Authority and Power in Ministry - Mark 5-6

Mark 6:7-13 (ESV)

And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

Jesus grants His followers power.   The above passage is probably foreign to most of the Christian world.  We simply don’t believe that the above is part of God’s plan for this time of the Church age.   The “casting” out demons is probably a concept most clergy today don’t see in their job description.    And, truly, that act of worship was something given to the early church to show the authority of those establishing the church.  The “sign” gifts were always used in the stories of the Bible at the “beginning” of “most” ministries.   Some of the prophets were given that power throughout their ministries, but then again, they were prophets.   Later, at the end of the age, prophets will come again and also do sign gifts.   But, the thing most of us don’t see in the above passage (we are so busy disqualifying all of us for demon work) is that Jesus gave “authority” and “power” to the disciples.   Whereas we are not “exorcist” today (that is not one of the gifts of the Spirit), we are ministers of the Gospel, sent to proclaim the message of Christ with authority and power.   That was part of the great commission Jesus gave in Matthew 28 and Acts 1.   We are not to shrink back in fear and timidity in our speaking the Gospel message.  It is correct to understand that the casting out of demons is not for this age.  But, it is wrong to fail to see the power and authority that we, as believers, have been given to do the work of the ministry.   The “methods” and “activities” we do as believers might be different today.  But, the power and authority behind our current activities is the same today as in the day Jesus sent out the disciples.