To Be With Him, Then Sent Out
Month 3: Come, Follow Me · Memory Verse
Today's Scripture
Read together: Mark 3:14-15
14 He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach, 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.
Memory Verse
“He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach,”— Mark 3:14 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: 2 Samuel 1-4
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (David mourns Saul and Jonathan, then is anointed king over Judah.)The Heart of It
Our memory verse this week is short. But it carries the whole rhythm of the Christian life in two little phrases. First, the apostles were "to accompany Him." Second, they were "to be sent out to preach." It's like breathing in and breathing out. We draw near to Jesus, and then we go out in His name. And then we keep coming back. A Christian who only "goes out" without "being with Him" soon runs dry. He's like a bucket carrying water with no spring to refill it. And a Christian who only stays in, and is never sent, has missed why Jesus filled them in the first place.
So let's lock this verse into our hearts today. Try learning it in two halves. There's the "with Him" half, and the "sent out" half. Then snap them together. As you say it, let each phrase paint a real picture. Being with Jesus might look like quiet prayer before bed, or reading His words at this very table. Being sent out might look like telling a friend about Him, or showing kindness when it costs you something. The verse isn't just words to recite. It's a map for your whole week.
Around the Table
Two parts to remember! "Be with Him," and give yourself a hug. Then "sent out," and point to the door!
Let's do it: Say the verse twice. Hug yourself on the first half. Point outside on the second half.
Why do you think "be with Him" comes before "sent out"? Think about what happens to a flashlight that's never charged.
Let's talk: Practice the verse three times, a little faster each time, without missing a word.
This verse shows a pattern. Closeness with Jesus fuels the mission. The disciples couldn't give away what they hadn't first received.
Let's go deeper: Which side are you weaker on right now? Being with Jesus, or being sent by Him? What would help?
💬 Conversation Starter
What's something you can only give to others after you've been given it first? (Hint: you can't share a snack nobody ever handed you!)
🛡️ Defending the Faith
The Gospels were written while eyewitnesses were still alive, people who could challenge or correct them. A verse like this names a fixed group of twelve with a clear purpose. That fits a real historical movement. It doesn't fit a story slowly made up generations later.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Memory work is not boring drudgery. It is how the Spirit stocks the heart with ammunition for the day of testing. Jesus Himself answered temptation by quoting Scripture from memory (). When you help your children hide in their hearts, you are giving them more than a recitation trophy. You're forming a reflex. Years from now, when one of them is lonely on a hard night, the words "to accompany Him" may surface on their own and remind them they are never abandoned. Don't hand this off to a screen or a song alone. Let them hear it in your own voice, imperfect and warm. The fathers in were told to talk of God's words. Walking. Sitting. Lying down. Rising up. That's you, this week, at this table.
Draws on: Andrew Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, write Your Word on our hearts so deeply that it comes back to us when we need it most. Keep us close to You. And make us ready to be sent. In Jesus' name, amen."
With Him, then sent. Breathe in His presence, breathe out His good news.