Changing our Worldview; Changing our World 5

 A Study of Mark Week 5

Mark 6:1-29  You win some; you lose some; you keep going

The Mission of the Twelve

Then he went about among the villages teaching. ⁷ He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸ He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; ⁹ but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. ¹⁰ He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. ¹¹ If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” ¹² So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. ¹³ They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

photo by Ashkan Forouzani (unsplash)

If we can agree that the gospel challenges many of our cultures values and provides for us an alternative way of seeing and being in the world—cooperation rather than competition; inclusivity and diversity rather than conformity; justice and equity rather than income and power disparity; sustainability rather than consumption; compassion rather than retribution—the next step is to share the message and transform the cultural worldview!  Not such an easy task. 

Mark sandwiches this commissioning of the disciples between Jesus’ rejection by his hometown and a recounting of the death of John the Baptist.  There is a clear message that sharing the radical vision that Jesus has for a compassionate, just and peaceful world is not going to always go well.  We live in a time where it is particularly difficult to converse with people who do not agree with our ideas.  Perhaps Jesus advice to those first disciples is useful for us as well.  When people are hospitable to the gospel, spend some time with them.  Hearts and minds don’t change quickly.  When people ‘refuse to hear’ what you have to say, walk away but first let them know that you strongly disagree with their position.  Sharing the gospel isn’t about force or coercion but about offering an alternative way and inviting those who are willing to try walking along it.  Not everyone is willing.  Some who are antagonistic and powerful will react violently but over two thousand years the gospel has won more than it has lost.  It just needs us to keep going.