Context No. 3302 of 4322 · Mark
Context · Reflection
Mark 3:13-19: in context
13He went up into the mountain and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him. 14He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach 15and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 16Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17James the son of Zebedee; and John, the brother of James, (whom he called Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder); 18Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; 19and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. Then he came into a house.
Jesus goes up the mountain and calls to himself those he wanted, and they come to him. He appoints twelve, and Mark states the purpose in a striking order: that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to heal and cast out demons. Then the Twelve are named, ending with Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Notice the order: first, to be with him; then, to be sent out. Before any mission, before any preaching or healing, comes the call simply to be with Jesus. The being with must come before the doing; ministry flows out of companionship with Christ, not the other way around. And the list ends with a sobering name, Judas, who betrayed him. Even among the chosen Twelve, called up the mountain by name, one would fall away. Being numbered among Jesus' closest followers is a gift and a calling, but it is no automatic guarantee; what saves is truly being with him, in heart, not merely being counted among his own.
Do I let being with Jesus come first, before all my doing for him, and am I truly with him in heart, not merely counted among his followers?