Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. ⁷ Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. ⁸ These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. ⁹ Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. ¹⁰ Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. ¹¹ And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” ¹² They went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³ They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” Mark 6:6b-13

The disciples are sent out with basic instructions and bare necessities. They are to heal the sick, cast out demons, and teach people to repent. Their mission and our mission is very simple – to proclaim the good news – to continue the work of Jesus Christ that brings the gospel to those who need to hear it. The agenda is not a difficult one – but keeping “our personal agendas” separate from Christ’s individual calling for discipleship can be difficult. We are not to engage in ministry for our own personal need for prestige or influence. Rather we are to go with nothing except the basics – our selves, our time, and our possessions. G-d will provide everything else we need for the mission, and the journey.

Pastor Dave