Called And Sent!
Mark 6:7-13

INTRO:
Good evening.

I invite you to turn in your Bibles to the sixth chapter of the book of Mark. I am going to begin to read at verse seven.

Mark 6:7-13 – “7. And He called the twelve to Him, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. 8. He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts 9. but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics. 10. Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. 11. "And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!'' 12. So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.”

It seems that the twelve chosen to be apostles had hardly been chosen when the Lord sent them on their first “ambassadorial” mission—without Him. It’s true that they had been with Him for awhile since they were initially called to follow Him. Here they are being sent away from Him to accomplish a task.

There is something very comforting, I think, for a person to remain some period of time with his teacher, his mentor, his leader and there is something a little bit disconcerting about being separated from that person yet entrusted with a particular mission by them.
The apostles are to go into the small villages of Galilee. The Lord had His own work to do. There is something that has occurred to me as I read this, there may have been going through the minds of these men some apprehension, some questions. I know from human experience in such a situation as this that there are things that went through my mind.

For example, maybe they are asking the question: Am I really ready for this? Or perhaps they may have asked: Is the Lord asking too much of us? Then there’s another question that occurs to me as I read this particular incident, and that questions is: Will the people accept us into their villages and lives?

Of course, I have no certain information, but I do know from experience, from human experience, from my own experience in such situations as this there is room for apprehension. These men who have been employed in businesses other than that of public speaking now are being sent forth to preach. Fishermen and tax collectors are now going out to preach the soul-saving word of God.

