MUB
JULY 10, 2005
MARK 6;7-13
Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.
8These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. 10Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11And 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."
12They went out and preached that people should repent. 13They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION FROM COLLEGE WAS TO DO AN INTERNSHIP. I HAD TO DO TWO, ONE IN STURGIS AND THE OTHER IN EAST LANSING. I STUDIED UNDER TWO GOOD PASTORS, AND THE INTENT WAS TO LEARN FROM THEM AS THEY MODELED MINISTRY FOR ME. AS I WATCHED THEM, I WAS TO PUT INTO PRACTICE WHAT I WAS LEARNING. I OFTEN THINK THAT I GAINED MORE FROM MY TIME WITH THOSE TWO MEN THAN I DID IN THE CLASS ROOM. FOR THOSE WHO BECOME SCHOOL TEACHERS, THEY DO THE SAME THING, PRACTICE TEACHING, THEY LEARN BY DOING. FOR MANY OF US, THAT IS HOW WE LEARN THE BEST. SOME PEOPLE CAN SET DOWN AND READ AND FIGURE IT OUT, BUT FOR MANY, IF YOU SHOW ME HOW TO DO IT, THEN LET ME DO IT, THAT WORKS MUCH BETTER. THERE IS AN OLD SAYING THAT GOES LIKE THIS, GIVE ME A FISH AND FEED ME FOR ONE DAY, TEACH ME TO FISH AND YOU FEED ME FOR LIFE. AS WE OPEN OUR TEXT TODAY, JESUS IS GIVING THE DISCIPLES THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT INTO PRACTICE WHAT HE HAS BEEN MODELING FOR THEM. HE IS SENDING THEM OUT TO MINISTER. LETS EXAMINE THIS TOGETHER.
I BELIEVE THAT AS WE OPEN THIS UP, WE WILL SEE MANY PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS TO HOW WE NEED TO MINISTER RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I AM USING MARKS ACCOUNT OF THIS, AND HIS IS THE SHORTEST OF THE THREE, IF YOU WANT THE MORE DETAILED ACCOUNT YOU NEED TO READ MATT. 10.
FIRST, HE SENDS THEM OUT TWO BY TWO. THIS TEAM APPROACH WORKS THE BEST. AS YOU PAIR UP YOU FIND SOMEONE WHO COMPLIMENTS YOU. FIND SOMEONE WHO IS STRONG IN AN AREA WHERE YOU ARE WEAK. WHEN ONE GETS DOWN OR DISCOURAGED THE OTHER PICKS HIM UP. I AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE A WIFE WHO COMES ALONGSIDE ME IN MY MINISTRY, AND WE WORK TOGETHER ON SO MANY THINGS. TEAMWORK.
JESUS GAVE THEM AUTHORITY OVER EVIL SPIRITS. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A SITUATION, WHERE YOU ARE IN CHARGE, SORT OF. WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE WE HAD RESIDENT ASSISTANTS, THEY WERE IN CHARGE OF A FLOOR, SORT OF. THEY COULD TELL YOU WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO, BUT THEY COULDN’T ENFORCE IT. THEY HAD NO REAL AUTHORITY, AND THEY GOT RUN OVER AS A RESULT. NOW JESUS, GIVES THE DISCIPLES ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY OVER THE DEMONS. THEY WERE IN CHARGE, THEY HAD THE POWER, BECAUSE JESUS HIMSELF HAD GIVEN IT TO THEM. WE HAVE AUTHORITY TODAY, B/C JESUS GIVES US THE AUTHORITY. OUR POWER COMES ONLY FROM HIM, AND HIM ALONE.
THESE WERE HIS INSTRUCTIONS; TAKE NOTHING FOR YOUR JOURNEY, EXCEPT, A WALKING STICK, THE SHOES ON YOUR FEET, DON’T TAKE FOOD, DON’T TAKE AN EXTRA COAT, OR EXTRA SHOES, TAKE NO MONEY. SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME, YOU NEED TO BE L AND M. LIQUID AND MOBILE. HIS IDEA WAS THAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN A SUITCASE AND A BRIEFCASE. NOW, LET ME TELL YOU, HE WASN’T L AND M, BUT HIS IDEA WAS A GOOD ONE. WHY DOES JESUS TELL THEM THIS? WHEN YOU GO ON A TRIP, YOU ALWAYS PACK, AND MOST OF US OVER PACK. WHAT JESUS IS TELLING THE DISCIPLES IS THIS, VERY SIMPLY, GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR YOUR PHYSICAL NEEDS. THIS IS A STEP OF FAITH FOR THEM. ANY TIME YOU TAKE A STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN, TRUSTING GOD AND HIS PROVIDENCE, IT’S A STEP OF FAITH. FAITH IS GOING AHEAD WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE IT IN YOUR POCKET. LET ME SHARE THIS WITH YOU FOR A MOMENT, I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME HERE WHO COULD WRITE THE CHECK FOR THE WHOLE PROJECT, NOT EVEN BLINK, BUT, IF SOMEONE DID, THAT WOULD DEPRIVE THE REST OF US THE BLESSING OF A BEING A PART OF THIS WORK. FOR SOME OF YOU, THIS IS GOING TO STRETCH YOUR FAITH, PTL.
WHEN YOU ENTER A TOWN, FIND THE HOUSE THAT IS MOST SPIRITUAL AND STAY THERE. WOULD THE DISCIPLES BEING STAY WITH YOU? NOTICE CAREFULLY, HE DOESN’T SAY THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOME, OR THE HOME WITH THE BEST FOOD, HE SAYS STAY IN THE HOME THAT IS MOST WORTHY. IN THAT DAY, THERE WERE MANY WHO TRAVELED AND STAYED WHERE EVER THE DOOR OPENED, BUT THOSE TEACHERS WOULD MOVE TO A BETTER HOME AT THE FIRST CHANCE. JESUS IS CALLING HIS DISCIPLES TO A HIGHER STANDARD.
HE TELLS THEM, IF ANYONE REJECTS YOUR MESSAGE, SHAKE THE DUST OFF YOUR SHOES AND MOVE ON. SOMETIMES, YOU NEED TO MOVE ON, YOU HAVE DONE ALL YOU CAN DO, THEY WONT LISTEN, YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME AND GODS TIME, SO MOVE. DON’T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT, NOT EVERYONE WILL LISTEN TO THE MESSAGE. NOW LISTEN CAREFULLY, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU QUIT PRAYING FOR THEM, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE RUDE TO THEM, IT SIMPLY MEANS YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PERSON WHO MIGHT BE JUST THE PERSON THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO SPEAK TO.
THE DISCIPLES DID AS JESUS INSTRUCTED THEM, AND THEY WENT OUT AND PREACHED REPENTANCE, AND DROVE OUT MANY DEMONS, AND MANY PEOPLE WERE HEALED BY THEM.
