3/2/05 Mark 6:7-13

Mark 6:7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. 8 These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them."

12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Five year old Sarah had spilled the contents of her toy box on her bedroom floor. Her mum had asked her on several occasions to tidy it up and it was now late afternoon. "Sarah, now go to your room and put the toys back in their box.", said her mum. "But mum, its dark and I will feel scared in my room all alone." replied Sarah. "Never mind," said mum trying to comfort her child, "Jesus is here and will be with you." "Do you really think so?"' asked Sarah. "Why, yes darling". "Well in that case, perhaps he can go and tidy the toys!"

Have you ever been on your own and felt very vulnerable? Perhaps you got lost in a place you didn't know. Or you found yourself in the dark and were uncertain what was around you. Or you can remember your first day at work, or even school.... Was there anything there to give you comfort, strength, or hope?

Jesus deliberately sent out his disciples without any tangible security so they would trust in him, and he didn't let them down.

Faith on a full stomach may be simply contentment but if you have it when you're hungry, it's genuine. ~ Frank A. Clark

Verse 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.

They were not on their own because they went out in pairs. Also they had Jesus' power to heal and drive out demons. This was like an apprentice doing his first real job on his own after he had been taught and shown how to do something.

Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:9 refers to the power of God shining through our weakness. 9 But he ( God ) said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

When we do something for God we do not need to be confident that we can do it in our own strength. Indeed, our confidence can be a barrier to God working, or to him getting the glory for what we do. We are called to minister in his name and totally trust in him and his power.

This trusting in God, and nothing else, is shown by the instructions that Jesus gives his disciples. 8 "Take nothing for the journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra tunic.

They could only take a staff, a tunic, and wear sandals. The absolute minimum that was required. No bread, the staple food of the day. They couldn't even take sandwiches, not that they had been invented then !

The bag that they were prevented from taking was probably a begging bag used by travelling teachers at the time. The word for money refers to small change, so they could not even carry any coppers. The extra tunic would have been like an overcoat to wear during cold nights. The disciples had to depend totally upon God's power and provision. The ability of him to provide for their needs and find them lodgings every night.

Jesus next instructions are to prevent the disciples from offending people...

10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.

Travelling missionaries depended on local hospitality and there were few inns. There were certain customs that would be observed when offering and receiving hospitality. The Didache, an early Christian document records some of these, "But concerning the apostles and prophets, so do you according to the ordinance of the Gospel. Let every apostle, when he comes to you, be received as the Lord; but he shall not stay more than a single day, or if there be need, a second likewise; but if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. And when he departs let the apostle receive nothing save bread, until he finds shelter; but if he asks for money, he is a false prophet."

In Jesus day there was competition to see who could host the latest, most interesting speaker, called a 'sophist'. Some richer hosts could have tried to tempt the better 'sophists' away from their current host by offering improved accommodation and meals. Jesus is saying to his disciples, 'Accept what is offered to you first of all. Don't look for better accommodation, even if it is offered. In doing so you may offend people.'

Underneath this is the Christian teaching that we should not pursue riches and comfort at all costs, but accept what God has graciously given us.

11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them." In Jesus day a devout Jew would try to avoid travelling on foreign soil. If this could not be avoided they would rid themselves of the foreign dust they had accumulated in their clothes and shoes as soon as they returned to Israel. This was seen as a judgment upon nations that had rejected the true God of Israel.

Jesus tells his disciples to do a similar thing. We have the expectation that some of the Jewish people would reject Jesus. It refers to the judgment that will come to those who do not accept him. It shows that when we share the gospel in word or deed there will be some people who will reject it, and also us. It also shows that, from now on, the people of God will not be determined by their race or religion, but through a personal acceptance of Jesus. We need to remember this from our own point of view. We can be British, respectable and go to church but this will mean nothing when we stand before God. What will count is if we have accepted Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour.

12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

The disciples obeyed their Lord and called people to repent. The Greek word means to change ones mind. It is talking about doing a U turn. From leading life following our own desires to one following the will of God. It involves a recognition that we have done wrong and a determination to do what is right and a realisation that Jesus died for our sins so we can be forgiven for everything we have done wrong. All this is enabled by God the Holy Spirit who also gives the power to live for God. This mission was a foretaste of the mission that would be entrusted solely to the disciples from the day of Pentecost.

Verse 13: Olive oil was regularly used as a remedy in the ancient world. In Luke 10:34 , it is used by the good Samaritan in treating the wounds of the man who fell among bandits. James 5:14 says that "the elders of the church" to pray over the sick person and anoint him or her with oil.

In the earlier Chapters of Mark we read how the words and miracles of Jesus went together. For example, the casting out of demons authenticated Jesus' claims that he had come to defeat evil and bring the rule of God to earth. His healing showed that he had the power to undo the effects of sin. Not that every person's illness was due to a specific sin, rather that we have sickness in the world because sin is in the world.

Jesus is still in the business of undoing the effects of sin. We see this in the way that he still heals people today. We see it in the miraculous way that he brings new life to those who repent and trust in him.

The disciples went out as the authorised representatives of Jesus to minister with the power that he gave them. He calls us all to do the same. I am looking forward to working with you and our fellow believers in Knebworth and seeing God working in our lives and in the lives of others. We are called to seize the opportunities that God gives us to live for him and to share the gospel calling people to repent and believe the good news that he has revealed to us.

General William Booth, the founder of the salvation Army, had lost his eyesight and his son Bramwell was given the difficult task of telling his father there would be no recovery. "Do you mean that I am blind?" the General asked. "I hear we must contemplate that," his son replied. The father continued,"I shall never see your face again?" "No, probably not in this world." "Bramwell," said General Booth, "I have done what I could for God and for His people with my eyes. Now I shall do what I can for God without my eyes."

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