What's Next!

And take your Bible through to Mark chapter 16 again this morning. Mark chapter 16 as we continue moving through the book of Mark here.

Mark 16 · chapter mention Mark 16 · chapter mention

What was going to come because we don't oftentimes consider at that moment of the resurrection, that morning, things changed.

Things were transformed into something completely different from what they were before.

There was something that took place because our sins had been paid for on the cross,

but we also understand that when he rose again, it was a victorious overcoming of death and the penalty of it.

And we see here that it was going to be 40 days that Jesus would spend with his disciples.

40 days he would take and to teach and to equip them for what was to come

because the instructions on what to do because he resurrected needed to be put into place

to make sure they understood what was happening.

And because everything was now fulfilled that was needed for our redemption,

for my redemption and your redemption was complete.

When Jesus rose from the dead, it completed everything that was required for your redemption and mine.

It's a wonderful thing.

And so the question would be is what's next?

And because three years previous, Jesus had gathered these men.

He had communicated God's truth to them.

He had challenged them.

He'd encourage his disciples.

I mean, you especially see with Peter and James and John and going through this plan of redemption.

And now all these things changed.

Redemption didn't change, but it had been paid for.

You know, payment makes a difference.

You know, think about in your life.

How rejoicing is it when you pay for something?

You know, especially if it's a big purchase, you know, it's like, or something you have to do in our example,

you know, make installments on and you're constantly every month after month after month after month,

and then it's paid off.

There's a rejoicing to know that payment's complete.

In the Old Testament, sins were rolled forward at the offerings.

But in Christ, one time for all.

Complete.

Paid in full.

What an amazing thing.

And so we see here as the disciples are preparing.

If you found in your Bible, Mark chapter 16 this morning,

Mark 16 · chapter mention

let's stand together for the honor of the reading of God's Word here today.

And we'll pick up again here in verse 14.

Read down through verse 18.

And we see this.

And afterwards he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat,

and abraded them with their unbelief and hardness of heart,

because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

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 hand on the sick,

and they shall recover.

Heavenly Fathers,

we just take a few moments here this morning

to look into your Word.

Lord, we pray that we would be challenged and encouraged,

but Lord, we pray that your Spirit would speak to our hearts today.

Lord, above all, you would be heard,

that your truth would be put forth.

Lord, we pray that you,

and you know each one today,

Lord, we pray that you just would meet those needs in a mighty way,

whether it's for salvation or encouragement,

or just strength for the day in which we walk.

And Lord, we pray that you would be mighty in all that you do.

And Lord, we just give you all the praise and glory and honor.

In Jesus' name, amen.

May we be seated.

You know, as we look here,

as we come to Mark chapter 16,

Mark 16 · chapter mention

Mark has been a book of action,

but here at the end,

it summarizes very quickly 40 days of time

in a few verses.

And oftentimes we need to understand

what this is just a summary statement

about what's happening.

And Mark summarizes 40 days

of interactions and instructions

in just a few words.

You know, take a look back in our text.

Look down at the,

went to verse 20 a second.

If you look on down,

this kind of just tells you how everything moved.

And it says,

and they went forth and preached everywhere.

You know,

in other words,

we see here that the culmination of this

time that Jesus was here teaching and training,

and then they waited till Pentecost

and the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost,

empowering the church to move forward,

empowering them to accomplish

what God had instructed them to do.

And so when we understand

that each of the gospels

and even the book of Acts

gives us insight into these final instructions

given to the disciples.

You know,

I want you to understand,

they had to be,

understand what was happening

because it's easy to forget

when you read through

how quickly some of this is summarized

what Jesus was teaching them.

He was giving them,

you might say,

the first three years was their undergrad

and they shoved their doctorate class

into 40 days.

They stuffed all this additional

into 40 days

of Jesus instructing them

and it's hard to,

it's sometimes easy to forget

that's what's taking place

because Jesus told his disciples

this was going to happen.

