Jesus’ mission; Church’s mission. This is a longer reading connected by King Herod’s hearing of the ministry of the twelve disciples. Jesus gives them little in the way of physical tools but gives them authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, and preach repentance. They obviously do this ministry in Jesus’ name because that’s what is reported to Herod. Herod’s problem is that he has taken care of the provocative John the Baptist and there are rumors that Jesus is John raised from the dead. Herod had John the Baptist decapitated after Herod’s wife’s daughter danced for him at his birthday banquet. Though King Herod feared and even liked to listen to John, Herodias trapped Herod. John’s disciples get his body and lay it in a tomb. Foreshadowing? So surrounding the story of Herod’s killing of John the Baptist are stories about disciples. How might this be further foreshadowing? Questions:
How does the 12 disciples’ ministry relate to the church’s today? What might that say about how we do ministry today? What are some things we might need to let go of in order to do ministry better?
How are the disciples to respond to being unwelcomed? How might that be part of Mark’s the of the urgency of Jesus ministry? What might that say about the church’s ministry today?
Why do you think King Herod liked listening to John? Why does King Herod give in? When have you followed the crowd instead of what your conscious was guiding? Why is it easier to go along with the crowd than follow God?
Why do you think Mark puts these stories together? What might that say about following Christ?
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