There’s a story of a young seminary graduate who was sent to a village where an elder missionary had established a church community. The older missionary was showing the young man around and introduced the young man to the chief of the village. Figuring he would make an impression, the seminarian said “In the wisdom of God and in accordance with the proper procedures of the Church, following my matriculation with a Master of Sacred Theology degree and ordination to the holy ministry, I stand before you as a humble steward of the mysteries of God, announcing the sacredness of Christ.”
The chief looked at the young man, and then to the elder missionary. Addressing the elder missionary, he said, “What did this young man say?” The missionary grinned a little and said, as much to the young man as much as to the chief, “He said that Jesus sent him here to your village with some really good news.”
The first conversation that John records Jesus having with His disciples is one of sending. He appears in the room and without any recorded small talk, He says to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so, I am sending you.” He just got done winning their forgiveness on the Cross, and now it was time for His mission – for them to be sent to villages with some really good news.
That is true of you as well. You have been sent to your village by Jesus with some really good news. He forgave you and now He is sending you. He is sending you the village of your neighborhood, your village, your office, your classroom, your local bar, your pickleball court, and your….well…you get the picture.
You don’t need all the fancy stuff the seminarian was trying to impress the chief with in the story above. All you need is the simple truth: Jesus has sent you to this village with some really good news.