The Gospel Continues

Go ahead and take your Bibles from Mark 16 this morning, Mark 16, as we get started here.

! If you find that Mark 16 should be easy. Your Bible should open up to Mark pretty easy by now.

Yeah, we've been in it for quite a few weeks here, but you know, as we come here to the end of the book of Mark,

and you know, we've been following the Lord through His earthly ministry and, you know, all the things that have taken place,

the battles with the religious leaders and the training of the Twelve and the other disciples that were there with Him,

those that were learning from Him and had understood who He is.

And we find here that all the works that He performed, I mean, you think about all the things that Jesus did there.

When you talk about healing the sick, He cast out devils, He raised the dead, and among many other miracles.

I mean, the list of miracles you find within the Scripture is quite a few.

And we know, as we look at each of those as we walk through, as Mark talks about that reality of the action involved,

because Mark focuses on the actions as they move forward.

And moving forward is exactly what we're going to be looking at today,

because as the Gospel of Mark draws to the end, you find the same thing in the other Gospels.

It's very simple. It's a forward-moving. It's a continuation.

And the Gospel continues even today.

You know, the Gospel didn't stop when Jesus went back into heaven.

The Gospel, the same Gospel, has been preached from that time forward.

And we find here that the disciples, they traveled over mountains and through valleys.

I mean, you think about they seen Him calm the storms, and the lives changed.

And we find that Jesus traveled to Jerusalem, and He was crucified that day because of our sin.

He became sin for us. He became the one who took our sin upon Him.

He took our trespasses, our violations against God.

He did all these things.

And we saw here the dynamic.

He was crucified. He was buried.

And then we learned the third day that He rose again,

and He was 40 days among His disciples,

teaching them and giving them what was needed as they were moving forward.

It was the last session of the class, you might say,

the final exam to push forward with the Gospel,

to continue forward.

Because when Jesus ascended into heaven, it didn't end.

It was just a bigger push forward.

A bigger push for the reality of the Gospel.

And we know the disciples had seen the empty tomb.

You know, they'd sat with the resurrected Savior.

There was no doubt that Jesus was alive and well.

And He talked with them.

He had eaten with them.

He instructed them in the truth about the plan to redeem mankind.

You'll see that Jesus was very clear about His plan to move forward

and why He did these things.

As we're going to look this morning,

and this morning we're going to talk about Jesus ascending to glory

and what that means.

Because I want you to understand,

when Jesus went to glory,

it made way for another important thing to take place,

and that was for the Holy Spirit to come.

And the Holy Spirit plays an important role in not only our salvation,

but also an important role in the Gospel going forward.

Because the Bible makes it clear it's the power of God.

The power of God rests in the Holy Spirit of God.

Acts 1.8 makes it clear that you'll have power from on high.

That dynamic is the Holy Spirit as we see.

And we understand that this was the final gathering of the 11.

We know that it was on the Mount of Olives from the other Gospels,

and that's where we find ourselves here this morning,

as He has given them the instruction to go.

But let's take a look here.

If you found Mark chapter 16,

Mark 16 · chapter mention

let's look together here and stand together

in honor of reading of the Word of God.

And we'll read here the last verses here of the Gospel of Mark.

We'll pick up here in verse 15 again.

And He said unto them,

Go ye into all the world,

and preach the gospel to every creature.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,

but he that believeth not shall be damned.

And these signs shall follow them that believe.

In My name shall they cast out devils,

they shall speak with new tongues,

they shall take up servants,

and if they drink any deadly thing,

it shall not hurt them,

and they shall lay hands on the sick,

and they shall recover.

So then after the Lord had spoken unto them,

He was received up into heaven,

and sat on the right hand of God.

And they went forth and preached everywhere,

the Lord working with them,

and confirming the Word with signs following.

Amen.

Let's pray.

Heavenly Fathers,

we take a few moments this morning

to look into Your Word, Lord.

We pray that You just stir our hearts towards You,

the reality of not just Your resurrection,

but Lord,

also the importance of Your ascension into glory,

Lord,

the dynamics around it,

you know,

the true reality of the gospel,

being able to go forth with Your power to it.

