Apostles – the sent ones
“And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.” (Mark 6:7)
You are warmly welcome!
Kyambogo experienced a great visitation last Sunday – the Archbishop was well received and his ministry among us was greatly appreciated. He appreciated the well-organized function; this appreciation goes to all who worked hard to make it a success – the Diocesan Secretary for coordinating well, the Chapel Council, those who prepared breakfast and lunch, the dancing entertainers, and all members of the organizing team. Thank you very much. Bishops have another title which they rarely use – they are the Apostles – the sent ones. Jesus came into the world as a sent one from God, and he immediately entered the business of calling and sending.
If the Lord has called you, he has also sent you. In Mark 6, the Lord begins with a slow-going mission outreach in the neighbourhood of his home. There is even a controversial verse 5: ‘And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them.’ Is Jesus Christ limited by earthly circumstances? Yet the description of the difficult mission shows that it was indeed tough; Jesus even marveled! He marveled at the unbelief of these neighbours who claimed they knew him (talking about his parents, relatives and their family business); they were using only human eyes without deeper understanding and spiritual revelation. This must have shown Jesus’ disciples that mission work was not always going to be easy and well-received. Just after this story comes a commissioning.
He called to him the twelve, and began to send them out. As if the difficulties observed in Jesus’ own Galilean mission were not enough, He tells them to go with no back-up plan; no bread, no bag, no money! To make matters worse, He even tells them the likelihood of a “place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you” – rejection like it happened to him Nazareth! Is this what it means to be the sent one? God is teaching important lessons through this commissioning; it was an internship of sorts to convey many lessons that we do well to receive even today.
The one who sends is the one at work. All He requires is the obedience of the envoy. He will make you a fisher of men; He will give you what to speak; He will follow you with signs; He will be with you all the way; He will accept no excuses. To have no back-up plan is to have the ultimate and best back-up plan – the invisible one which God caries as He watches you go. This message may sound like it is for the few God has called; but it is for every believer. Are you following the Lord Jesus Christ? You are the sent one. If He has called you, He has sent you.
God bless you all.