The Ultimate Survival Tool

Mark 16
“The Ultimate Survival Tool”

We have come to the end of a series entitled “Tools for navigating through life”. We have examined:

Situational awareness.
Deal with Reality
Remain Calm
Militant faith
The Myth of Hopelessness

These are tools that assist you in surviving real life and the various circumstances that will occur. All of them have value when applied properly. Each of them when used in the proper portion at the proper time gives you the chance for breakthrough in life.

Much of survival is about FAITH. Or belief; what you believe or don’t believe affects your chances of surviving with a life that is victorious – despite circumstance.

There is one more tool I consider the greatest tool ever offered to humankind. Jesus used it during his ministry; Paul obtained it on the road to Damascus and mastered how to use it during his 10 years in Tarsus (a desert in the middle of there and here).

Various people throughout the decades have used it effectively for the Kingdom of God; Charles Finney, William Seymour, C.W Culpeper to name a few.

While there is a “learning curve” associated with it this tool is just as effective for an “expert” as it is for a “novice”. (Paul talks about his ‘learning’ in Philippians)

What is it? Stay tuned –

We can see what generally happens without this tool in the final chapter of Mark.

Without it – you have limited expectations. Mary Magdalene, Mary, James and Salome demonstrate this for us. (16:1-8) They wake up early to bring spices to anoint Jesus’ body for burial. Their greatest concern – (v3) “Who will roll away the stone?” In other words, their greatest concern was their physical circumstance – their limitations on what ‘they’ could do.

Can you blame them? After all they had seen? The crucifixion – the pain, suffering and death of a person. What would you ‘expect?’

We get like that don’t we? We consider what we see, the physical limitations and the physical reality then base our expectations on those perceptions. “O.K. I see this and because I see this I feel this way… now what can I pray to counteract the feelings that have because of what I have seen?” We come at FAITH through the back door. It’s sort of like, taking a chair lift to the top of a mountain then figuring out how to ski – you’re constantly worried about the next tree or mogul. “How do I get around the next obstacle that comes my way?” Instead of “flowing” through life – there are abrupt stops and starts depending on your physical conditions and what YOU think is possible. Life becomes complicated, variables are too numerous to count, to many uncertainties and eventually you are left standing in the middle of the mountain of life not knowing which direction to proceed – so you don’t move at all.

Had Mary and the rest listened to Jesus’ words and taken them for truth their expectations would have been much different.

Three times Jesus foretells of his death:

“See we are going to Jerusalem, and the Son on Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” (Mark 10:33-34)

NOTE: When you won’t listen to the truth of God and base truth instead on what you see - physical limitations - you’ll expect little… you’ll receive just that.


Without this tool – you are easily offended... (16:9-13)

Mary saw the risen Christ first. She runs off to tell those who had been with him but instead of celebrating with her… they would not believe her words.

“But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.” (Mark 16:11)
WHY? 1st they had limited expectations and 2nd – because it was “HER” that he appeared to. I’m sure their thought was… “We’ve spent three years with Jesus – if there was anyone he would appear to it would be us – not “her”, I mean she had issues – how can she be trusted?” If you don’t utilize this tool you will constantly think that you are entitled – you will be offended and that thought “others have something you don’t” and that will prevent you from being able to survive – primarily in the area of TRUST.

Those who were with Jesus were “offended” by the truth. Mary had something they did not. Truth can be offensive: Harry Truman said, “I don’t give them hell. I just tell them the truth and they think it is hell.” Think about the natural progression of taking offense to the truth? Well… what is truth? Can’t trust what God says… and offended by what He says.

Without it – you are easily discouraged (16:14-18)

Jesus appears to the eleven, rebukes them for their “unbelief” (being offended) and lack of showing honor (hardness of heart) then provides the Great commission:

READ Mark 16:15-19

So he tells them that they will go out, proclaim the whole gospel – and as they do this – these signs will accompany those who believe; cast out demons, speak in new tongues, if they pick up serpents or drink deadly poison it will not hurt them and they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover. This is not limited to the disciples; rather it is a sign and validation of those who believe the whole gospel. Obviously these signs have been a point of discouragement and contention over the decades. They deal with the gifts of the Spirit – REALLY they are issues of faith.

I read an interesting article by the Barna group that examined the generations and their view of spiritual gifts; miracles, such as healing, prophesy… again – it’s really about faith.

- The mosaics (18 to 25) and the Busters (26 to 44) are more likely than the Boomers (45 to 63) or Elders (64 and older) to believe in “the charismatic gifts are active today”.

WHY?

Let me ask you a question; let’s say that you are just learning to play golf. As you learn you accept that you will hit a bad shot every now and then – because you’re new to the sport you accept that every shot will not be perfect. You continue to practice and play golf for a number of years and you become better at playing – despite the time spent; learning how to hit the golf ball, playing the wind, proper form and the mindset you must have, you have never shot a hole in one. Throughout your time playing golf you hear of other people shooting a hole in one… you may have seen someone shoot a hole in one… but you still have not. Your focus has now become to hit a hole in one – (you reason; I’ve practiced, I know the sport, I’ve become a better player) yet despite your continued effort you are not able to accomplish the seemingly illusive hole-in-one.

You become more and more concerned that other people have hit a hole in one and begin thinking; maybe there is something wrong with the way I play, what am I doing wrong? “They” must be doing something that I am not – but you can’t figure out what it is. Eventually, because of your DISCOURAGEMENT of not hitting a hole in one, you stop playing golf - figuring; “I’ll never be able to do it… I guess playing golf isn’t for me.”

