This post is Day 4 in a series of studies about “Followers of Jesus”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).

Followers of Jesus – Day 4

Those who were there on the mountain on the day when Jesus went back to live with His Heavenly Father had no option but to go on and do what Jesus had commanded. So often in reading the gospels, we get the idea that His listeners were transfixed.

Mark 16:17-18

These signs will accompany those who believe; In My Name, they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.

The Thought

Please note the tenses of the verbs in this passage. They are all certain future, there is no “perhaps”, or conditions such as “if you are without sin” or “if you have been a Christian for a certain time”! The only qualification needed is in the first phrase “those who believe”. Ask yourself today just how much of the Bible you believe.

There is an example much later in the Bible of a snake story. Paul was on the island of Malta, collecting wood for a fire, and a viper attached itself to his arm, but he just shook the snake off and was unharmed. (The deadly poison did not even scare him.) (Acts 28:1-5)

Those who were there on the mountain on the day when Jesus went back to live with His Heavenly Father had no option but to go on and do what Jesus had commanded. So often in reading the gospels, we get the idea that His listeners were transfixed. His words seemed to touch their hearts, and they knew in their heart of hearts that what this teacher said was the truth.

In John’s gospel we read of Jesus saying that He IS the Truth (John 14:6). Not only did He speak it, but He lived it. He was truth personified.

Jesus calls on us today to live as though we believe what He says. Let’s do it together.

Action

Ask Jesus today to help you believe everything you read in His Word. Not only to believe it, but to OBEY it.

Pray and look for an occasion to put that faith into practice today.