There have been times in my life where I have faced a really big task that seemed intimidating.  The thing about big jobs is that they are not that big when you get a lot of people pitching in together.  Jesus left us a huge job of sharing his message and love with the world.  It can seem daunting and even impossible.  When everyone gets involved it becomes less intimidating.  He starts this off for the first time in Luke 9 when he sends out the 12 disciples.  Let’s look at the passage together today. 

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. 7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.

It would have been easy for the disciples to just sit back and watch Jesus teach and share with people.  Jesus knew that while He was the one best equipped to do the work, it was important for all of the disciples to share His message.  The same can be true today.  We are all called to share Jesus’ message and love with the world.  While missionaries, evangelists, and traveling speakers may have a platform to do this we all need to do this is our daily lives as well.  Every haircut, plane flight, meal eating out, and everything we might do in life is an opportunity to point people to Jesus.  Sometimes all it takes is the smallest thing.  I pray that this year we might all be more intentional about taking advantage of opportunities to share Jesus with the world. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave