Mark 6: 1-13
Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.
These were his instructions, “Take nothing for your journey except a staff–no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.”
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
A Thought
The people of Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus, could not receive the teachings of Jesus as a prophet; they could only see him as the carpenter and Mary’s son. Jesus then went from village to village with his disciples and gave them authority to preach repentance and gave them power over evil spirits. Jesus sent them out two by two with instructions to trust God to provide all they would need to preach repentance and cast out demons. Although God has provided all that we need in Jesus Christ, we must have faith to believe and accept him by repentance to receive what God has provided for us.
Our Prayer
Father thank you for providing all that we need. Thank you for faith to accept and believe in your Son. We ask that you increase our faith and dependance on you as we learn to teach others and to grow to become more like Christ, in his name, amen.