And Lord,

we're going to see here this morning

the impact of that from the Word of God.

And Lord,

I pray just challenge us

to grab a hold of that truth here today,

realizing that same power

that the apostles had as they went forth

is the same power

that's within every believer today.

Lord,

we pray just have Your hand upon each one today

in a mighty way.

And Lord,

we just ask it in Your precious name.

Amen.

You may be seated.

You know,

as we look here,

I want you to see here

that what we just read is not the end.

You know,

oftentimes we think this was the end.

You might say the final thing

of Jesus' earthly ministry

in phase one,

because we know He's coming again.

We know Christ is coming again.

The Bible makes it clear

He will come again.

And so His ascension is important

in all those things.

And what we just read, though,

is the continuing of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

For the gospel to go forth,

the good news that God has fulfilled

all that is needed

to reconcile anyone

that would come to Him by faith.

When we recognize

that the beginning of Mark opens,

you know,

if we go back to the beginning of Mark

in Mark chapter one,

He starts this,

simply this,

He says,

the beginning of the gospel

of Jesus Christ,

the Son of God.

The beginning of the gospel of who?

Jesus Christ,

the Son of God.

And it goes through

all the things

in the book of Mark,

and then it concludes here

very simply,

so after the Lord

was spoken unto them

in verse nine,

He was received up into heaven

and sat on the right hand of God.

I want you to look here this morning.

It's important because it ends

with a charge to continue.

You know,

Jesus said there's yet two things

that will happen

so that the gospel

will continue as planned.

First,

He was going to go to the Father.

You know,

Jesus needed to ascend to the Father,

and we'll look at that

in just a moment here,

a little more detail,

of the importance of that,

that He would go to the Father,

but also that as we look here

this morning,

that He had to go to the Father.

This happened 40 days

after His resurrection,

and we refer to this

as the ascension of Jesus to glory.

It's mentioned specifically

in detail in Acts chapter one,

and that Jesus was received up,

and you know,

the disciples always love

that passage there

in Acts chapter one,

because the disciples,

as they're looking,

Jesus going to heaven,

all they're doing

is rubbernecking going.

If you read that passage,

it's kind of funny,

because the angel looks at Him

and says,

what are you doing

just staring up into heaven?

You know,

I just appreciate

the reality of that,

because you know,

that's kind of human nature.

I don't know about you,

but if I saw Jesus

rise off the ground into heaven,

I'd probably be standing there

for a few minutes too

looking up.

You know?

But we're going to see here

that we look at,

we understand that event,

but what did it mean?

Because the ascension of Jesus

is an important element,

because Jesus had stayed 40 days

to complete the task

of training His disciples

for what lied ahead.

You know,

His return to glory

was essential

for the work to continue.

It was essential

for the work to continue.

He even told them

it was going to be essential

for it to continue.

It was essential

in Jesus' own words.

So we're going to look this morning

as this dynamic,

the essential things

about why He had to return

to heaven,

because it was important,

because it did this.

One thing,

it made clear

His purpose

to His followers.

It made clear

His purpose.

You know,

some may wonder

why Jesus

didn't just stick around

after the resurrection.

You know?

Have you ever asked yourself that?

Why didn't Jesus

just stay here

after He resurrected?

He's alive,

He's already interacting

with the disciples.

He's interacting

with others.

You know,

wouldn't it be great

if Jesus was still here?

You know,

we can look at it

in that dynamic,

but I want you to grab

ahold of something.

He went away for a reason,

because what we have

was part of the plan,

the plan that was going

to empower us

to accomplish way more

than what that would have happened

on its own

with the restrictions

of a physical body.

And we're going to look here

at this new dynamic.

And the disciples,

Jesus had to go away

because, you know,

the problem was

the disciples were looking

for a new king.

They were looking

for the restoration

of the kingdom of David.

They were looking

for that restoration.

You know,

Acts chapter 1,

Acts 1 · chapter mention

turn over there quick

this morning.

