Sermon: The Apostolic Mission (Mark 16:15-20)

The Apostolic Mission
Sunday, September 22nd, 2024
Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA

Mark 16:15-20

15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Prayer

Father, we thank you for the obedience and faith of the apostles, and that through their witness, and by the power of Your Spirit, the gospel has gone out into the world. The news of Christ’s resurrection has reached our ears, it has pierced our heart, and it continues to scatter the darkness. And so reign now in us O King of light, that we might reign with You forever, for we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Introduction

Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 7:8, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”

• This morning, we come to the end of Mark’s gospel. We began this series on April 2nd, 2023, and now over a year later, you who are patient in spirit and have attended closely unto this word shall be richly rewarded with its conclusion.
• Mark has taken us from John’s baptism in the wilderness, through Christ’s ministry in Galilee, up to his passion in Jerusalem. And now at the close of his gospel, He ends where he began, but in a new and better way.
• For we read in Mark 1:1-3, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
  • And so this gospel began with the prophet and messenger John baptizing and preaching in the wilderness.
  • And now this gospel concludes with eleven new prophets, eleven new messengers (apostles), sent forth to baptize and preach in the whole world.
  • Humble and local beginnings in Galilee now give way to grand and global new beginnings with a new message. Jesus is alive. Jesus is Lord. And what has brought about this great change? The new king David now sits upon his throne.
• And so this morning, I want us to consider two questions that arise from this text:
  • 1. The first question (and the one we’ll spend most of our time on) is, “What was the apostolic mission of the 1st century?” Or to put it another way, “What did Jesus command the apostles uniquely to do?
  • 2. Second, we will conclude by asking, “In what ways do we carry on that apostolic mission?”

Outline of the Text

There are two basic movements here:

• In verses 15-18, Jesus gives the eleven apostles their marching orders.
• In verses 19-20, Jesus ascends to heaven, and the eleven carry out those marching orders.
• So starting in verse 15 let’s walk through this text together.

Verse 15

15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

• Who are the “them” that Jesus is speaking to here?
  • Recall from last week that the disciples did not believe that Jesus was alive when Mary Magdalene told them, or when Cleopas and his companion told them. And then we read in verse 14, “Afterward he [Jesus] appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.”
• And so the “them” that Jesus is giving this commission to is the eleven disciples who he just chastised for their unbelief and hardness of heart.
  • This is also the same as what Matthew records at the end of his gospel. He writes in Matthew 28:16-20, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
• So although this text is often called The Great Commission, and we use this is a proof text for the church’s mission today, we must not overlook the fact that this mission in the very first instance and original context is uniquely given to the eleven apostles.
  • Even in the 1st century, these orders to “go and preach” were not given to every individual believer. This order was not given to Mary Magdalene, or to Mary the mother of Jesus, or even to Cleopas and other male believers who were outside of the eleven. Christ called a special group of men from amongst the larger body of believers to do this work.
  • Recall that Jesus had many followers, but we read that early on in Mark 3:13-14, “Jesus went up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach.”
  • So while all creation is called to believe and follow Christ, only a select few, those whom Christ ordains, are called to go and preach in all the world.
    • This is of course keeping with what James says in his epistle, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1).
• And so this command to, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” does not apply directly to every individual Christian. This is a unique command, given to the eleven, and then as the book of Acts records, the apostolic office is extended to Mathias who replaces Judas, and then later to Paul when Christ visits him on the road to Damascus.
• So the apostles are a select few that have a special job to pour the concrete for the Christian church.
  • Paul says in Ephesians 2:19-22, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”
  • So Jesus is the chief architect, he is the author and finisher of our faith. And then he employs the apostles to be his fellow laborers.
  • Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
• When you build a house, how many times do you lay the foundation? If you do it correctly, only once. Did God make a mistake when he laid the foundation of the church in Christ and the apostles? No.
• And that is why the church has always recognized that while there might be missionaries and evangelists and church planters who we can call lower case “apostles” (because their work is similar to The Apostles), still in terms of being ordained by Jesus to lay the foundation of the church, there are only these original 12 and their band.
  • This is further confirmed by the vision of the church that John sees in Revelation 21. There he sees the New Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God and he says, “Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Rev. 21:14).
• Summary: The risen Christ gave these orders to go and preach to the apostles, and therefore everything that follows in the next verses applies uniquely to them.

