Mark 6:6-13 - Over to you!

Recently I had the privilege of seeing a Beatbox Jam event at a local secondary school in one of the lunch breaks where a ridiculously talented beatboxing vicar took the stage and wowed everyone with his mad skillz (yes with a 'z').  At one point he invited some of the students to come to the front to freestyle some singing or beatboxing and there was a long pause as one girl tried to find the courage to sing out something.  It was her turn now, and the eyes of everyone in the room were on her.  I started to worry that the vicar had let himself in for an unavoidable disaster.  Why did he give up the mic and risk the show?

Jesus (not unlike the beatboxing vicar) does something similar in today's passage...

Mark 6:6-13

We said already yesterday that Jesus' miracles aren't just a show to impress people but a way of revealing God to them so they might come to know him personally.  Jesus turned up because of God's kingdom family and that means it's about people knowing God and growing to be more like him.  So it's not entirely surprising that Jesus shifts focus onto 6 pairs of disciples to go out and do what he's been doing.  It's about multiplication and this way, more people can see the power of God and be invited to find out more about Jesus and God's kingdom family.  It's about reaching more people.

It's also about the twelve disciples getting valuable experience in trusting Jesus.  Jesus gives the team his authority and power to do the work and so they have everything they need but they have to believe Jesus is right when he says evil spirits and various forms of sickness will submit to them.  It's a big sign of faith that they obey and go out on this mission and I'm sure that's part of the point.  Jesus is training them to always be on a mission for him and God's kingdom family and it's the same for followers of Jesus today.

As I watched along with a crowd of about two hundred students, the shy girl with the mic seemed to be getting herself ready to sing something and when she finally did, it was AWESOME!  She let rip with a strong vocal solo that stunned the room and made the beatboxing vicar breathe a huge sigh of amazed relief.  She took the opportunity and made the most of the moment to shine and it caught everyone's attention.

If you don't yet follow Jesus, how do you feel about the idea that he's sending his followers to reach you with his love and invite you to know God personally?  How do you react when his followers fail to do this with humility and love or fail to point you to Jesus at all?  Should it stop you finding out about the real Jesus?  I hope it doesn't!

If you already follow Jesus, how much are you stepping up for him on your daily mission to invite people into his kingdom family?  Do you think the disciples thought they were ready?  Not likely.  Did they look ready?  Definitely not.  Did they fail in some cases?  Of course!  But Jesus sent them.  And he sends you and me too so that means we don't have any good excuses.

The beatboxing vicar
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