Acts chapter 1

Acts 1 · chapter mention

in verse 6,

the Bible tells us this,

therefore we're come together.

They asked Him,

saying,

Lord,

wilt Thou at this time

restore again

the kingdom to Israel?

Now,

I want you to see here,

even in their mind,

they're still looking

at this dynamic.

Jesus is resurrected.

It might be the time.

Even though Jesus

had told them

what was going to happen,

but, you know,

oftentimes we're just

like the disciples.

God's Word tells us something

and we kind of

just brush over it.

We don't grab a hold

of the truth

of what God's Word says.

But notice what Jesus says,

and He said of them,

It is not for you

to know the time

or the seasons

which the Father

has put in His own power.

Now,

look at verse 8,

but ye shall what?

Receive power

after that the Holy Ghost

has come upon you,

and ye shall be witnesses

unto me both in Jerusalem

and Judea and Samaria

and in the uttermost part

of the earth.

I want you to see here,

Jesus departed

that the disciples

might get active

doing what they ought to do.

Because, in other words,

they were going to be anchored.

I want you to see,

Jesus told them,

No, guys,

that's not the time

or the season.

I'm not going to sit

on the throne right now.

That's in the Father's hand.

I want you to get out there

and get busy.

I want you to continue

the gospel.

I want you to continue.

I want you to move forward.

You know,

the disciples

were still focused

on that physical kingdom,

and they wanted to know

what to expect.

And when Jesus

departed for glory,

there's no doubt

that the time

was not now.

You know,

I want you to say,

Jesus,

we're going to look

a little later here,

that Jesus promised

He's coming back,

but the time

was not then.

There was a reason

for that

because the gospel

had to go forth.

They had to continue.

The focus was to go

into all the world

with the gospel,

establishing churches

for the purpose

of training

and encouraging the saints

for the work of God.

You know,

I want you to know

this morning

that Jesus

departed

for the purpose

of making things clear

to His disciples.

I think He made it clear

to them that,

now is not the time

I'm going to sit

on the throne.

There's work for you

to be doing,

though,

while I'm away.

That the gospel

is going to continue.

But I want you

to see here also

it made the coming

of the Holy Spirit

possible.

Think about Jesus

when He was speaking

to His disciples.

One of the last things

He told them

before He goes

to the cross,

you find in John 16.

You know,

this section of John

is Jesus telling

His disciples

right before He goes

to the cross,

He's filling in

all sorts of information

to them.

He's giving them

all sorts of things

and they're trying

to process

because it's really

a pretty large

information dump

when you think

about what's contained

in chapters 14

through 17

in the Gospel of John.

There's a lot

of information

got dumped

in a matter of a few

hours on the disciples.

He told them

all sorts of things

that was going

to take place

but when Jesus

went to glory

it made way

for them.

Let's look over

to John chapter 16.

John 16 · chapter mention

John chapter 16.

John 16 · chapter mention

Notice what Jesus

tells His disciples.

He says this,

Nevertheless,

I tell you what?

The truth.

It is what?

Expedient for you

that I do what?

I go away.

It's expedient.

It's beneficial.

For if I go not away,

the Comforter

will not come

unto you.

I want you to see here

the Comforter

is speaking

of the Holy Spirit.

If Jesus

didn't go back

to glory,

Jesus says,

If I don't go back

to glory,

the Holy Spirit

is not going to come

and do what

it's supposed to do.

To do what He's

supposed to do

in our lives.

Because I want you

to know

as we look at this

that the Holy Spirit

is needful.

It's part of God's

redemptive plan.

The Holy Spirit

is essential

to our salvation.

It's an essential element

but I want you

to see here

He made

the coming

of the Holy Spirit

possible.

He went back

to glory

and He says,

I'm going to send

the Holy Spirit

to you.

Remember that Jesus

told His disciples

the importance

of the Holy Spirit

in the gospel

continuing.

The Holy Spirit

will be with

and work

within all the saints

at the same time.

Look back a little

earlier

into John chapter 14.

John 14 · chapter mention

John chapter 14,

John 14 · chapter mention

look down

at verse 12.

