Instruction
Scripture: Mark 6:1-13
Jesus returned to his hometown after he started his
ministry. He had been healing the sick, casting out demons, preaching
repentance, teaching in parables, and proclaiming the kingdom of God was at
hand. But when he returned home the people there were offended by him,
nevertheless he sent out the twelve disciples to live by faith and to trust God
to provide for them even if they were rejected, as he had been, in the towns
they came to. By recording these events, Mark, guided by the Holy Spirit, shows
his readers that the life of faith requires trust in God to provide all things:
what is needed on the road, success, and strength in the face of rejection.
Teaching
There is a teaching among some Christians that if we have
enough faith everything will always go well, we will never lack, struggle, or
experience hard times. How does that square with Jesus’ and his Apostles’
experience? This passage teaches us that in this life there will be successes
and failures, joys and disappointments. It teaches that some will receive the
good news of God’s kingdom as we’ve learned it in Jesus’ death and
resurrection, and others will reject it.
Life
How do you handle setbacks? How do you feel when you see
people that you care about struggling spiritually or turning away from Jesus’
and his gift of forgiveness? It can be very painful. There may indeed be times
that we must live with a separation between us and people we love. Yet we also
find that God is faithful and he provides for us on the journey of life. And,
much to our joy, we find that there are some that hear of the hope we have in
Jesus and believe it. They receive the true miracle; not necessarily healing
from sickness, but forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.
Prayer
This prayer is written
with the themes of Instruction and Thanksgiving.
Lord Jesus, we learn in your word that you and your
disciples faced the pain and disappointment of rejection in your ministry. Help
us to know that this will be part of our life as we follow you, too, but also
let us keep firmly in mind that some will hear, believe, and be healed of their
sin. Make us ever mindful that you provide all things for our bodies and this
life so that we will not be over-burdened by the things of this world and
slowed down as we seek to serve you. Help us to learn that it is okay to be
rejected for Jesus’ sake. Help us know how and when to faithfully show your
love and judgement to those you send us to as your witnesses.
Thank you for all you have given us, most especially the
faith to receive your forgiveness and also the call to follow you as your
modern day disciples. Thank you that there will be some who accept your word of
grace as they hear it from us. But thank you also that we will share in the
sorrows that Jesus experienced – even rejection – so that we can be more and
more like him. Thank you for letting us lose our honor for Jesus’ sake in this
life, but gain your glory in the life to come. We give you thanks and praise
for bringing the kingdom of God to us, making us part of it, and allowing us to
play a part in extending your kingdom in this world. Amen.
Comments