatever the word, Jesus goes on to say that they were like sheep without a shepherd." Everything begins with compassion. Jesus basically told the to have compassion for the people around them. Before Jesus sends disciples, before he commissions workers, before he gives instructions, before there is a mission, there is compassion. The mission of Christ does not begin with a strategy meeting. It begins with a heart that breaks for people. Jesus looks at the world and sees sheep without a shepherd. Does that image sound familiar today? We live in a world full of people searching for direction. People are anxious. People are lonely. People are divided. People are overwhelmed by problems they do not know how to solve. Many are looking for meaning, purpose, hope, and belonging. Many are still sheep without a shepherd. And Jesus sees them. The good news is that Jesus is not only talking to the twelve disciples in this passage. Jesus is speaking to us. Just as he commissioned them, he commissions us. Sometimes we think mission work means traveling to another country or going somewhere far away. Those ministries are important, but Jesus reminds us that there is plenty of work right where we are. There are people in need in our neighborhoods. There are people in need in our schools. There are people in need in our workplaces. There are people in need in our families. There are people in need sitting next to us in church. Jesus says, "Pay attention." Look around. Notice people. See them. Listen to them. Love them. The mission field is often closer than we think. Jesus tells the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few." That statement is just as true today as it was two thousand years ago. There are countless opportunities to share God's love. There are hungry people to feed. Lonely people to visit. Children to encourage. Seniors to care for. Neighbors to help. Friends to support. People searching for hope. The harvest is plentiful. The need is great. The laborers are still few. The question is not whether there is work to do. The question is whether we will answer the call. Notice that Jesus does not simply ask the disciples to admire the harvest. He sends them into it. Faith is not just something we believe. Faith is something we do. Each one of us has been called to something. God has given each person gifts, opportunities, relationships, and abilities that can be used for the kingdom. Some are called to teach. Some are called to serve. Some are called to encourage. Some are called to lead. Some are called to pray. Some are called to give. Some are called simply to show up and be present with people who are hurting. Not everyone has the same assignment, but everyone has a mission. Jesus sends all of us. One of the beautiful things about this passage is that Jesus sends a group. The disciples were not identical people. They had different personalities, different backgrounds, different strengths, and different weaknesses. Today we often find ourselves divided into groups, factions, coalitions, political parties, generations, and competing viewpoints. We spend a lot of energy focusing on what separates us. When we think of factions, we think of tiny groups of people who are united together for a very small purpose. But in reality the church started in factions, very small groups taking care of a small purpose. Jesus was able to call these small factions together to work for a common cause. Jesus reminds us that the mission is bigger than our divisions. The disciples did not always agree with one another, but they shared a common purpose. The church does not have to think alike about everything to work together for Christ. We can still feed the hungry together. We can still visit the sick together. We can still share the gospel together. We can still care for our community together. We can still work side by side in the name of Jesus. The mission unites us. Jesus also teaches the disciples something important about receiving help. He tells them to depend upon the hospitality and kindness of others. That can be difficult for many of us. We like being the helpers. We are less comfortable being helped. Yet Jesus reminds us that God's work is often accomplished through mutual care. Sometimes we are the ones giving. Sometimes we are the ones receiving. Both are acts of grace. When we accept kindness from others, we acknowledge that God is working through them too. No disciple serves alone. No Christian walks alone. God provides companions along the way. Finally, Jesus speaks about urgency. The mission cannot wait forever. There are people hurting today. There are people struggling today. There are people searching for hope today. Jesus does not tell the disciples to wait until conditions are perfect. He sends them now. The church has often waited for the perfect plan, the perfect budget, the perfect leadership team, or the perfect moment. But Jesus says the harvest is already ready. The time is now. Someone needs encouragement now. Someone needs a phone call now. Someone needs forgiveness now. Someone needs hope now. Someone needs to hear about God's love now. The mission of Christ begins with compassion and continues through ordinary people who are willing to answer God's call. We do not have to travel far. We do not have to have all the answers. We do not have to be perfect. We simply have to notice what Jesus notices and care about what Jesus cares about. The sheep are still looking for a shepherd. The harvest is still plentiful. The laborers are still few. And Jesus is still calling. May we hear his voice. May we see the world through his compassionate eyes. And may we go wherever he sends us, serving those around us in his name. Ministry to People in Need There's a wonderful legend about Saint Francis, the kindly thirteenth century monk, who one day informed his brethren that he planned to go into the nearby village on a preaching mission. He invited a novice to go along. On their way, they