John Bluck, teacher, author and retired Bishop of Waiapu, who has a long-time relationship with St Matthew's, was a guest preacher. He compares the similarities between Lee Childs'hero, Jack Reacher, and the 70 disciples.

"What makes Jack extraordinary and an all time great fictional hero is not just his laconic speech ( he’s never been guilty of anything longer than a seven word sentence), or his lethal elbow jab ( eat your heart out Bruce Lee), but his steadfast refusal to carry any luggage. Nothing. A credit card, a fold up toothbrush but no wallet, no change of clothes, no home address, no IRS number. Nothing. Jack is utterly unencumbered, available where he’s needed, free to move on where he’s not welcome.

Jack Reacher is a great mystery, but he’s not as great a mystery as today’s gospel reading. The 70 disciples that Jesus sends out ahead of him can’t do kung fu, and they certainly didn’t serve time in the military, but they do travel light like Jack, and they don’t look back, like Jack, and they are confident about themselves and their mission, like Jack, only a hundred fold more so.

But there’s a big difference. Unlike Jack, the confidence of the 70 disciples doesn’t rest in their own skill and strength ( which probably was in short supply). We’re not told who the 70 are or where Jesus dug them up locally, but if his earlier efforts to recruit a team are anything to go buy, Jesus wasn’t very fussy. A random collection of fishermen and tax collectors."

Text available at www.stmatthews.org.nz/nav.php?sid=535&id=1089.