You know,

before he went to the cross,

you find over in John 16,

as Jesus is preparing to go to the cross,

he looks at his disciples

and he says,

I have yet many things to say unto you,

but she cannot bear them now.

You know,

I want you to understand

that you cannot bear them now.

Why?

Because they didn't fully understand

what the resurrection was.

They didn't understand

why Jesus was going to the cross.

You know,

they had a picture in their mind,

but there's a difference

and we all think and agree with this.

You can understand something intellectually,

but then,

you know,

the concept about it,

but they didn't understand

what it really meant,

how it interacted,

what the essential nature of it was,

how important and critical that it was.

And Jesus had to fill them in.

It says in verse 13 of John 16,

it says,

Howbeit when he,

the spirit of truth is coming,

he will guide you into all truth,

for he shall not speak of himself,

but whatsoever he shall hear,

that shall he speak,

and he will show you things

to come.

I want you to understand

the disciples,

the apostles here,

God gave them insight,

but Jesus directed that.

He says,

Hey guys,

I'm going to give you

what's needed.

You know,

these 40 days,

not only validated

that he was in fact alive,

but he also gave them

what's next.

He gave them what was next.

What's the plan?

Where do we go from here?

Because everything changed.

Remember,

they were looking for Jesus,

to come and establish his kingdom.

That's always caught in their mind.

Jesus constantly was telling him,

No,

the purpose I came

was to go to the cross and die.

That was his purpose.

From the very foundation of the world,

but they got caught in part

of what scripture said

instead of the complete picture.

You know,

and we're going to see here,

this morning here,

in verse 25 of John 16,

he says,

These things have I spoken unto you

in Proverbs,

but the time is cometh

when I shall no more speak unto you

in Proverbs,

but shall show you plainly

of the Father.

In other words,

I think in these 40 days,

Jesus took and plainly showed them

from the Old Testament

all the way up to where they were

and gave them directions

to move forward.

He filled in all the blanks

to put things in perspective

for them,

preparing them

for when he was going to be received

up to glory.

You know,

Acts chapter 1

Acts 1 · chapter mention

tells us that the disciples

were to wait

for the empowering

of the Holy Spirit

before putting them

into action.

You know,

they were to wait there

at Jerusalem,

those 10 days,

until the day of Pentecost.

And we're going to see here

at the day of Pentecost

that the church was empowered

to move forward.

So what was next?

to put the full-scale plan

into action.

To put those things

into action.

That plan to make sure

the world,

that everyone knows

who Jesus is

and what he has done for them.

That's the plan of action.

Moving forth

with what Jesus said.

Declaring that truth

of the gospel.

And we see here

that oftentimes

we refer to this

as the Great Commission,

the charge that Jesus gave

before his departure

into glory.

You know,

each of the gospels

in the book of Acts

presents for us

the marching orders

for the church today.

You know,

when we understand

it's this small group

of believers

gathered at Jerusalem

and he tells them

they were to go

with the message

of what they had seen

and heard.

He told them,

here's what you need to do

and he gives them the plan.

Because the plan

was about to come

to fruition.

The plan that had been

set in place

from the foundation

of the world.

From the fall

in Genesis

to Jesus' resurrection

had been a plan

put in place.

God already knew

how he was going

to redeem us.

He had a plan

put in place

and from Genesis

all the way

to when he resurrected

that Sunday morning,

I want you to understand,

it went from a plan

that was in place

to a plan completed.

It was fully done.

Fully accomplished

for us.

And God made this plan

to save everyone.

You know,

oftentimes people

get the idea

that the Old Testament

was just to save the Jews.

That's not the reality.

God's plan was always

for the whole world.

Look back in the book

of Psalms for a moment.

Look in Psalms 98.

Psalms 98

and verses 2 and 3 here.

The scripture tells us,

it says this,

and the Lord hath made known

his salvation,

his righteousness

hath he openly showed

in the sight of who?

The heathen.

You know,

that's not a term

we use very much,

but it basically means

those who didn't know him,

those that weren't aware

of who he is.

