My first church had about 180 members in it when I went there. Three years later when I left they had 150 members. I wondered what went wrong. I did everything that I could. I worked as hard as I could. But they just sat there, immovable. I thought, maybe I am in the wrong profession. I went to the superintendent to talk it over with him. He confessed, "We were thinking of closing that church. We just thought we would give you a chance, see what happens." I was sent to close the church. I couldn't even do that very well. It limped on for another few years. The Sylmar earthquake finally put it out of its misery.

I didn't pay any attention to this text in those days, but it would have been helpful to me if I had seen the meaning of this passage for my situation. It was not until some years later that another preacher revealed the insight in the text. It is for those who try to be faithful disciples who try their best and just cannot do it. The advice of our Lord is, "If no one will receive you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet and move on."