Sent on Mission

 I love the fact that God chooses to send us on mission for Him. Some missions are more important than others. God sending people to China or Libya seems a bigger deal than God sending us to pass out bulletins. In His kingdom, He determines the assignments. He chooses who will go and do whatever He deems necessary. Our role is to remain submissive and responsive to Him. 

In Mark 11, there is the story of Jesus sending two disciples to go find a colt nobody had ever sat on to bring back to Him. I imagine the disciples were puzzled by such a request. First, they walked or traveled by boat where ever they went. There are no recorded stories of Jesus riding a horse or donkey except in this case. Second, the colt did not belong to them. Jesus tasked the disciples with taking a colt that belonged to someone else. 

This mission was not the most important thing He ever sent his disciples to do. It seemed rather insignificant. They did not see the fuller implications of the mission. It required faith. It most likely did not make sense to them. They obeyed their Master anyway. 

There are times when Jesus calls us to do things that seem insignificant. Like serving food before Wednesday night Bible study. Or printing bulletins for Sunday worship services. Maybe it is playing an instrument in the worship team, running the audio visual equipment, volunteering in the nursery, or cleaning up after a fellowship meal. These may not be the most important jobs each week, but they play vital roles in the overall ministry. 

That colt Jesus sat on traveling down the street where people laid down palm branches had major significance. This action was done by the people to make way for the king coming down the road. Maybe the people thought that Jesus was going to be their king to conquer the oppression of Rome. They did not know that He was the King over every other king. That His rule would have no end. That is rule reached far beyond Rome to the whole world. 

The people shouted, "Hosana," which means save us now. They had no understanding that the salvation He would bring was much more needed than replacing an earthly government. His salvation would save people from their sins. His salvation extended beyond those laying down Palm branches. That salvation is still at work including three teenagers last night here in our youth group. 

The mission to get the colt did not seem very important. Thousands of years later we are still talking about it. Don't despise the small assignments. God sees so much more than we see. He sees how little acts of faithful obedience can result into much bigger outcomes than we can imagine. One small sacrificial gift of a small amount could be multiplied in the economy of God to do much more than we think. I say it again. Don't despise the small assignments. You never know how God might use it for His purpose and glory.