Even though the 12 apostles still don’t altogether ‘get’ his teaching or the source of his power, Jesus now sends them out to extend his work (v 7). Incredibly risky? Jesus himself gives them authority over evil spirits – they’re only able because he enables them (v 13), not because they’ve passed their Grade 8 apostleship exam!

I was invited to preach my first sermon when I was about 17. It was in an informal service that a small team of us took at an old people’s home. I felt totally inadequate. The sermon took me weeks to put together. I wrote it out word for word, and practised it for days. I still have the sermon and it’s definitely – should I say? – not even average, and it’s far too long. Fortunately, most of the old people had nodded off before I got to the third paragraph! But the key thing is, someone trusted me to do it, and God did the rest.

‘Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith.’¹ 

Up to this point in the Gospel of Mark, the disciples have been following Jesus. They had witnessed their master heal the sick, cast out demons and reach out to the Gentile region. All this time they had been passive observers of all that Jesus had done. Now the time had come for them to put their hands to the plough and be sent out to fulfil Jesus’ intention in calling them.² Were the disciples ready for the task? Based on the narrative of Mark thus far, the impression we have of the disciples is far from complimentary. They did not understand the teaching of Jesus, or who Jesus was.³ Yet our Lord took a considerable risk by sending them out in pairs to teach, heal and cast out demons. 

Often we give excuses that we are not ready to do what the Lord calls us to do – but neither were the disciples ready. In fact, we can never be ready to be sent out by Jesus, no matter how much we have heard and learned. We need to take risks; we need to step out of our comfort zones. For the disciples, it was an honour and privilege to carry the message of hope to a hurting and dying world. This remains our honour and privilege today. It is one responsibility that we should not decline.

Think of one thing that the Lord would like us to do that we have been brushing aside. It could be inviting our neighbour for a meal. It could be reaching out to our colleagues. It could be making a stand on our Christian witness. We cannot hide in the safe haven of being in the church. We must be sent out. We must take risks.

Lord, grant me the courage to step out of my comfort zone to serve you.

¹ Hudson Taylor, 1832–1905  ² Mark 3:14,15  ³ Mark 4:10,38,40,41