Take my Yoke

Today’s Gospel Text: And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." Mark 16:15-18

Reflection: Something’s in life has no substitute.

You can have fake sugar or artificial sugar or you can adopt other types of sweeteners but you cannot say let’s use salt instead as a substitute for the sweetness of sugar just because it is widely used and it is equally popular.

Even a fake sugar or sweetener would do but not saltiness or a bitter or a souring agent instead.

Likewise, there is no substitute to the mission of PREACHING which Christ has entrusted to his disciple.

But someone may say, the church requires new pedagogical styles and witnesses more than preachers.  They must be fools of the first order, pseudo biblical scholars and theologians, merely holding offices in the church and not knowing its responsibility.

If one truly understands the significance of the preaching ministry and how it is brought about and above all who it is that has commanded us to do so then one would not make such foolish, irresponsible statements.

Let me explain through a parable: A rich man invited his guests for the banquet at an appointed time.  The table was laid with the best spread that men could dream of and everything was ready, yet people were waiting even though the appointed time had passed by.

The food on the table witnessed to one fact; the table was set. And no one dared to touch the food or eat of it. Would the rich man have protested if anyone would have helped himself? No, not at all!

Then after a little delay the rich man with great apology chided the guest for not helping themselves from the table.  The table is set for you” he said; “why are you not helping yourself, whom are you waiting for, please go and help yourself” and the guest rushed forth to the table to help themselves. 

Such is the need and power of preaching: even though the food witnessed to the guest to come and eat but it was only the speech of the rich man that made the difference.  

Preach not because Christ says or some authority says but preach because it is the mandate of Christ Jesus your LORD and you have taken the mandate of Christ on you: “For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” 1 Cor 9:16

Prayer:  Lord help me to obediently take on me the task you have entrusted to us by your mandate.  

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