Sent from Jesus

Sent from Jesus

Mark 6:7 – Jesus called the twelve and began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 – He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no bag, no money in their belts – 9 – and to put on sandals but not to wear two tunics.

Verse 10 – He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the area. 11 – If a place will not welcome you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 – So they went out and preached that all should repent. 13 – They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

These twelve men, sent by Jesus, departed with the instructions of Jesus and they each bore witness to all that Jesus had done. They also departed with the confidence of having received authority from Jesus to command unclean spirits. But they were not to go alone – they would go two by two. They would encourage and strengthen each other through their journeys.

I can only imagine what that time must have been like. Searching for a house they could reside in as their temporary base of operations. Having all their temporal needs met there since they were to carry nothing except their sandals, their clothes on their back, and a staff. They were not supposed to carry money either! Today that would mean, no cash, debit cards, credit cards, gift cards. Their wallets would be devoid of any means to supply their own needs. The person who would take them in would take care of their needs and if person would refuse to take them in – the act of the disciples shaking the dust off their feet would be testimony against that person that even Sodom and Gomorrah were going to be better off in the judgment (according to the KJV). Living completely by faith, their entire lives would be a testimony to others of their complete and total dedication to Jesus and to the salvation and well-being of others.

Their journeys would bear the fruit of many demons cast out, the healing of many people, and entire communities reached with the message of repentance. Jesus would succeed in reaching many more through His disciples than He would if He continued to travel to each place by Himself.

This story has caused me to think about my own calling. Conditions for me as a pastor are definitely not the same as they were for the disciples who were sent. I have more than one set of clothes. I have a small amount of money in my wallet and a car with a little bit of gas in it to get from place to place. I also have a roof over my head, as my base of operations. I know God is taking care of my family and me.

This world seems to be changing every day. Who knows whether the conditions will move back towards what they were like during the time of this story in the New Testament. The thought of living like Jesus and the disciples, not having a home, but searching for one that would take me in, feed me, allow me to wash the clothes on my back while I did the work of God, is exciting and scary. Would I have the faith and resolve to continue in this work under those or similar conditions?

Let’s remember, through all these years, Jesus hasn’t changed. There’s also something else that hasn’t changed; there are still multitudes who are sick and demon-possessed who need to be reached with the message of repentance. Not all of us will be called to be disciples, but each of us will face desperate situations calling for us to reach out to Jesus for help either for ourselves or for someone else. And who knows, one day it may be you who will receive a knock on your door from a disciple of Jesus who needs a place to stay – that person may be the very answer God is sending to you. Will you let them in?