SEND FORTH | Healing Hands Worship Series, week 2
July 8, 2018

Send Forth (Mark 6:6-13)

Keywords: Partnering. Provision. Power. Repentance.

Sending forth involves partnering with one another to share God’s love, inviting humanity to trust God’s provision plans, and embracing the power to drive out demons.

“Go with someone” were the instructions that my parents gave me when I went into the community to sell items for my school’s fundraiser. Since I believed that I knew my neighbors, I didn’t think I needed to go with someone else. Why this directive from my parents? Was it about trust, safety, or both?

Why was Jesus directing the disciples to go together? Didn’t Jesus believe that the disciples knew how to share the good news? This passage reminds us that we are sent forth into the world to trust, believe, preach, teach, serve, anoint, and invite people to follow Jesus Christ. How does your congregation send people into the community now?

When I read this Scripture, I realized that Jesus directs the disciples to create both relationships and partnerships. They are called to trust and to be accountable to one another. Jesus reminds them to believe in the salvation mission. There is a call for them to act and live into the promises of provision. They have authority to “drive out the demons” and keep things moving if the people don’t accept their message of repentance. Are we challenged to “shake off the dust” as a testimony?

Why were they traveling to these new places? They were sent forth on a mission to spread the good news. Although we are sent forth on new missions, what does it look like in our context? How do we meet people? When do you connect in new communities? What is your testimony? Have we offered hope to someone lately?

Where would we be willing to go without extra clothes, shoes, money, food, and our cell phones? Do we trust God completely to find a home as we are being sent forth? How will we travel to get to this place? Are we comfortable partnering with a stranger? Will we heed the directive to go two by two to go forth in new ways? What are the disciples called to do,and how does that calling have an impact on our current faith today?

Consider reflecting upon these ideas:

Praying about your faith and repentance journey. Serving others. Making time to partner with young adults and families to share their faith experiences.
Trusting God’s mission and believing that God can sustain your community that is hurting. Become a prayer partner with a new believer.
What is repentance? How is discipleship lived in your congregation? What does sending forth disciples two by two look like in your congregation now?