Mark 6:12-13
And they went out, and preached that men should repent.  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

The disciples followed in Jesus’ footsteps.  He sent them out to do the same things He had done at the beginning of His ministry—preaching repentance, healing the multitudes, casting out demons.  He supplied the physical and spiritual needs of many, many people and then sent His disciples to do the same.  He commanded and enabled them to go out and touch many more lives than He could have reached on His own.

What an amazing experience this must have been for this group of men to go out and minister in the same ways Jesus did.  What an opportunity to be used of God in such a significant way.  They were doing things they had never done before, but then this prepared them for what they would go on to do in the early church, because they were still preaching, casting out devils and healing the sick.  They were reaching more multitudes of people and making a difference in the lives of people everywhere.

It’s an amazing thing to see the ministry Jesus started come full circle through those 11 men He started with.  But this same ministry goes on still today.  We are to continue that work Jesus started so many years ago of preaching the gospel and ministering to the needs of people around us, helping the helpless and showing them what the touch of God can do in their lives.  We still go forward, commissioned by the Lord Himself, enabled by His power working through us, to see souls saved and hearts changed, to make an eternal difference in the lives of many more people.

So let us go forth in whatever Jesus has commanded us to do.  If we are simply willing to go out, there are many lives that we can touch.  We can minister to people in many different ways.  We have the power of Jesus upon us.  We march forth with His orders.  So let’s go out trusting Him to use us to make a difference in the lives of whoever we come across, continuing on the great work that He had started.