I. He sent them forth...
A. He called unto Him the apostles and began to send them forth two by two, Mark reminds us.
1. There is something said over in the 10th chapter of Luke’s gospel at verse one that is similar to this, but a little different. In that passage we’re told that the Lord sent fourth 70 others also, disciples. Notice in verse one of Luke 10 He sent them fourth two by two as well.
2. There is something over in the book of Amos that we are studying on Wednesday evening, at Amos chapter three verse three that is worthy of consideration. Amos 3:3 - There the prophet says: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Most assuredly these men going forth two by two are in agreement, both in mission and in message.
B. To me this brings about the question: Why do you suppose He sent them in pairs.
1. In reading about this particular age and the customs of the age, one thing I have read said it was the custom of that day for people who were sent on ambassadorial missions or had specific charges to accomplish to be sent in pairs especially if travel was involved. They were sent in pairs.
2. Whether or not that is the case, I do know this there are some practical benefits in evangelism when teachers will go forth in pairs. It would be a wise custom even now, would it not?
3. You might want to read in the book of Ecclesiastes a passage that is perhaps fairly familiar to many of us. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 – “9. Two (there’s our two) are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. 11. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? 12. Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. (Here’s a well-known passage.) and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” .
4. The writer is wise with what he says. Two people go forth and they lend strength one to the other. Two people go forth and give encouragement to one another. Two people go forth and compliment one another. As I’ve said, this may very well have been the custom of that time but it seems to me that it would be a wise custom even now. He sent them forth two by two.
C. Mark also tells us that He empowered them to cast out unclean spirits.
1. Already as we’ve studied the gospel of Mark we have seen that the unclean spirits are very much a part of the ministry of Jesus and how He dealt with them.
2. However, now it is the apostles (this would be quite a scary thought for me, I think) it is the apostles who must now confront these unclean spirits as they, the apostles, preach the message of repentance and the kingdom of God.
3. Folks, sooner or later there was going to have to be confrontation because Satan would do everything in His power to thwart the coming of the God’s Kingdom.
II. The Instructions Jesus Gave Them
A. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this account over in Mark chapter six is the strange instructions given to the apostles before they set out on the journey. He commended them that they should take nothing for their journey save a staff only. No script, no bread, no money in their purse, but be shod with sandals and only one tunic. I have an idea that most of us would have considered this to be a little bit severe.
1. It seems that what the Lord is really telling them: Don’t make any preparations for your journey—none at all. Don’t gather up food. Don’t gather up money. Don’t gather up clothes just go.
2. I don’t know about folks in that time and that part of the world, but I tell you what. It’s hard to take a journey of any length, even just to go to Columbus, Ohio, and not make some kind of preparation for the journey.
3. These men are going out into the little villages of Galilee. They’re going to be walking. They’re going to have to eat along the way, but they’re not going to have money to buy food. Sounds a little severe, doesn’t it?
B. Jesus says to them: You can take a staff and be shod with sandals and only ONE tunic.
1. The staff would aid them in walking. Perhaps they could use it in fending off maunders or wild animals to protect themselves. Perhaps they could use it as a means of carrying a bundle, if a bundle they had.
2. The sandals—the simplest kind of protection for the feet were just a piece of leather bound to the feet by some sort of cords, perhaps leather straps. Since their method of travel was walking, protection for the feet would be a necessity.
3. The tunic was a kind of long shirt that was worn under the outer garment. Once again reading about the customs of this time (Jesus said don’t take two) but the custom of the times was when travelers went from place to place they would wear two of these shirts under the outer garment.
C. There are some observations to make before we think in terms of how impractical, limiting and how very severe these instructions were. Jesus, why did you do this?
1. It seems obvious to me Jesus did not intend for this to be a long journey. One that was going to take a very long time. In the 22nd chapter of the gospel of Luke when Jesus prepares the disciples for a lengthier journey, notice that He changes the directions given to them. He changes His instructions. In verse 36 of Luke 22:36 – “Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a sack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.” This was a different kind of mission for which adequate preparation is necessary so I know that Jesus really intended for this first ambassadorial mission to be brief.
2. There’s something else. Jewish rules of hospitality, especially in the small villages of that day, were very different from our rules of hospitality. A stranger comes to town. It’s a small village. Everybody knows he’s there. People opened their homes to give substance to the stranger. That was the custom of that day. It is based on a passage from the book of Deuteronomy the 10th chapter at verses 18 and 19: Deuteronomy 10:18-19 – “18. "He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. 19. "Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” The hospitality customs of that time were a lot different.
3. We also read in Hebrews 13:1-2 – “1. Let brotherly love continue. 2. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” If you go now days into a small town, maybe a few folks are going to know you’re there but if you’re a total stranger I’m fairly sure nobody is going to invite you to go home with them and live for a while. That’s really, we would say, “not done”, but it was done in the days of which Jesus is speaking here.
4. If you go back over to Luke 22 and look at verse 35 you discover that the apostles did not really suffer anything in the way of loss from the instructions that Jesus gave. Look at what it says: Luke 22:35 – “And He said to them, "When I sent you without money bag, sack, and sandals, did you lack anything?'' So they said, "Nothing.''” In other words He’s asking them: When I sent you out the first time with what might have seemed to be severe instructions, did you lack anything? They acknowledged; no we didn’t.
D. I want you to turn in your Bibles for a minute to Matthew’s gospel chapter 10. In Matthew’s account of this particular incident I want you to look at verse 10 because there’s a principle at work here which we need to acknowledge and understand. He says; Matthew 10:10 - “"nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.” The last of this verse was the point: The workman is worthy of his food. Here are these apostles going out to preach and teach the unsearchable riches of the word of God—workmen as it were. Because they are workmen they are worthy of their food. In other words, those who hear them need to support them. At one time this was a well understood principal but in the last century or so it has all but vanished.
1. In First Corinthians the ninth chapter verse 14: I Corinthians 9:14 – “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.”
2. In the book of Galatians in chapter six and at verse six: Galatians 6:6 - “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.”
3. What is the apostle saying here? Just exactly what Jesus said, the workman is worthy of his food. The preacher goes out to preach. The teacher goes out to teach. He devotes his time and his life to this and those who are taught are responsible for supporting him who does the teaching, him who does the sharing of the word of God.
4. There’s also a little passage over in I Timothy chapter five and verse 18. That scripture says: I Timothy 5:18 – “For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,'' and, "The laborer is worthy of his wages.''” In this passage the apostle, of course by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, quotes two verses.
i. One of them is from the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 25:4 – “"You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.”.