You know,

the word heathen

is that reality of that.

And he said,

he hath remembered

his mercy and his truth

towards the house of Israel.

And all the ends

of the earth

have seen the salvation

of our God.

You know,

God's plan

has always been

for the whole world to know.

It's been his plan

from the very beginning.

Isaiah chapter 45

Isaiah 45 · chapter mention

tells us this.

It says,

This was the gospel.

This is the gospel of action.

Jesus is now instructing

his disciples,

what's next?

What's going to happen?

Because it's going to be

time for action

for them to move forward.

Look here at verse 15

in our text

as we read earlier.

Notice he said unto them,

Go ye into where?

All the world.

You know,

each of the gospels

in the book of Acts

all give the same instruction.

It all involves a going.

Matthew chapter 28,

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

Go ye therefore.

Luke 24, 47

says that repentance

and remission of sin

should be preached

in his name among what?

All nations

beginning at Jerusalem.

How about John 20,

John 20:21

verse 21,

And Jesus said,

Peace be unto you

as my Father has sent me.

Even so send I you.

You.

It's a charge to go.

Acts 1, 8 tells us,

And ye shall be what?

Witnesses unto me.

Both in Jerusalem

and Judea and Samaria

and unto the uttermost

part of the earth.

You know,

this dynamic of going.

Go ye into all the world.

This is an active dynamic.

Because literally,

this word group here

in the Greek

suggests something.

It says,

As you go.

It's not just a charge to go,

but it's as you go.

In other words,

it's not a one-time event.

You know,

it's not like going to the fair

or going to a ball game.

It's as you go.

It's a lifetime dynamic.

It involves more than just a moment

or an event.

It is a as you go.

In other words,

he says it's a constant.

It's a continual.

It's something that has been going

since he has established

the going.

He said for them to go.

As you go,

moving through this life,

we are to be in the business

of telling the good news

of Jesus Christ to others.

You know,

that's what we're here for.

If you're saved,

that is one of your purpose.

People say,

What's my purpose?

Well,

one of your purpose

is to let other people know

what God's done for you.

You have a purpose.

God has a purpose for you.

You know,

we live in a generation

that seems to say,

Well,

what's my purpose?

God says,

Hey,

I've got a purpose for you

because I loved you

because if you call upon my name,

you've been redeemed,

you've been changed,

you've been transformed.

And he says,

Now I'm sending you

with a purpose for this life.

You have a purpose.

There's a plan

that God has given.

It's a plan of action.

The plan is clear

and the message is clear.

You know,

look at the proclamation

that he says.

Look at verse 15 again.

And he says this,

And preach the gospel

to every creature.

To preach the gospel

to every creature.

I want you to see here

this proclamation

is to preach

the good news,

the gospel of Jesus Christ,

the gospel

of the Son of God

that came

and paid the penalty

of your sin.

The one who atoned

for our sin,

my sin and your sin

on the cross.

What he did on the cross,

atoned,

took the payment

that we were to make

and paid it in our stead.

He took it upon himself.

He took our sin

upon himself

and his blood

having been shed

for our behalf.

Then the Bible says

he was buried

and he arose in victory.

The promise

had been fulfilled

and now it's time

to declare

to every nation

and every person.

To go forth,

to do,

because this passage here,

I want you to see something first

is the responsibility

of the saints.

There's a responsibility

to all those

that believe.

The good news

of Jesus Christ

has a responsibility

attached to it.

If you're saved,

you become responsible

for what you have.

We're to be good stewards

of what God has given to us.

You know,

oftentimes we think of that

as just resources

or means that we have.

I want you to understand

it's also your very salvation.

You know,

the most valuable thing

you have in life

is the fact

that you can be saved.

Because everything

in this life you possess,

guess what?

You're going to leave it here.

People try to attempt

to take it with them,

but you know what?

If you put it in a tomb,

it's going to be there.

You can dig it back up.

