When someone is going away, knowing it will be the last time you will see them, either for a very long time or for good, they do not waste their words.  For this reason, the last words are deemed the most important.

With that in mind, what were Jesus’ last words before leaving this earth?

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

I find it very interesting and important that Jesus would say this to His disciples before ascending into heaven.

Some have tried to imply that these actions were for the disciples then, those men called the Apostles of the Lamb who had followed Jesus during His earthly ministry.  However, it is clear that Jesus is letting them know what preaching the gospel will produce when others believe it.

According to Jesus, believers are supposed to have supernatural signs following them.  Jesus is preparing His disciples to know how the gospel produces fruit when believed and what kind of fruit they should expect to see.

Today, we have teachers who seek to downplay the supernatural evidence of faith, and some even come out against such things. Some are brazen enough to say such things are of the devil. Like the Pharisees accused Jesus of doing miracles by the power of Satan, there are those today who accuse men and women of faith filled with the Holy Spirit of doing the work of the devil.

If tongues are of the devil, then why doesn’t every drug dealer utilize them?  Why aren’t they prolific in our prisons?  Why aren’t they common in the bars and the brothels?

If healing isn’t for today, why did Jesus set it as one of the signs that would follow a believer?

When looking at much of the church, one might think there are no more devils around. Yet Jesus said casting them out would be one of the signs of a believer. We find Paul in Scripture exercising the serpent rule when he shook off the viper that had latched onto his hand into the fire.

Jesus did not suffer on the cross to produce a dead, lifeless religion.  He did give His life to establish doubt and unbelief and make the crowning point of His suffering about what we can do to improve ourselves morally and merit God’s love.  Jesus gave Himself to produce new creations that could be filled with the Holy Spirit and represent Him on this earth according to the working of His mighty power exhibited when He was raised from the dead.

Final words still matter today. Jesus’ DNA has not diminished with time. God is not subject to time or the law of entropy. He does not age, lose strength, or grow weary. His DNA does not devolve or evolve; it is constant.  What Jesus did before and after His ascension Is still being done today.  His final words still stand just as they did on that day when He spoke them.  Much of what I hear from some seeking to teach the church is unknowingly a declaration that God is getting old and Jesus has changed His mind and is no longer about what He said before He ascended.  I’m afraid I have to disagree!  Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever!  His final words still stand, and the church needs to return to the place of faith that believes what He spoke and opens their hearts and minds to the reality of being baptized in the Holy Spirit, preaching the real gospel of the New Covenant, and exercising the authority given by Jesus to advance His kingdom on this earth.  His final words matter!