We’ve been looking this week at Genesis 12: 1-5 and Matthew 5: 13-16, exploring what is happening behind the text and the words on the page. Today I’d like to talk about what these words actually can mean to us in … Continue reading
Today’s reading is Acts 6: 1-7 We can’t do everything. That is actually a common lesson throughout the Bible. We see Moses learn it from his father-in-law Jethro. We see how many people in scripture have folks walking beside them, from … Continue reading
This week’s reflections are written by Rev. Brian Johnston, one of our Associate Pastors here at St. Matthew’s Rooted 2019 – Week Fifteen Day One Today’s reading is Acts 3: 1-10 Today we read a short passage about Peter and John … Continue reading
This week’s reflections are written by Rev. Brian Johnson, one of our Associate Pastors here at St. Matthew’s Rooted 2019 – Week Fourteen Day Two Today’s reading is Acts 1: 12-26 Today’s reading can be broken down into a few movements. … Continue reading
Today’s reading is Luke 6: 37-49 Yesterday we read about Jesus command for us to love our enemies. That is something that is very hard for us to do and is something that can really only be done by the … Continue reading
One of the things that I have come to believe, deep in my core of my being, is that we need each other. The journey of faith, it is not a path that we walk alone. It is a journey … Continue reading
As we talked about yesterday, during my teaching at Camp Wesley Pines this week I am drawing comparisons between characters in Star Wars and different Biblical characters. Last night we looked at Moses and Aaron and who they can relate to. … Continue reading
One of the most common phrases in our culture, and in the church as well, is that you can’t judge me. Only God can judge me. And yes, there are many, many verses in scripture that tell us that we … Continue reading
In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he covers a lot of things. Things like death, what will happen when the Lord comes back, how Christians should live and serve. But one of the things I’ve always liked about Paul’s smaller letters … Continue reading
Today in our daily journey together through Mark, we see Jesus sending out the twelve to do ministry, as found in Mark 6:6-13:
The Mission of the Twelve
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.
When we look at this passage we see the twelve go out and do a similar ministry to that which Jesus had been doing. There is teaching. There is authority. There is traveling from village to village, sharing the news of the kingdom of God. They travel to all villages, with this good news, bringing life, hope, freedom, wherever it is that they go.
But there are a couple of things that stand out to me about this passage. First, notice how Jesus sends them out. Two by two. No one is sent out alone. As Christians, we are not meant to walk this path alone. We are not meant to do ministry alone. We are not meant to live out the good news of Jesus Christ by ourselves.
Faith is hard when you are in community with others. It is nearly impossible by yourself. There are going to be times when you want to give up. When you are overwhelmed. When you think that you can’t do it. And you know what? By yourself, you can’t.
That’s why Jesus sends them out two by two. They needed each other for the ministry. So do we.
Second, notice what message they proclaimed. All should repent. Not just some. Not just “bad” people. Not just “them.” But all should repent. Me. You. Everyone. We should all turn away from our sins, and we should all turn to Jesus. Repentance is not just something that those that don’t know Jesus do, it’s something that we all do.
We all, no matter where we are, need to turn away from things that are harmful, and we all, no matter where we are, need to turn to Jesus.
That’s repentance. And that’s why all are called to it.
Because we all need it.
Tomorrow we’ll look at Mark 6:14-29.
What questions do you have? How does this strike you? Shoot me an email, comment below, or connect with me through social media.
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