Doing Jesus' Job

“And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over unclean spirits. ... So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.” -Mark 6:7, 12

In this passage of Scripture, Jesus and his disciples are speaking in Nazareth and the villages around it. Jesus begins to send his apostles out into the villages on their own to preach and tell people to repent of their sins. After they are done, the apostles come back and report to Jesus about their experience (Mark 6:30).

I find it interesting that Jesus sends the apostles out to teach about God’s Kingdom and repentance when Jesus could have easily (and probably more-effectively) done it himself. Jesus wanted to use his disciples to preach the gospel. He knew that they didn’t know everything. He knew that they had faults. He even knew that they would deny that they knew him when times got rough.

Jesus feels the same way about us! We are called to be “fishers of men” and to “make disciples of all nations.” We don’t have to be perfect to preach the gospel. We don’t have to have any special talents. We don’t even have to get rid of all our fear. Jesus wants to use us to lead people to God! And when people see that there’s nothing special about us and yet we speak with the authority of Scripture, God moves in mighty ways!

Be encouraged that Jesus wants to use you for ministry, no matter who you are. Also know that you are not an exception, and that everyone who follows Jesus is expected to teach people about the gospel. So go out and be fishers of men!