What They Were Supposed To Do

Mark 16:14-20

Theme: The Servant’s Resurrection

Key verse: v.8

20 verses; 449 words

Grade level: 4.7

Here are the GIFTS Jesus gave in the Great commission.

I. They Were Given A Plan. vs. 14–16

Rebuke. v.14

Reaching. v. 15.

Results. v. 16.

Notice in the rest of the verse, that what damns a man is unbelief, not refusing or neglecting water baptism. Judas was baptized. Where did he go? Well, it sure wasn’t Heaven (Acts 1:25 cf. Rev. 9:11).

II. They Were Given A Promise. vs. 17–18

Supernatural—“Cast out devils.”

Spirit—“Speak with new tongues.”

The first time “tongues” are practiced in the New Testament, they are “other tongues” (Acts 2:4), and those tongues are known languages (Acts 2:6), and the languages are listed (Acts 2:8–11). When Paul talks about “an unknown tongue” (1 Cor. 14:2, 4, 13, 14, 19, 27), he’s not talking about a language unknown to anyone on earth. He’s telling those Corinthians not to speak in a language no one in the congregation can understand unless they have an interpreter present (1 Cor. 14:27–28).

Safety—If they are bitten by serpents, or if they drink any poisonous drink by mistake, it would not hurt them.

This only took place once in the book of Acts, and it wasn’t on purpose (read Acts 28:1–6).

There is no case in Scripture of this happening, all you can say about it is that it was a sign given to the apostles should anyone try to poison them.

Success—“Shall lay hands upon the sick, and shall recover.”

Well, to whom is Jesus speaking in verse 17? It is to Jewish apostles. There are no Gentiles present, and not one of the men He is addressing is in the Body of Christ yet (1 Cor. 12:13 cf. Acts 1:5). These are apostolic signs (2 Cor. 12:12) given to Jewish apostles and their converts (“these signs shall follow them that believe”). Once the Jewish apostles are gone and their converts die off, the signs disappear (1 Tim. 5:23; 2 Tim. 4:20). So if you want to be a Scriptural Charismatic (and what Charismatic ever followed the Scriptures in regards to tongues and healing—1 Cor. 12, 14?), then you would have to be converted under the ministry of an apostle.

III. They Were Given Power. vs. 19–20.

The promise of vs. 17–18 fulfilled.

A Christian should lift up his hands and give (Phil. 4:15–18). He should lift up his eyes and look (John 4:35). He should lift up his heart and pray (Matt. 9:38). And he should lift up his feet and go (Mark 16:15 cf. Rom. 10:15).