Mark 16:14-20 Go And Do Likewise
The Text
Mark 16:14–20 (CSB)
14 Later he appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw him after he had risen.15 Then he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all 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 drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
18 they will pick up snakes; if they should drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”
19 So the Lord Jesus, after speaking 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 word by the accompanying signs.]
The Devotion
14 Later he appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw him after he had risen.
Go And Do Likewise: Keep your heart tender towards God
1 Timothy 4:1-2 (CSB) Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared.
How do you that?
Look at the 1 Timothy passage. Don't pay attention to false teachings and false preachings. Go to a church that reads the word of God and preaches the word of God using the word of God. Avoid a preacher's opinions and their jokes and funny quips and wise sayings and ten ways of living your best life.
Sit under the preached word of God and received the perfect and complete work of Christ.
15 Then he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
Go And Do Likewise: preach the gospel
2 Timothy 4:1–5 (CSB)
1 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of his appearing and his kingdom:2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching.
3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear.
4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.
5 But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Some of you might be called to preach or teach or evangelize. But all of us are called by God to testify to his goodness and mercy and his Son's perfect work.
Don't worry about getting it right. For:
John 15:26-27 (CSB) “When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father — the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father — he will testify about me. You also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
And
Mark 13:9-11 (CSB) “But you, be on your guard! They will hand you over to local courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them. And it is necessary that the gospel be preached to all nations. So when they arrest you and hand you over, don’t worry beforehand what you will say, but say whatever is given to you at that time, for it isn’t you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
But stay under the preached word. Study the Bible together with your family in Christ. And pray to the Spirit that he will teach you all things concerning God. I will promise you will grow and gain confidence in proclaiming all what God has done in us.
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Go And Do Likewise: believe the Son of God
John 3:36 (CSB) The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.
But remember, you cannot perfectly obey God. God knows that. That is why he sent his Son. You cannot perfectly believe. But the fact you do believe means God has saved you. For:
Ezekiel 36:25–28 (CSB) I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
Look at what God has done in your life. You just went through major heart surgery by God. Praise be his name.
And now that you have same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwelling in you, you are fully and truly alive. For:
1 John 5:1 (CSB) Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him.
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes; if they should drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”
Go And Do Likewise: Christ has made all things right-standing with him
You will bear witness to the power of God and you will witness miracles and the supernatural because the Holy Spirit has opened your eyes to see.
The enemies of this world are defeated because of the death of Christ. Though you might die, even martyred for your faith, you will not perish but live everlasting with the God that saved you.
You don't need to tempt death by doing things that will harm or kill you. The world will try to harm you. Satan wants to see you suffer and die. But they will not succeed in separating you from the love of God that is only found in Christ Jesus our Lord.
19 So the Lord Jesus, after speaking to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
Go And Do Likewise: Christ has ascended to the right hand of God
For:
Daniel 7:13-14 (CSB)
I continued watching in the night visions,
and suddenly one like a son of man
was coming with the clouds of heaven.
He approached the Ancient of Days
and was escorted before him.
He was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
so that those of every people,
nation, and language
should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that will not pass away,
and his kingdom is one
that will not be destroyed.
And:
Hebrews 10:12-13 (CSB) But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. He is now waiting until his enemies are made his footstool.
His work is complete. His work in done. You are now free in Christ. For:
Romans 8:14–15 (CSB) For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!”
And.
Romans 8:20-21 (CSB) For the creation was subjected to futility — not willingly, but because of him who subjected it — in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the accompanying signs.]
Go And Do Likewise: Go in the name of God.
Romans 16:20 (CSB) The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Amen.