Mark 16:14-19
Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 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.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen
During Wednesday night’s Bible study we discussed the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 where he explained to his disciples the coming signs of the time. This was an important moment in biblical history because it set the stage for the glorious anticipation we now enjoy. We didn’t have the opportunity to see Jesus turn water into wine. We didn’t view him walking on water, healing sick or raising the dead. We didn’t witness him calling forth his friend Lazarus from the grave. No, we didn’t have the opportunity to be part of any of the old stories, but by all accounts, we certainly are knee-deep in the last days.
And please keep in mind, Jesus didn’t note these various events to cause panic, fear or trepidation. He mentioned the coming signs as a loving reminder. It is his will that no one is lost. Outlining the significance of future events confirms his foreknowledge and insight. Knowing what’s coming is of great value to us…forewarned is to be forearmed. So Jesus did us a tremendous favor by outlining the signs of the time.
Another wonderful benefit of foreknowledge is its ability to increase the credibility of our witness. We can talk all we want, but there are some folks that just won’t except information from us. While no one can deny that a man named Jesus existed. And everyone has to agree he is the subject of countless accounts of miracles and supernatural phenomenas. But it takes a special testimony to get someone to believe he got up from the grave, ascended to heaven and is coming back again. Even his own disciples had doubts. However, when Jesus lays out the details of our future (and it comes to pass) it’s hard to ignore the evidence. If he could forecast the destruction of the holy temple, perhaps he is the Christ. If he can see way into the future maybe he is the Son of God and he’s coming back again just like he said we would.
But I maintain this morning there is one more stage of preparation that the Lord designed to save the world. And that involves you and me. While Jesus spoke of the signs of the times, we are empowered to post those signs. This is why Paul in Roman 12 admonished us to be living sacrifices.
Some folk will never read the Word of God. Other people can’t. But when they encounter any one of us, there ought to be such an anointing upon our lives that there’s indisputable evidence that Jesus lives in our hearts, souls and minds.
Which leads us to todays scripture lesson. While the world is looking for signs of the Lord’s coming, the true child of God is out paving the way for the signs to take affect. The believers become hugely important to the process of disseminating the Gospel all over the world because if folk can’t believe in the historic power of Christ, they will have no choice when they experience the current power of the Spirit working through us.
I liken this analogy to a traveler unfamiliar with a certain location. The traveler must rely on signs and symbols to safely navigate the area. But someone intimately familiar with a certain location doesn’t need signs. In matter of fact they are often used to hang the signs so others can follow.
Dear Sign bearers, I pray that you are truly filled with the power and glory of the Holy Spirit. I pray you don’t simply have a powerless form of righteousness and empty religion, but instead something akin to the dynamic power described by Mark. A power that is accompanied with signs. We are not sign followers. We are sign bearers.
God bless
