What is the Mission?
by Tammy Iund Woodard
Monday - 5.17.21
Before we dive into Romans 1, let’s take a look at some things in the book of Mark. In Mark chapter 4, Jesus is wanting to describe and illustrate for his disciples what the Kingdom of God is like. He first shares an analogy about a mustard seed. Mark 4:30-32 - “Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”
After sharing this analogy, he decides to illustrate it through action. He asks the disciples to take him “to the other side” of the lake. Please understand, the Decapolis was on the other side of the lake. The people of God did not go to the “other side of the lake”. They practiced evil consisting of “pagan worship and unbiblical sexual practices” (https://www.land-of-the-bible.com/The_Decapolis) in the Decapolis. To have Jesus intentionally decide to go to the “kingdom of darkness” aka the other side of the lake was unheard of.
Mark chapter 5 tells us the story of Jesus healing the man possessed of many demons. I want us to catch something here. Jesus went into the kingdom of darkness to save the man. The man wasn’t coming to Jesus. The man wasn’t looking for Jesus. The man wasn’t looking to even be delivered. The man came out to greet Jesus because he was so overtaken by evil that the kingdom of darkness couldn’t contain him and they had kicked him out. (Mark 5:3) How evil, possessed, and oppressed do you have to be to not even have the kingdom of darkness want you around? The man ran to Jesus shrieking and bowed. Again, please understand, he didn’t bow out of repentance or an act of worship. But Jesus. Yep, BUT JESUS. Jesus brought repentance to this man. Jesus brought salvation to this man. Jesus did the work of finding this man and bringing him (the man) to Himself (Jesus). Jesus does the work of salvation. It’s the difference between the Greek word for repent, metanoia = to turn, a change of mind, to return (YOU do the work) vs the Hebrew word for repent, shub = to allow yourself to be found & brought home (GOD does the work). But that’s an entire blog for another time.
Then the man wants to go with Jesus. But Mark 5:19 says, “But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” Jesus basically says, I have brought you into my family. Now you imitate Me and you go into the kingdom of darkness with the mission of the Kingdom of Light and you make disciples.
Did it work?
Let’s look at Mark 8, Jesus again visits the Decapolis. This time 4,000 people come to hear Jesus. How do those folks know about Jesus? Do you remember the question Jesus was answering when this story in Mark started? “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.” The man (from Mark 5) is the mustard seed. He is part of the family of Jesus on mission for the Kingdom of Light.
Stay with me. Let’s go back to Romans 1. I’m going to paraphrase Romans 1:1-6, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach His Good News. The Good News is about His Son. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Christ, God has given US the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey Him, bringing glory to His name. And YOU are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. (all emphasis is mine)
Do you see it? The good news of the gospel. The adoption into the family of Jesus. The mission of the family of Jesus. Jesus has repented you (shub) so that you can imitate Him and ask others to in turn imitate you. Paul says it like this, Galatians 2:20 “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (and 1 Corinthians 11:1) “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”
We are a family on mission.
Call to Action
Read the following scriptures this week and reflect on them.
Mark 4-7 (yes, 4 chapters)
Reflections
How do you view repentance? As metanoia or as shub?
If you viewed it as metanoia, how would it change your relationship with Jesus to view it as shub?
Define family. Who do you consider family?
What is the mission that God has called you to?
