Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.
The disciples of Jesus still go out with power and authority over all demons, to cure diseases, to proclaim the Kingdom, and to heal the sick, even to this very day.
He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
The disciples go with a radical trust in the LORD to provide for their needs. They still go with a radical willingness to be led. They go even though they know that they will sometimes be rejected.
We don't believe that we have that sort of authority. But we are filled with the same Holy Spirit as the disciples in the time of Jesus. If anything, his indwelling in us is even more profound following the death and resurrection of Jesus and following Pentecost.
We tend to think that radical trust in Jesus is only for the clergy and religious. We think of those special people who take vows of poverty and obedience and so rely on the LORD for everything. But we all must become poor in Spirit to inherit the kingdom. We all must be obedient to just earthly authority and especially to God. We obey God not just in a static way based on commands he has given. We obey him and respond to what he is telling us now at this moment in our lives.
One big reason the Church does not grow more is because believers want to outsource discipleship. It cannot be that way. Programs like Alpha and ChristLife are helping to bring the life of the disciple back to the center focus for everyone in the Church. Thank God for programs like these.
In the land of my exile I praise him
and show his power and majesty to a sinful nation.
Even though we often fall short of all Jesus wants to do in us and through us he never revokes the offer. He is always ready to use us to raise his temple ever higher and in ever greater beauty to show the world that God indeed dwells among his people.
Thus he has given us new life
to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins,
and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem.
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