Ashe Alliance Church
Sunday Service 02.01.26
      • Bible Trivia
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  • Rejoice
  • Who Is Like the Lord (Psalm 113)
  • O Worship The King
  • In Christ Alone

  • Main Idea

    Jesus sends His disciples to go in faith, trust in His provision, and walk in His authority—even when they feel unprepared.
    During the time of the Exodus, God was preparing His people to embark on an unimaginable journey, and I don’t mean that to sound like the beginning of a Disney movie. It would be incredible, but it would stretch the Israelites’ ability to trust in God’s provision. On the evening of the first Passover, God had already challenged Pharaoh through Moses by sending various plagues on Egypt, but the most extreme plague of all would hit tonight. The Destroyer would come and kill any firstborn son in a home that was not covered by the blood of a spotless lamb. During this meal, they were to eat dinner, ready to leave at any moment.
    Here is how you must eat it: You must be dressed for travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in a hurry; it is the Lord’s Passover (Ex. 12:11)
    The next morning, after the Egyptians were in the midst of mourning their dead, Pharaoh’s resolve finally broke, and he released the Hebrews. From there, they left the land of slavery and entered a vast wilderness where they had to trust God for every provision.
    Today, we will see Jesus’ disciples enter into a similar time of extreme trust.

    Passage

    Mark 6:7–13 CSB
    7 He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a staff—no bread, no traveling bag, no money in their belts, 9 but to wear sandals and not put on an extra shirt. 10 He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11 If any place does not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons, anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

    Tutor Refresh

    Let’s quickly recap what the disciples have learned so far so we can better appreciate where Jesus is leading them next.
    The first disciples were with Jesus when he cleansed a man in the synagogue of a demon and healed Peter’s mother-in-law from a fever. They heard His message in Galilee and witnessed a leper being made clean and whole.
    They witnessed a paralytic being lowered from the ceiling by his friends, who were physically healed when he was forgiven of his sins (a thing only Yahweh can do).
    They were taught parables of the Kingdom, instructed that Jesus was Lord of the Sabbath, and endured a life-threatening storm by seeing Jesus speak peace over the inanimate forces of nature.
    They saw a man freed from a legion of demons. Once the demons were removed, they possessed a herd of pigs, which immediately sprinted off a cliff and drowned. They’ve seen the clash between the Pharisees’ defense of their oral traditions and Jesus’ faithful exposition of His own Word.
    They were there when the faith of an unclean outcast compelled her to come to Jesus for healing and restoration and the resurrection of a religious leader’s daughter.
    Now, they have traveled with Jesus to His hometown to experience rejection in the most intimate and rawest of circumstances.
    They have seen, heard, and experienced all that Jesus wanted them to encounter. Though I’m sure they didn’t feel equipped, according to Jesus, they were ready.
    They have been trained… now they must be sent.

    I - Called to Be Sent v.7

    Mark 6:7 CSB
    7 He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
    Summon - kaleō - to authoritatively demand a person’s presence and/or participation. The disciples are called to Christ before being sent by Christ. This reinforces the order of events in our own spiritual journeys. We must first come to Jesus… to be with Him and learn from Him. Then, and only then, should we go for Him.
    Send - apostello (the root of the word apostle):  “to send someone with a special commission to represent another and to accomplish his work.” Their message was not their own. They were not sent with the blessing to preach whatever they felt like. They were sent as messengers, and messengers carry a word from their Leader. It is His words being spoken through representatives. May we never proclaim our own thoughts or agendas, but strive to make the word of God fully known (Col. 1:25).
    2x2 – The men were sent out in pairs, and for good reason… or I should say reasons.
    1. for protection,
    2. for mutual teaching and accountability,
    3. companionship,
    4. in fulfillment of the legal requirements of a matter being established by the testimony of 2-3 witnesses (Deut. 19:15).
    Authority– As authorized representatives, they were expected to carry the same message from Jesus, but they were also sent in the same power as the Sender. Their words had the power of God behind them… not their own power and authority, but the same power and authority they had seen and heard from Jesus. This was crucial for them in their unique mission, and it is vital for ours today. We have the same Word of God. The Spirit of God inspired humans to write His words. That much, we can say ‘yes and amen’ to. But how often do we forget that as we abide in Christ and remain in Him, His power will also come with the preaching of His word!
    This is a unique aspect of how Jesus teaches His followers. He is unique in how He calls the disciples (they don’t flock to Him as normal students would flock to be tutored by a Rabbi), and how He sends them out (typical Rabbis did not send students out like this). He seeks His people out, and instead of offering only head knowledge, He combines knowledge with divinely revealed wisdom and lived application that totally transforms them from the inside out.