John 14

in verse 12

the Word of God

says this.

He says,

Verily, verily,

I say unto you

he that believeth

on me

the works

that I do

shall he do

also

and greater works

than these

shall he do.

Why?

Because I go

unto the

Father.

I want you to see here

Jesus was already

preparing His disciples

for the importance

of His ascension.

The importance

of Him

returning to heaven.

He said,

guys,

it's expedient

for you.

It's beneficial

for you

because it's

going to magnify

the work.

Notice this.

Greater works.

It's a greater impact.

You know,

that's pretty simple

dynamics.

You know what?

When you have more people

doing something,

more work happens.

I mean,

that's pretty simple

to understand.

The more people

you have doing something,

the more things happen.

Jesus said

we're going to do

greater works

not because of ourselves

but because of the Holy Spirit

that dwells within us.

Because as a believer,

I want you to understand

you get the Holy Spirit

at the moment of salvation.

You can't lose it.

He doesn't run away.

He never leaves you.

He never forsakes you.

He is always with you.

The Holy Spirit

is important.

You know,

and just for

a side note here quick,

I want you to understand

something

because sometimes

people lose sight

of the purpose

of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit

came once

but empowers

everyone that believes.

Now you say,

preacher,

why did you go there

for a moment?

There's a new movement out

that they want

a new fresh Holy Spirit

to fall.

It's being promoted

in Christian circles.

I want to tell you,

you ought to know

right away,

when they say,

I want a new Holy Spirit,

what are they saying?

I don't like the one

that we already have.

Or they don't believe

in the one we already have.

They say the one

that we have

isn't powerful enough

to do what he said

he wants.

You know what they want?

They're looking

for another spirit.

And it's not

the Spirit of God.

It's something

that's being pushed

right now.

So I want you

to understand

to be aware

that this dynamic,

it sounds good.

It's in many songs

that people,

modern songs

that people sing,

but it's false.

Be attentive.

We ought to have

discerning ears

to the truth

of what's going on.

But I want you

to see here,

it also,

when Jesus went

into heaven,

it was to make

the plan clear.

You know,

the work of the Holy Spirit

in the lives

of believers today

is part of God's plan.

Salvation was a work

of God.

Salvation is totally

by God.

He designed it,

he planned it,

he fulfilled it,

and he's going to

keep the promise of it.

everything to do

with salvation

is of God.

We didn't do

any part of it.

What God gave to us

is nothing of what

we did.

The work of the Holy Spirit

is important though

because salvation

was the work of God.

It included

all of them,

the Father,

the Son,

and the Holy Spirit.

Because you consider

here that the Father

sent the Son

to die upon the cross

for our sin.

The Son goes away

and the Holy Spirit sent.

I want you to understand

all of God

is involved

in our salvation

because there is

no distinction.

God is one,

but we recognize

this is that trinity

that's a fancy

theological term

that gets thrown around,

but it's that God

is three,

but he's one.

God the Father,

God the Son,

God the Holy Spirit,

they are one.

There's no separating

them in that sense,

but they are distinct.

Now,

I want you to understand

this picture

of what's happening

because the Holy Spirit

is the one

that makes it personal.

The Holy Spirit

is the one

that makes salvation

personal to us.

Take a look over

into John chapter 16

John 16 · chapter mention

again for a moment.

Here's Jesus

is instructing

his disciples.

Notice what he says,

Nevertheless,

I tell you the truth,

expediently for you

I go away.

If I go not away,

the Comforter

will not come unto you,

but if I depart,

I will send him unto you.

And when he has come,

he will reprove

the world of sin

and of righteousness

and of judgment,

of sin because

they believe not on me,

of righteousness

because I go to my Father

and ye see me no more,

of judgment

because the prince

of this world

is judged.

I want you to understand

he's talking about

the Holy Spirit's

interaction with individuals.

You know,

the Holy Spirit

interacts

with even a lost person.

That's the conviction.

His job

is to convict

a sinner

that they have

fallen short

of the glory of God.

