Testing the 12

Introduction

The Preacher’s Notebook: The Collected Quotes, Illustrations, and Prayers of John Stott Why Did You Not Come Sooner?

“Hudson Taylor told the story of an ex-Buddhist merchant, an educated man, who had been baptized after attending the little church in Ningpo. ‘He asked me soon afterwards, “How long have you known this Good News in your own country?”

“Hundreds of years.”

“Hundreds of years! And yet never came to tell us! My father sought the truth, sought it long, and died without finding it. Oh, why did you not come sooner?” ’ ”

what’s going on today

How many people worship at a Southern Baptist Church on a given Sunday? The numbers are going down.

2019 -- 5.2 million

2022 -- 3.8 million

How many baptisms?

2019 -- 235,748

2022 -- 180,177

BIG IDEA

YOU ARE SENT IF YOU’RE A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST

The Text

Mark 6:6–13 ESV

6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. 7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

Sent in Jesus’s Name (v7a)

The word for sent forth is the root word for Apostle in the Greek. Why you need to know this is because those that went out were sent by Jesus. they were authorized to share the gospel by Jesus himself. This isn’t a loose canon message. in Contrary to what happened in Nazareth when they questioned Jesus's authority Jesus demonstrates he has authority and sends out the disciples to preach.

The actions the disciples were do demonstrated that they were sent in authority they are like their master Jesus.

Jesus is the ultimate Apostle as he was sent by his father John 12:49

John 12:49 ESV

49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.

Matthew 3:16–17 ESV

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

He was sent be God the father to redeem a people to himself to give that people to his Son. God only gives perfect gifts to his son and so he sent his son so that he could give this perfect gift to him.

So practically this authorized mission to earth is because our father finds men and women as a worthy gift for his son. You are a worthy gift to the son, worthy enough that God would crush his own son for you and me.

In this world you are sent to bring God those He finds worthy which is all men. Those you love God loves, you are sent to them.

Given power over Demons (v7b)

The gospel is always accompanied in the Bible with Miracles. Miracles are a sign post to God’s activities on earth. The Disdples and later Apostles did this things to show the authority of the message that they carried with them

They demonstrate 3 things Christs, Control, Presence, and Authority

Control

The delivering out of demons and the healing of the sick in (v13) show all three. As the disciples share this message of life they demonstrated Christ control over the world. The evil spiritual forces couldn’t stand up to the the power of God’s word exercised over them.

Presence

The power of God’s gospel demonstrates the presence of God with them as they shared. This gospel that saves men from damnation that makes you alive makes you aware of the constant presence of God. Prior to the gospel men are dead in their trespasses and sins, we are constantly looking for the real and thinking we found it only to find it was fake. Like a cake scented candle it’s not the real thing. We chase after fulfillment and get nothing but tired and emptied out from the chase.

But belief in the gospel of God provides you with the presence of God and provides you with total fulfillment like you can’t explain. It is as Paul says

Philippians 4:7 ESV

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Authority

The Miracles also, just as the sending of the Apostles demonstrate the authority given behind this message of Peace with God.

The disciples are able to authenticate what they are saying by the fact that great acts of God are done. It is the recording of this acts that still show us today that this is true. We hear of Miracles now and then of God delivering men and women still from sin and death by the power of his gospel.

You may have stories that you can share or have heard stories of people delivered or how God provided a way a ram in the bush for you.

You may say, well my life has been pretty quiet! Know that is what God has desired for you! Your quiet life is his miraculous provision

1 Timothy 2:2 (ESV)

lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

This all demonstrates his authority.

This is why you are sent God will do miracles as you obey and make disciples!

Application

You may see lives saved, maybe you will share the gospel and God will awaken in you the knowledge of some deep held sin and you will begin the process of destroying that sin, this is a miracle of God. You will see miracles!

Commended to Providence (v7-10)

The Disciples were sent out and Jesus told them not to take anything with them on the road. They were sent out in pairs to show proof as to what they are saying! This was a way to follow Jewish legal presedencs that demonstrated the need of 2 or more witnesses!

God was calling these men to trust in his provision in being sent!

He provided them a fellow witness so that their gospel message could be authenticated!