You know,

go over to Egypt

and look what they did

with all the tombs

of the kings.

Everybody plundered

and pillaged

all the things

they were bringing

with them.

But you know what?

Eternal salvation

is something

that's just that.

It's eternal.

It goes past this life.

It goes beyond

what is here.

And we're here

and understand

the task is to share.

The word preach

means to declare

or publish the truth

about Jesus.

The gospel is a testimony

to communicate to others.

It's God's method.

You know,

think about what

the apostle Paul said

in 1 Corinthians 1.

He says this.

He says,

And after that

in the wisdom of God,

the world by wisdom

knew not God.

It pleased God

by the foolishness

of what?

preaching to save

them that believe.

You know,

what a powerful dynamic

because, you know,

oftentimes people

look at the foolishness

of preaching.

You know,

the reason

they look at it foolish

is because they don't

understand who God is

and how God works.

When we understand

what's taking place

because,

think of it over

in Romans chapter 10.

Romans 10 · chapter mention

Look at verse 17.

Because why is

preaching important?

Because your testimony,

sharing something

with somebody

is important.

But you know what?

God's word

is more important.

Because what you say

is just saying,

hey,

when I understood

what God said,

what God has accomplished

for me,

I want you to know too

because your confidence

doesn't need to be

in my testimony.

Your confidence

needs to be

in the scripture.

It tells us,

so faith cometh by what?

Hearing,

and hearing by what?

The word of God.

You know,

our testimony,

you can't share

your salvation testimony

without sharing

the word of God.

Because if it's not

involving the word of God

and what God says

and God's promises,

you got the wrong salvation.

Because salvation comes

from the truth

of what God is.

That's the foundation.

You know,

you might hear something

that moves you,

but I want you to understand

the foundation

is not what somebody says,

it's what God has said.

To trust what God has said.

Because I want you to see here,

every believer,

every saint

is to share

what they have

with others.

You know,

consider that it's

our responsibility

to carry out

this great commission

that God's given to us.

You know,

how are you doing

as an individual

when it comes

to sharing your faith?

The command was,

go ye.

It's a command

for each and every

child of God

to be active

in the business

of sharing.

It's an active dynamic.

It's not a passive,

but an active,

it's an intentional.

You know,

I want you to see here,

every believer

is to tell the story,

though,

with your life.

Because you know what?

As people,

somebody can say something,

but every one of us

is judging,

are they backing up

what they say?

We cannot separate

our choices

and our actions

from what we say.

You know,

often,

well,

do what I say,

not what I do.

You know what?

What you do

backs up what you say.

And that gets tough

sometimes,

because you know why?

Because we're inconsistent.

We fail.

We have the same struggles.

All of us have

the same problems.

We come short

of what God expects.

We fall short

of those things.

Even after salvation,

we're not consistent

as we should be,

but I want you to understand

that our life,

the way we live,

ought to be in such a way

that lost people

see the difference

in our life

and say,

what is God doing there?

Our life ought to be

a living testimony.

You cannot testify

about God's great salvation

and then go out

and sin.

When people see

that inconsistency,

you know what it does

to your testimony?

They say it has no merit.

Why?

Because the actions

didn't back up

what was said.

We need to be

a consistency

in that.

Consider what Jesus

told us.

Look over to Matthew

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5

for a moment.

Matthew chapter 5

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

in verse 16.

Jesus,

when He's speaking

to them,

He says this,

so let your light

shine before men

that they may see

what your good works

and glorify your Father

which is in heaven.

You know,

what you do

is important.

Now,

I want you to understand

what you do

involves everything

about your life.

You being here

this morning

says something

about you.

You making a decision

on a Sunday morning

to get up,

get dressed,

on a rainy morning,

and come to church.

It says something.

It says something

about a decision

that you made.

Because look over

in Philippians chapter 1.

Philippians 1 · chapter mention

Philippians chapter 1

Philippians 1 · chapter mention

in verse 27.

Paul's encouraging

church at Philippi

and he says this.

