You and Me, Two by Two, Sent Out. . . Where?
by Debbonnaire Kovacs
Mark 6:1-13
That's you. That's me. Jesus lays his hands on our heads and says, "Go. Don't take extra clothes or money or food. Carry your walking stick–you're going to be on the road for a while. Stick together; two heads are better than one. I hereby give you authority over demons and illness and above all, authority to spread the good news far and wide. Have fun! Let me know how it turns out." And he turns away, headed for "other villages," ones that were more willing to listen to him than his own hometown, where they thought he was getting above himself.
So we start walking. Where shall we go first? Do we just head for the nearest village? (Should we avoid our own hometowns? You know how they are!) We have. . . I'm having a hard time getting my head around this. Let's take inventory.
Between us, we have one outfit of clothing each, including sturdy sandals. Hope it doesn't get cold, or rain too much.
We have walking sticks. That ought to be helpful. Somehow. . .
I have 97 cents and you have almost $3. That ought to get us a couple of tacos. Did he say they'd feed us? What if they don't?
We have authority over demons. Wait. Authority over demons? Illness, too. Like when he spits on people's eyes, or touches children and says "Be healed." You can do that now? Me, too? Seriously??
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Jesus sends out his disciples two by two. How many times have we read or heard this story? Have we really taken it in? The disciples–you know, those guys who were always missing the point, always arguing, always two steps behind Jesus–those guys have authority from God over unclean spirits and go around raising people from the dead! Judas, even, no doubt.
Where would you start? How do you find out who has the demons and needs to be rescued, and who is sick? How do you learn what the good news is for each individual? (We might have to start by listening, I'm guessing.) Because, the GOOD NEWS is the same for everybody, but beyond that, nothing is ever the same for anybody, I've noticed. And why do you think we're supposed to go together?
Any ideas?
Were Jesus' words, possibly, metephor?
Why would they be? He demonstrated this, then said 'go and do likewise'. Later he said 'you will do greater things than I have done'. I think he might have been serious about this. But, perhaps he meant us to take it further than the literal, without losing sight of the fact that he did expect us to literally do these things.
I struggle to translate this into our culture and circumstance.
I have witnessed powerful answers to prayers that leave me believing God is still willing to heal illness. But, I have also prayed for those who were not healed and were laid to rest.
It would seem presumptuous of me to go proclaiming that God is going to heal or drive out demons in specific situations. Our experience is simply not the same as the disciples who watched with their own eyes as Jesus healed and cast out demons. It is also very different to receive a face-to-face command to go and do likewise.
I think Jesus through the Spirit may give this power and instruction today, but we should wait for the command. Just because we can read the instruction to the disciples does not mean we are presently being told to do the same.
My choice is to pray for the spirit, pray for a willing heart, and ask to understand God's will.
A loud "NO!" to all of the above. Oh, ye of too little faith to actually trust God and start doing what He says to do!
Let me tell you a couple things I've learned in my gift-based ministry. First, God wants to empower you. But you won't experience that power until after you've started moving and gotten outside your comfort zone. Second, watching how God guides and provides will absolutely amaze you. When my work requires that I travel, I always pray that God will give me the opportunity to be a blessing to someone along the way. The opportunities have been different on every trip. Sometimes it is discovering a spiritual need and sharing with my seatmate from how God has led me through a similar situation or challenge. Sometimes it is seeing the clear proof that God has set-up the situation. Like the time I asked for an exit-row seat because of the added legroom and the person sitting next to me, who also changed seats to get in the exit row, had a great spiritual need. The answer God gave me was nothing I would have normally considered, so God was working through me. Or the times I've started out to accomplish one thing and discovered that God has something very different planned for that day.
The adventure of actually doing God's work never ends. But it never begins until you stop speculating and debating about what God might want us to do and actually start doing.
Have you been healing and castng out demons? Do you pack your suitcases when you travel? Do you know in advance where you will be each day on your ministry trip? Do you know how you will be fed?
I wasn't suggesting we can't be led by God in all sorts of ministry. I am responding to the specific ministry Jesus gave his disciples as referenced in the blog. William your eagerness to present your own viewpoint and agenda make it hard for you to just discuss.
Discussion is of no value unless you're actually following God's commands to go and do for Him. God has far more for you to do in His power than you've ever imagined or experienced. Are you ready to start experiencing it?
William,
You choose to believe that God "set-up" situations. But is it not true that you watch for such situations, or perhaps engender such conversations? It is your subjective opinion that these are all answers to prayers, but it is also difficult for anyone but your to believe that they are. Be convinced in your own mind; but do not try to convince or persuade others based on your beliefs in answers to prayers. Prayer is a completely subjective idea, but there are millions who are believers in its miraculous power. But don't conflate belief with facts–it's impossible.
Elaine,
My friend, I have to disagree with you. I'm out there enjoying the adventure of seeing God work ahead of me and through me. I'm seeing far too many specific answers to prayer that the concept of prayer being "a completely subjective idea" is just too different from my experience to imagine (though I once felt that way).