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This morning we are picking back up in our study of the Gospel of Mark.
If you’re new to our church, we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”. What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then studying them from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in order to understand how the Bible applies to our lives today.
With that said, for the last two years we have been in an ongoing study of Mark’s Gospel, a gospel that was written to teach us who Jesus is, what he came to do, and what it means to follow him.
And believe it or not, today is the day we will be wrapping up this study. I know some of you never thought you’d see it happen in your life time, but here we are at the end of this amazing Gospel story.
And as I said last week, this has been one of my favorite studies, mostly because I believe it has prepared us for the next chapter in the life of our church. A chapter that I believe is going to lead us to a greater expansion of the Gospel in our community and region.
I believe that because now that we have a solid understanding of who Jesus is, what he came to do, and what it means to follow him, Jesus has a mission for us. A mission, if accomplished, has the ability to change the world we live in.
We’re going to talk about that mission today, but before we do, I want to begin by setting the stage and building a framework for the message today. And to do that, I want to reference a movie series that most of us are probably familiar with. The series is called “Mission Impossible”. Anybody ever heard of it?
You might be wondering, “What is the book of Acts about?” The book of Acts is about the birth of the birth of the church and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Because the truth is, without the power of the Holy Spirit, the mission Jesus is about to give us this morning would be impossible.
If you’re not familiar with the series, the series revolves around a character named Ethan Hunt. And in the series, Ethan Hunt is a covert agent that works for an agency called the IMF which stands for “Impossible Mission Force”.
Now, I know I’ve
And it’s called “Impossible Mission Force” because the missions that Ethan Hunt is asked to go are impossible missions. Covert missions that nobody in their right mind would sign up for.
In fact, the missions are so insanely impossible, that when a mission is presented to Ethan, he has the option to decline the mission.
Here’s how it typically works. The movie always begins with Ethan Hunt receiving a cryptic prerecorded mission invite and briefing. For example, in one of the movies, he’s walking by a phone booth and the phone rings.
And so he goes in the booth and picks up the phone, and as he lifts the receiver to his ear, a computer screen flips up out of the front of the payphone. And then he here’s the following statement, “Good morning Mr. Hunt, your mission, should you choose to accept it is...”
And from there, on the computer screen, he’s given the details of the impossible mission. And then once the information has been relayed, the message ends with this statement, “As always, if you or any member of your team be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This message will self destruct in five seconds, good luck.”
So he listens, and once the information has been relayed, the message ends with this statement, “As always, if you or any member of your team be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This message will self destruct in five seconds, good luck.”
At that point Ethan hangs up the phone, steps out of the booth, and the pay phone goes up in flames. And the question now is, “Will Ethan accept the mission?”
Well, of course he will! Wouldn’t be much of a movie if he didn’t.
Next question, “Having accepted the mission, how will Ethan accomplish this impossible mission?” To do it, Ethan will utilize three resources at his disposal:
First Resource: Ethan will build a team of fellow IMF agents, usually 2-3 team members, that will assist him using their own unique gift sets. For example, one of the team members will probably be a computer genius that can hack any computer. And what I always find interesting about these team members is they always seem to sign up no questions asked.
In other words, they didn’t hear the cryptic message. They haven’t heard all the impossible mission details yet. All they know is their’s a mission and Ethan wants them on his team, so they sign up not knowing where they’re going, what they’ll be asked to do, or what dangers they may face.
Second Resource: Along with his team, Ethan has at his disposal special gadgets to help him accomplish the impossible mission. One of my favorite resources is called the “Latex Face Mask”. This gadget allows Ethan to replicate a latex copy of anybody’s face. And then using a special vocal gadget, he’s also able to mimic the persons voice. This allows Ethan to assume the identity of anybody he wants, and then infiltrate dangerous and impossible places unnoticed. In fact, I have an example of one of these masks. Check this out. For example, if I were to go to a Chiefs game in order to do recon, I’d need to blend in within the enemy camp. So, I too have a special mask that I had made that makes me look like any other Chief fan. Check this out.
Third Resource: Along with his team and special gadgets, Ethan utilizes his unique gift set. Because you wouldn’t know it by looking at him, but Ethan is a professional acrobatic dare devil. From buildering, to spelunking, to rock climbing, to parachuting, to acrobatics, Ethan can maneuver himself into impossible places. He might as well paint an “S” on his chest. He’s Ethan Hunt, IMF agent.