He tells them

very clearly,

only let your conversation

be as it becometh

the gospel

of Christ.

Now,

this word conversation,

I want to remind you

of something important.

When the Bible

talks about

your conversation,

it's not just

talking about

the words

that come out

of your mouth.

He's talking about

how we communicate

in everything

that we do.

Most of your

communication

is done

with body language.

Think about

how many cues

do we pick up

from people

by their body language?

Somebody can say

something

and their body language

can say something

totally different.

You know,

think about

I'm happy

to be here

this morning.

You can say

the right thing

but your body language,

what you do,

communicates.

Our conversation

is those choices

that we make.

What is being

heard,

not just in word,

but in what you do.

That includes

where you don't go,

what you choose

not to do.

Because I want you

to understand

your conversation

develops who you are.

It says,

let your conversation

be as it becometh

the gospel

that whether I come

and see you

or else be avid,

I may hear

of your affairs

that ye stand fast

in one spirit

with one mind

striving together

for the faith

of the gospel.

What's he tell me?

He says,

your conversation,

not just your words,

but I'm going to hear

about what you do

or what you're doing

that makes a difference.

He says,

it's going to be

important to know

what are you doing?

How is that

fitting together?

We see a responsibility

of the saint

is to share

the truth

of God's word.

It's a responsibility

also of a sinner.

You know,

I want you to understand

the gospel carries

a responsibility

to the saint,

but it also has

a responsibility

to the sinner.

When the gospel

is preached,

there becomes

a responsibility

attached to it.

Because when the truth

of the gospel

is preached,

somebody has a responsibility,

what am I going

to do with it?

Everybody makes

a decision

in regard to the gospel.

Anytime they hear it,

they're making a decision

about what it is,

how it impacts me.

You know,

because sinners

have a responsibility

to the gospel.

Their responsibility,

I think,

is threefold.

One is to answer.

Notice here,

in our text,

look at verse 16,

it says,

he that believeth,

he that believeth,

when a sinner

hears the gospel message,

that person

is individually

responsible

for what they do

with it.

The Bible says

they are to believe it.

Now,

I want you to understand,

the word believe

encompasses a lot of things

because it goes

beyond intellect.

You know,

there's a lot

of intellectual people.

You know,

I've been around

a lot of intellectual people,

but you know what,

there's a difference

between intellect

and application.

It may be both.

You need to understand

and then apply

a response

to the gospel.

If something has to be done,

it's not just information

that you store

and can recall.

You know,

it's not just making a note

to say I can reference

back to it.

It's understanding

that responsibility

to believe

because salvation occurs

when a lost sinner,

here's the good news

of salvation,

is convicted of sin

and believes the message

is that Jesus died

for their sin

and rose again

in victory.

When a sinner believes

that message

and turns to Christ

by faith,

it is,

they are instantly,

they're converted,

they're changed.

The Bible says

you're transformed.

There's many words

that are used

in the scripture

to describe

what takes place.

It's something

very important.

Look over to

2 Corinthians chapter 5.

2 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

2 Corinthians 5.17

says this,

Therefore,

if any man be in Christ,

he is what?

A new creature.

Old things are passed away.

Behold,

all things are become new.

You know,

I don't know

if anybody would argue

that new is different

from old.

You know?

I mean,

you think about it.

New is distinct

from old.

When you're saved,

what you become

in Christ

is different

from what you were before.

You've been changed.

You've been transformed.

He says we're a new creature.

Old things are passed away

if you're in Christ.

Christ changes everything.

But salvation

is accomplished

by faith

in the heart

of a lost sinner.

He looks to Jesus

by faith

because faith

involves trust.

Trust involves saying,

I know that it's true.

I know that it's true.

That's what trust is

as you build

upon the reality.

I know it's true.

Therefore,

I can put

my faith

in it

to accomplish

that

which it's promised

to do.

When we understand

that moment

that you call

upon the Lord

by faith,

you're instantly

transformed

by His saving grace

and power

in your life.

