Big Idea - We all want to make a difference in the world. We want to know that our life counts for something, not only to ourselves but to others as well. It feels good to know that we have made a positive difference in the world somehow. On June 6th, the world celebrated the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the turning point of WWII. The men who fought and even died at the Battle of Normandy are still celebrated because they made a difference, an impact on the course of history that we still feel today. This illustrates that making a real difference in the world often means taking up the right cause, a cause, or a mission much bigger than ourselves. In Mark 6, Jesus calls the twelve and sends them out to be a part of His cause. He sends them out to make a difference in the world. 2,000 years later, the cause of Christ and His mission in the world has not changed. He still calls people to join Him and to make a difference in the world by following Him. Is His cause one worth living for and giving your life to?
First, we need to be clear about what Jesus' mission in the world was. What did He come to do, and what was the mission He was sending the Twelve on? Jesus came proclaiming that the Kingdom of God had come. The Kingdom was available for anyone who wanted to enter. It was not a political Kingdom or a territorial Kingdom but a spiritual Kingdom. In short, it was the reign and rule of Christ over the hearts of people who followed Him. The requirement to be part of His kingdom was to repent, which meant completely changing the direction of one's life, from being master of your own life to letting Jesus be King and ruler over your entire life. The only answer that makes sense is to be part of something much greater and much better! Jesus came to establish a Kingdom that would make the ultimate difference in the world - an eternal difference.
But how do we know His kingdom is worth it? How do we know it is a cause worth living for or even dying for? The first answer to that question is seen in the impact His Kingdom makes in the world. The effect of Jesus coming to rule is that all the forces of evil and the consequences of sin are being overthrown. Jesus came to face everything that is broken and wrong with the world and make it right. Jesus sent out the twelve to announce the Kingdom, to chase away the evil spirits, and to heal the sick. These were the exact things that Jesus was doing, and it is what happens when His kingdom comes. If that is true then why is there still sickness and evil in the world? Much like D-Day, the battle of Normandy marked a decisive turning point in the war. The enemy was being pushed back. But it was not the final battle. It was not V-Day. Jesus has brought about a decisive turning point in the war against sin and evil, but the final day of victory is yet to come. The second thing we must consider about the Kingdom of Christ is the nature of His Kingdom. Is it the kind of Kingdom we want to be a part of? What is the nature of His Kingdom? We learn something about His kingdom's nature and rule by the strange way He sent out the twelve. He sent them out with nothing, in poverty and weakness. Here is an amazing paradox. The Kingdom comes with great power over all the powers of darkness and evil, but those who announce the Kingdom and are committed to its cause come with nothing but the clothes on their backs. What does this tell us about the nature of the Kingdom? First, the Kingdom of Jesus is nothing like the Kingdoms of the World, which are meant to impress from the very first encounter. If we are honest, we must admit we are more impressed with wealth than with poverty because wealth looks like success. But the Kingdom of Christ is spiritual, and its power and success have nothing to do with what the world values. That is because wealth and the images of success are a lie. They cannot satisfy the deepest longings and needs of the human heart. Wealth cannot make you happy. A brand-new BMW is not love. Success does not bring lasting joy or peace. But these are the very atmosphere of the Kingdom. These are the heart of God and the fruit of His Spirit! Jesus also sent them out with nothing to show us that we don't join Jesus in His mission because of what we have to offer. Unlike being drafted to the WNBA, He does not send us out because of our great skill or talent. It is all a matter of His grace. We do not deserve the Kingdom, and we do not enter it on the basis of our merit or good works. The twelve were not working for Jesus in order to earn a permanent spot on the team! They were uneducated fishermen, just average people. We do not deserve His Kingdom, but He freely offers it to us as a matter of grace - a gift we have not earned. Thirdly, being sent out with nothing reminds us that the Kingdom is not about being self-sufficient but dependent. It is not about being powerful or being experts who are better than everyone else. Instead, we come in a spirit of dependence, needing help, and putting ourselves in a position of reliance on the very people we are sent to "save." I think the Church and missionaries have largely lost sight of this important priority of the Kingdom. Fourth, the Kingdom is offered as a gift that may or may not be received or welcomed. Jesus does not force His kingdom on anyone, nor should we. We announce that the Kingdom has come and invite people to repent. If they reject the message, we move on without a fight or argument. But, we give them a warning sign. To reject Jesus or His messengers is to reject His kingdom.
There is one more important thing we need to know about the nature of this Kingdom. And that is to understand the nature of the King. Jesus sent out the twelve, and He sends us out on the same mission, expecting them to make great personal sacrifices. It is not easy going in weakness, dependent on others, and not in the power of self-sufficiency. They will face rejection and even hostile crowds who hate them and persecute them. How could Jesus ask so much of them? Only because Jesus subjected Himself to the same things and even more. He was not a king who expected people to suffer for His cause while He lived in luxury and comfort. A few chapters later, He will tell His followers, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:45. He lived in poverty and did all the things He asked of His followers, and even more. He came to give His life as a ransom. That is, He died giving His very life as the purchase price to buy us out of slavery. What does that mean? It means that our desire to be lord and master over our own life has made us slaves to sin. It has not made us free as we are told but makes us slaves to all the things we crave and think we need to be happy. But lasting love and joy are found in Christ alone. Jesus died to set us free, to pay the ransom price to buy us out of slavery. The Kingdom of Christ is a cause worth living for because it was a cause Jesus the King knew was worth dying for!