Through the word of God,

the Holy Spirit

convicts an individual.

Conviction is important

because you know,

if somebody doesn't understand

they're truly a sinner

and if separated from God,

it's impossible

for them to be saved.

Because if you don't recognize

where you stand with God,

there's no way

you're going to correct

your standing with God.

You know,

it's like anything else.

If you have the wrong

starting point,

you'll never get to where

you think you want to go.

If you want to be right

with God,

it starts with the reality

that I'm a sinner

that's fallen short

of the glory of God.

That comes from

the truth of God's word.

It comes from

the understanding

and the conviction

of the Holy Spirit.

But I want you to see

it not only made

the plan clear,

but it also made

the Lord's plan complete.

You know,

look at verse 19

and he said this

and he said,

after the Lord

has spoken,

he was received

up into heaven

and sat on the right

hand of God.

Jesus sat on the right

hand of God.

He went to heaven

and is seated

at the right hand

of the Father.

You know,

I want you to understand

this morning

that Jesus isn't up there

taking a vacation.

He went to the right

hand of the Father

and he's still doing

today for us.

There's many things

that him going

to glory did.

When he sits there

at the right hand

of the Father,

I want you to understand

the first dynamic

we can look at

is the fact

that he was a conqueror.

He came and he conquered

death and sin.

He conquered it completely

and he sits down

on the right hand

of the Father.

He says,

it is complete.

I am victorious.

He has completed

all those things.

Look over to Colossians

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 this morning.

Look down at verse 13.

It says,

and you being dead

in your sins

and the uncircumcision

of your flesh

hath he quickened together

with him

having forgiven you

all trespasses,

blotting out

the handwriting

of ordinance

that was against us

which is contrary

to us

and took it out

of the way,

nailing it to his cross

and having spoiled

principalities and powers,

he made a show

of them openly,

triumphing over them

in it.

When Jesus went to heaven

it was a matter

of triumph.

triumph.

He was victorious.

He sat down

at the right hand

of the Father

and said that part

of the job

is totally complete.

It is accomplished.

You know,

what a wonderful thing

that Jesus

is a conqueror

of sin and death.

You know,

our very salvation

rests on that fact

that he is the victor

but he was also

now a guarantor.

The guarantor,

you know,

we find here,

look up to Ephesians

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

Ephesians chapter 2

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

and verse 6

it says this,

he says,

who hath raised us

up together

and made us

to sit together

in heavenly places

in Christ Jesus

that in the ages

to come

he might show

the exceeding riches

of his grace

in his kindness

towards us

through Christ Jesus.

Now,

I want you to see here

something very important.

He is the one

that guarantees

that when you're saved

you're going to go to heaven.

You know,

I want you to understand,

that's good news.

You know,

this world offers

a lot of guarantees

but there's no guarantee

better than Jesus' guarantee.

He said it

and it's going to happen.

It's a truth

that we can grab a hold of.

Look over to Colossians

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1

and verse 22.

He says this,

in the body of his flesh

through death

to present you

holy and blamable

and unreprovable

in his sight.

I want you to understand

that he is the guarantor

that when you get to heaven

that your sin

is no longer

on the books.

It's been wiped out.

It's been taken care of.

He's blotted those things out.

Have you ever thought

about the sin of your life

when you get saved

Jesus looks at your sin

and says

paid,

paid,

paid,

paid,

paid.

He is the one

that guarantees

our access

because he's the one

that took it upon himself.

He's the one

that provided

and when he went to heaven

as a guarantor

before the Father

but he also

is our advocate.

You know,

I want you to understand

we need an advocate

with the Father.

An advocate

with the Father

is essential.

You look over

to 1 John 2.

1 John 2

in verse 1

the word of God

tells us this,

my little children

these things write unto you

that you sin not

and if any man sin

we have an advocate

with the Father

Jesus Christ

the righteous.

You know,

we need Jesus

advocating

on our behalf.

There's a lot more

we could go into here

but I want you to understand

it's important

why did Jesus

go back to heaven?

because he's now

our advocate.

He is there

as our representative

before God.

