July 13, 2012 He Sent Them Anyway

He Sent Them Anyway Mark 16:12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. 14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news 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 with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. CHRIST’S followers today have a problem: We think we have to be “perfect”, have to have it “all together” before we can do Jesus’ work. Time and again I’ll ask people to do something in the church, and they will say, “I don’t do that.” Guess what. I know you don’t do that. But I feel God has lead me to ask you. When you say, “No.” are you saying, “No.” to Jesus? The disciples could have said, “I don’t do that.” None of them had the kind of “church experience” to do Jesus’ work. Worse, “he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.” Jesus’ own disciples had refused the message of his resurrection! But Jesus sent them anyway. Through his Spirit “the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Jesus mentored his disciples from Heaven’s throne. Through the Holy Spirit, he qualified them day by day. Through these unqualified men, Jesus began his church, and his church grew. How do you do Jesus’ work on earth? It’s not about you, what you like to do, what qualifies you. It’s about Jesus. No one is qualified without Jesus. Nothing will be accomplished without Jesus. When you obey the Lord of Hosts, he will send the Spirit to work with you and through you. In the power of Jesus, God’s will is done on earth. Pause and consider what Jesus is calling you to do. Are you calling on him to work with you?