signs of faith - mk 16

7/29/2019 Signs of Faith - Mk 16

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Easter 2 7 Apr 2013

Dr Lutz Ackermann (Friedenskirche, Hillbrow)

Signs of faith

Mk 16:9-20

[After Jesus rose from death early on Sunday, he

appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had

driven out seven demons. She went and told his

companions. They were mourning and crying; and whenthey heard her say that Jesus was alive and that she had

seen him, they did not believe her. After this, Jesus

appeared in a different manner to two of them while they

were on their way to the country. They returned and told

the others, but these would not believe it. Last of all,

Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating.

He scolded them, because they did not have faith andbecause they were too stubborn to believe those who had

seen him alive. He said to them, "Go throughout the

whole world and preach the gospel to all people. Whoever

believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not

believe will be condemned. Believers will be given the

power to perform miracles: they will drive out demons in

my name; they will speak in strange tongues; if they pickup snakes or drink any poison, they will not be harmed;

they will place their hands on sick people, and these will

get well." After the Lord Jesus had talked with them, he

was taken up to heaven and sat at the right side of God.

The disciples went and preached everywhere, and the

Lord worked with them and proved that their preaching

was true by the miracles that were performed.]

2013 REV. DR LUTZ ACKERMANN FRIEDENSKIRCHE (CHURCHOF PEACE), HILLBROW


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(Mar 16:9-20)

I sometimes think: if I had been there.See for myself as the disciple did.

The gospel text this morning

gives a sobering and realistic view:

for them faith not easier than for us!

Jesus meets one person: they don't believe

two: still dont

eleven: J has to scold them for their unbelief.

So I guess, we can say:

followers of Jesus were never quick to beieve.

---

what's this faith thing all about?

at center of todays gospel:

a very short version of the great commission!



3/7

He said to them,

"Go throughout the whole world

and preach the gospel to all people.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;

whoever does not believe will be condemned."

Mar 16:15/6.

Does not define what faith is

but tells us what faith does: faith saves.

the "what" of faith not unimportant (trinitarian)

we say creed every Sunday; confirm / confess faith

in baptismal rite.

But it is more than a conviction

of "right" and "true" beliefs

(we call that "orthodoxy";

that's what catechism is for)

Faith also requires "orhopraxis" (and "orthopathy")

And that is difficult to such a faith,

if it is merely linked to a celebral mode of bevieving.



4/7

Not only my mind needs to be involved,

also my life and my feelings.

[otherwise it would not make sense to baptize kidswho do not understand 1 + 1 = 2 (let alone QM)]

===

No, here: what does faith DO?

Jesus gives a whole list of examples

"Believers will be given the power

to perform miracles" Jesus says in these verses.

The Bible calls them "signs and wonders"

Jesus did them - and the NT says:

his followers will do them!

what does faith DO?

Jesus gives a whole list of examples:

1) faith drives out evil forces;

confronts, throws evil out of our lifes

that's what J did for Mary

when we trust in J, believe in J we are confronting evil.



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* the visible and the invisible evil in this world

* the evil within ourselves

(world, devil, flesh)

2) Faith speaks a new language

quite literally (

Paul: I may be able to speak

the languages of human beings and even of angels..."

pentecost

)

Again has been misused:

speaking in tongues is a gift

not the proof of true faith.

If you have that gift,exercise it joyfully!

if you don't, you may ask God for it

But never tell me that the one

who speaks in t is the better

or more spiritual Chistian!

But we can go deeper: faith itself a new language

a new way of seeing the world

a new way of approaching life



6/7

[last week "Mary" - "Rabooni":

a dialog of faith but not much content!]

"Do you believe and trust in him?"

As followers of Jesus

let us speak a language of trust!

3) Faith can even handle poison and snakes.

The snake has always been a symbol of threat

threatening human (and animal) life with it's poison

[remember: the garden story

in which Eve listens to the snake]

Snakehandlers?

Apostel Paul (in acts) survives a snakebite;the bee sting

Again, deeper:

most of the time what poisons our lifes,

our relationships, our communities

is not physical poison!

Faith as divine detox, serum, antidote!

Where I live and move in faith,



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I do not have to be poisened by others

I can afford not to poison other lifes.

4) Faith has got a healing quality

Faith is not only for my own sake

(to be saved - for what?)

but for others. To be ahealing presence in their lifes.

Laying on of hands: literally (ministry here)

anyone experienced that?

Amen.


signs of faith - mk 16

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