He also said they wouldn’t need to bring anything because they would find places to stay! God provided for their needs!

Application

You are sent and so God is going to and already is providing for your needs!

A lot of what Mark is saying here is description of this specific mission. This is not necessarily prescription of how you are to be sent.

You need to know that your sent. You may bring a walking stick or what God has given you, that is his provision. What you need to hear is that God will take care of you when you share the gospel.

It is good to have someone to go with, but you may not need that. God will provide a witness.

When God has provided you with something don’t immediately abandon it for something else. Many of God’s blessing are missed because we think something is better. Trust in God’s provision.

Prepared for Rejection (v11-13)

Shaking off the dust was an indictment against the town the rejected the gospel.

Ancient Jews when returning to Israel would remove the shoes and clothes from the dust and so on before re-entering so as to not bring the paganism back into the land. This was done so as not to associate themselves with the spiritual pollution and the coming judgment for their lack belief in the true God.

Jesus was telling his disciples that they were to treat these Jewish villages the same. It was an announcement that those people who rejected them would experience God’s ultimate judgement for their faithlessness.

Paul did this practise himself in Acts 13:51

Acts 13:51 ESV

51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.

Paul was an apostle so that connects him also to the teachings of Jesus

Once again God is providing you with comfort! HE has sent you so he is going to validate your gospel!

Rejection is part of sharing the gospel of God, some men will not believe! So God is telling you to hand them over to him! Share then let him judge them and continue on!

The disciples had successes as well you see that in (v13)

Even with the possibility of rejection go and preach the word!

Remember what Paul said:

Romans 10:14–15 ESV

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

That is you! You are sent! Your gospel sharing makes you and your actions beautiful! How can they know if you don’t go to them!

Beware of the American Tragedy

John Piper in his book Don’t waste your life writes this:

Don’t Waste Your Life An American Tragedy: How Not to Finish Your One Life

I will tell you what a tragedy is. I will show you how to waste your life. Consider a story from the February 1998 edition of Reader’s Digest, which tells about a couple who “took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30 foot trawler, play softball and collect shells.” At first, when I read it I thought it might be a joke. A spoof on the American Dream. But it wasn’t. Tragically, this was the dream: Come to the end of your life—your one and only precious, God-given life—and let the last great work of your life, before you give an account to your Creator, be this: playing softball and collecting shells. Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: “Look, Lord. See my shells.” That is a tragedy. And people today are spending billions of dollars to persuade you to embrace that tragic dream. Over against that, I put my protest: Don’t buy it. Don’t waste your life.

if you’re a believer you are sent by God to love your neighbor as yourself. The best way to love your neighbor is to share the gospel with them.

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

How many have you known that have died and had not believed? Every day men women and children die in ignorance of Christ and are entering an eternal damnation.

You and I are called if you follow Christ to make disciples and to go into the missions field for lost souls. Daily people are dying, daily people are being brought into greater darkness of the deceptions of sin and Satan. Some of these maybe in your own families.

Maybe your harboring a call to the missions field their is no age limit, maybe your missions field is your family, remember James initially rejected Jesus and then becomes the pastor of the church in Jerusalem and then writes the book of James! Maybe your missions field are those in your work place, a coffee during or after work is a great time to pray or offer prayer.

Men if you grumble at the state of society you can turn that around just by sharing the gospel. A Christian hates sin and when a person become a Christian they learn to hate sin because God hates sin. The world gets better because more salt and light is present.

My retirees in the room, your health pending you have more time to share the gospel then ever before. If God has given you enough then use that. You have been sent

What happens to those whom you were sent to?

Mark 6:30–34 ESV

30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

They run to Jesus. Your being sent like the disciples leads to many running to Jesus. In my mind I see a child running to his dad. I saw this video of a little boy run out of his house when his dad pulled up in his semi truck finally home from delivering goods all over the land. This little boy ran out in his undies or diaper and just ran to his dad. When you share Christ you are opening the door to the children who can run to their father.

Can you imagine your loved ones in the arms of our Lord, can you see your children, your grandchildren in his arms? Can you see them running to him dropping all that they have to be with him.

You are sent. So to open those doors. Can you see why it is beautiful when you share the gospel?