    II - Called to Trust vv.8-9

    Mark 6:8–9 CSB
    8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a staff—no bread, no traveling bag, no money in their belts, 9 but to wear sandals and not put on an extra shirt.
    History repeats - Like the ancient Israelites before them, the disciples were sent with only the most basic provisions. But instead of God delivering the people from Egyptian bondage and oppression to the land He had promised Abraham, Jesus is now working through the disciples (His body) to deliver His people from spiritual bondage and oppression and transfer them into His Kingdom that has no borders or limits. God will still care for His people, but this time He is training them as they go.
    A call to trust - Just like the Israelites, the disciples were instructed to bring only a staff, a belt, sandals, and the shirt on their backs. The same exact things… the bare essentials. What they couldn’t bring were extra provisions like food, a traveling bag, money, or even an extra tunic (likely an outer tunic like a coat).
    Addressing potential discrepancies - So that you are not caught off guard, the parallel account in Matthew forbids procuring the staff and sandals, while Luke forbids the staff. At first glance, this looks like a discrepancy, but we know better. This is the Word of God. While it is true that the other two synoptic gospels forbid procuring these items, Mark says they could take them. It is important to know which word is being used. Mark uses a verb that means they could take these items with them, which assumes they already have them in their possession from the start. Matthew uses another verb that means to obtain or procure… meaning, you cannot add to what you already have as you go. In this light, we can see that there isn’t a discrepancy in accounts. They are speaking to two different scenarios.
    So, what can we glean from this section? It’s simple, yet profound: Tiny provisions necessitate a big faith. If you want to go for God, you need to trust God, which often means being put in a position of dependency. All the extra stuff they were forbidden to take represents worldly security: food, money, and clothing. Instead of relying on worldly provision, Jesus asks His disciples to trust in Him alone for their needs. He who calls and sends will provide all that is needed to succeed in the mission.

    III - Called to Depend vv.10-11

    Mark 6:10–11 CSB
    10 He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11 If any place does not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”
    Dependence - This is basically a curse word to Americans. We don’t want to depend on anyone. We can take care of ourselves and do it our way. Jesus doesn’t see it that way. As He uses His disciples to meet the needs of His people, He is also teaching His disciples to depend on His people to meet their own needs. Can you imagine traveling on foot to another city with no advance planning for where you will stay? This is the body of Christ in action. There are times when we aren’t supposed to take care of ourselves, but to allow others to care for us in Jesus’ name. These men were instructed to go door to door and rely on the kindness and care of the people there for food and shelter.
    Gratefulness and Honor - If they were received, they were to stay in that house. This was a lesson in gratitude: graciously receiving what is offered. Their first instruction is to enter the home. They are to be grateful that they have been provided for, no matter what the condition of that house may be. I believe that is why He gives the command to stay there. If you are provided a 50 sq. ft. space, don’t look for a 2,000 sq. ft. space. Don’t seek out better amenities. Be grateful for what you have been given. Don’t seek out your own comforts and potentially offend those you are trying to reach. They were to open themselves up and live life with others… to be in community in the most intimate of ways. Making it about your own comforts can damage and undermine the mission. Remember, it’s not about you… It’s about the gospel of Jesus Christ!
    Handling rejection – That said, not everyone will be willing to take them in. That much is clear from Jesus’ own family and relatives. If He was rejected by those closest to Him, they will be rejected by the people they are trying to tell the good news to. In this case, they are not instructed to simply move on to the next house. The disciples are to give a visual demonstration of their own rejection of that household. They were to remove their sandals and shake the dust of that home off as a testimony of rejection and pending judgment if they do not repent from their hard-heartedness. To reject the messenger is to also reject the Sender, and that is a terrifying position to be in.

