Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Mark chapter 3 verses 13 through16:
13 He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him.14And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, 15and to have authority to cast out demons. 16So he appointed the twelve.
Now here is something new to me in the text which though I’ve read it many times before, I never really noticed: the twelve apostles were called by Jesus not only to be sent to preach and cast out demons but also, and firstly, to be with Jesus.
That was the first and foremost thing: being with Jesus, spending time watching and learning from him. In being with Jesus the apostles were taught the things they would need once they were sent out. Being with Jesus was not incidental to all they would go out and do; being with Jesus was essential for it.
Many of us are doers. We are ready to be sent. We are ready to proclaim the message. We’re eager to cast out the world’s demons. We’re the biggest bunch of do gooders anybody’s ever seen.
But before we can go out and do good, first we must be with Jesus. We must spend time with him. We must listen to him. We must watch and learn from him. We must spend time with him, so that we can learn to pray and be like him.
One day we shall be sent to do mighty things. We shall be given the power to speak truth and cast out demons. The gates of hell shall not prevail against us. But not yet; first we must be with Jesus. Now, we must be with Jesus. Today we must come and take his yoke upon us so that we may learn from Jesus and be made like him.
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