Verses 15-18

15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

• Notice first that the scope of the apostolic mission is worldwide and to every creature. This is important to establish that salvation is offered not only to the Jews, or Israelites, but to every human being that has breath in their lungs.
  • There is no nation, however wicked and barbaric that is beyond the grace of God.
  • If Jesus died and rose again, then he can cause entire nations and civilizations to likewise die and rise again.
  • For as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
  • He says in Romans 1:14-15, that as an apostle, “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.”
  • So the gospel is for all creatures. It is for Greek philosophers, for backwards Barbarians, for Cretans who Paul affirms “are always liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:12). And so if the gospel is for Cretans, the gospel is for Americans. It is for our lying, and evil, and lazy butts.
  • This is the great hope that grounds all of our evangelistic efforts: That If Jesus Christ died and rose again, then he can cause entire nations and civilizations likes ours to likewise die and rise again renewed. That is the apostolic hope, and the scope of the apostolic mission: ever creature under heaven.
• Now how exactly do these creatures enter into the kingdom? How is the foundation of the church laid?
• Well, there are three tools or weapons or instruments that Christ gives to the apostles. And we could categorize them as follows:
  • 1. There is preaching.
  • 2. There is baptism.
  • 3. And there are supernatural signs.
  • Or to put it another way, there is 1) Word, 2) Sacrament, and 3) Extraordinary gifts of the Spirit.
• Let’s consider each of these in their turn.

Instrument #1 – Preaching of the Word

Jesus says, “preach the gospel to every creature.”

• Paul says in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
• So the ministry of the apostles is first and foremost a ministry of publishing the truth and refuting error.
  • In Acts we find them preaching in the temple and the synagogues, and other public forums like the Areopagus in Athens (Acts 17), or the Hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus (Acts 19).
  • Paul says in Acts 20:20-21 to the Ephesians elders, “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• And so the apostles are the heavens we sing about in Psalm 19. They declare the glory of God to all creation.
  • In Romans 10:17-18, Paul applies Psalm 19 to his own ministry when he says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, [quoting Psalm 19:4] their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.”
  • Christ is the sun shining and lighting up the world, and the heavens are the apostles proclaiming his glory. That is what true preaching is.
  • We magnify God. We speak of the glory and infinite value of God. We tell people to stop staring at themselves and staring at earthly things, and to look up to heaven to where Christ is, seated, enthroned, and reigning as King.
  • The mark of true preaching is that raises your eyes to God.
• This is Christ’s chosen instrument for raising the dead. The Word of God is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. And the apostles proclaimed that living and incarnate Word to all creation, and through their preaching heaven invades the earth.

Instrument #2 – The Sacrament of Baptism

Jesus says in verse 16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

• Now recall who this announcement is directed to in the first instance. This is a warning first to the eleven that if they (who have been hardhearted) do not believe, they will not be saved. It is also a command for them to be baptized, not merely with water, but with the power of the Holy Spirit.
  • We read in Acts 1:4-5 that Jesus, “being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
  • So in order for the apostles to work signs and wonders (all the extraordinary gifts described in the next verses), they must believe and be baptized by the Holy Ghost. And this is also the case for you and I if we want to avoid damnation.
• And so there are two errors we need to avoid when it comes to the topic of baptism.
  • One error is to downplay the importance and necessity of baptism, as if it is just optional.
    • Against this error Jesus says in John 3:5, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
    • So unless you are the thief on the cross, and physically cannot come down to get baptized, then you really do not have any good excuse. If that is you, come talk to the elders, request baptism, and we’ll make it happen.
  • A second error is to treat baptism as if it automatically grants you entrance into heaven.
    • Against this error is the example of Simon the Sorcerer, who tried to buy the Holy Spirit with money and was rebuked by the Apostle Peter.
    • It says in Acts 8:13, “Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.” And then a few verses later Peter says to him, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”
    • So notice, Simon believed and was baptized, and yet he was still trapped in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity. And unless he truly repented, he died in his sins.
• Remember, not all faith is saving faith. And baptism does not automatically save you. But baptism is not optional for Christians, it is commanded by God.
• What is certain, is that unbelief damns you. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Instrument #3 – Extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit

