Body:
Read Mark 6:1-6a
4. Rejected by His Own Townspeople. We see in this first section of the Gospel of Mark chapter six that Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth.

There the people were wondering about how such a common person could be used to do such extraordinary things. They were offended by Him. Jesus could only do a few miracles because of their unbelief.

Applications –
- Being available. Notice in vs. 1 of chapter six of the Gospel of Mark that Jesus' helpers were with Him as He did ministry.

Availability is essential to being a good helper. The church needs good helpers because the Pastor and a few people cannot do all that needs to be done. Let's work on being available for service.

Make some time to be with and catch the spirit that God has given the leader (see Num. 11:14-17), so you can be a part of making the church greater. The greater the church, the greater a blessing it can be to its members and community at large.

- Being in the teaching/learning place. Notice in vs. 2 that Jesus was teaching in the synagogue. Jesus' teaching supposes that someone was there to learn.

Let's make sure we are in the teaching and learning place. Having a teaching Pastor and church does a person no good, if he or she doesn’t come out to learn and then live by the will of God.

Having trained disciple teachers to lead students in understanding how to live by God's word is a blessing that every member should strive to take advantage of.

- Working on faith development. Notice in vs. 3 that the people were offended by what God was doing through Jesus. We see in this section of the Gospel of Mark that their offense and lack of faith led to them missing out on more blessings.

Let's work on developing the faith to receive God's message and blessings through whomever He wants to send them. God can do great things through your used to be drinking buddy.

He can do great things through the young people who are growing up around the church. Faith development is helped along by prayerfully studying the Bible and striving to live by it, with the aid of supportive Christian relationships.

- Doing what you can. Notice in vs. 5 that Jesus did the good that He could. He did not allow His inability to all that He wanted to do stop Him from doing the good that He could do.

We may never do all that we have a desire to do for the Lord; however, we ought to do what we can. Let's work on being faithful in at least a few things, no matter how rejected we may be.

Think about how thankful the few people who were healed must have been to be one of the few.

Read Mark 6:6b-13
5. In Commissioning the Twelve. In this section of the Gospel of Mark Jesus went from place to place teaching the word. He sent His disciples out, two by two.

They had instructions about where to stay. They went, preached, and performed miracles.

Applications –
- Staying busy. Notice in vs. 6 of the six chapter of the Gospel of Mark that Jesus was always on the move. There are too many who used to do so much but do almost nothing now.

Let's fight the temptation of resting on past accomplishments. All of us can do something. We can pray for and encourage those who are doing the work. We can be advisors and "reachers." Let's stay busy doing what God is calling us
to do.

- Being sendable. Notice in vss. 7, 12 of the six chapter of the Gospel of Mark that the disciples were sendable. They were trained disciples who could be trusted to do what they were assigned to do.

Without trained disciples who can be trusted to carryout assignments, the church is doomed to do so little of what God is calling it to do.

No matter what the Pastor has going for him and no matter how dedicated the inner circle may be, there is a need for trained disciples to carrying out assignments like manager the youth ministry, teaching the singles curriculum, monitor our involvement with the community groups, etc.

There are too many who will not follow instructions when sent. There are too many who are willing to carry the title but are not trained. Let's be open to God using us to be trained disciples who can be sent to carryout assignments.

- Trusting God's provision. Notice in vss. 9-11 that God will take care of His own. He took care of the disciples in our text. Notice our text is a special situation.

In Luke 22:35-37, Jesus teaches His disciples to prepare in this section of the Gospel of Mark. We are urged to be wise stewards of what God places in our trust. God will take care of His own, through both our stewardship and His miracles.

Notice that we are not required to stay where we are not wanted, nor are leaders required to stay where people are not following. We don't have to just put up with anything. We can be true to God's will for our lives and trust Him to provide somehow. Let's learn to trust God's provision.

Conclusion: Let's work on being servants of God. God has much for those who obey His will.