Scripture Reading : Mark 16:15-20
Theme : The Ascension of the Servant
- The Great Commission. After appearing to the Eleven, Jesus charged them to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel. The signs in Mark 16:17-18 were given to the Apostles; it is not a promise to believers of every age, as claimed by modern-day prosperity-gospel preachers. Such an understanding that only the Apostles were given such power is consistent with 2 Corinthians 12:12, where Paul wrote that these signs accompanied a true Apostle.
- The Great Confirmation. Mark 16:20 further affirms that the signs accompanied the Apostles, not believers of every age, because the purpose of the signs was to confirm or authenticate the message, and not to elicit faith from the hearers.
Praying the Scripture
- Let us pray for willing hearts to obey the Great Commission. We can begin by inviting our friends and relatives to church, especially during evangelistic events (e.g. biweekly evangelistic bible study, Christmas, etc.)
- Besides inviting unbelievers to church to hear others share the Gospel, we should also pray for opportunities when we can personally share the Gospel with others.
- Pray for discernment, that we will not be led astray by false teachers who claim to be given power to perform signs and wonders, because the signs of a true Apostle had ceased with the passing away of the Apostolic age.
经文：马可福音16:15-20
主题：仆人升天
- 大使命。向十一门徒显现后，耶稣命令他们往普天下去传福音。马可福音16:17-18的迹象是给予使徒的；这不是给世世代代的信徒的应许，如现代致富福音传道人宣称的。这解释（只有门徒领受这能力）与哥林多后书12:12是一致的，即保罗记载属实使徒能显出的凭据。
- 大凭据。马可福音16:20进一步证实使徒所有的迹象，而不是历代信徒会有的神迹，因为其目的是要证实使徒所传的道，而非让听见的人产生信心。
用经文祷告
- 让我们祈求我们愿意听从大使命。我们首先可以邀请我们的亲戚和朋友到教会，特别是布道的事工（如：两周一次的圣经学习班、圣诞会等）。
- 除了邀请非信徒到教会听他人传道，我们也当求机会能亲自向他们传福音。
- 让我们求有分辨的心，不要被假教师牵引离真道，只因他们宣称有能力行神迹奇事。要知道，随着使徒时代的过去，真实使徒的迹象也停止了。