At the end of the day, with a little luck and skill, Ethan has everything he needs to accomplish that impossible mission.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok, that’s great pastor, thanks for the Mission Impossible explanation, but what does this have to do with the final message in Mark today? What’s the connection?”
I reference the mission impossible series, because in much the same way, Jesus has a mission for us. A mission that at first glance will appear impossible. A mission that will require us to build a team, tap into special resources, and utilize personal gifts. A mission, that should we choose to accept, has the potential to radically change the world around us.
So, what’s this mission? That’s our focus this morning. So, let’s find out as we come back to Mark’s Gospel, as the resurrected Jesus relays the mission details to the disciples. Picking back up in verse 15, Mark writes:
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.
Mark 16:15-2
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
Now that Jesus has risen, and with only a short time left on earth with his disciples, Jesus now gives his disciples their final instructions for the future. It’s a mission commonly called, “The Great Commission”. And in this mission briefing Jesus gives them not only the mission, but the resources they will need to accomplish the mission.
So, let’s get started as we unfold this mission, and what I want you to notice first is that the mission consists of mission parameters and mission objectives.
First, we have the mission parameters, and their geographical. Jesus says we are to go into all the world. Meaning, this isn’t just a local mission. This isn’t just a regional mission. This is planet wide mission. In fact, in the book of Acts, Luke gives us a little more detail into how far reaching this mission is. Luke writes:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,
In this passage Jesus gives the disciples the geographical parameters for the mission. It begins at the local level in Jerusalem, the place where they live. From there it moves out into Judea, the region where they live. And finally it extends to the ends of the earth, meaning the rest of the world.
So, that’s the mission parameters . The second part involves the mission objective, and the objective is to spread the gospel to the whole creation.
In other words, the mission is to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the entire world. The message that Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth, lived a life we couldn’t live, died a death we deserved, paid the price for our sins, and rose from the dead. And if we’ll put our faith in that, then we can be reconciled with God. Jesus says take that message and tell it to anybody that has the breath of life in them.
That’s quite a mission, isn’t it? To make sure every human being on the planet hears about Jesus and hopefully chooses to follow him before it’s to late.
So, let me ask you this, “Do you think this mission might have seemed a little impossible to these 11 men?” Do you think they might have felt a little pressure. Because on top of letting everybody know about Jesus, Jesus says there are some serious consequences for those who reject the message. Jesus says:
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Do you think this was a lot for the disciples to take in? I’m going to say it was. I’m going to say they probably thought, “Jesus , that that sounds like mission impossible.”
I’m going to say it did. I’m going to say they probably thought, “that is mission impossible.”
Because think about. How would they accomplish this mission? I mean in the 1st century, they didn’t have world wide communication ability yet. They didn’t have smartphone or computers. They didn’t have email or texting. They didn’t have Facebook live. They didn’t have access to the world wide web. They didn’t have podcasts. They didn’t have marketing materials or a channel on dish network. They have none of that. If anything, all they have is parchment paper and person to person communication.
“Jesus, how in the world are we going to do that. I mean, maybe Jerusalem, that’s possible, but the entire region? The entire world? Come on Jesus, why are you asking us to do the impossible.”
I’m going to say, to these 11 men, this would have seemed to be an impossible mission. And the truth is, without the proper resources, it would be an impossible mission.
Now, you might be thinking “Ok Pastor, I see all that, and I agree, but aren’t we kind of passed all that now? How does this apply to us?”
Believe it or not, it applies in the exact same way. Because the fact is, this isn’t just a mission for these 11 men, this is a mission for all disciples of Jesus. Jesus isn’t just looking for one Ethan Hunt, or 11 Ethan Hunts, he’s requesting that anybody who would call Jesus Lord participate in this mission called “The Great Commission”. Jesus expects all of his disciples to take the message of the gospel to the entire creation.
And just like the disciples, that mission begins in our local community. For some sitting here this morning, that local community is Marysville. For some, it’s Blue Rapids. For some, it’s Home. For some, it’s Haneover. For some, it’s Washington. For some, it’s Waterville. For some, it’s Seneca. For some it’s Wymore. Wherever you reside and call home, that’s where your mission begins.
From there, it moves out into our local region. For some, it’s Marshall County. For others, it’s Nemaha, Washington, or Riley County. And for our church, it’s all of those combined. Jesus has asked us to take the Gospel to our geographical region.
But it doesn’t stop there. From our region it moves out into our state, our country, into Canada, Mexico, and eventually into the rest of the world. Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is to take the good news of Jesus Christ to every living person on the planet. At the end of the day, we all have the same mission. Planet wide distribution of the Gospel. What Jesus asked of these 11 men he’s asking of us as well. The mission didn’t start and stop with them. It continues through us.