ii. The other apparently is a quotation from Matthew chapter 10 at verse 10 Matthew 10:10 – “...for a worker is worthy of his food.”.
5. The point is the same. These people who go out and devote their lives to the service of the Lord, teaching the word of God, preaching the word of God, should be fed, should be clothed by those who are the hearers. The whole point of this, as it seems to me, is that for the apostles this is to be an exercise in trust. It is also to be an exercise for them to gain the experience that they are going to need to have as the great commission is given unto them and they go into all the world. Bit by bit, you see they are being prepared for that kind of mission.
III. Rejected Opportunity...
A. There’s something else in Mark six, that is the tragedy of the rejection of opportunity. What Jesus says to the apostles is: If you go out and you begin to preach and teach there will be people who will not receive you and they will not hear you. We need to note that.
1. Look at verse 11 in Mark six: Mark 6:11 – “"And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!''” They won’t hear you. They won’t receive you. They won’t accept you. You shake the dust off your sandals when you leave that place.
2. All of us who have studied the Bible for any length of time know that this is a kind of testimony of sort against that place. We may not realize from where this comes so let me share that with you.
3. In Rabbinic tradition when a person returned to Israel from a foreign land he was to stop at the border of the foreign land and Israel and shake the dust off of his sandals. Do you have any idea why? Of course, you do. It was believed that even the dust from these pagan countries was unclean. It’s kind of like tracking mud in the house, isn’t it? We don’t want to traipse into the Promised Land and have the dust on our shoes of these foreign lands which we’ve been visiting so let’s shake it off. It was a testimony.
B. In this case it would show a testimony to the village you were leaving because they knew this tradition. It was a testimony to declare the seriousness of rejecting the preaching of the word of God, the gospel. We may have known a little bit about that, but this is the basis for this practice. It was a symbol. The symbol said to the people in whose village they were preaching and now are leaving is this: We don’t want to carry the dust of your village with us. You people are like pagans to us.
1. Pretty strong message, wasn’t it? Jesus then makes a reference to Sodom and Gomorrah. If people won’t receive it, if they won’t listen to the word you’ve come to preach, you know how bad Sodom and Gomorrah was. You know what a terrible place that was and how terrible the people were there. The people who will not hear you preach the word of God are in the eyes of the Lord more terrible than the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Very strong language.
2. Why? Because Sodom and Gomorrah were not preached the gospel. The people in this situation, those to whom the apostles were going, would be hearing of the kingdom of God. They would be hearing a message of repentance—not what the people of Sodom and Gomorrah heard. It’s more tolerable for those of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for those who have rejected the preaching of the word by the apostles.
3. That, my friends, should say something to us of the tragedies of rejecting the opportunities of hearing the gospel. Jesus says they should go forth and preach.
IV. And They Went Out...
A. Mark says they did go forth and they went forth preaching a message of repentance. It’s the same message that Jesus went forth preaching.
1. If you look at Mark chapter one at verse 15: Mark 1:15 – “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
2. Mark said they went out and preached that men should repent. Repentance is one of the critical messages of the New Testament. I don’t know of any doctrine of the New Testament that is more critical than the others, but as I read through the gospel, particularly the gospel of Luke, as I read concerning the message of John the Baptist to what Jesus preached and then what the apostles preached as they went out under the terms of the great commission, I begin to sense that this idea of repentance is so critical—because it was the turning point. It was the place where so many people would stop. Yet, it was the place where those people who went forward would totally and completely change their minds and change their lives to submission to the great word of God.
3. Remember in the book of Acts in chapter two at verse 38, that day of Pentecost on which the kingdom was first proclaimed. Proclaimed on that day was the fact that people with wicked hands had crucified and slain their own Savior. The Savior they slew on the cross, God declared to be both Lord and Christ. Having heard that they were pricked in their hearts, verse 37, said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: Men and brethren what shall we do? What’s next for us? Notice the first word—repent. Repent.
4. That great message of repentance continues through the book of Acts. You might want to notice over in the book of II Corinthians there is a little treatise on the subject of repentance in chapter seven. In verse 10 here’s what the apostle wrote by the inspiration of the Spirit of God: II Corinthians 7:10 – “For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
5. There it is: A critical message of the New Testament, critical as I said a while ago, because it is the great turning point. It’s the turning point of going on to obedience or going back into the world.
B. Mark also makes mention of the fact here that they did cast out unclean spirits. They did heal many.
1. One of the interesting things that I noticed is he refers to their anointing people with oil. That particular subject has given rise to all kinds of thoughts and ideas in the imaginations of men who have considered this passage and others like it. Why the anointing of oil? In the ancient world oil was regarded as a panacea. Galen, the great Greek doctor, said, "Oil is the best of all instruments for healing diseased bodies."
2. In my own humble opinion, the oil simply represented, was a symbol of, the healing that was imparted to the sick by the apostles. Whatever it was, here’s something of which I am absolutely certain, it was the power of God and not any properties in the oil which caused the healing. There are and will continue to be discussions taking place about the anointing of oil. Let’s consider a couple other instances that cause discussion. Why did Jesus put spit on His finger and rub it on the eyes of a blind man or the ears of a man that couldn’t hear? Why did He make some clay and put on the eyes of a man? We don’t know. It wasn’t the clay and it wasn’t the spit. Those things were just symbols of healing that were being imparted by the POWER of God and so it is here with the anointing of oil.

CONCLUSION:
The apostles went forth and Mark tells us about the good they were able to do.

I have a strong suspicion because I know the nature of people that there were some disappointments. I have a strong suspicion that there was some rejection. That’s why Jesus talked to them about it.

If a place won’t hear you then you shake the dust of that place off your shoes. The great lesson in this passage may be that they could not let the good they were doing be stopped by any discouragement of rejection.

We are going to be lead in the invitation song.
Perhaps there are some in the assembly, who find the singing of this song an opportunity to respond for some reason. Perhaps to be baptized into Christ, perhaps one who is baptized seeks the prayers of the church for one reason or another.

This song we sing traditionally, by the way, as an opportunity for folks to make known their needs. If you have a need of which you would like to make us aware, which you want to share with us, please come now as we stand together and sing.

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We learn from the New Testament how to be saved. We need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; we must confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God; and be baptized for the remission of our sins... If we follow these steps, the Lord adds us to His church.

Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to be buried with Christ in baptism. If you have never done these things, we urge you to do so today. If anyone has this need or desires the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.

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Reference sermon, Cecil A. Hutson, 08 April 2007