The Mission and The Strategy

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

There is a critical phase in each of the four gospels where Jesus turns from preaching, teaching and doing miracles, to equipping his disciples to do the same.  The disciples accompanied Jesus during this time of public ministry, and it was now time for them do the same things that he did. This is all under the banner of "proclaiming the kingdom of God".  Notice Jesus did it in word and in deed, which gave what he was preaching credibility.  

Importantly Jesus gave them the power and authority to do these things.  This was the same power and authority Jesus had received when the Holy Spirit came upon him at his baptism.  The disciples had seen this power at work in Jesus and now it had been given to them.  In obedience they went from village to village proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.  

Like Jesus, the disciples healed people of diseases and delivered them from demons. The diseases were physical sickness. The demons were spiritual sickness.  Like Jesus their words about the kingdom were confirmed by deeds of power and miraculous healing. 

Jesus also taught them another lesson. He sent them off without provisions, or an intinerary of where they should sleep for the night.  They essentially left with only the shirts on their backs.  They were to rely on the goodwill of people they ran into.  And if a town was unresponsive to them, they were to shake their dust off of their feet as a sign of judgment against them.  To shake the dust off of one's feets meant you wanted to take nothing of that town with you, not even the dust.

One can only imagine the excitement as the disciples got back to tell Jesus all they had said and done.  The stories of how God had provided the right people along the way to take care of them.  Their lives were changed forever though it doesn't mean they did not experience difficulties down the road.  But for a time they experienced the power of God working through them in an extraordinary way. 

So the question we might ask ourselves is if this was Jesus' plan to lead people to God has anything changed?  The answer is a no.  Until the full number of people God has called heavenward has been reached, we have the same mission.  The mission to preach and teach the Good News, heal the sick, and deliver demons as a sign that the kingdom of God was upon them.  

All we have do is look around us to see that the vast number of people suffering from disease. And while the work of the devil and his demons are hard to see, we should not be surprised if we encounter someone who has been given over to the dark side.  The same power Jesus bestowed on the disciples he has given to us through the Holy Spirit.  So I think we should ask God for the same courage the disciples were given to go out and rely on God to provide for us in whatever mission field we find ourselves in.  The mission field is everyhwhere you are and go.  Home, work, your neighborhood and network of friends and acquaintances.  Remember as you go on mission with God, He is with you and has given you the power and authority to show forth the kingdom of God in both your words and deeds.