Mark 6:6-13
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
6 Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure 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 shirt. 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, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet 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.
When Jesus sends out the Twelve disciples in the Gospels, we learn many things...He called to His Twelve Disciples and sent them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits...These were His instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts...Wear sandals but not an extra shirt...Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town...And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”...They followed His instructions and went out and preached that people should repent...They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them...
Jesus entrusts His disciples with a mission, signifying the importance of spreading His message, His teachings, and carrying on His work...The core message is that they are to deliver is about the arrival of the Kingdom of God, a realm that is characterized by God's LOVE, justice, righteousness, and peace...Jesus equips the disciples with the power to heal the sick and cast out demons, demonstrating the authority He grants them as His representatives...And so He would give them an authority to teach, help, and heal others...
Jesus told them to travel simply and rely on God...So the disciples were instructed to travel light, trusting in God's providence to meet their needs...This emphasizes a focus on the message of Jesus rather than material possessions...There would be challenges and persecution towards them at some point..So Jesus prepares them for potential difficulties and rejection, foreshadowing the challenges they will face in spreading His teachings...The mission of the Twelve is to be witnesses to Jesus' message and serve others through healing and proclaiming the Kingdom...
The number twelve holds symbolic significance in Judaism and Christianity, often representing completeness or God's chosen people...Sending out Twelve Disciples signifies a broad and comprehensive mission...
There might be slight variations in how different Christian denominations interpret the specific details of this event...However, the core message of spreading the Gospel and the importance of discipleship remain consistent...They would be missionaries on a mission...This would be a practice for them after He ascended to heaven...
The sending out of the Twelve offers several valuable lessons...The importance of sharing our faith...We are called to share our faith with others, even if it's challenging...Trust in God's Provision and providing us when we are in need...And when we are talking to others about believing in God, He will provide...We can trust that God will meet our needs as we strive to fulfill His purpose...
We should focus on living a simple life...And we should focus on what truly matters in life and let go of material attachments...We should realize that we will face faith challenges...Jesus taught them to face their challenges with courage and God at their side...So when we follow and share our faith we should not be surprised with difficulties we will have, but we can face them with courage and God's help...Serving others and alleviating their suffering is an integral part of living out our faith...
The sending out of the Twelve even today is a significant event in the Christian tradition, highlighting the importance of spreading the message of Jesus and living a life of service to God and others...Today, followers and missionaries are still sent out to spread His message...