“TAKE NOTHING BUT JESUS”
Mark 6:6b-13
INTRODUCTION:
A
struggling college student was taking an exam.
The allotted time was about up, and the professor asked him, “How close
are you to the right answers?” He
replied, “About 2 seats!” I have told you many times about
one of my college professors telling us there would be no tests in his
class. But, he followed it up with,
“But, every Friday you will have an opportunity session.” And, every Friday he would give us an
opportunity to show what we had learned during the week.
Do you get
the sense that that was what Jesus was doing here? He was clearly providing his students with an
“opportunity session.” They had traveled
with him; they had heard the words he had been preaching; they watched him heal
the sick; they saw him drive out demons; and they even saw him calm a raging
storm to save them from drowning. He was
amazing! He could do anything! But now, he was asking them to show
what they had learned—their very 1st opportunity to make their teacher
proud! Do you think they may have had a
little test anxiety? Do you remember the
sweaty palms you used to get when you had to face the big test? Well, here they were—what happened? They answered Christ’s call, didn’t
they? The question we are going to
explore, this morning is, “what happens when we answer Christ’s call?”
CHRIST OFTEN CALLS US TO DO HIS WORK:
Well, it isn’t like these guys didn’t know what the “Apostle Job Description” was. They must have known Jesus would send them out at some point. Mark shares the story of their appointment in 3:13-15: “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” So, it was clearly always Jesus intention to send them out. In fact, the term apostle literally means, “a person sent out to accomplish a mission.” And, their mission was an extension of Christ’s mission on earth. In Christ’s day, it was clearly understood that a student sent out represented the one sending. Christ made it clear that they represented him and ultimately the Father, Himself. In Matthew’s version of the sending out, Jesus follows the sending with these words: “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.” They were ambassadors for God, and Christ gave them his authority. Now, if you are thinking—“what a wonderful story, Jesus sending these 12 students out to preach and conquer evil in the world”—and that’s the end of the story. I hope you think again. Jesus is calling each of us in the same manner. We as his disciples are being sent into this world to represent him. He has even given us the same authority to preach and conquer evil. We have all heard the Great Commission that Jesus left us, haven’t we? Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We are his Church, representing him in all things. He wants his Church to grow, and we are responsible to make it happen. Do you hear Christ calling you? We might think those original 12 had an advantage—Jesus was there in person. They could hear his instructions—“go out and preach, drive out demons, and heal the sick.” But, we can still hear those instructions if we only listen to his Holy Spirit within us. He guides in all things including helping us discern Christ’s calling on our hearts. Christ has never stopped sending out his disciples. And that includes us! He calls us, and something happens when we respond to his calling…
GOD ALWAYS PROVIDES WHAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WORK:
…He will provide whatever is needed to accomplish His work. We get a real sense of that by Jesus’ instructions in V.8-10: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.”
Why do you suppose Jesus gave them those instructions? Surely Jesus, being God Himself, could afford to send them out 1st class—they could have been allowed an unlimited expense tab. But, Jesus wanted them to humbly depend on God for all their needs. That is a lesson that was very important for them to learn—God does always provide what is needed to accomplish His work.
In my morning devotions, I have been reading in Exodus. I am always amazed when I read about the mission that God sent Moses on. “So now,” God says to Moses through the burning bush, “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” “Well God, it’s real impressive what you’re doing with this burning bush, here. But, do you really think going to Egypt is a good idea? I mean, Pharaoh, he’s a pretty ruthless guy. I really don’t think he’s going to listen too much to me.” But, God said, “Moses, I will be with you.”
And, that is really all we need to know, isn’t it? If you follow Moses’ journey into Egypt and then out with God’s people, and if you follow their journey through the wilderness, you will see God providing everything that was needed to accomplish His work.
Little 9 year old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday School. “Well Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge, and all the people walked across safely. And, once they were safely on the other side he used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters and call in an air strike. They sent in bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.”
“Now Joey, is that REALLY what your teacher taught you?” his mother asked. “Well, no Mom, but if I told it the way the teacher did, you’d never believe it!”
I could name person after person in the Bible who God called on mission—Abraham, Joseph, Joshua, David, Elijah, Peter, Paul and on and on. God provided everything that was needed for each of them to accomplish His work. And, God will do the same for us. He always equips us for what He sends us to do.
ANSWER CHRIST’S CALLING KNOWING GOD WILL PROVIDE ALL WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WORK:
Do you trust God to provide everything you need to accomplish His work? If so, are you answering Him every time He calls you to ministry? Christ’s 12 didn’t hesitate in their calling. V.12, 13 share their response: “They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” To put it into today’s language, they carried on Christ’s work in the world—they preached repentance; they fought evil in the world; and they ministered to people’s physical needs.
What if every Christian, today, would respond to Christ’s call as those 12 did? Can you imagine the kingdom work that could be done? Can you imagine how we could change this broken world? Can you imagine the disciples that could be made for Christ? Well, the way to that goal is to answer Christ when he calls you. You can pray; you can read his Book; you can go to church every day; but, you need to hear his calling, and you need to go when/where he sends you.
There is a story about a very peculiar fisherman. This fisherman was very well prepared. He knew how to fish. He had everything you need to be a good fisherman. He had poles, nets, bait, and even a really nice boat with all the bells and whistles. But, this fisherman had a problem. You see, for all his preparation, he never caught anything—not one fish. Not one, not ever. And you know why he never caught a fish? The answer is easy: he never went fishing. He had all the knowledge and all the equipment, but he never got into the boat. He never left the dock.
CONCLUSION:
Don’t be the best prepared Christian around who never answers Christ’s call. Christ is continually calling us to do his work. Our Lord is a sending Lord. And, when he sends us, he will always provide what we need to accomplish his work. So when you hear him calling, take that step of faith and GO!