Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Text: St. Mark 6:1-13, but especially these words –

Calling the Twelve to him, Jesus sent them out two by two and gave them authority…They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Dear Friends in Christ Jesus:

           “I just didn’t want to get involved.” This was the statement of a person who stood by and watched as a girl was brutally attacked and stabbed to death. But there were about thirty other people who witnessed the same murder. They also did nothing. They also didn’t want to get involved. And yet, before we become too critical of these people or come down on them too hard, maybe we should ask ourselves – “What would I have done if I had been there? Would I have acted any differently?”

           Just look at all that takes place in the world around us, or look at the people who are battered by pressures and beset by problems in our own community – possibly even in the house or apartment next to us. Have we really acted much differently? Have we really demonstrated any genuine concern for others? Some of us have, to be sure. However, others have not. They just didn’t want to get involved. And yet, we also like the kind of Christian life that doesn’t ask too much of us, that doesn’t demand involvement. And so, we can hardly comprehend or appreciate the kind of life that was exhibited and commanded by our Lord and Savior – and later reflected in and lived by His disciples. Too often, we tend to ignore it or downplay it – for you see, we just don’t like to get involved.

           However, in the text for today, we see that our Lord’s disciples were in the process of learning that discipleship does indeed mean involvement. It is written – “Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority.” That same Lord who had invited people – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” – ultimately gave the command to – “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” And these disciples discovered then what you and I, as the church, need to also rediscover today – that our come to me and I will give you rest kind of relationship with God must turn into a go into all the world and preach the good news kind of Christian life. For we’re called to come to the Savior Jesus Christ, and to rest secure in His power, love, and mercy. But that Lord who invites us to come – also commands us to go. And both our coming to Him and our going out for Him are very important, essential to living our lives as the people of God. For discipleship does mean involvement.

           Jesus sent His disciples out into the world for the purpose of ministering to people. These disciples were to involve themselves in the lives of people around them. Their ultimate goal was to promote the purposes of the kingdom of God, to oppose the power of Satan in the world, and to lead men, women, and children to the love of God in Jesus Christ and His claim upon their lives. Our Lord’s disciples weren’t to remain in their small group, enjoying the fellowship of one another for the rest of their lives. Instead, they were to move out of the comfort, safety, and security of their own group, this small band of disciples out into the world – for there was a job to be done.

           But Jesus first instructed His disciples – before He sent them out to do the world of His kingdom. For one thing, they were instructed to travel light. Jesus said to His disciples – “Take nothing for the journey except a staff.” On their journey, they were to take off without anything extra. And perhaps this was necessary in order to teach them that their dependence wasn’t to be centered upon themselves, their own resources, their own needs, or the things of this world. Their dependence had to be in God and what He alone could do for them. For the disciples had received the Lord’s command but also His power and authority – and this was all they really needed. You see, they had no budget to meet and no quota to reach. The Lord sent them out. They were to go and minister to the people with whom they came into contact.

           They were also to concentrate on relationships, rather than statistics. Again, Jesus told the disciples – “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.” And this would mean relating to and enjoying, speaking to and sharing with, being concerned about and caring for the people they visited. The disciples were to proclaim and promote the gospel of Christ – the life and the hope it has to offer. But they were also to show their love for others by sharing their lives with them.

           And it’s possible that our Lord was telling His disciples that they were not to judge their success by looking at statistics or only by the positive responses to their efforts of service – but by their faithfulness to Christ and the work He had given them to do. Their task was to minister, not manipulate; to love, not coerce – so that many might be brought to the Savior. And there would be people led to Jesus as the result of their ministry – but only because they went out by the authority and with the power of God Himself. However, the failures would very probably outnumber the successes. So, the disciples had to learn that their responsibility was to be faithful in the loving proclamation of God’s Word – leaving the results to the Holy Spirit, working through that Word.

           According to our Lord’s instructions, the disciples’ ministry was to be a ministry to the total person. Their concern was to include the physical well being of people, as well as their spiritual well being. To be sure, they were to proclaim the Gospel to people, the gospel of Jesus Christ and their need of His forgiving love. But they were also to demonstrate and exhibit the love of God by serving others. So, it is written – “They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” And these disciples were to discover that their self-sacrificing love and service to others, meeting people in their need – often spoke more loudly and convincingly about the love of God than anything they could have said.

           So, the text for today can be taken as a strong reminder to us – that Christianity or discipleship without involvement is discipleship without Jesus Christ. For all of us who follow the Savior are called to be His servants. We may not have the power to do the same things that the disciples did then, like driving out demons or healing the sick – but we do have all the gifts we really need to do the work we’ve been called to do. Yes, we’re called upon and sent into our world to proclaim the message of our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord. And the disciples in the text were sent to preach repentance – but their ministry wasn’t confined to proclaiming the message. Nor is ours. In fact, many of the people that we are called upon to minister to – have heard the message of God’s grace and love. So, to these people, our love must meet them where they are. For this may be a more powerful sermon about God’s love than anything we could ever possibly say.

           Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ is today commanding us to go out and to minister. And this means to go out in spite of the consequences, trusting in God for the power of His Spirit to overcome our fears and frustrations – to go out in obedience to Christ, and to serve Him in and through our love for others. It means that we reach people where they are with the message of Christ that we communicate with them. It means to become involved with their hopes and needs, their problems and worries, and with their spiritual and physical concerns. It means that we listen to other’s joys and sorrows. We may not always condone or identify – but the love of Christ compels us to listen. It means to really love. And if there are some who won’t receive our love, then we ought to find those who will. It means that we must respond to others. It means that we must share, even when there are no visible returns. All in all, it means that we must proclaim the power and presence of God in Jesus Christ.

           And this is the ultimate purpose of our mission everyday. This is finally why we are here. For as the people of God, our main task is to lead people to the Savior. It’s our job to lead men, women, and children to Jesus – and this is done by going, becoming involved, loving, responding, sharing ourselves, and proclaiming the redeeming power of God. And this is as much our task, as it was those disciples that Christ sent forth so long ago.

           Discipleship means involvement. Our Lord set the pace, and He expects us to follow His lead. For Christ identified Himself with our agonies. He became involved with our needs. And He even went so far as to carry the consequences of our sins to the cross – and there paid for them. So, as followers of Jesus Christ, we who receive Him as our Savior, must also receive Him as our Lord and Master. For in following Him, we continue in His course for our lives – becoming involved in the lives of people wherever they might be. This is what discipleship means and what it’s all about – involvement. And as our Lord gave His life on our behalf, so now we’re expected to lose our lives in His service – there to find real life and the tremendous joy of being servants of the living and eternal God. May God grant this to us all, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen. 

Authored by Reverend Carl Trosien.