But notice he says

and he is a propitiation

for our sins

and not ours only

but also the sins

of the whole world.

What he did

was sufficient

for everybody.

You know,

I want you to understand

when Christ

paid for sin

it was full

and it was complete

and there was nothing

else needed.

but notice

turn to Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

for a moment.

Romans chapter 8

Romans 8:34

verse 34

the word of God

says this

who is he

that condemneth

is it Christ

that died

yea rather

that he is risen again

who is even

at the right hand

of God

who also does what

maketh intercession

for us.

You know

that's what an advocate

does

he makes intercession

for us.

He's there

representing

on our behalf

of our needs

the things

that are going on.

He is there

beside the Father.

But I want you to see

Hebrews chapter 7

Hebrews 7:25

verse 25

he says this

wherefore he is able

to save them

to the uttermost

that come unto God

by him

seeing he ever liveth

to make what?

Intercession

for them.

You know

if you're saved

you have an advocate

in heaven.

You know

one of the main purposes

of an advocate

is somebody

that's on your side

that's there for you.

That's a powerful reality.

That if you've called

upon him

as Savior

you have an advocate

with the Father.

But also

Jesus' ascension

made way

for him to come again.

You know

the Bible makes it clear

Jesus is going to come again

as a coming Savior.

He was going to be

a Savior

that's going to come victorious.

The first time

he came as a lamb

in the manger

a babe born

helpless

and we find

that as

he was the Lamb of God

that took away

the sin of the world

as he died

on the cross

that day.

He took all the sin

that ever has happened

and ever is going to happen

until the end of time

and he took it upon himself

to make provision

to say

it's enough

to cover everything.

What Jesus did

was complete

but it's a coming Savior.

You know

look back over

to Acts chapter 1

Acts 1 · chapter mention

where we talked

a little earlier

because as Jesus

goes up into heaven

and he's there

notice this

and it says

in verse 11

which also said

ye men of Galilee

why stand ye

gazing up into heaven?

Notice what the angel says

this who?

Which Jesus?

Same Jesus.

You know

the same Jesus

which is taken up

from you into heaven

shall so come

in like manner

as you've seen him

go up into heaven.

You know what

from the very time

he went into heaven

it was already

the declaration

that hey

I'm coming

again.

He had told him

that many times.

You know

look over to

John chapter 14

John 14 · chapter mention

remember this is

another section

there where Jesus

is preparing

his disciples

for the end

and he looks at them

and tells them this

he says

let not your heart

be troubled

you believe in God

believe also in me

and my father's house

there are many mansions

if it were not

so I would have told you

I go to do what?

Prepare a place

for you.

Jesus went to heaven

to prepare a place

for all those

who will call upon him.

He says

I'm preparing a place

I'm expecting you

you know

as a believer

that I get you excited

that God is expecting you

one day in heaven.

It's always good

to be expected

and prepared

you know

he's not going to be

caught flat footed

he says

I'm preparing a place

he said

no no

verse 3

and if I go

and prepare a place

for you

I will what?

Come again

and receive you

unto myself

that where I am

you may be what?

also

Jesus ascended

into heaven

because he's coming back

because in the meantime

he's doing some other things

that are important

he's given to us

all these things

and as we

see and understand

when Jesus

returned to glory

he opened the door

for all that will

trust in him

in his finished work

by faith

it results

in our course

in this life

because notice

something happened

because Jesus

went to heaven

the disciples

weren't there

and Jesus said

okay you guys

know all this

now sit around

and keep talking

about it

start a school

and educate everybody

that isn't what

he told them

is it?

look back up

at verse 15

he says

go ye

into all the world

and do what?