Would you agree with me that not hitting a hole in one is a ridiculous reason to stop paying golf? Of course it is.

Now – go back to those statistics by Barna:

- 56% of mosaics (18 to 25) and 49% of Busters (26 to 44) are open to the gifts of the Spirit.
- 44% of the Boomers (45 to 63) and 30% of the Elders (64 and older) believe that “the charismatic gifts are active today”.

Why the decline? Most likely because they have, ‘never hit a hole in one’, become DISCOURAGED and have stopped playing. – in relation to FAITH – they have stopped praying.

- Since when did playing golf become about hitting a hole in one?
- When did the faith (for example spiritual gifts) become about them working every time “I want them too”?

Golf is not about hitting a hole in one – it’s about being involved in the game.

FAITH is not about it working the way I think it should – it’s about being in the game.

If my only concern when I step to the tee is hitting a hole in one I will become easily DISCOURAGED.

Similarly, If my only concern in being a Christian and using FAITH or the gifts of the Spirit is that they work out the way I want them too – I will become easily DISCOURAGED.

So… because of DISCOURAGEMENT people stop playing golf – what are the chances that I will ever hit a hole in one? Similarly, because of discouragement in the Christian life I stop believing. I loose faith – what are the chances that I will ever see a breakthrough in my life?

Look at verse 17 again – “And these signs will accompany those who believe;”

- It says, “They will accompany” – it does not say they must happen every time.

Discouragement, being easily offended and limited expectations is all part of “living a life that relies on my ability”. Using the tools that I have, in my strength and according to my will.

Today is Easter – the day we celebrate Christ’s resurrection – as someone told me last week… “I’m just now realizing that Easter… not Christmas is the more important day in the life of Christ.” WHY? Easter celebrates the resurrection of Christ from the dead; without his resurrection we don’t have hope. So if Easter is the most important day in the life of a Christ – what was necessary for this “most important” day to occur?

- He had to die.

The most important tool in navigating through life is death. To navigate through life the greatest tool we have at our disposal is the tool of reckoning ourselves dead and seated with Christ in heaven. If I’m dead – my expectations are unlimited - I am no longer limited to what I see as impossible:

If my first thought is, “Nothing is impossible with God” – think about how that would transform every day life.

- Think about a teacher working with students. If they approached every child with the mind-set… “Nothing is impossible with God.”

- What about a person who has succumb to the evil of addiction, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

- How about the relationship where there has been so much damage the world has written it off as a statistic, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

- What about the pregnant teenager who has limited resources and no husband, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

- How about a team of people in a town that intends to bring the hope of Christ to a community that has not had a permanent church in over 70 years, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

- What are you facing this morning? I want to tell you, that because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!

If I’m dead I am not easily offended

NOTE: You can’t offend a dead body.

- Some may say - “Well, yeah but what if someone takes advantage of you or they lie to you?”

· TURTH: you feel pain.
· Another TRUTH: pain is temporary.
· A final TRUTH: You are of tremendous value but you’re not that important.

In this scenario – what if the disciples were not offended and believed Mary or the two disciples when they came to them? What would that have done for Mary and the two others? How might their lives have been different? Let me ask you: Have you ever had someone believe in you despite what common logic would warrant? They chose not to be offended by your past. What did that do in relation to your destiny?

- Think about Paul killing Christians.
- Rehab who was a prostitute.
- Moses who was a murderer.
- David who was an adulterer.

What do all of these great people of faith have in common? They were lifted up by the hand of a God who was not offended by their past. God may not be pleased with my past – but He is never perplexed on what the solution is; confession, repentance and restitution.


I stand here today for a number of reasons – but one of the greatest reasons is that there was a woman who chose to not be offended by my past. From a carnal perspective you might say she was foolish. But instead of considering the negative possibility she chose to die and entrust herself to the one who judges justly. Her dying to offense offered me the foundation of unlimited possibility.

Did Jesus place limitations on people because of their past? Did Jesus say, “Well, because you did these things… your potential is only this much… sorry.” No, he demonstrated living through dying and when they came to him with a willingness to be obedient – he offered them access to every realm of destiny for their life.

If I’m dead I remain poised despite setbacks –

If I am dead – I realize my goal is not my performance in the game – my goal is being able to play the game. Live life according to the truth – then do not attach yourself to the result.

- Stand at the tee box believing that hitting a hole in one is possible, take your best swing then sit back and watch the result.

- Pray for healing, believe that God delivers people from evil, then sit back and let God be God.

I realize that we are a result driven culture – was that what Jesus demonstrated? No, Jesus demonstrated a culture of faith – then took care of the results. In his time here on earth – did Jesus heal everyone… no – there were still blind, lame and oppressed people. Jesus did not focus on the healing or deliverance did he focus on their performance? – his focus was on their faith in Him – the physical manifestation was a bonus. They had nothing to loose – what is the harm in believing that Jesus wants to heal you? I can tell you there is harm in believing that he does not.

Will we ever step up to the tee box and hit a hole in one every time? Of course not; a par 5 hole is not designed for that – there are certain physical laws that must be followed.

So, will everything that you pray for happen? Will all be healed and/or delivered? That’s not the point! The result is not the reason I have faith. The result is where frustration and discouragement occur. In being dead to the result I am not able to be frustrated or discouraged – during setbacks I am able to accept, believe and hope.

So there you have it – the ultimate tool for survival is death… counterintuitive to say the least but I would rather be dead and
- Have unlimited expectations
- Not be offended and
- Remain poised despite setbacks

Than remain paralyzed on my way to the summit.