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Are you Thankfullly Equipped - Part 4

Jesus has provided the disciples with the tools they needed, a purpose, and even provided instruction on what they didn't need.  So what else is left?  Here's the story again from Mark 6:7-13.

And he called to the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.  He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in their belts - but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.  And he said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.  And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them."  So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

Jesus provided the disciples with success.  The last two sentences of the story read, "And they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them." - Mark 6:12-13. 

Did you notice what the success in the story is?  It clearly tells us that the disciples cast out demons, anointed, and healed many, so we see that people were healed.  But what was their main purpose?  It was to preach the kingdom of heaven and a message of repentance.  Does the text say that people repented?

We assume it, but it doesn't actually say that.  Now it is likely that their sin is what they were being healed from.  But for the disciples, the people's acceptance of the message wasn't the measuring stick of their success.  Their purpose was to preach the gospel (Luke 9:6).  That's where it applies to us.  We don't have the power to go out and save anybody, but we do have the power and purpose to go out and tell them about the Savior.

Our success is in sharing the message of the love of Jesus Christ.  We can see that the early disciples, and generations before us, have been successful in sharing this message just by the fact that Christianity is still here today.  As we pause and give thanks for the message of faith, hope, and love that has made it to us, let us not get complacent in our mission for Him.  Where will the next generation be as a result of the lives we live for the Lord today?  Are we giving them a reason to be thankful?

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