But the truth is, that mission is just as impossible today as it was in the 1st century. In other words, without specific resources, what Jesus is asking us to do is impossible.
Now, when I say that, you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, I get what you’re saying. I can see why those 11 men would have been overwhelmed. But things have changed. Pastor isn’t it true we now have technology they didn’t have. Pastor, we now have the ability to broadcast the message of the gospel around the world. We have the world wide web. We have web pages. We have Facebook live. We have marketing materials. We have TBN. Pastor we can do what they couldn’t do. We now have the ability to broadcast the gospel to every living being on the planet! What do you mean, ‘impossible’. Pastor it seems quite possible to me.
Unfortunately, I you think that, I would beg to differ with your assessment. Because believe it or not, despite all of our technological abilities, social media outlets, and Christian broadcast channels, the spread of the gospel in our local communities and throughout America isn’t increasing, it’s decreasing.
Because according recent surveys, there are some startling statistics when it comes to the spread of the gospel, not just in the world, but in our own country. Would you believe:
It’s estimated, and this is a conservative number, that every year more than 4000 churches close their doors while only a 1000 new churches are started. Meaning, every time a new church is planted, four established churches close their doors. In fact, if you compare the turn of last century to today, in 1900 there was a ratio of 27 churches per 10,000 people. That ratio is now 11 churches per 10,000 people.
It’s also estimated, along with closing churches, that 3500 individuals a day are leaving the church. Which means, not only do we have less churches reaching less people, but we have more people leaving the church than ever before. A recent statistic states that less than 20 percent of Americans regularly attend church.
As a result, the religiously unaffiliated are on the rise. There are currently more religiously unaffiliated Americans than there are Catholic or Protestant Americans. And those who are unaffiliated are becoming more secular. Of those who are unaffiliated, 31 percent describe themselves as atheist or agnostic.
In addition to that, the Millennial generation, the generation that has more access to information than any other generation that has ever existed, is not being reached. For example:
Only 2 in 10 Americans under the age of 30 believe attending church is important or worthwhile.
59% of millennials raised in the church have dropped out.
35% of millennials have an anti-church stance, believing the church does more harm than good.
And of pastors in American, only 1 in 7 are under the age of 30. Meaning, there’s not a new generation of pastors being raised up. I don’t think I have to spell out for you what that means for the future of the church.
Add to that, that there are currently around 7.442 billion people on planet earth, and only 2.2 billion of those are Christians. And of that 7.4 billion, over 2 billion of them have never heard the gospel.
The bottom line is this. Despite all our technology, social media platforms, podcasts, live streams, Christian marketing and television channels, the church in America is on the decline and there are still over 2 billion people living right now that have never heard the gospel. I’m going to say, despite our best efforts, the mission isn’t going as well as we might think it is.
What’s
So, why are we failing? With all the technology and communication ability, why are we decreasing and not increasing?
How about this. Could it be that while helpful, communication technology isn’t the answer to accomplishing the mission. Could it be that Jesus had something else in mind? Because if communication technology is the answer, then why would he ask the disciples to do something they didn’t have access to? Could it be Jesus had other resources in mind?
I think he did. Because the truth is, despite what seemed to be an impossible mission, despite their lack of communication technology, those 11 disciples took the message of the gospel, and they set the world they knew on fire. Because not long after Jesus gave them this mission, the church exploded. And the book of Acts is going to reveal that to us.
Because when we get into the book of Acts, we’re going to find out, on the first day the church opened its doors, 3000 people joined it. On the first day! And from there, it took off. In fact, in , Luke writes about a group of Christians that were arrested for spreading the gospel, and it’s very interesting what their accusers have to say about them. Listen to what Luke records:
6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,
The accusers say, “These message these men are carrying is turning the world upside down”. In the first century the Gospel is spreading like wild fire. in fact, it’s estimated that by the year 100 there were over 1 million Christians in the Roman Empire alone. That’s pretty amazing considering there were only 11 after Jesus ascended into heaven.
That’s what 11 men did over the course of 60-70 years without Facebook, smartphones, or satellite technology. And now 2000 years later, we have 2.2 billion Christians on the planet, and billions more that have lived since then. I’m going to say they did something right. I’m going to say they utilized some resources we need to tap into.
