Mark 3:14,15 – “Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.”
We know that the ultimate plan of Jesus was to tap the twelve and train them to start a revolution. We know that the twelve would be the pillars upon which the church would begin to build in the earth. But I love what verse 13 says, “Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him…” No talk of taking over the world or changing the culture or developing a vision and a mission statement. True discipleship and mentoring begins with “hang” time. There is so much that can be learned by “accident” in a non-sterile environment. Life happens, questions are asked, and eternal things are communicated.
There’s a simplicity in this passage that grabs hold of both sides of my head and says boldly, “pay attention!” They’re sent out to preach and have power. That’s it. Church has become way too complicated for me. How did we get to this place? I think the problem today is that there is way too much preaching and way too little power. Where is the “heal sicknesses and…cast out demons” piece of this? When’s the last time we were aware of demonic evacuation?
I’m just sayin’…