“Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” Mark 3:13-15
Crowds had been pressing in on Jesus from every side. In a time and place where sickness was often mysterious and healers of any sort were few and far between, Jesus’ reputation alone was enough to draw people from all over. They came filled with hope that they might receive healing that would result in a better life; whether that might now include the physical ability to be industrious, the freedom from the stigma or shame of disfigurement or the hope of life where there had only been the promise of death, they came for life. So for Jesus to withdraw from such obvious crowds of life-seeking people must have meant he could see a bigger picture.
Jesus hand-picked 12 key people to spend time learning from him and being empowered to become part of the ministry. They were a significantly diverse group and certainly would have had polarized opinions as they joined the team. It would have been no simple task for this group to learn to work together effectively. Their withdrawal as a group is important, because it gave them a chance to reframe their sense of identity, both as individuals learning to live in light of their association with Christ rather than their former positions and also as they allowed Jesus to knit them together as his ministry team. Only by spending time away, together could the group escape the noise of the crowd, the pressure of their former lives and the expectations of their culture to reach for what would have otherwise been impossible. Some of them might have the capacity for public speaking before Christ, but their ability to truly preach the gospel, with authority, was a gift that could only be given through Christ. Even more amazing was the ability to drive demons out of the afflicted. Certainly this testified to a God-given authority.
If we are looking for some take home notes from this short passage, perhaps we might recommit to time with those we minister alongside in the presence of God, seeking the vision that only God can provide and inviting Him to equip us in every way for the ministries He calls us to. In this way, may it be Christ who overcomes the distance between us and Christ who is the source of our power and authority.