Now,

I want you to understand

today

that salvation

never comes

from a person's

good works.

I want you to understand

faith is detached

from works.

You often say,

well,

I'm not good enough

to get saved.

That's the whole point.

If salvation

was built

upon what you do,

the Bible tells us

that we're in trouble.

Because the Bible says

the best you do

still falls short.

It says it's as filthy rags.

You see all sorts

of descriptions

that say,

hey,

you missed the mark.

No matter how good

you think you are,

you're not good enough.

You're not smart enough.

You don't have

enough information.

You can be able

to recite the Bible

from Genesis 1

all the way

to the end of Revelation,

but if you don't apply

the principle

of the reality

of faith in Christ,

it serves no purpose.

It moves beyond

just knowing

but making application.

It's not done

by our good works,

our good deeds,

or even a good lifestyle.

You know,

oftentimes people think

they can earn

favor with God.

I want you to understand

your favor of God

comes through Jesus Christ.

He is our righteousness.

He is the one.

And when we understand that,

that's what happens.

You know,

Ephesians 2

reminds us

it's by grace

through faith

that we're saved.

It's not because

of what we do,

because there's nothing

we can do

that makes a difference.

Only Christ,

what He has done,

in faith in what

He has done,

makes a difference.

You know,

a lot of religions today

are built upon

doing something

to get saved.

Doing something

to stay saved.

Neither one

is in your power.

God says

He is the one

that saves

and He says

if you call upon me,

believe,

trusting in what

Christ has done,

because I want you

to understand

salvation is not

just repeating words.

It's not a magical

incantation.

We'll repeat these words,

one, two, three,

repeat after me

and now you're saved.

Because you can say

the right words,

but if there's not

belief in the heart

attached to those words,

they mean nothing.

I want you to understand,

you can say

all the right things,

but if God sees your heart,

are you truly trusting Him?

Or are you relying

upon words

that were said?

I want you to understand,

I believe that

what is in here,

if you believe God,

you ought to be

something you can say

about it.

But it happens

in the heart.

The soul,

the center

of who somebody is.

Because I want you

to understand

when you're changed,

something happens.

There's an expectation

to the sinner

to not only believe,

but then to obey.

Look at what it says,

it says,

believe it and is baptized.

Now I want you to understand,

this verse I think

has been misunderstood

and misapplied

because sometimes

people take this

and say,

well see it says

to be baptized.

I want you to understand

when you look at the context

and you look at Scripture

as an overview,

we understand

that's not what

he's talking about.

He's talking about obedience

because if you're saved,

you're going to want

to obey Christ.

If I truly believe Him,

I'm going to say,

Lord,

I believe what you've done for me.

Now what do you want me to do?

I'm yours.

What direction?

What do you want me to do?

What do you want me to accomplish?

You know the first thing

of every believer

ought to be obedience

in baptism?

To say,

I want to be obedient

to the Lord.

I want you to understand

you don't add baptism

to faith.

So many people feel

that baptism

is that essential component.

Matter of fact,

it gets promoted

so much today

in popular Christian

quote unquote media

and spokespeople.

You know,

you get saved

to wash your sins away.

You know what?

The water never washes

any sin away.

The Bible tells us

the only thing

that takes care of sin

is the shed blood

of Jesus Christ.

But baptism

displays obedience.

We're to baptize

because of the transformation

that's already happened

at salvation,

desiring to be obedient

to our Savior.

You know,

I want you to understand

the Bible makes it clear

that baptism

isn't needed.

You can look through

the whole New Testament

and you'll find out

baptism isn't required

to be saved.

Think about the thief

on the cross.

He was never baptized

yet he was assured

of his salvation.

He said,

today you'll be with me

in paradise.

The Gentiles

who believed

at Caesarea

in Acts 10

were baptized.

Now catch this.

If you read that passage,

they were baptized

after they believed.

They were fully saved

before they got baptized.

