Mark 6:7-13

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.

So important were the deeds that Yeshu’s disciples performed and the words that they preached that they deserved to receive the very best hospitality.

Mark 6:1-6

He went away from there and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offence at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour, except in his home town and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there,  except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And he marvelled because of their unbelief.

And he went about the villages teaching.

 

If Yeshu were to come today to our valley, not as a lama, but in clothing and with country speech as the son of a local herder, are there also in our time some even who would not receive him and listen to him?

 

Mark 5:37-43

… And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

When Yeshu said, “Only believe”, people ridiculed him.

But Yeshu rewarded the ruler’s faith behind closed doors that day; because  the child did not just awake from ordinary sleep, but he brought her  back to life from the sleep of death.

And he will honor our faith too when we put our trust in him.