Opposition to gospel proclamation is nothing new. Jesus experienced it and He told His disciples to expect the same. And since neither Satan nor sinful humanity has changed, we should expect the same in our day. Satan is still keeping people in the dark regarding the person of Christ; and mankind still loves darkness and hates the light. But opposition notwithstanding, the preaching of the gospel must continue, because it is the means by which God saves sinners.
And that is exactly what we see our Lord and His disciples doing when faced with opposition. They move on to the next town and village and continue to preach the gospel.
In the first passage, Mark 6:1-6, Jesus is rejected by His townspeople but is not deterred from preaching, as we read in verse 6, “And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.” He then sent out His disciples to neighboring villages to preach the good news of the gospel, instructing them to move on to other villages/towns if they are rejected in one place, just as He had done.
As you read these two passages, consider the following questions:
- What compelled Jesus to go back to His hometown to share the gospel, even though they did not believe in Him, as we saw earlier in chapter 3? And how should that be an example to us?
- What was the obstacle that kept His townspeople from believing on Him, even when they marveled at His wisdom and works (vv. 2-4)? And how should this help us when we face rejection from family and friends?
- What was the immediate consequence to their unbelief (vv.5-6)?
- What are some of the lessons on missions that we learn from verses 7-13? Lessons on: calling, partnership, authority, focus, reception and message?
May the Lord help us to press on with the work of the gospel, even when faced with opposition.