Mark (12)

Introduction: According to Food Network the 2nd the following ingredients are recommended for the 2nd most popular recipe requested by their viewers. I'm going to read the list of ingredients and I want you to tell me what folks are hoping to make.

8 ounces unsalted butter

12 ounces bread flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 ounces granulated sugar

8 ounces light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 ounce whole milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

What do you suppose is the outcome, or result of mixing all these ingredients? A chocolate chip cookie called the “Chewy”.

Today, from Mark 6:6-13 we are going to discover the key ingredients for discipleship?Our text offers answers to this question, “What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?” (Read text)

Transition: This passage contains the commissioning instructions that Jesus gave to His 12 disciples, and the impact they had as they obey His commands. Five components of discipleship. Answering the question, What is essential for a person to be made into a follower of Jesus?

Calling

1. The place we find Jesus at this point in Mark’s gospel is fulfilling a major part of His mission. That is to preach the gospel to the surrounding villages of Israel. One of the methods that Jesus uses in accomplishing this mission is to send His 12 disciples to represent Him in these surrounding villages. Similar to the ministry of John the Baptist they are being sent out to prepare the way for Jesus. Also, Jesus is preparing these guys for the future ministry of the apostles who’s teaching would become the foundation for the church. Jesus has already appointed these 12 men as his formal disciples, and now He calls them together in order to give them hands on experience as His representatives.

2. We are reminded of what Jesus told Peter and Andrew when He first called them to be His disciples in Mark 1:17.

Mark 1:17 ESV

And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Application: Those who belong to Christ are identified as the church. The word used for church in the new testament is Ecclesia, which basically means… called out ones. As those who have been called out we should recognize that a part of our calling is to learn to fish for men.This truth offers us clarity for true discipleship. Being a disciple is not just being with Jesus ( as seen in 3:14) but also being sent out by Him.

In a very similar way that is one reason why we gather every Sunday as followers of Jesus. Just as Jesus called His disciples together so we are called together to focus our attention on Jesus and receive His instruction from the Word so that we might be sent out with His authority and represent Him to the world.

Sending

Sent two by two (7a)

Eccl. 4:9-10

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 ESV

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

b. The disciples were sent out in pairs because according to Mosaic law two witness were required to verify a matter. The implication is that together they have accountability, further confidence, friendship, and encouragement. The same is true for us. We cannot be isolated in ministry. There is no such thing as individual or lone ranger Christianity. To be a disciple means that we serve together. What can that look like in our life? Perhaps finding another Christian to stick with at school and work. Seek out another believer to hold you accountable.

Giving

Gave authority (7b)

Jesus is extending His authority to these apostles so they can represent Him.

What does this authority look like today? We see in verse 13 that when the disciples did scatter through the various villages they did cast out many demons, and healed many who were sick.

Application: . If we are a part of the called out ones, the we are ambassadors for Christ. II Corinthians 5:20 , our authority is found in the one we represent, not our personal skills and abilities. As we see later when the disciples gather to report of how the mission had gone, they were pretty impressed that the demons had even ****

Instructing

Charged, commissioning, details for operating

Take nothing (8-9) Matt. 10:1-11:1, Luke 9:1-6

Why? See Matt. 10:8-10 (the temptation of representing Jesus for wrong motives) (Teaching them trust and dependence on God’s power to provide for them.)

Matthew 10:8–10 ESV

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.

Application: What is hindering us from representing Jesus to the world? What is it that weighs us down and keeps us from obedience? Essentially it is sin, as we are told in Hebrews 12:1

Also, this instruction confronts a major problem of confusing power for pragmatism, authority for appearances. Caution of confusing compassion for attraction.

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Stay where you are (10)

Explanation: It was customary in Jesus’ day that when a stranger visited a village they would find residence in a home form a family in that village. As the 12 disciples were going into the villages they may very well meet another family who had better accommodations. The reason Jesus was instructing them to stay, was in order that they would be content with the provisions He was giving them.

Application: Today, we are often encouraged to better ourselves and readily accept promotions and better accommodations. However, that has also led many people to reveal with envy and discontentment and so the priority of their life is to get ahead. This attitude has effected the church as well. We seem to think the grass will be greener on the other side. So pastors run off to another flock when the dollar signs flash or the ideal church with big numbers and multiple ministries come knocking. Also, members are drawn to the new gig in town, or grown discontent with the provision that Christ has already given them and think that what they need will be found in another church. So we swap church members like pokey mon cards, and no one is ever actually helped in their walk with Jesus. That’s not to say there are not good reasons for departing or moving on. Even in this text we see that whatever there mission was to these villages it was short term. And they were told as we will look at next that if the gospel is rejected they should move on. However, today the problem is the right reasons are rarely the actual motivation for moving on. Far too often we become discontented. And it bleeds not only into the disciple making mission of the church but also into every facet of our lives. In the words of my mentor pastor Bob Chroninger, If the grass is always looking better on the other side of the fence, try watering your own lawn.

Shake off the dust (11)

What does this mean? Disciples will be rejected. Matthew 10:24-25 Jesus instructs His disciples by telling them if He as the master of the house is rejected… how much more will they reject those in His household.

The custom of shaking dust off was practiced by Jews who would travel to areas outside the promise land. When they reenters their own country they would shake off the dust from their travels as a sign of removing any paganism and leaving it in that godless country to receive future judgment. When Jesus tells his disciples to shake of the dust, he is telling them to offer a warning to those who are rejecting of the judgment to come.

The reality for those who belong to Christ and represent him to the world is that we will be rejected. There are those who do not belong to Christ and will not receive the good news of the gospel. It is right to warn them of their impending judgment.

Going

The primary point of verses 12 and 13 is to show that the disciples obeyed Jesus and represented Him by doing what He did.

Proclaimed that people should repent (12) Mark 1:15 & 38

Application: message of the gospel includes repentance. What does that mean?

Accomplished what they were charged/ equipped to do. (13)

Application: We will not grow in maturity as a disciple if we do not obey Jesus in the small things.

Conclusion: Connect to the original recipients of Mark and the rejection they were experiencing. In the same way that Jesus Called, sent, gave, instructed the apostles so too these first generation Christians should anticipate the same evidences of discipleship in heir own lives.