17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

• In the book of Acts we find almost all of these signs accompanying the apostles.
  • Of casting out devils we read in Acts 19:11-12, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”
  • Of speaking with new tongues, we have the Pentecost event in Acts 2.
  • Of taking up serpents we heard from Acts 28 that “when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand…And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.”
  • Of healing the sick we read in Acts 3, that Peter said to the lame man at the temple, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.”
  • The only sign not recorded in the book of Acts is drinking something deadly and going unharmed.
    • However, the church father St. Augustine said that to drink a deadly thing without being harmed is a reference to reading and engaging with the arguments of heretics in order to refute them.
    • He writes, “For what else are hearing, reading and copiously depositing things in the memory, than several stages of drinking in thoughts? The Lord, however, foretold concerning his faithful followers, that even “if they should drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them.” And thus it happens that they who read with judgment, and bestow their approval on whatever is commendable according to the rule of faith, and disapprove of things which ought to be repudiated, even if they commit to their memory heretical statements which are declared to be worthy of disapproval, they receive no harm from the poisonous and depraved nature of these sentences.”
    • So for Augustine, when Paul cited pagan poets and philosophers, and other non-inspired writers from memory, he was as one who had drunk poison and went unharmed. He had the spiritual maturity to judge truth from error. He knew how to plunder the Egyptians while not becoming an Egyptian himself.
    • And so similarly for us today who read books other than the Bible, we also must take heed that if we drink poison, if we read what unbelievers write, that we have discerning tongues to judge what accords with faith, and what does not.
    • In the words of 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
• So those are three weapons that Christ gives to the apostles. And then finally we read in verses 19-20 that they used those weapons.

Verse 19-20

19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

• Notice that the purpose of these signs and wonders was to confirm the word preached. They were signs especially to the Jews “who seek signs,” that the apostles were true messengers from God.
• We also have here the fulfillment of Jesus words to the disciples in John 14:12, “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; because I go unto my Father.”
• Jesus preached and healed and cast out demons in Galilee and Judea. But when Jesus goes to His Father, and sends down the Holy Spirit, the apostles are empowered to preach and heal and cast out devils in the whole world.
• What is the greater work? To heal a man’s body which will later die. Or to heal a man’s soul and rescue it for eternity?
• What is the greater miracle? The resurrection of Lazarus, or the conversion of the heathen nations to Christ?

Conclusion

“In what ways do we carry on the apostolic mission?

Many ways could be enumerated but I will limit myself to just four:

1. We preach the same gospel as the apostles.
   1. When we preach the New Testament, we are preaching the very words the apostles wrote, approved of, and ratified.
   1. When we preach the Old Testament, we are obeying the apostolic teaching that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
   1. There is no other gospel or foundation other than Jesus Christ, and we carry on the apostle’s mission every time we preach the same Word that they preached.
2. We baptize in the same name as the apostles.
   1. Paul says in Ephesians 4:5, there is “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” And Jesus commanded in the parallel of Matthew 28:19, to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
   1. And so all who receive baptism in the Triune Name are joined to the “one holy catholic and apostolic Church.” And it is in this sense that we have “apostolic succession.” We preach the same faith. We believe the same doctrine. We baptize in the same name.
3. We continue to send and support missionaries, evangelists, and little a “apostles” to plant churches where there are none.
   1. Many of the places where the apostles once planted churches, are now places that need to be re-evangelized: Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, Antioch, Jerusalem, Rome.
   1. Here in America, where true religion once flourished, and righteous laws prevailed, now what we have become? Decadent, depraved, perverted from the truth.
4. We love one another with the same love that the apostles received from Christ.
   1. It says in 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”
   1. And what is that more excellent way? What is the best spiritual gift to have? It is love. It is the supernatural love of God we call charity: which is patient, and kind, does not envy, and does not parade itself, is not puffed up, is not rude, does not seek its own, is not provoked, it thinks no evil, does not rejoice in inequity but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
   1. May God give us this apostolic gift that is the crown of all gifts. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.