One of the things that Jesus did when His twelve started to follow Him was to send them off also to do His work. It wasn’t only Jesus that was doing the will of God but many people that followed Him also. This Jesus did by sending His disciples off two by two. Now, in Mark, chapter 6, we learn that this teaching was for his twelve but understand that in Matthew, chapter 4, Jesus taught that anyone that follow Him, he will also send them off to be his witness. The verse reads, 1“follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” This calling is for anyone that desires to believe in and follow Jesus. Now, when we get this calling from God, we will be given certain abilities. Some people may be able given the gift of boldness to preach and teach the gospel. With this gift, all they need to do is open their mouths and God will fill it. Others, may be given the power to cast out demons. At the name of Jesus, all evil spirits will obey and be cast of the person that is afflicted. And others may be given the power to heal the sick. This means anyone that is in need of healing. These are all spiritual gifts from God. Now, for the twelve, Jesus 3“gave them power” also and they went out and talked to people on the streets, knocked on doors, 3“preached that men should repent”, healed the sick, and cast out many demons. This was not their own power, that they did such things, but the power of God.
In Luke, chapter 10, Jesus also sent out seventy men, that were His followers, two by two, into all the cities. As people were following Jesus, He also sent them off. However, in doing so, Jesus said, 4“the harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” Please understand that there were thousands of people but only few people that were His witnesses. Therefore, He asked them to pray that the Lord God would send more people out into his harvest. One such person that responded to His calling was a man that was once possessed by a demon. In Mark, chapter 5, we learn of this man that lived in the tombs and people tried to chain him there, because he was possessed. However, when Jesus’s ship landed on shore, this man’s life was instantly changed. The unclean spirits were no match to the power of Jesus, as they were cast into the pigs, who then died in the sea. Now, when this happened, and this young man was set free, Jesus told him to do the following, 2“go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.” This was a great example of responding to God’s calling and doing His will.
The reason why this message is so important to us now, is that many people that say they believe in Jesus have not become a follower of Him yet. If they had, then many people would be sharing the gospel with their friends and family and participating in more evangelism efforts. However, these efforts are not happening as frequently as they should, and when they are, it is only a few people that participate. For example, in the Boise Idaho valley, I am grateful to go the streets and witness for Jesus, but only few people join me. Now, you would think that many people would want to join in, but that is not the case. Each week, only one person, named Chris, goes out with me, and every so often we see someone from the youth group or another person that used to come, join us. However, each week, it is mainly Chris and I that have the privilege of sharing God’s truth with. This we also pray over the people and feed and clothe the homeless. These nights there are hundreds of people but only two of us, and it is impossible to reach them all. However, each time there is someone that we are able to pray with, witness to and help out. As we are followers of Jesus, this has been our calling. Now, in saying this, I pray that you may also have this same desire to be God’s witness. We need more people to do more than believe but truly trust in Jesus and follow Him. Wherever He leads, do as the Lord says.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I pray as You’ve directed us, to send forth more laborers into Your harvest. It is truly difficult Lord to reach everyone when only one few people are willing to witness Your truths. Truly, You are able to do great things through us, each night that we go out, but I can see many people go forth unreached because there are so few of us. I can just imagine Lord, what it was like before I started going out on the streets. I am just so grateful to be called now to preach and teach your gospel. Truly, the lost have been found and many of them have already accepted You into their lives. For this, we give You all the praise and the glory. We could not have led them to You if You had not opened our mouths and filled us with words to speak. With the Spirit of God, prayers have awakened people to repent and turn from their sins. Through these convictions, they now believe in and follow You. Even those that are sick have been prayed over and gotten better. What an amazing thing this has been to see and to be a part of. And God, it is a blessing to reach the homeless and help them however we can. It is like I am drawn to them and to see them have food and drink is what I need to do. These desires have all come from You, Lord. I do these things not to be lifted up, but to lift You up high. I am only Your witness. I pray that more people will join me in these efforts, wherever they are. I say these things in thy holy Name, Jesus. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Matthew 4:17-22 (KJV)
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
2Mark 5:1-20 (KJV)
1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
3Mark 6:7-13 (KJV)
7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
4Luke 10:1-12 (KJV)
1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
