“He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two…” Mark 6:7
Jesus does great deeds of power and gives his disciples authority over demons. Yet none of this power is unilateral; it all must be received by faith. Jesus asks his disciples to go out without money or supplies, so that they will be dependent on how others receive them.
When we are sent from the assembly to witness and to heal, we are asked to be vulnerable, to be dependent on the reception of others.
The Spirit always operates in the between: between Jesus and his Abba, between Jesus and us, between you and me, between us and those to whom we are sent.
Sunday’s Worship Music
Our Traditional services feature Lord, You Give the Great Commission as the Hymn of the Day. Jesus sends out the twelve in today’s Gospel and we tell the story through words and music. Which verse of this hymn speaks most clearly to your gifts in ministry? Which is the most challenging for you?
Our New Day Praise service features The Summons as the Worship Song. We sing the repeating phrase “Would you come and follow me?” With this we are invited to follow Jesus to be among the sick, the marginalized, and also to live out the life God calls us to live.
Preaching Theme
How trusting are you?
For Further Reflection
Thinking about leadership, are the qualities that make a leader great inborn gifts or learned practices?
What have your experiences taught you about being a servant leader? (2 Sam 5:1-5, 9-10)
Our Gospel text features rejection and acceptance as well as failure and success.
How does your faith in God’s presence inform you when you face rejection or acceptance?
In what ways do you rely upon the Lord in times of failure and times of success?
