Mark 16:14-20

Passage

After these things Jesus did appear to the eleven as they were eating one day.  Jesus rebuked them since they did not believe the testimony and were stubborn in doing so.  After rebuking them, Jesus told them to go into the entire world and proclaim the Gospel.  Jesus reassures the disciples that all who believe and are baptized will be saved.  But those who do not believe will not be saved.  Jesus also says that there are signs that will accompany those who believe.  Such signs are that they will cast out demons, they will speak in many languages, they will be able to handle poisonous snakes, poisons in general will not hurt them, and they will be able to lay hands on people and they will be healed.  After saying these things, Jesus ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father.  He continued to do miraculous things through His disciples.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus does appear to the eleven.  But notice that they are rebuked.  They are not perfect.  They don’t always get it right.  Even after spending three years in Jesus’ direct company they get things messed up from time to time.  They still need correction.  I’m willing to bet that I would need some correction had I just seen the person I chose to follow for the rest of my life crucified.  Yet, in spite of the rebuke Jesus commissioned them.  He gave them a task.   He told them to be apostles.  He sent them out.  He told them to go and proclaim the Gospel to everyone that would listen.  Their inability to believe would not disqualify them from future mission.

If Jesus was able to work through the imperfections of His disciples, what does that say to you?  In what areas do you find it hard to believe and trust what others say about God?  In what ways is God trying to use you in spite of that difficulty to believe?

Second Thought:

Jesus is pretty clear on a particular point.  Those who believe and are baptized will be saved.  Those who do not believe are not saved.  In those words, you can hear that the topic of salvation revolves around belief, not baptism.  Baptism is a response to what God is doing within us.  It is not baptism that saves us.  It is that which God is doing within us that saves us.

Why is this an important point?  What happens to our proclamation if we stress that baptism is the thing upon which salvation rests?  What happens to our proclamation if we allow salvation to hang upon faith?

Third Thought:

Jesus tells us that there will be certain signs that will accompany those who believe.  There are people who take these signs as a literal closed list.  That is to say that there are those who believe we must speak in tongues or handle snakes.  I do not believe this is Jesus’ point.  Jesus is giving examples of how His disciples will rise above the world.  Jesus’ disciples will not fear the supernatural as they proclaim the Gospel.  They will not fear learning foreign tongues as they proclaim the Gospel.  They will not fear creation as they proclaim the Gospel.  They will not fear disease as they proclaim the Gospel.  Sure, things on this list may literally happen, but I do not believe Jesus is giving this as a literal closed list.  There are many signs that accompany Jesus’ followers rising above their circumstances in order to proclaim the Gospel – more than this list can contain.

What does it mean to you to hear Jesus speak as though we are to rise above our circumstances?  What specific circumstances do you need to rise above?  What challenges and obstacles in your life do you need to overcome so that the Gospel may be proclaimed?

Passage for Tomorrow: Philippians 1:1-2