The Mission of Jesus: Triumph of God’s Kingdom in a World in Chaos

In the second chapter of Ray Vander Laan’s book “The Mission of Jesus: Triumph of God’s Kingdom in a World in Chaos,” Jesus and the disciples travel to the Decapolis and encounter the man from the tombs. The disciples have been reluctant companions along this part of the journey—they were afraid of dying while crossing the sea of Galilee and they were very uncomfortable about interacting with the people of the Decapolis. The confrontation with the man who was widely known simply as the man possessed by demons caused many to fear because of his enormous strength. Many were afraid because they were unable to control or predict his actions.

The reactions of the disciples are not foreign concepts to most people. We are often afraid of the things we do not understand or the things we are unable to control. Vander Laan notes that ‘anyone who had known or heard of the demoniac before he encountered Jesus knew instantly that something beyond their capacity to accomplish had happened to this man.’ While we can easily marvel at the dramatic change in the man’s disposition, the more startling realization is the promise of Jesus that ‘whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these’ (John 14:12)!

A mission can offer excitement, purpose, blessing and affirmation. With confidence, we should pursue the mission that God has placed before us. Even if your personal mission is not clear or even if you are struggling with feelings of reluctance or resentment, I pray that your mission will become clearer and your confidence will grow. As we continue to study, learn and grow together, let us encourage one another as we pursue the mission that God has given. We are looking forward to seeing you in worship and in class this Sunday.

In Christ,
Jon McCoy