Take Nothing for the Journey Mark 6:7-13
- Obscure commands are still commands
- In this portion of the scripture, we see Jesus calling the 12 to himself, and giving them the challenge to go and minister the gospel to people
- He equips them- “go two by two” and empowers them “Gave them power over unclean spirits” and exhorts them “ Take nothing except a staff”
- Seems obscure- but still a command. I give my son commands all the time since he’s driving
- 3 things happening here
- One- go two by two- You must learn to depend on one another for what you are doing for me
- Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
- Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
- Two is always better than one! God knew this- in friendship, marriage, ministry- 2 is better!
- Two gave them power- That which I give you is true power to accomplish what I am asking
- Luke 9:1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
- Christ ministry was always an empowering ministry- He never sends out people ill-equipped he always over equips them- never leaves them wanting- always equipping
- Three “ Take nothing” when I ask you to go- I want you to depend on each other and my power- not on your own preparations and your own power to support yourself- trust in me
- Christ could have required anything he wanted of them- and this instance his requirement is this- Have faith in me to provide what I’m asking you to do for this mission
- Notice- the charge to these disciples is not an eternal challenge forever as much as it is a challenge for the time such as this- for this journey- for this situation
- Often times people will use this as an eternal command- “Go and make disciples of all nations” is an eternal command. “Only take one tunic” is a situational command.
- Jesus didn’t want them to be gone for two seasons, but to be back in time for his resurrection.
- What does it mean to you?
- One- you need to learn to depend on your brothers and sisters in Christ
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
- Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
- Two- you must rely on Christs power
- Many a Christian struggles much more than they should because they depend on themselves for everything.
- How doe we depend On God?
- Trust his word- if His word says something- you have to believe it and trust in it
- Trust his decisions- we are believers in Jesus- we pray and his decrees over our life we accept
- Trust in his direction- if God is leading you to do something do it with all your might
- Trust is his provision- As you work unto the Lord he will provide for you and your family
- Exodus 14:14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
- Three- you must listen to what God tells you to do and depend on him while you do it
- James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
- In this story God gives these disciples specific instructions- God will give you specifics about your life- don’t question him. Believe him and stick to them. If he says no, its no
- Shake off the haters
- 10 Also He said to them,“In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. 11 And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”
- This idea of “shaking the dust under your feet” is a tradition of that time when people would ceremoniously do this as they left a city to basically say to them- I no longer am connected to you or this city. I am in the American sense “washing my hands of you”
- This would declare to those people that the disciples would no longer be concerned with them because they had done their part- they had shared the good news and the people rejected it
- Jesus even goes so far as to say that Sodom and Gomorrah would be more tolerable than that city on the day of judgment
- Genesis 19:27-29 READ That is NOT the city that you want to be IN and Jesus says you’d be better off to be THERE instead of the city that rejects his disciples
- Sodom is a city that is often used in the Bible as a bad example
- 2 Peter 2:6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;
- The difference between these two is that Sodom rejected God’s laws- cities today are rejecting God’s savior. The salvation for their souls to receive forgiveness for their sins
- Its one thing to reject Gods standards, but its even more damning to reject his forgiveness
- In essence- WE’ve given you Gods best, there isn’t anything else that we can do for your
- What does it mean to you?
- There will always be people who reject the gospel- its been happening for millenniums
- But people rejecting the Gospel isnt your concern. Your concern is “am I preaching the gospel?”
- 1 Corinthians 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
- Just because someone rejects your message doesn’t mean they are rejecting you- they are rejecting your message. They are rejecting Christ
- And you’re in great company if you’re being rejected because of what you beleive
- Luke 10:16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”
- I’m not trying to get you go out and lose friends- but you have become comfortable with the reality that the Gospel is divisive and there is a time when you have to ‘shake the dust off’ and leave a situation Which isn’t say you can be a jerk and say that people don’t like you
- And its not to say that people don’t have value or they aren’t worth redeeming- quite the opposite- they are very valuable. The issue is THEY WONT RECEIVE
- Once you’ve given someone the best of God- what more can you give them?
- Jesus is the best thing that you can give someone-
- Can I really offend you? My only responsibility to you as your pastor is to lead you to Christ and full submission to him. Not finances, marriage, health, relationships,leadership
- And if I’ve shared Christ with you, and you continually reject it- I aint got nothing more to give
- Preach repentance
- 12 So they went out and preached thatpeople should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed
- When the disciples went out to preach- they preached repentance
- met-an-o-eh’-o to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): – repent.
- JESUS Luke 13:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
- DISCIPLES Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
- I realize that I constantly preach about this- but honestly- it keeps coming up in scripture and that’s good- The gospel is repentance- a turning away from Sin needs to be preached!
- READ 2 Cor 5:16-21
- This right here is what changes lives- repenting! Turning away from sin- finding completeness in Christ alone and having him forgive you from your sins
- Repentance is the Gospel-Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
- Jesus came for us to turn away from our sins and turn towards God- to live for him
- What followed this? Healing! People got healed! Signs and wonders follow the gospel!
- People say, why doesn’t this happen everywhere? Everywhere doesn’t preach repentance?
- What does it mean to you?
- If you haven’t repented- this whole message should encourage you to do so
- Christ is telling his followers to shake the dust off their feet towards you for your rebellious rejection of Christs offer of loving forgiveness for your sins.
- The answer is to not be a person or a city that rejects Christs offer of salvation- embrace it!
- ALSO- As a Christian, you must learn what it means to repent and be able to explain that to other people
- Repentance is the Gospel. It is what we are called to do and preach- that others may turn from their sins and turn towards Christ
- You should also be relying on Christs power to enable you to pray for the sick- those you know who need a healing and need to get well
- ALSO- Live a life of repentance!
- Repentance isn’t a one time event- it’s a lifestyle- you must be constantly turning away from those things that are in your life that aren’t of God
- And its not because you lost your salvation last night while you were sleeping- its because we serve a holy God who is trying to prepare us for heaven.
- 2 Cor 7:8-12 READ
- Sorry, not sorry- I just want you to experience God’s best- REPENT