Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

The Gospel reading for this week is Mark’s account of Jesus sending out the twelve disciples with instructions for mission.  Can we draw any parallels between then and now?  Is there anything we can learn from Jesus’ words then, about how we carry out mission today?  I think we can and we should.  Jesus fully expected his disciples to meet apathy and even active opposition.  He says: “If any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave.”  Here Jesus seems to be saying that you should have nothing more to do with them.  In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says there will be judgement on that town worse than that which befell Sodom and Gomorrah!  What are the lessons for us?  Firstly, Jesus places no restriction as to where the disciples should go – at least not in Mark’s account.  The Gospel is to be preached everywhere and to everyone.  Secondly however, if people reject it, don’t waste time on them but simply move on to someone else who will not reject it.  For us, in 2018, the principle still holds.  We preach the Gospel by our lives, words and example wherever we go.  However, if people will not accept it, we should not ‘beat ourselves up’ and feel inadequate.  We should simply move on to sharing the Gospel with someone else.  It is a simple but powerful teaching.  Let’s practise it this week.