Have you ever had to hire a Public Relations firm to speak on your behalf? What kind of person would you want to represent you? Are there things you would not the person to be like? Are there any positive traits you would like them to have? What you might not know is that every person chosen to be the face of every product is carefully chosen for specific qualities, qualities that the person represented and the PR firm feel are important to the target audience.
Let me throw a few ideas at you. How about using a pimply teenager, or someone with a difficult to understand accent. Would they be OK? What about someone whose face seemed much older than they really were or maybe a different race. OK? What about someone already known by the audience, but whose personal life and values are radically different from yours, and everyone knows it. Would that be acceptable? How about someone who looks very dirty and unkempt. Or someone morbidly obese. Acceptable to you?
Jesus didn’t want certain individuals to speak on His behalf. The crowds are pushing forward to touch Jesus in hopes of receiving healing. Among the people are some who are possessed by demons. Jesus does not want them to speak on His behalf. He wants to choose the timing of announcements of His true identity, and He wants to choose who will reveal that information.
These demon possessed individuals seem to act in specific ways when coming in contact with Jesus. These possessed people can’t help but reveal His identity as the Messiah. But Jesus tells, orders them to stop revealing who He is. He doesn’t want a demonic spokesperson. He doesn’t want His message to get confused with the message of the demons. He wants His message to come through vessels known for oppression, disease, isolation, and just plain bad behavior.
Instead, He chooses His disciples to be His spokesmen. He chooses people who are transformed by the power of His person and His message.
He has chosen you.
The Arnold Journey 