loudandclear

Mark 6:1-13

 ¹ Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. ² When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

   “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

 ⁴ Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” ⁵ He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. ⁶ He was amazed at their lack of faith.

    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.

(((This section begins with Jesus visiting his home town and hearing many of the people he grew up around doubt that he was legit.  Without completely dismissing all of these people as stupid…we have to think about this—they watched Jesus play in the streets—they saw Jesus cry as a child—-they saw Jesus get hungry.  They saw Jesus do a lot of “human” things and they were expecting a mighty King to come and overthrow the Roman Empire.)))

(((Jesus then called his 12 disciples.  They were ordinary guys with no higher education or fortune and He called them to join an extraordinary journey of healing people and telling people that the Messiah was there.  He told them to go with the bare minimum supplies as a way for them to strengthen there faith and rely on God’s strength for their mission.)))

(((Jesus calls his disciples then and now (us today) to join Him on His mission to proclaim and live the Kingdom of God (God’s rule in our lives and world) to our friends and people we come in contact with.  Do you feel like you are joining Jesus in His mission or are you sitting on the sideline?)))