MARKAN MEDITATIONS

Meditations in the Gospel of St.Mark

St. Mark 6:6b-13

-----

THIS SHORT passage is the account of Jesus sending out his 12 disciples in twos to minister. Jesus gave them authority over evil spirits. This means they had spiritual authority not simply to cast out devils, but they had authority and power to deliver people by their preaching from the bondage of Satan in which we are all born. We all need this deliverance which is brought about by conversion. We read that they ministered with notable success.

There are lessons for us to be learnt from this history. The first is that spiritual authority is not ours naturally. It must be given by the Lord. If we do not have this authority given by Jesus, then we have no right to preach and minister in Christ's church, and if we do receive human commissioning, we will never be able to have any success in ministry in deliverance from Satan's kingdom. We may gain followers after religion which may call itself Christian, but it will only be of this world.

It is so important firstly that we have the spiritual authority given by Jesus when we are converted. Every believer has been given the commission to be witnesses. Because we belong to the Lord, we have spiritual authority to witness, and we need to believingly look for openings for witness, and expect results. Secondly it is important to learn that no one should seek authority in the church as a minister unless there has been a call from the Lord, and so authority is given for such ministry. Churches as they appoint ministers should always pray that they may be guided by God to appoint only those who show and prove that they have the authority of the Lord for their calling.

But when a person receives authority to minister as these disciples were given, then power is given to overcome Satan's kingdom, and there will be significant results in the conversion of sinners and the building up of the people of God. Every minister who has been truly called should look for such spiritual blessing and advance in the church of God, and the congregation to which such a one ministers should also expect in faith great things from God.

The second lesson is to be learnt from the instructions which Jesus gives to his disciples concerning the material things they were to take with them on their journey. It is plain that they were to take with them the minimum of clothes, and to rely completely on the Lord to supply their needs while they were busy preaching and healing.

The lesson we learn is that the servant of the Lord must never allow earthly and material things to take over in their lives. We must not suppose that everyone should be exactly like these disciples during this time of ministry. We are meant to earn our living and be prudent in the way we use the material things God has granted us. On the other hand the instructions of Jesus to his disciples show us that God's work must not be hindered or take second place to material needs. The Christian has to learn how to depend on the Lord, and trust him for the supply of daily needs. The love of the things of this world has been the downfall of many Christians. Then there is also the problem that we can become over anxious about our needs, and this inhibits us from giving all our energy to the Lord. The Apostle Paul makes this point to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:4 where he speaks of the good soldier avoiding getting entangled in the affairs of this world, so there is no hindrance to his duties.

The Christian learns that he or she can trust God for their temporal needs. This means for employment that is sufficient, and for supplying of daily needs as they arise. We may never be rich, but we are never in want. Such faith releases the believer to live for the Lord.

The third lesson is the seriousness of rejecting the preaching of the Gospel when we receive it. The disciples were told by Jesus to shake the dust of their feet as they left a town which had not welcomed them and their ministry. This was to be a testimony against them. In other words evidence before God of their action, thus putting themselves under the censor of God.

It is a very great privilege to have the Gospel preached to us. It is to receive the words of eternal life, and to be blessed by the grace and mercy of God. Rejecting brings its own judgement, because by it we reject eternal life, and remain in the death and condemnation from God in which the world lies. It is so sad a reality that there are so many in our land who will have nothing to do with the Gospel, and if they do hear it, shut their ears to it. There could not be a more serious thing, for it is to shut oneself out from life.

Lastly we have emphasised again the essential nature of two things in ministry. One is that repentance must be preached and pressed on people. The other is that ministry must be accompanied by caring and love. The disciples observed both these. They preached repentance, and they cared for people by healing and casting out devils.

Without the preaching of repentance there will be no true understanding of how much we are in the need of grace and mercy, and there will be no searching after Christ, who alone can cleanse our sin and deliver us from it. Without people coming to real spiritual repentance, Christ will not be seen and appreciated in the right and essential way. Christ healed and cared, but he came first and foremost to die and make atonement for the sin of the world. If we have not had our sins blotted out through faith in Christ and his death for us, we still lack the greatness need of our souls. By repentance we come to understand that need, and so long for Christ.

Caring is also most important. By caring we show forth the love of Christ and so cause people to see how desirable Jesus is. Without caring, the image of God that is portrayed is of an unloving and uncaring God, who is only concerned to condemn us for our faults. Caring in ministry portrays the image of Christ and God, that God so loved the world, and that Christ came not into the world to condemn the world, but that through him the world might be saved.

We need to meditate long and carefully on this sending out of the Apostles, so that we may appreciate the true nature of ministry, and be kept from those things that may hinder our service for the master.