By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

Monday, Jan 26, 2009

SCRIPTURE:
“Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. These were his instructions: "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.” (Mark 6:6-10, NIV)”

On Sat, Jan 24, 2009 I had learned about Jesus calling, sending, and giving the disciples authority. Today, I looked at the instructions Jesus gave his disciples.

Observations:
I asked myself what were the instructions Jesus gave His disciples?

1. Take nothing for the journey except a staff.

2. Take no bread.

3. Take no bag.

4. Take no money in your belts.

5. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic.

6. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.

Interpretation:
I asked myself the significance of Jesus’ instructions for them to take nothing for the journey except a staff?
Jesus was sending the disciples two-by-two on a journey to different places. We do not know how long the journey could have been. I believe they were being sent on a mission to at least six towns. Two of them were to go to a different town to be a missionary there for Christ. The staff was to become a support structure for them as they walked to the towns. It is possible they could have been hungry too because they had no food or money. The staff could also have been a protective measure to lean on and against any wild life. It is also possible that it is to remind them of Moses and Aaron when they were sent to the Pharaoh with only Moses' staff but it is God who did the work through them.

I asked myself the significance of Jesus’ instructions for them to ‘wear sandals but not an extra tunic’
Jesus wanted them to be dependent on the people they were being sent to minister. The concept of fundraising for ministry purposes or missionary purposes can be inferred here. The disciples were not to depend on themselves to be taken care of but on those who would host them as they were called to be a missionary in that particular town. They were messengers of the Lord doing His work.

I asked myself the significance of Jesus telling them ‘Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.’
Of all the instructions this instruction emphasized the concept of 'people being ministered to’ taking care of those that are ministering or supporters taking care of missionaries so they could continue the work without being bogged down for places to look where to stay. In essence, it emphasized the concept of hosting missionaries to me.

Jesus wanted the disciples to depend on a family from a town to host them until there work was done there as a missionary. This is exciting to know and still happens.

It is also possible they could have received shelter from a place/family that did not believe in Jesus because they saw the good works they were about to do in the town. That makes sense because I know of people willing to support a cause even if they are not part of the cause because they know the difference that cause will make. In this case it is possible non-believing people could have hosted them too. This is all inference but possible.

I continued to ponder the commandment and asked myself why Jesus gave that instruction:
“When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.” (Mark 6:10)

Things started popping up in my mind such as could it be because

1. Jesus wanted them to be committed to the mission at hand without getting burned out?

2. Jesus wanted them to be a witness in the place they were staying?

 As I thought about it, those reasons made sense to me so I decided to look into them deeper and was reminded of things I already had thought earlier too.

 Point 1: Being committed to the mission at hand without getting spiritually burned out.
It is possible the more places they were involved in, the busier they could have been. That would initiate the spiritually burn-out stage. Rather, Jesus wanted them to depend on Him and focus on staying in one place in that particular town and become ready to do ministry. Not having to be involved with more than one house, I believe they would free themselves to be able to focus more on the mission Jesus gave them. Each night and day they would not have to worry about what place they were to stay but remain in that same house in town. This would help them a lot.

Point 2: Being a witness in the place they were staying.
As long as they were in one house, they could focus on people in that household. It is very possible those people who would have housed them may not have been necessarily followers of Jesus but seekers of Jesus. This would give them a serious opportunity to witness to that household but if they were there only few days and went to different houses to stay, the relationships would have been superficial too and suffered because of the lack of time invested.

By staying  in one house they could focus on those that were there without spreading themselves thin. This would also give the disciples the opportunity to be involved in discipleship making. They could have the opportunity to reach out to those that were there and then possibly give those ministered to the vision and excitement to do the same as they sought the Lord.

Jesus also prepared them ahead of time to know that there will be places that will not welcome them. However, Jesus did not want that to become discouraging or a stumbling block to continue the missionary work they were called, sent, and given authority for. Instead of dwelling on those that were not willing to receive the message, they were told a profound commandment.

“And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them." (Mark 6:11, NIV)

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. I need to help those the Lord puts upon my heart to help when help is asked by seeking the Lord about the situation and focusing on one area He has called me to. There will be certain groups the Lord will put upon our heart to support at a particular time. When Lord calls, sends, and gives authority to anyone to do mission work, He wants them to be provided for. Lord uses His children to provide for His other children.

I ask you now dear friend, where are you staying?
Dear friend, you can stay in the House of the Lord serving Him forever or choose to go your own way but the blessings come when you stay in the House of the Lord and allow Him to lead you to places. Stay with Jesus and you will be staying with hope. Jesus died for you and me so that we can stay with Him when we accept His cleansing blood was shed on the cross to cleanse us of all our sin. We need to accept  what Jesus did for us and not depart from Him no matter what others teach us that is contradictory to the Word of God. Jesus died and rose again for you and me so we can be in the House of the Lord.

