Gtcotr/ws080118
Two
weeks ago we began reading from the passage of scriptures at the end of the
Gospel of Mark. So far we have covered verses 15 and 16 and this evening we
will begin our study at verse 17 For context and continuity sake let’s recap a
little before we begin.
Mark 16
15 And He said to them, “Go
into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 “He who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17 “And these signs will
follow those who believe …”
·
Important to note: Signs follow believers … Believers do not
follow signs …
Luke 21:8 And He said: “Take
heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’
and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.”
Matthew 24
24 “For false christs and
false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if
possible, even the elect.
25 “See, I have told you
beforehand.
26 “Therefore if they say to
you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is
in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.
27 “For as the lightning
comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son
of Man be.”
The Kingdom will not come with observation (Luke
17:20), but in a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trumpet, with the shout of the Arch Angel … suddenly the Lord
will come to His temple! (Malachi 3:1)
Mark 7:36 Then He commanded
them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more
widely they proclaimed it.
3 times in Matthew, 3 times in Mark and 3
times in Luke, Jesus commanded His disciples and those who were healed to tell
no man. Jesus didn’t want people following Him around just because He did
miracles, signs and wonders. Jesus had a message He wanted people to hear.
It is possible to be convinced and not be
converted.
·
Salvation does not happen in the mind …
·
Salvation does not happen in the body …
·
Salvation does not take place because someone
has a spiritual experience …
·
Salvation does not happen just because
someone has an angelic visitation.
·
Salvation only happens when a person believes
and embraces the offer made by God to pardon their sin and save their soul
through Jesus Christ on His terms.
Jesus had a reasonable concern that people
would be convinced and conformed without being convicted and converted.
Matthew 7 NKJV
21 ¶ “Not everyone who says
to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the
will of My Father in heaven.
22 “Many will say to Me in
that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in
Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 “And then I will declare
to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
We do not rejoice in signs, wonders and
miracles, (Luke 10:20), but rather we are called to rejoice in the
exact same things of which all of heaven and the holy angels do rejoice … that
sinners are repentant, and names are being written in the Lamb’s Book of Life!
(Luke 15:7 & 10)
Mark 16
17 “And these signs shall
follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak
with new tongues;
·
In My name …
o
What does it mean to be “In the Name of
Jesus”?
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have
passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Once again Jesus is referring to the
Born-Again experience that happens when an individual:
1.
Recognizes they need a Savior
2.
Repents of their sin
3.
Receives Jesus on God’s terms
Next week we are going to discuss those signs
which follow those who believe.
·
Remember – Signs are for unbelievers …
18
“they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will
by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 ¶ So then, after the Lord
had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right
hand of God.
20 And they went out and
preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word
through the accompanying signs. Amen.