    IV - Called to Obey vv. 12-13

    Mark 6:12–13 CSB
    12 So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons, anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
    The disciples went. Could you imagine going on this quest? No road snacks. No jacket. No money. No Hilton reservations. I don’t know about you, but I would be a bit hesitant! But they weren’t. They had seen enough of Jesus’ power and authority, so they obeyed and went, and they did what Jesus had been doing. And they went out in His power and authority. They are Jesus’ commissioned ‘sent ones’… ordinary men given the authority to do and say extraordinary things for the glory of God and the expansion of His kingdom!
    They preached repentance. This was the primary mission of Jesus. He came to preach. He preached the good news of His coming and the coming of the Kingdom of God, which casts out the enemy with divine authority. Jesus did it… now His disciples are doing it. They are emulating their teacher. This was not just a feel-good message. There was a reason for their preaching. They preached SO THAT the people would repent. Without repentance, there is no salvation, or else what are you turning from?
    Thomas Watson’s Doctrine of Repentance: “Repentance is a grace of God’s Spirit whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and visibly reformed.” In this book, Watson makes beautiful observations about the nature of repentance, noting that it progresses. Repentance begins with the sight of sin (seeing it as an offense to God’s holy nature and standard). That sight leads to sorrow of sin, which compels the person to confess their sin. Confession has a powerful effect:
    1. Confession of sin gives glory to God (Josh 7:19).
    2. Confession of sin is a means to humble the soul (2 Chr 26:19).
    3. Confession of sin gives release to a troubled heart (Ps 51:11–12).
    4. Confession of sin purges out sin (Neh 3:13).
    5. Confession of sin endears Christ to the soul that needs atoning (Rom 7:25).
    6. Confession of sin makes way for forgiveness (2 Sam 12:13; 1 John 1:9).
    7. Confession of sin makes way for mercy (Prov 28:13)
    They drove out demons - Satan had a very real and visible grip on the world. In nearly every region Jesus traveled, there was evidence of spiritual oppression. Demons were not merely abstract symbols of evil—they were active agents of chaos, deception, and destruction. And Jesus didn’t just come to teach truth; He came to confront darkness. The disciples now walk in His delegated authority, continuing the work of reclaiming what is rightfully His. This wasn’t just an emotional moment of deliverance for the person involved—it was a direct clash of kingdoms. Each expulsion of evil was like a flag being planted in enemy territory and a declaration that Jesus reigns here.
    And notice: Jesus didn’t send His disciples to coexist with darkness. He sent them to confront it. They didn’t argue with demons—they cast them out. In the same way, the church today must never negotiate with sin or soften the edges of spiritual warfare. We are not neutral. We have been given the Spirit of God and the authority of Christ to stand firm and push back the darkness—whether that’s in our homes, our churches, or our communities. To preach the gospel is to declare war on the kingdom of darkness. And when we do, we must be prepared for the conflict that comes. But praise God, the power we walk in is not our own. It is the power of the risen King.
    They anointed the sick and healed them - The kingdom of God is not only about confrontation—it’s about restoration. Jesus didn’t come just to defeat evil. He came to make all things new. Healing was never just about the body. It was a signpost—pointing beyond the physical wound to the spiritual sickness that plagues all of humanity.
    Every healing told a story:
    The blind now see—just as those who were blind to truth now perceive it.
    The lame now walk—just as those crippled by sin are raised to walk in newness of life.
    The leper is cleansed—just as the outcast is brought back into community and made whole.
    Anointing the sick with oil was a visible act of compassion and care, but it was also a sacred act of consecration—setting apart the person for the healing mercy of God. And this is what repentance does: it prepares us for the healing only God can bring.
    In all these things, the disciples were embodying the mission of Jesus. And now, so are we. We may not cast out demons in the same way. We may not anoint with oil every day. But every time we proclaim the gospel, confront darkness, care for the sick, walk with the broken, and call sinners to repentance… we are doing the very same Kingdom work that they did… that Jesus did.
    And the same power that went with them goes with us.

    🔥 Application: Will you go?

    The most staggering part of this passage may be the most understated. “So they went.” Just three words, but they carry enormous weight. These disciples were untrained by worldly standards, under-resourced by human expectations, and entirely dependent on Jesus for power and provision—and yet, they went.
    Obedience isn’t about feeling ready. It’s about trusting the One who sends.
    They didn’t argue. They didn’t hesitate. They didn’t ask for more gear or more time or more clarity. They just went. And what followed wasn’t merely obedience—it was power. They preached repentance, just as Jesus had. They cast out demons, just as Jesus had. They healed the sick, just as Jesus had. Jesus was showing them—and us—that His power and presence are always with us and that He can work through anyone who goes in obedience and trust.
    Obedience is the bridge between God’s calling and God’s power. Without it, we’ll never experience the fullness of the mission we’ve been given.
    You may not feel like you have much. You may feel unequipped, undertrained, or unworthy. But here’s the truth of this passage:
    If you have walked with Jesus… If you have heard His voice… If you have seen His power and trusted in His name… Then you are ready to go.
    You may not be ready in your own eyes, but you are ready in His.
    Jesus doesn’t call the prepared—He prepares the called. And He’s still sending ordinary disciples with the extraordinary message of the gospel. But the question is the same now as it was then:
    Will you go?

      • Mark 6:7–13CSB

      • Mark 6:7CSB

      • Mark 6:8–9CSB

      • Mark 6:10–11CSB

      • Mark 6:12–13CSB

  • On That Day
  • Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow (Old 100th)
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Ashe Alliance Church
nroten@ashealliance.org
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http://www.ashealliance.org
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