preach the gospel

to every creature

it's a universal

mandate

that others

hear the gospel

you know

we ought to

understand

the importance

of that

and the commission

that they were sent

because it leads

to the action

of the saints

Jesus' ascension

to heaven

leads to the action

of the saints

the saints

ought to have

some action

you know

the problem is

sometimes we enjoy

sitting more

than we do working

but salvation

puts us

to work

when you're saved

you now have a charge

from your savior

you have a responsibility

as we work together

to go forth

to go ye

into all the world

and preach

the gospel

to every creature

because notice

the commission

and they went forth

the disciples

waited in Jerusalem

I want you to understand

until Pentecost

now Pentecost

comes 50 days

after the feast

of unleavened bread

and it's recorded

and that day

is recorded

in Acts 2

where the Holy Spirit

came and empowered

them for the task

that they were

going to go do

the Holy Spirit

was endowing them

with power

from on high

because we cannot

complete the task

God's given to us

without God

working with us

our task

is not just

our task

God says

I want you to work

me

he says

I'm not sending

you out there

just for the fun of it

I'm not sending

it out there

hoping you got

enough energy

in yourself

to accomplish it

he says

I want you to understand

I'm going to give

my spirit

that makes a difference

they went forth

under the authority

of Jesus

and the power

of the Holy Spirit

I want you to understand

the God himself

empowered the gospel

he is the one

I didn't just complete it

I empowered it

to go forth

throughout all the world

the gospel

of Jesus Christ

the one and only gospel

notice what it says

in Acts 1 8

but ye shall receive

power

after that the Holy Ghost

has come upon you

and ye shall be

witnesses unto me

as a believer

I want you to understand

God empowers you

to tell others

you say well preacher

that's kind of scary

you know what

the Holy Spirit

gives you

what you need

if you seek him

he says

I will give you all

it's already there

you know the good thing

I want you to understand

that if you're saved

you have all the power

you need to fulfill

everything God's

wanted you to do

the problem is

most of us

don't want it

because what God

asks us to do

sometimes makes us

uncomfortable

have you ever thought

how scary it is

to think about

these 12

who had never

traveled much

outside of about

100 miles of their

home

I doubt they even

made it 100 miles

from home

up to this point

and God looks

Jesus looks at them

and says you're

going to go now

to all the world

I imagine they had

some pretty bright

eyes looking

like what

you're asking us

to do what

you're instructing

us to do what

to go to all the world

and he's going to

empower us to do so

you know I want you

to understand

that after the day

of Pentecost

untold thousands

heard the good news

not only that day

but they continue

to hear

and throughout

their generation

all the way to

our generation

you know I want you

to understand

we're here today

because of what

happened

because Jesus

died on the cross

he was buried

he rose again

he went to glory

the Holy Spirit

came

and empowered

his gospel

the truth

to go forth

to everybody

have you ever

stopped and said

we are the product

of what took place

if you're saved

it's because

somebody took

the gospel to you

you're saved

because somebody

took the gospel

to somebody else

you're saved

because that somebody

that took the gospel

to you

that they got

from somebody else

got shared

from somebody else

now you might not

be able to assemble

the tree

of where the gospel

you heard came from

but I guarantee you

there's untold

thousands and millions

of people

who have shared

the gospel

throughout generations

that led to you

and I being able

to know

who Jesus Christ is

how did they

accomplish that

the power of the Holy Spirit

in their lives

to say this is what

God would have

the untold thousands

matter of fact

look at Acts chapter 17

Acts 17 · chapter mention

as they begin

into this generation

there notice

what happens here

is when they found

them not

they drew Jason

the certain brethren

into the rulers

of the city

and notice their

accusation

these that have

turned the world

upside down

are come hither also

in less

than their lifetimes

by the power

of the gospel

being equipped

with the power

of the Holy Spirit

they turned the world

upside down

now I want you

to hear that

that means it shook

everything that was

happening

it altered culture

it altered the way

people reacted

it altered the dynamic

of everything

why?

because it altered

our relationship

with the living God

when you're changed

by the gospel of Christ

you're changed

there's a distinction

there's a difference

how did this happen?

simply by sharing

the gospel

Mark 16 15

look back up there

go ye into all the world

and preach

the gospel

you know look here again

at verse 20

in our text

it says

and they went forth

and did what?

preached

everywhere

what were they preaching?

