The Father’s Faith in Failures
Mark 16:20 And they went
forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the
word with signs following. Amen.
Intro: There’s an
old saying that, “It’s hard to soar with the eagles when you work with a bunch
of turkeys!” At the age of 12, Jesus described his mission as “being about the
Father’s business. From that time
forward, Jesus was consumed with accomplishing the mission that he had been
sent from Heaven to fulfil – that is to further the kingdom of God.
I. Their Failure
to Remember – Mark 16:10
It’s amazing how quickly they forgot the teaching and
preaching of Christ.
Keep in mind – they were with him 24/7 and really had no
other occupation or opportunities to be distracted from His message.
They heard him preach and teach about His death and
resurrection on multiple occasions.
·
Matt.
12:40 For as Jonas was three days and
three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and
three nights in the heart of the earth.
It’s funny – even the Pharisees, High Priests and the Roman
soldiers remembered Him talking about rising from the dead.
·
Matthew
27:62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief
priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that
that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise
again. Command therefore that the sepulchre
be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal
him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error
shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your
way, make it as sure as ye can.
Yet – somehow, Jesus’ very own, hand-picked, personally
trained, highly experienced, well-informed disciples FAILED TO REMEMBER his
teaching that he would rise after three days. How do we know this?
BECAUSE ON THE THIRD DAY, THEY WERE MOURNING AND WEEPING!
(vs. 10)
You would expect them to at least WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE THIRD
DAY to fall apart – BUT THEY FAILED TO REMEMBER!
TURN TO LUKE 24
·
6 He is
not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you
when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying,
The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be
crucified, and the third day rise again. 8
And they remembered his words,
It took God sending 2 angels in shiny clothes to REMIND THEM
OF WHAT THEIR MASTER AND TEACHER HAD SAID!!!
How many times do we as BIBLE-BELIEVING CHRISTIANS simply
FAIL TO REMEMBER the Word of God – WHEN WE NEED IT THE MOST!!!???
NOTE: THERE IS NO
EXCUSE FOR FORGETTING HIS WORD, when we understand the ministry of the Holy
Spirit!
·
John
14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send
in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
We hear a message on soul-winning, but forget to pass out
tracts or tell others.
We hear a message on giving, then we doubt that God can meet
our needs for being obedient in our giving.
We hear a message on faithfulness, and then we allow
everything and anything to keep us from the house of God.
We hear a message on assurance, then we spend our days
doubting our salvation.
We hear a message on prayer, then we enter into a routine of
prayerlessness.
We hear a message on unity and love, then we argue and fight
and fail to get along with one another.
We hear a message on loving your wife and your husband, then
go home and create an atmosphere of strife.
What is it with God’s people – they continually FAIL TO
REMEMBER HIS WORD?
II. Their Failure
to Recognize – Mark 16:12
Turn to Luke 24:13-32
NOTE verse 15, 16
- And it came to pass, that, while they
communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
·
HOLDEN
– to be restrained, to be limited, to be
held in check
Their mood; their circumstances; their frame of mind had
them in blinders.
They had walked everywhere with him for 3 ½ years.
They had spent countless hours listening to him talk and
watching him preach, teach.
They had spent more time with the Lord than with their own
families.
YET – they FAILED TO RECOGNIZE Him.
His tone. His gestures. His mannerisms. His vocabulary. His
rebukes (vs. 25 he called them fools).
They failed to recognize the DIVINE INTERVENTION in their
life.
How many times do we fail to recognize when God is working?
(or mistake it for the working of the devil?)
How many times do we fail to recognize when God shows up in
our life?
How many times do we fail to recognize when God steps up and
begins trying to teach us something?
How many times do we fail to recognize when God joins
Himself to us during the day to rebuke and teach us?
How many times do we fail to recognize when God questions
our mood and our reason for being sad? (vs. 17)
How many times do we fail to recognize when God tests our
knowledge of His word and truth?
How many times do we fail to recognize when God is walking
in and out of our lives; talking to us, trying to help us?
III. Their Failure
to Receive – Mark 16:11-14
Notice how many times it refers to their FAILURE TO RECEIVE
the news about the resurrection.
·
Vs. 11
– they believed not
·
Vs. 13
– neither believed they them
·
Vs. 14
– upbraided them with their unbelief and
hardness of heart; because they believe not them…
Jesus dealt with their unbelief as much if not more than any
other problem that they had.
Notice Matthew 28:16
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.
All the way up to the minute Jesus ascended, He had to
contend with their FAILURE TO RECEIVE the truth; failure to believe; failure to
open up their hearts and minds to the facts.
HERE’S THE MESSAGE:
In spite of their repeated and foolish failures, Jesus still decided to “WORK
WITH THEM”. Vs. 20
1.
His Divine Commission – vs. 15 Go YE – he
delegated the evangelization of the world to these bums!!
2.
His Divine Conditions – vs. 16 believe
3.
His Divine Confirmations – vs. 17-18;
confirming the word with signs (remember, this was prior to the Scriptures)
4.
His Divine Cooperation – vs. 20 – the
miracle of the Father’s Faith in a bunch of Failures.
Conclusion:
God has chosen in His Sovereign will to use sinful,
doubtful, inconsistent men to reach the world.
Don’t let your failures prevent God from working with you.
He’s got faith in you. He believes in you.
You may doubt Him, but He doesn’t doubt you. He will GLADLY
WORK WITH YOU. In spite of your failures.
