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Today in our reflection, we are going to be looking at Mark 6: 1-13: 

1 He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” 5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

This is a passage that we have probably heard in some context before.  We first see Jesus go into His hometown and preach and in this, we see that the people are amazed by His power.  They “know” that there is something about Him.  But then, they say, but isn’t this the carpenter?  Isn’t this son of Mary?  Aren’t His family here with us?  They say power in Jesus, but they just couldn’t believe it.  They just couldn’t truly believe that Jesus had this power that they had begun to see in Him. Because of all this, many things were not able to happen.  

Then we see the disciples and we see that great things happen through them.  They take nothing with them, they go from town to town and preach, if they are rejected, they leave and move on.  And what do we see?  Great things happen through them.  People are healed, miracles happen.  

What is the difference?  Why were great things able to happen in one place, while not in another?  Why were great deeds possible in the disciples, while not in His hometown?  It was not the perfection of the disciples, you can’t read the Bible and come away with any type of understanding about the disciples being perfect. They get it wrong all the time. 

So, what then was the difference between the two?  Faith. The hometown saw acts of power, but couldn’t believe. The disciples had left behind everything they had to follow Jesus and even now were willing to take no cloak or food, or anything, and trust in Jesus command.  

It was faith that was the difference.  Not perfection. Faith. 

The first step for always is faith.  It is faith that God desires. The bible tells us that without faith it is impossible for us to please God.  Faith is what makes great things possible.  Faith is what changes things.  Not our perfection, not us always getting it right.  Not any of our efforts. Faith. Faith makes the difference. That’s why great things happened through the disciples and the hometown missed so much. Not because one was better than the other.  But faith. 

Faith is always the difference. Today, may that faith be made real in our lives.  May we take that step of faith today.  

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