Mark 16:15-18

Mark 16:15-18 So Jesus said to them, "Wherever you go in the world tell everyone the good news (about me). Whoever believes in me and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will accompany believers: They will use the power and authority of my name to force demons out of people. They will speak new languages. They will pick up snakes and if they drink any deadly poison it will not hurt them. They will place their hands on the sick and cure them."

Pretty powerful stuff. Pret-ty. POWERFUL. Stuff.

So where does that leave us church? Let me start out by saying that with the Bible THERE IS NO GREY AREA. Either the whole Bible is truth or the whole Bible is just an interesting old book full of lies.

If we, as the church, as "believers" as Jesus put it, will do all these things BUT WE'RE NOT... Where exactly does that leave us? Of course, we are saved (at least I am pretty sure most of us are)...

Are we selfish shut-ins then?
Are we of the "don't-make-waves" crowd?
Because in my experience, REAL CHRISTIANS MAKE WAVES. Why? They just can't help it. They study and believe the Word of God which is a book that to say it "makes waves" is the understatement of the AGES, and the conviction of their spirit causes something inside them to bubble up until they can't help but let it out!

What is it? IT IS TRUTH. You've heard truth before... Truth can make one very uncomfortable. It can also bolster one up like a STONE FOUNDATION. Truth can HURT. Truth is like a bright, bright light that burns through the darkness! Truth makes people angry and offends because it forces them to see that what they are doing, which is whatever they want to do, is NOT RIGHT.

So what then?

LET US MAKE WAVES! Jesus said "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given me" and then He said "...They will use the power and authority of my name to force demons out of people. They will speak new languages. They will pick up snakes, and if they drink any poison it will no harm them. They will place their hands on the sick and cure them."

Jesus has given us HIS AUTHORITY to do these things! Why? So that we can make waves! So that we can SHINE THE LIGHT OF TRUTH in this present darkness! So that we can heal the sick and raise the dead, find the lost, and redeem the fallen! Jesus loves! That is why. Because He loves this lost people and WE ARE HIS HANDS AND FEET.

Jesus gave His authority to His hands and feet (us) to GO and DO these things.

Otherwise where are we? No one knows, because you can't see something unless it makes waves.