So, how did they do it? Why were they so successful? What did they have that we don’t? What tactics did they employ. How did 11 men accomplish so much with so little? How did they succeed where we are failing?
That’s what we are going to spend the rest of our time this morning looking at. In fact, today we are simply laying the groundwork for where we will be going in the book of Acts. In way, the final message of Mark is a teaser trailer for the book of Acts. Because in order to accomplish this mission, it’s going to take specific resources. Resources the church in America has lost sight of. Resources that are critical for the success of the Great Commission. And today, Jesus is going to introduce us to these resources, and in doing so lay the groundwork for our study of Act.
So, with our time remaining, let’s discover what these resources are, and there are three of them.
Resource #1 - In order to accomplish the Great Commission, we need a team.
Notice what Mark says as Jesus relays the mission. Mark writes, “And he said to them...”
I know this may seem like a small detail, but it’s an important detail. Notice he doesn’t say, “And he said to Peter....” He doesn’t say, “And he said to John...” He doesn’t say, “And he said to Matthew...” What he said was, “And he said to them...”
Meaning Jesus gives this mission to a team, not an individual. Think of it like this, if Jesus is Ethan Hunt, then these 11 disciples are his selected IMF agents. These 11 men make up the Impossible Mission Force. In other words, Jesus is asking them to do this together.
You see the challenge for the church today, is we’ve gotten away from a “we” mentality and we’ve adopted a “me” mentality. Because the truth is, the majority of Christians in America attend church not based on what they can give, but what they can get.
And please hear me, I don’t say that to be unkind or offend anyone, it’s just the truth. It’s the result of our American culture. A culture that says “me” is more important than anything else. Me happiness, me needs, me desires, me life. It’s an epidemic in our country. Sadly, the church is no longer about we, but me.
In addition to that, many American Christians have adopted this idea that it’s the pastors job to do the work of ministry. It’s the pastor’s job to reach everybody. It’s the pastors job to attend every surgery. It’s the pastors job to know all, see all, and meet all the needs. Again, not trying to offend anyone, just the way it is.
But the fact is, the church was never designed to function off the abilities or efforts of one man. The fact is, pastors don’t have “S”s on their chests.
And what we’re going to learn in the book of Acts is that the church was designed to function like a body. A body with every church member playing a vital role in its mission. Yes, the pastor is important, he’s the leader. But it’s not his job to do everything. In , the Apostle Paul outlines the job of ministry leaders. He writes:
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Paul says the main job of pastors and ministry leaders is to equip the saints for the work of ministry. To help them develop into mature Christians who begin to play a part in the body of Christ. To help move them from being spectators to participants.
The bottom line is this, if we are going to accomplish the Great Commission, we have to do it as a team with each of us utilizing our unique gift sets. It’s not a one man show. It’s not all about you or all about me. It’s about all of us working together to build up the body of Christ in order to accomplish the Mission.
Here’s what that means for us. It means we are the IMF team that Jesus has raised up for Marysville and this region. We are the Impossible Mission Force that God has assembled to reach Marshall County. We are the team he is going to use to advance the Gospel in this community and region. I don’t know about you, but that’s exciting to me. To think, that I’ve been selected, that you’ve been selected, to be a part of God’s Impossible Mission Force. Jesus has chosen you for His team. We get the privilege of helping Jesus accomplish this great mission.
But for that to happen, we have to do it as a team. And as we move into the book of Acts, we’re going to see more clearly what that looks like.
Resource #2 - In order to accomplish the great commission, we need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Notice what Jesus says in verse 17:
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Mark 16:17
In this passage Jesus makes reference to supernatural abilities and signs. And to be honest, at first glance, some of these abilities and signs seem a little strange.
But, before we get to these specific abilities and signs that Jesus references, we first need to establish an understanding.
What we need to understand is in order to accomplish the mission, we need Jesus’s help. The fact is, we can’t do this in our own power. None of us, by ourselves, or even as a team, have the ability to accomplish this mission. We need something more. And that something more is called “the Holy Spirit”.
Jesus first makes reference to our need for the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John. In Jesus says:
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
In this passage Jesus makes reference to somebody besides himself that will be a help to the disciples. Somebody God will send to them.
He then mentions this helper again in chapter 15. John writes:
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
Johnn 15:26-27
Jesus once again makes reference to the “Helper”, but this time he gives us a little more information. This time he refers to Him as the “Spirit of Truth”. And he says, “The Spirit of truth will bear witness of me”. In other words, the Spirit of truth’s sole purpose will be to tell people about Jesus.
