Mark 16:14-20

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Intro

If you could go on any adventure, if price wasn’t an obstacle, what would you do?

Tonight I am going to tell you about an adventure that Jesus is inviting you on

One that the early Christians took and it revolutionized the World

One that Christians still take today

Don’t Be Led by Doubt vs. 14

Mark 16:14 ESV

Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.

After Jesus’ resurrection the disciples were hiding in the upper room

Jesus walks through the locked door

John 20:19 ESV

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

He is in his heavenly body

Stones rolled against graves can’t hold him and locked doors can’t either

The disciples haven’t seen Jesus like the ladies who went to the tomb or the two guys walking on the road

This is their first encounter and Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief

Not just with the ladies, but forgetting what Jesus had told them several times

This shows us an important lesson

Don’t let doubt lead your life

When we get afraid it is easy to withdraw and doubt everything

Proclaim the Gospel vs. 15-18

Mark 16:15–16 ESV

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Next, Jesus tells them to proclaim the Gospel

Proclaim means to preach or tell people

It can be from a pulpit or in person

This is what is called “The Great Commission”

It is the mission of the church to let everyone know about Jesus

The great adventure is joining Jesus and being the church to a lost and hurting world

The people in your world need you to tell them about the love of Jesus

They need to hear how his death on the cross forgives their sins and how his resurrection gives them victory over death

God, through his Holy Spirit, will empower you to do this

Everyone who believes that and is baptized will be saved

Those who reject it will be condemned

vs. 17-18 Signs to back up Gospel

Mark 16:17–18 ESV

And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 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.”

Jesus told 11 guys to do this

He entrusted His church to a bunch of guys who ran when Jesus was arrested

Yet Jesus believed in what God could do through them

To back up their testimony he worked miraculous signs through them

They cast out demons and laid hands on the sick and they were healed

Ascension vs. 19-20

Mark 16:19–20 ESV

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. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

After giving them instructions Jesus ascended to heaven

Now there were 40 days between the above verses and these

Acts 1:9–10 ESV

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,