You know,

if baptism was essential

for salvation,

I think Jesus

would have done

some baptizing.

You know,

the Bible tells us

in John 4,

Jesus never baptized anybody.

If it was essential

for salvation,

wouldn't you think

Jesus would have done it?

Say, hey,

here's the example.

You need to be baptized

for salvation.

Baptism is not

for salvation,

it's because of.

because baptism

identifies us

with the death,

burial,

and resurrection

of what happened

in Christ

at salvation.

The Bible makes it clear,

you know,

we see here

that even the Apostle Paul

told the church

at Corinth

that he was glad

he only had baptized

a few,

you know.

If baptism

was essential,

Paul would have said,

look at all

that I baptized.

Never once

do you see him

promoting,

hey,

how many people

did I baptize?

He says,

how many people

believed?

The emphasis

is towards that

and we see here

that nearly 150 passages

in the New Testament

teach us

that salvation

is through faith alone.

Romans 6

gives us

an illustration

of baptism.

It's that dynamic

that is an emblem

of dying

to the old life

and by faith

living for Christ.

It's a picture

that's the reason

you're fully put under.

You're buried

in the likeness

of his death

and raised

to walk

in newness

of life.

It's a testimony

of what's already

happened.

I want you to

understand this

morning that

Jesus

makes it clear

that being baptized

is not

part of salvation

but it's obedience

to God.

Matthew chapter 28

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

reiterates that

same thing.

You're to teach,

instruct them

about God

to have them

understand

before they're

baptized.

You know,

oftentimes people

say get baptized

and then you

get saved.

I mean,

that's backwards.

It's like you

can't identify

with something

that you don't

already belong.

It's essential

to know that

those that are

saved by grace

though,

I believe,

will have a desire

to follow the Lord

in believer's baptism.

If you're saved,

you ought to have

a desire to say,

Jesus said I should

get baptized

to identify with

Him,

I ought to do it.

It's important

to understand

the picture

because you ought

to have a desire

for a clear

public witness

of their faith.

You know,

baptism of a new

believer is one

of the first

opportunities they

have to tell

people,

hey,

God has saved

me because of

what He did

for me.

It identifies

us with Christ.

It identifies

us with what

Christ taught.

It identifies

us to say,

yes,

I want to

follow Jesus.

I want to do

what He wants

me to do.

You know,

the bottom line

is this,

Jesus is telling

His disciples,

His men there

that day that

salvation results

in obedience.

We're not saved

by works,

but we are saved

to work.

Look over to

Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

Ephesians chapter 2

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

in verse 10

says,

for we are His

what?

Workmanship

created in Christ

Jesus unto what?

unto good works,

which God hath

before ordained

that we should

walk in them.

I want you

to understand,

your works

doesn't save you,

your works

don't keep you

saved,

but if you're

saved,

there ought to

be evidence

by what you

do.

There ought to

be some

evidence

attached to it,

and that's

obedience,

because baptism

is an outward

work that speaks

of an inward

salvation.

it's a public

testimony of

the salvation

that occurred

by faith

when a lost

sinner believes

on Jesus Christ

for their Savior.

They ought to

desire to be

obedient to the

Lord.

How do you

say you trust

Christ and then

say the first

thing He tells

you you ought

to do,

not to do?

Now I want you

to understand,

we can't judge

where somebody

stands with God

on the outside,

but you know,

when somebody

doesn't want to

be obedient to

Christ after

salvation for the

basic things,

it does put up a

flag,

and you begin

to question

what did they

believe?

Did they truly

believe Christ

or not?

Did they want

to follow what

Christ said?

Is their life

changed?

It's that dynamic

of that,

and we see here

this reality

that we must

respond to the

gospel,

but look at the

last part here,

it says,

he that believeth

and is baptized

shall be saved,

but he that

believeth not

shall be damned.

I want you

to understand,

every sinner

has something

they have to

accept.

They have to

respond to the

gospel,

and I believe

no matter what,

when you share

the gospel with

somebody,

there's a decision

made.

