15.01.2019
IBC Admin
When Jesus asked the disciples in Matthew 16:13-16, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” it was Peter who ultimately said “You are the Christ the Son of the living God.” Jesus then said this, “Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, on this rock, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
The rock that Jesus is talking about is Peter’s testimony about who Jesus is, that He is the Son of God, God Himself who has come in the likeness of man, to save the world from sin. Jesus then said that it would be His church, God’s people, who would take that testimony of who Jesus is and then grow and be built up. And then that great promise: “the gates of hell” itself that would prevail against it.
In 2019 we have the luxury of history to see if God’s word to Peter is coming to fruition. And as we look at the world and its history these past 2000 years we can say with absolute authority that indeed the church, God's people are increasing, being built up through its testimony that Jesus is the Son of God. We also see that despite every evil that has been thrown against her, God's church continues to prevail.
The primary way that Christ is building up His church is through missions. The enterprise of missions is God sending out those from His church to the world in Jesus' name to testify and proclaim the name of Jesus, that the world may be saved from sin and know Him! This is one of the purposes of the church, to spread His name throughout the earth! And now at the end of 2000 years we see this precious gospel going out like never before.
This pattern of missions, where the church sends its people out in Jesus name has not only been repeated many times throughout history but continues to be repeated in God's church. In our text this week, in Mark 6:7-13, we discover God's pattern for missions as Jesus sends out His disciples to proclaim that Messiah has come and it was now time to repent from sin and turn to Him.
We discover several principles in this text that still apply today. First we see that the basis of the authority for missions is not ourselves, but the person of Jesus Christ. The apostles did not go on our own authority, but based on the authority of Jesus Christ. In Mark 6:7, we see Jesus sending them out in twos and it was Jesus who gave them “authority."
A second principle in Mark 6:8-9 is how Jesus “charged” them. He commanded them to not take anything with them except a staff, sandals, and a tunic. The principle here is that they would be called to be dependent on God and those to whom they were ministering to. God was not only in earnest to work in those who they were going to, but also to grow and develop those He was sending.
A third principle in Mark 6:10-11 is how they were to interact with those to who they were being sent to. To those who would receive the word of God and turn from their sin, they were commanded to “stay.” To those who would not receive or listen, they were to move on, “shaking the very dust off their feet as a testimony against them.”
Finally we see what Christ told them to proclaim. In Mark 6:12-13, Christ commanded them to proclaim a message of repentance from sin, turning their hearts to their Messiah, Jesus Christ. We then see the fruit of repentance in vs. 13, where those who responded were delivered from demons and healed from their diseases. We see the power of God unleashed based to the willing and those who received the word of God by faith. For Scripture teaches, "without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6)
One of the joys of the church is missions. When we join God based on the authority He gives us in Jesus' name, sending out those would go into the world with the gospel, the church remains vibrant and healthy. So let us rejoice as we support and seek God in prayer to send out workers to the world in Jesus' name!