Lessons 77-79

LESSON 77 - Mark 6:7-13

7And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; 8And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. 10And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. 11And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. 12And they went out, and preached that men should repent. 13And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

1. How many were involved in this mission trip? This was after they had been designated as apostles. See Mark 3:13-19. Why were they sent in pairs?

2. Whose power did they receive? Was the Giver's power lessened by this?

3. What did it enable them to do?

4. Do you think the power that Jesus gave the twelve was something only they could have?

5. Why did Jesus tell them basically to take nothing with them? What did He want them to realize? Look up Matt. 10:10 for another reason.

6. What is a staff? Num 13:23, 2 Sam. 3:29

7. Why did Jesus tell them to take a staff?

8. How were they to choose the home they were to stay in when they came to a new town? See Matt 10:11-15

9. What did the family that housed them receive for their hospitality? See Luke 10:9

Lesson 78

1. 12 . . . The number twelve is considered to be the number of government rule...Even we use 12 people on a jury for decision-making, and have 12 months in our calendar. In the Bible, twelve appears in 12 children of Jacob, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of the Lamb, 12 gates of the holy city (Rev 21:12), 12 foundations to the holy city, 12 thrones (Mt 19:28),

In pairs because there is great strength spiritually, agreement Matt. 18:19; encouragement in the face of trials, greater power to stand against the enemy and temptation, etc.

2.Jesus gave them the power from the Holy Spirit He had. Acts 1:8

3. To preach repentance (v12), to cast out demons, to heal the sick (v13).

4.No, because in Luke 10:1-24, Jesus gives similar power to 70 of His disciples and they have similar instructions and results. This kind of impartation of power was also done by Moses in Numbers 11:16-29. Power was imparted to believers, not just apostles, through the Holy Spirit's anointing. (See the anointing of 120 Acts 1:14-15, 2:1-4 ,Stephen, not an apostle Acts 6:8)

5. This was to be a journey of faith for them. Jesus wanted them to see that God would supply every need they had. He wanted to teach them they could rely on the Lord to take care of them. Also Matt. 10:10 states "the workman is worthy of his hire." The apostles were going to do a work in the town or village that would be much more valuable than what the village could give them.

6. A rod or stout stick used for walking, as a weapon, protection against snakes, etc, guiding Psalm 23:4, Ex 12:11, Gen 32:10, a symbol of authority, Isa 14:5. Carved with symbols, it also could act as a record of events in a person's life and as an identification. Gen 38:25

7. To aid them on their journey. The Word of God could be considered our staff, because it is a record of man's spiritual history, and the Word acts as a help on our walk and a protection from sin's attack.

8. By reputation.

9. Healing of any and all in the home who needed it Luke 10:9.

LESSON 79 - Mark 6:11

11And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

It is a very serious thing to dishonor the messengers of God and to refuse the message of God. It will bring harsh judgment upon those who reject God, for that is really what they are doing.

"It shall be more tolerable..."

Just recently, I again heard someone say, "All sin is the same." This is not true. Some sins are worse than others and this passage in Mark 6 supports that. Even our laws give different punishments for different crimes, showing that some sins are worse than others. There are other scriptures that also support this.

James 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. (KJV says "greater condemnation")

Matt 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Matt 11:22 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

Isa 40:2 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.

John 19:11 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

Ex 32:30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 31And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.