25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
So, a good question might be, “When is this helper going to come help us do that?” Jesus tells us. In Jesus says:
John 15:
25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.
Mark 15:
7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
Jesus says the “Helper” the “Spirit of Truth” will come when I’m gone. In other words, in this passage Jesus basically says “Listen guys, there’s a day coming when I will no longer physically be with you. But when that happens, don’t worry, because I’m going to send somebody to help you. The Spirit of Truth, the helper, is going to come at that time and help you in my absence.”
So, what’s this helper going to help us do? That’s what we’re going to learn in Acts, but here’s a little preview. In , right before Jesus ascends into heaven, he tells the disciples this:
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;
In this passage Jesus says, “Guys, I know I’ve given you the mission. But before you head out on mission, you need to wait for the promise of the Father. Remember, I told you about him. His name is the “Helper”. You’re going to need His help. So don’t go anywhere until he comes.”
Acts 1:
So, what’s he going to do when he comes? Jesus tells us a few verses down. Jesus goes on to say:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Jesus says, “The reason you need to wait, is because when he comes, he’s going to give you power. He’s going to give you special abilities. He’s going to equip you with supernatural power. He’s going to empower you to do what I’ve asked you to do. And when he does, you’re going to be my witnesses. When he does you’re going to have everything you need to take the gospel message to Jersualem, Judea, and to the ends of the earth.”
You see, it’s not communication technology that will allow the disciples to accomplish this mission, it’s the power of the Spirit.
And so, back to . When Jesus says:
Mark 16:
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
That’s what Jesus is talking about. What he’s saying is, “When you get empowered, you’ll have supernatural abilities to do what you could never do in your own power.”
So, let’s take a minute and look at a few of these abilities that Jesus mentions.
First, Jesus says, “You will cast out demons”. So, what does he mean by that? What Jesus is insinuating here is that the battle we face in accomplishing the mission will be a spiritual battle. Paul writes in :
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
The fact of the matter is, when we start telling people about Jesus, the devil and his demonic forces are going to come against us. You can count on it. And what Jesus is saying here is, “When that happens, the Holy Spirit is going to give you the ability to defeat those forces. Through the power of the Spirit you’ll be able to cast them out just like I did.”
We see in instance of this in . In this passage as the Apostle Paul is preaching the gospel, a demon possessed girls tries to disrupt him. Listen to what happens:
16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
That’s pretty amazing, right? That’s what Jesus says the Holy Spirit will help us do. When the demonic forces come against us, through the power of the Spirit we can overcome them.
tha’t
Jesus then says, “You will speak in new tongues”. So, what does he mean by that? What Jesus is insinuating is there will be instances when God will give you the ability to communicate the gospel in a language that isn’t your own. We’re going to see it right away in as the disciples are filled with the Spirit and begin to speak in tongues. And the result is, a bunch of people get saved as they hear the gospel in their own language. Listen to how Luke describes it in :
Jesus then says, “You will speak in new tongues”.
6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?
Luke says as the disciples spoke in these tongues, that those in Jerusalem who spoke different languages began to hear them speak in their own native language. And it blew them away. Why? Because the disciples were Galileans. Hillbillies. They could hardly speak in their own language, let alone another language. How is this possible!
It’s the Holy Spirit, empowering them to share the Gospel in a language that isn’t their own.
Next Jesus says, “they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them.”
So, what’s Jesus talking about here? This is almost weirder than tongues. Is Jesus talking about snake handling?
Mark 16:
No, that’s not what he is referring to. What Jesus is saying is that through the power of the Spirit there will be a protection upon you in extreme cases of danger. What are those dangers? They will vary depending on the situation. Some will come by happenstance.
For example, and it is a snake example. In Acts while collecting firewood, the Apostle Paul is bitten by a viper, and it doesn’t kill him. Listen to how Luke describes it:
3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 4 When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
The snake bites Paul, everybody thinks he’s a goner, but nothing happens. God supernaturally heals and protects Paul.
But the danger could also be a result of malice. That’s what the deadly poison is referring to. I mean think about it, is somebody going to drink deadly poison on purpose? Probably not. So, what Jesus is saying is, when people try and take you out, the Spirit will provide protection. And as we study Acts, we are going to see numerous examples of such protection.
Finally, Jesus says, “you will lay your hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Jesus says, “By the power of the Spirit, you will have the ability to heal sick people, just like I did.” And again, we will see instances of this throughout the book of Acts as through the disciples people are healed.
