Continuation of Mark 16 Pastor Wendell Williams

Wednesday, June 6, 2012                             Pastor Wendell Williams               Mark 16 continued

Pastor explains how to use a ‘study bible’…

Build in you a culture of confidence in the Word of God… in the God who gave it [and] the Word that he gave.

• Matthew to the Jews
• Luke to the Greeks [thinkers]
• John is about the love of God sent to a sinful mankind; written to everybody
• Mark to the Romans; people in power… [immediate]

Mark 16:14  The Great Commission

We worship on a Sunday because we give the first of everything; Jesus was the first fruits [resurrected on a Sunday]

Jesus walked and talked with them for 40 days after His resurrection… In His glorified body.

• Just before He ascends He gives the Great Commission

Mark 16:16

He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned. (AMP)

• Condemnation is a choice

Mark 16:17-18

And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (NKJV)

Mark 16:19-20

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. (NKJV)

After Jesus ascended into heaven it says that:

• They went out…
• Preached everywhere…

Matthew 19:26

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (NKJV)

• Pastor Don said to Pastor Wendell that it draws a distinction between what man is capable of and what God is capable of…
• Man is NOT capable of everything…
• God is capable… but with God all things are possible

With God your ability to do those things that are impossible becomes possible!

• We draw grace, strength and wisdom from the Word of God
• With Wendell most things are impossible BUT
• With God all things are possible.

We might think things are difficult or are a tough challenge; we think they are impossible

• We are more than a conqueror and can get things done!

Faith is work

• Our work is faith
• We have [got] to believe

John 6:26

Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. (NKJV)

• The signs were spiritual works BUT they ate of the loaves; their natural bellies were filled!
• This was natural food

We have an opportunity to do from what they did; don’t need to make their mistakes!

John 6:27

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." (NKJV)

• Natural food vs. Spiritual food

John 6:28

Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" (NKJV)

• Can we do some things that God is ‘cool’ with?

John 6:29

Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." (NKJV)

• What do you think that the work is?
• There is actual work that we do BUT
• The real work that God calls us to is to do the basic work…
• This is believing in Jesus!

Jesus Christ is Lord!

• The entire Bible talks about Him
• All 66 Books
• The Book is about Him and He is about the Book
• He is in me
• The works that I do are true!

Minister [ministry]

• The works that you do are your ministry
• Serve where you are planted
• Everyone has a roll; a place

John 6:29

Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." (NKJV)

John 6:30

Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? (NKJV)

• They are still looking for signs…
• They did not ‘get it’

Isaiah 55:2

Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. (NKJV)

They had an issue; they did not believe

• We need to believe

Mark 6:1-2

Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! (NKJV)

• They see the works
• They hear the anointed teaching
• They are ‘flipped out’ by the anointing

Mark 6:3

Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas [Jude], and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" So they were offended at Him. (NKJV)

• Jesus was the son of Joseph; a carpenter
• You are Mary’s boy…
• They were offended with Jesus because they refused to connect to where He was spiritually and what He was doing
• They were offended because they knew Jesus as a boy and where He came from.

We will stay with the Word and be a Word church; we will stay with the culture of God!

Natural familiarity = not esteeming Him greatly BUT considering Him as a common thing.

• They completely missed His glorious excellence
• They knew these natural things about Jesus
• Didn’t believe the supernatural things

Familiarity robbed them of their opportunity to connect [roll with] Jesus

The same thing happened to the disciples…

• “We can believe if you give us a sign!”
• If you believe now [then] you will see later.
• Jesus wants you to believe [on] Him

Choose the better way; choose the way of faith.

• Faith is work [and] our work is faith!
• Our works emanate from the faith that we have!

“Your faith scares me” – Pastor James Davis talking about Pastor Wendell Williams

• Let us believe [together] and do something special!
• This church was built on nickels, dimes, quarters, and faith [book from when this church was St. Agnes]
• Bought for $50,000 by Pastor Wendell & Dona
• First service here [Good Ground] on Father’s day of 2001
• Because 1^st service was on Father’s day of 2001 we don’t need to have 300 parking spaces [which were required later by code]… grandfathered in because a service was held in the building a few weeks before the new laws applied. God was out ahead!

Familiarity breeds contempt

• Contempt = looks down
• No credit or respect
• Disrespect for God
• Does not esteem Him

When there is a lack of esteem for God there is a falling away [distinguishing] of our faith!

What I read [in the Bible] is truth

• I get hope from the truth
• I have confidence in Him

1 John 5:1-3

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (NKJV)

• This is the same writer of John 6… writing the same truth

1 John 5:4

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. (NKJV)

• Jesus gives us the ‘magic pill’
• The ‘bomb’

1 John 5:5-8

Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. (NKJV)

1 John 5:9-10

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. (NKJV)

1 John 5:11-12

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (NKJV)

1 John 5:13

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. (NKJV)

• God’s witness of Himself
• The Holy Ghost takes us right here
• Believing in Jesus is the difference between you and darkness; being lost!

1 John 5:14-15

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (NKJV)

• The will of God is the Word of God
• When you bring the Word of God before heaven then He is listening to us!

Pastor ends with prayer…