passed an injured man and Francis promptly stopped, saw to the poor fellow's needs and arranged medical care for him. They went on and soon passed a homeless man who was near starvation. Again, Francis stopped his journey and ministered to the hungry, homeless man. So it went, through the day: people in need, Francis lovingly caring for them as best he could until the sun was low in the sky. He told his novice friend it was time for them to return, now, to the monastery for evening prayers. But the young man said, "Father, you said we were coming to town to preach to the people." Francis smiled. Then he said, "My friend, that's what we've been doing all day." That's evangelism at its most faithful. Ministry to people in their need. Not worrying about numerical growth, or adding to one's own conversion record, or winning acclaim within the denomination. Evangelism is sharing the love of God in concrete form among God's people. E. Carver McGriff, Times of Refreshing, CSS Publishing Company. Amen. Song Fill My Cup Lord UMH 641 – sing twice Prayers of the People – Do not print Let us pray. God of Laughter and Joy, we give thanks for the everyday miracles around us. For the laughter shared between friends, for the love shared in community, for the beauty of the world that leaves us speechless with joy. But even as we give thanks, we are aware of those who struggle to see a bright future, a world full of blessings, a reason to laugh. We lift up the concerns of this world. We pray for the travelers in our midst, for immigrants finding their way in a new place far from home, for refugees fleeing instability and war, for those forced to leave homes because of violence and intolerance. Journey with them, Lord. Lead your children to places of safety and welcome. Make us as quick to offer hospitality, opening hearts and homes to those in need, until all live in safety and peace. We pray for the hungry, for those who have no idea where their next meal will come from, for those who struggle to scrape together a simple meal for their family, for those who go to bed with grumbling stomachs. Bring an end to hunger, Lord. Lead your children to tables of plenty. Make us as quick to share our abundance, setting tables and feeding each other, until all are fed by your great abundance We pray for the lonely, for those whose relationships with family are frayed, for those on standing in shadows, yearning to be seen, for the divisions between neighbors born of fear and greed. Mend the threads of community, Lord. Lead us into places of beloved community, where our diversity is seen as a gift, where our uniqueness is valued, where dignity is respected. Make us quick to be peacemakers, breaking down barriers and building bridges, until this world is the way you want it to be for us. We pray for those who hardly dare to hope, for those whose dreams seem woefully out of reach, for those whose lives have been turned upside down by illness and loss, for those who suffer from depression, addiction, or patterns of self-harm. Embrace them, Lord. Lead them to places of comfort. Make us quick to reach out, offering a loving presence when all seems lost, until all know your peace. Holy God, birth a sense of laughter and joy within this world. Help us to trust what you can do and call us into the dance of reconciliation and healing. Strengthen our hands and feet for service and our hearts and voices for proclamation. (Presbyterian Outlook, Rae Watson) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Psalm 116 asks, “What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?” The psalmist answers, “I will lift up the cup of salvation…I will call on the name of the Lord…I will pay my vows to the Lord…I will offer you a thanksgiving sacrifice.” Does this sound like what happens in worship? Here the Psalmist provides a cup, a promise made and honored, an offering! Today, we’re reminded to give back to God a portion of what God has given us. Together, let’s offer a portion of our praise, a portion of our thanksgiving, a portion of what we recognize as coming from the blessings of our lives. The psalmist offers these things to God “for the Lord inclined his ear to me.” We present our gifts to God, who not only notices us, but embraces and blesses us. With what we’ve received and what we’ll give, we find ourselves anointed as agents of God’s remarkable love. With our gifts of time, talent, and treasure, we’re equipped to act in love for siblings right here and across the world. There’s no telling what positive actions are possible when we step up as partners working to build up God’s Realm on earth. Please join God’s active community as we share our tithes and offerings! Prayer of Thanksgiving Loving God, You have called us into the mission fields right here and around the world. We’re willing to show our brothers and sisters what your love looks like, so may these gifts we offer today be fuel for the fire that burns because of your Spirit at work within us. Ignite our desire to work with one another, with other people yearning for love and peace, and with you! Help us use these gifts as one way to live out our promises as followers of Jesus the Christ. Amen. (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for YouTube Friends, we cannot stay here. There is work to be done out there. Go, be the church in the world. Love boldly. Speak bravely. Laugh joyfully. And trust in what the Lord can do. May the love of God, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit uplift and uphold you now and forever. Amen (Presbyterian Outlook, Rae Watson Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Go now, in the blessing of God who meets us where we are and surprises us with new life where none seemed possible. May we be a people who embody God’s miracle called laughter as we work for the flourishing of all creation as the family of God. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, December 2025. Additional Illustrations