The bottom line is this, in order to do what Jesus has asked them to do, they need the empowerment of the Spirit. And the fact of the matter is, so do we. And this is what I believe the American church has lost sight of. This is why so many churches are dying. This is why so many churches lack life. This is why so many churches are reaching nobody. Because instead of relying on the power of the Spirit, their trying to do it in their own power. And it’s getting them nowhere fast.
MCF, I don’t want to be a church that relies on our own power. I want to be a Spirit empowered church. A church that can actually make a difference and accomplish the mission Jesus has called us to. But the only way we can become that church is by the power of the Spirit. And that’s why we are going to go through the book of Acts. Because I believe God wants to empower MCF in a way we’re not currently empowered. Yeah, we’ve done a lot. Yeah, we’ve made some good decisions. Yeah, we’ve made an impact on our community. But I believe God wants to do something more. Something we can’t do. Something only His Spirit can do working through us.
The fact is, between Marshall, Nemaha, and Washington county alone, within a 50 mile radius of our church, there are 7000 people who are unchurched. 7000 people who don’t have a church home. 7000 people who need Jesus. And the fact is, the only way we’re going to reach them is through the power of the Spirit.
Resource #3 - In order to accomplish the Great Commission, we need spiritual gifts.
Mark writes:
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.
6:
Mark says after giving the disciples the mission specifics, he ascended into heaven. And then he fast forwards weeks, months, and years ahead, and he says, “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.”
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Mark says as the disciples wen out, that Jesus worked through them. The idea here is that Jesus worked through each of them to accomplish something together. What that means is, each person had something to contribute. In other words, each person had their own unique spiritual gifting. Because along with empowerment, the Holy Spirit also offers us individual giftings. The Apostle Paul refers to these gifts in : He writes:
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
Paul says within the body of Christ, we each have specific spiritual gifts that are to be used to strengthen the body and help us accomplish the mission of reaching people for Jesus.
For example, there is somebody here this morning, and you may not even be aware of it, but you have the gift of healing. When empowered by the Spirit, and if the Lord willed it, you could pray for a sick person and they would be healed. That’s an amazing gift.
Now, think about this. Let’s say we knew who that person was. Where would we want them on Sunday mornings? We’d want them up front praying for the sick during the worship time, right? Why? For two reasons. First, so that people would get healed, but second, and maybe even more important, so that the power of God would be none.
I mean think about it. What do think would happen if somebody with stage 4 cancer was prayed for by somebody with the gift of healing, and they were healed. Do you think people would hear about that? Do you think that might draw some people to Jesus? Do you think that might cause somebody to think, “Maybe I need to go see what is happening at MCF.”
You bet it would. Because that’s what the gifts are mean to do. To not only strengthen the body of Christ, but to draw people to Jesus.
I don’t know about you, but I’d like to see the gifts God has given each of us function in our church. I’d want to see people get healed. I want to see miracles take place. I want to see the gifts Paul talks about in when he writes:
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12:6-8
I want to see the gift of prophecy function as the Lord speaks to us prophetically. I want to see people use the gift of serving as they serve others. I want to see people use the gift of teaching as they teach Sunday school classes and lead life groups. I want to see the gift of generosity function as people give their time, talents, and treasures. I want to see the gift of leadership function as God raises up future church leaders. I don’t know about you, but I want every gift that God offers us so we have everything we need to accomplish the mission he’s given us.
And if you want it, you can have it. Because whether you realize it or not, dormant within you is a spiritual gift that the Holy Spirit is just waiting it ignite. That’s what Jesus is talking about when he says, “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.”
You can have an accompanying sign as the Spirit works through the gift God has given you.
And again, that’s why we are going to go through the book of Acts. Because without the gifts, we won’t be able to do what Jesus has called us to do.
At the end of the day, God has called us to accomplish an impossible mission that is only possible through Him.
But the truth is, we have a choice. We can either accept the mission or decline the mission.
The fact is, a lot of churches have declined the mission. The’ve said no to Jesus, not to the Holy Spirit, and they’ve tried to accomplish it themselves. And it’s getting them nowhere. The result is 4000 churches a day are shutting down. The result is 3500 people are leaving the church every day. The result is, the next generation of this country isn’t being reached.
I don’t know about you MCF, but I don’t want to be one of those 4000 churches. I want to be a church that is accomplishing the mission. I want to be a church that is functioning in the power of the Spirit. So, that’s where we are going. That’s where the book of Acts is going to take us. And I hope you’ll join me on the journey.
Let’s Pray
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.