Every time the

gospel is preached,

there's a decision

made.

There's one of two

decisions.

Yes,

no,

because you either

accept it by faith

or you reject it.

There's no will

almost.

Salvation is

you either have

or you don't.

Right.

There's no

in between.

You either

are saved

or you're

not saved.

Everybody

has a decision

to make

of what

are they

going to

do.

What are

they going

to do

with this?

He that

believeth

not

shall be

damned.

The

lost

sinner

has an

opportunity

to believe

the gospel

and be

saved,

but he

also has

the right

to reject

the gospel

and to

remain lost

in his

sin.

The sinner

must understand

that if he

or she

rejects

Jesus Christ

and the

gospel of

grace,

they're going

to have

to face

the consequences

of their

decision.

The Bible

makes it

clear that

if you

refuse

Christ,

you're

continuing to

be bound

for a place

called hell.

You're already

on the road

to hell.

The question

is are you

going to get

off or not?

A no

puts somebody

staying on

the path

that they're

on.

A yes

says I

have a

new life

in Christ.

I have a

Savior who

changed

everything

that

transformed

my life.

If a

person

rejects

that

salvation

that

is

offered

by

God

through

Jesus

Christ,

there's

no other

hope of

salvation

available to

them.

You know,

oftentimes people

think,

well,

I'll deal

with this

later.

You know

what?

Later is

too late.

There's not

going to be

some other

way.

I mean,

it's amazing

how many

people I've

talked to

over the

years.

When you

talk to them

about the

things of

God,

the first

thing they

go to is,

look at all

the good

things I

do.

It's in

our nature

to say,

look at how

good I

am,

and God

says,

there's a

problem.

All the

good you

think you're

doing means

nothing.

It doesn't

save you.

There's no

redemption.

You know,

you consider

that around

the world

you'll find

that people

abuse

themselves to

pay for

their sin.

I mean,

you look at

places like

South America

or the

Philippines,

and you have

people walk

up and down

the street

and beat

themselves,

with lashes,

you know,

to try to

gain favor

with God,

crawl on

their knees

up and

down stairs

and all

sorts of

things all

over the

world to

say,

this will

make God

happy.

But they

don't realize

they make

God sad.

Say,

preacher,

what do

you mean?

You know

what?

It makes

you sad

when you

offer

something so

valuable

and free

to somebody

and they

ignore it.

The Bible

says God's

not willing

that any

should perish

but that all

should come

to repentance.

You know,

sometimes they

try to paint

God that he

rejoices at

the death of

a sinner.

The Bible

makes it

clear that God

does not rejoice

by having to

condemn somebody.

But the Bible

does say there's

rejoicing when

somebody gets

saved.

They've been

rescued.

They've been

redeemed.

Only way to

get to God

is through Jesus

Christ.

Jesus said,

I am the

way,

the truth,

and the life,

and no man

cometh unto the

Father but by

me.

Acts 4.12

tells us there's

no other name

given under heaven

whereby we must

be saved.

To reject him

is to reject

forgiveness,

is to reject

hope,

is to reject

salvation,

is to reject

God,

is to reject

Christ,

is to reject

the Holy Spirit,

is to reject

holiness and

embracing sin,

is to reject

life and to

embrace death,

is to reject

heaven and to

embrace hell.

If you reject

Jesus Christ and

refuse to believe

the gospel,

you will go to

hell,

there's no one

to blame but

yourself.

Look over to

John chapter 8

John 8 · chapter mention

for a moment.

John chapter 8

John 8 · chapter mention

and verse 24.

I said therefore

unto you,

this is Jesus

speaking,

it says,

that ye shall

die in your

sins,

for if ye

believe not

that I am

he,

ye shall die

in your

sins.

We are already

a lost sinner

who needs a

Savior.

You're born

that way.

You know,

David talked a lot

about foolish

things,

the way people

are born,

the reality is

the only thing

you're born

is a sinner.

A sinner

separated from

God.