they were preaching

the gospel

of Jesus Christ

they were letting people know

that understand

of the gospel

you know it's the gospel

starts

with the fact

you have to understand

where you are with God

like I said earlier

if you don't realize

that you're separated

from God

we have a lot of people

today that don't think

they have that bad

of a problem with God

you talk to them

they'll say

I'm just fine

you know we had some

this week

as we're out talking

in the neighborhood

I'm just fine

I don't need God

or I'm okay

with my God

but until they realize

what Jesus did for them

but they're not going

to know unless somebody

tells them

unless somebody engages them

the gospel

to go forth

is engagement

I want you to understand

there's many ways

we can engage

with the gospel

you know we have

tracks

you have verbal

you have all sorts

of social media

I mean things are

endless of ways

of letting people

understand the gospel

where they are with God

and then what Jesus did

because you know

what Jesus did

makes no sense

if you don't realize

where you are

if you don't realize

you're a sinner

oh that's nice

that Jesus did that

that was good of him

and they look at it

and say I really

don't need that

but when you realize

you're a sinner

and the Bible says

that we are condemned

on our way to hell

but there's one

who came to rescue

that made a way

you know we preach

the gospel of Jesus Christ

you know look over

to Acts chapter 20

Acts 20 · chapter mention

for a moment

Acts chapter 20

Acts 20 · chapter mention

and we find here

in Acts 20

is recorded for us

part of that message

that went forth

and notice here

and this the apostle Paul

says how I kept

nothing that was

profitable unto you

but have showed you

and have taught you

publicly and from

house to house

testifying both

to the Jews

and also the Greeks

what did he testify

repentance towards God

and faith towards

our Lord Jesus Christ

repentance and faith

it's not our job

to save anyone

it's our task

to let them know

there's a Savior

you know that's the

other thing I think

sometimes gets us

scared of sharing

the gospel

well what if they

reject

well that's not

not your job

to make them accept

you know the reality

is somebody convinced

against their will

is of the same opinion

still

you know you can

strong arm somebody

into doing something

but that doesn't mean

their thought about

it changed

you know you can

make kids behave

but they'll sit there

and in their mind

they're not behaving

you can make a kid

behave on the outside

but on the inside

they're rebellious

you know what the

same reality is with God

people can clean

themselves up

make themselves look

good to everybody

else around them

but on the inside

God says there's

still a problem

you're a rebellious

sinner that has

rejected the truth

of God's word

now I want you to

see here this morning

as they sent them

forth

notice here in verse

20 again

and he says

and they went forth

he sent them

and they went

and they preached

everywhere

now this next part

is important

for this whole

thing because

the Lord

what

working

with them

the co-laboring

you know they had

a commission

but they also

I want you to

understand

they had a co-laborer

the Lord doesn't

send us forth

to do his job

without working

with us

he is there

with us

working

we are his

co-labor

the Lord

working

with them

the Lord

continues

to work

with us

in our

task

it's his

work

and we

get to

labor

alongside

look over

to 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3

in verse 9

it says this

for we are

laborers

together

with God

ye are

God's

husbandry

ye are

God's

building

now I want you

to understand

we are

laborers

together

with God

God doesn't

send us

out

to die

on a hill

by ourselves

he says

I'm with

you

and you

do it

through

God's

plan

God's

plan

always

involves

a local

church

God's

plan

is

many

things

that we

have

revealed

in

scripture

here

but I

want you

to understand

how is it

possible

remember

he is

our

intercessor

how is he

working

with us

he's

the one

in heaven

he's

our

advocate

with the

father

he's

the one

that's

making

intercession

for us

he is

the one

that is

there

on our

side

he is

the one

that

intercedes

for us

on our

behalf

and he

is the

one

there

with the

father

that's

one

the one

that steps

in

when we

don't know

what else

to do

I mean

sometimes

God

just makes

himself

mighty

says

Lord

I don't

know

what

to do

and God

shows up

that's

the term

we use

but you

know what

God

was already

there

God

just said

I'm

going to

take

action

it's

just

that now

we see

God

taking

action

you know

that's

sometimes

our

problem

we don't

really see

it

so we

don't

say