When we belong to the House of the Lord and are in His plans then wherever we stay here on earth can become a ministry opportunity as we allow the Lord Jesus to work in our lives. Friend, staying in one place to do ministry has wonderful benefits instead of just moving around from place to place. Jesus wanted the disciples to stay in one place to build relationships and advance His Gospel. We need to do that too!

Speaking of staying, it also addresses the issue of commitment which I will address using a college fellowship as an example.

I do not know what fellowship you all are staying at or even if you all are involved in a fellowship on campus. If you are, I learned there is so much value and benefit in being involved in just one fellowship and giving it your all.

At the same time you can know that fellowship can be there to minister to you too. You can also develop lasting friendships and fellowship while you are at college as you stick to one group. Jesus should be the anchor whatever fellowship you are involved in.

Not only that but you will be encouraged, equipped, and enabled to do ministry for those on campus from what the fellowship can offer you. You won’t be spreading yourself thin but giving yourself space not to be burned out.

It is possible that through you, new members can be discipled and mentored and then they would be excited to minister to others on campus because they would feel enabled too as Jesus will work in their lives through the fellowship. I know Jesus worked in my life while I was a student in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship before going on to do campus ministry.

Being involved in one fellowship also gives you the benefit of their training events, retreats, and so on that can develop your Christian maturity as a supplement to your personal time with the Lord through prayer and study of His Word. As a group, you can break out two-by-two’s and as the Lord leads, reach out to the campus with the love of Christ as the Lord will empower you.

There are wonderful fellowships on campus and you may feel that you want to be part of all of them because each offers something different. That is true but you will be spreading yourself thin and relationships could become superficial too.

Also, if you are involved in every Christian fellowship on campus, where does that give you time for spending with your non-Christian friends?

The question becomes would you even have non-believers as friends because you spend most of your time hanging out with Christians?

May you stay where the Lord has called you to and allow Him to work in your life and the lives of others through you until He calls, send, and gives you authority to do His work at another church or fellowship. Until then stay together, accepting Yeshua's inspirational nurture graciously!

"Stay Together Accepting Yeshua's Inspirational Nurture Graciously! (S.T.A.Y.I.N.G)/”Where are you S.T.A.Y.I.N.G in your life?”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for sending your disciples and giving them specific instructions. Thank you Lord you wanted them to depend on you and you alone. Thank you for teaching me from your Word. Help us to help missionaries do what you have sent them, called them, and given them authority to do. Let us please be your vessels. We pray right now for all the missionaries who are solely dependent on you to provide for them. We pray for those who are tent-making missionaries who use their jobs as a means to making a living but spend their side time doing ministry for your Kingdom’s sake. We pray for those who are taking mission trips to different parts of the world to spread your loving Gospel. We ask you for your dear help. Lord, now I as think about fellowships and churches, I thank you that you do not want us to get spiritually burned out. I pray Oh Lord that you will guard our hearts and help us to be focused on you and depend on you where you place us. Help us to seek you first before all things and let you guide us through your Word more than anything so we can always stay with you. We believe Oh Lord that your Word has the answers to our lives. Help us to be the witness you want us to be and also we pray that you would let us be mentored and grow in the fellowship and church we are part of. Forgive us Lord when we have not committed ourselves and superficially gone to everything. We are sorry Lord and ask you for your help. Show us what you would want us to do Lord and make it clear for us, for we are surrounded by enemies that like to turn us the wrong way. Help us to listen to your Spirit and follow you. I thank you Jesus for dying for our sins and coming back to life to save us. Thank you for shedding your blood for me and cleansing me. Thank you we can give our lives to you and you answer us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much that we are never out of your love. No matter what is tormenting us, you are there for us. When there are days we cannot get through and loneliness has gotten the best of us because we are isolated in our torment and sin, you are still there. Just as the demon-possessed man saw you, ran to you, and fell before you for healing, we can come to you too. Thank you Jesus! You made yourself available to the man with the evil spirit. Thank you Jesus for making yourself available to us now when we call your Name for we are never out of your love and never out of your reach. You Oh Lord know what we have done; you know what we will do. You know what Satan will do to entice us and torment us. We come to you Lord and ask you for your healing presence in our lives. Take any addiction and torment that people face and fill them with your power to live for you. We know you can do it Jesus. Only you have the power to deliver us from any torment and find peace in you. Thank you so much Jesus. We come to you now Jesus and ask you to forgive us of all our sin. Deliver us Oh Lord and cleanse us with your cleansing blood. We believe in you Jesus; we believe you are the Son of God, we believe that you died and rose again; we believe you are here right now standing in our presence with the power to heal now and the grace to forgive. Help us Oh Lord as we turn this song “I Believe” into a prayer to you Oh Lord. Thank you so much for coming into our heart and making our heart your home as we ask you in. Take us in Oh Lord and be our Lord and Personal Savior as you lead us and guide us. Help us to help others as you help us! Thank you so much Jesus you are in our heart making our heart your home. Thank you for living in us. Thank you for being our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus you have heard our prayers and answered us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!