I want to share this story to help you to imagine the mystery and delight of not just hearing, but seeing the resurrection of Jesus for the first time, almost as an eyewitness.
Over twenty years ago, missionaries had shown a tribe in the jungles of East Asia The Jesus Film. A few of the people had heard of Jesus, but many had never seen a motion picture. It was one unforgettable evening for the missionaries and the tribe. The video was in their language, and for them, life like.
In the film they saw Jesus, who helped people, healed the sick and was adored by children. But the part where Jesus was held without trial and beaten by jeering soldiers was to too much. As they watched this, the people of the tribe came unglued. They stood up and began to shout at the cruel men on the screen, demanding that this outrage stop.
They even turned on the missionary running the projector. Perhaps he was responsible for this injustice! The missionary stopped the film and explain that the story wasn’t over yet; there was more and a better ending. So they settled back onto the ground, holding their emotions in check.
Then came the crucifixion. Again, the people could not hold back. They began to weep and wail with such loud grief that the film had to be stopped a second time for their emotions to settle. The missionary again calmed them, explaining that the story still wasn’t over; there was more. So they again sat down to see what happened next.
Then came the resurrection. Now pandemonium broke out, but for a different reason. The people gathered had spontaneously erupted into a celebration. There was jubilation, as the tribe danced, hugged and slapped each other on the back. Cheering Jesus is risen, indeed!
This time the missionary shut off the projector; he didn’t tell them to calm down and wait for what was next. All that was supposed to happen – in the story and in their lives – was happening. (Ben Patterson, “Resurrection and Pandemonium,” www.LeadershipJournal.net, 4-13-04; www.PreachingToday.com)
Jesus’ 11 followers nearly 2,000 years ago might have felt discouraged on Saturday. But on Sunday morning, Jesus’ resurrection changed their lives.
Mark 16:1-3 “Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us”
The typical stone weighed two tons! It was usually rolled down an incline in front of the cave into a notch dug out for it in front of the opening. Now, to move the stone away from the entrance to the tomb was a major endeavor. There are some Bible scholars that estimate that it would have taken the combined strength of 20 men to roll the stone away. Besides, from Matthew’s account, we know that there was also a regiment of Roman soldiers guarding the tomb.
The weight of the stone was on their minds, but the weight of their situation was heavy on their hearts. Their dearest friend and only hope for the future had been nailed to a cross. Jesus was dead, and they were anxiously troubled.
Mark 16:4 “But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away — for it was very large.”
One of the weights of their worry was gone!
Mark 16:5 “And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.”
First, they were anxious, and now they’re alarmed!
Mark 16:6 “But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.”
The angel, as described as a “young man,” pointed to the place that was once occupied by Jesus’ body, but there was no body! The only thing that was there were the grave clothes, the strips of cloth lying with the face cloth “folded up in a place by itself” according to the apostle John’s account in John 20 (John 20:6-7).
The body of Jesus gone, but the wrappings of cloth were there. This indicated that no one had taken His body, or else the grave clothes would have been taken too (or at least some of them tossed to the side but they were neatly left were the body laid). Jesus has indeed risen! The empty tomb and the empty grave clothes announce this. So there can only be one response.
Mark 16:7 “But go, tell His disciples — and Peter — that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
They were told to go tell that Jesus was risen! Go and tell His disciples, those discouraged, disheartened disciples, that Jesus will meet them in Galilee.
Mark 16:8 “So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”
First, they were anxious. Then they were alarmed. Now they’re afraid. Literally, they endured a string of emotions much like the East Asian tribe.
These ladies are anxious, alarmed and afraid. These three words show us that they were stirred with confusing emotions.
We shouldn’t act confused about the resurrection. We are not to be anxious, alarmed or afraid, because Jesus is risen from the dead. Instead…
We must be CONFIDENT.
Be hopeful. Be sure of a grand and glorious future with the risen Lord!
The truth of the resurrection, allows for no other response. Confusion and fear is replaced with celebration and joy! That’s what Jesus wants for all of His followers. He wants us all to be certain of His resurrection, that’s why He makes several appearances, three of which are described here in Mark 16 a proper ending of this great gospel book!
A couple weeks ago, I was just passing time so I looked up the most popular college fight songs
- Tennessee, “Rocky Top” “Rocky Top” transcends the fight song genre. …
- Notre Dame, “Victory March”
- Michigan, “The Victors”
- Oklahoma, “Boomer Sooner”
- USC, “Fight On”
- Wisconsin, “On, Wisconsin!”
- Georgia Tech, “Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech” …
- Navy, “Anchors Aweigh”
Can you think what heaven will be like? Those fight songs will not compare! The crowds of fans for Jesus will be beyond what we’ve ever heard. Our lives need to reflect that we are fans like that on this side of Heaven!
Now, before we move on, I need to say something about the note in some of your Bibles after verse 8? It says something like this: “Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9-20”. Well, let me state that’s only three of the manuscripts, yet they are the oldest (textual criticism). The rest of the manuscripts (numbering close to 10,000), from all three major families of manuscripts, Syrian, Byzantine and Alexandrian) include the ending of the Gospel of Mark that we are about to address. Siding with tradition and the majority of the manuscripts, I believe that we need to treat these passages as God’s Word.
Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene.
Mark 16:9-11 “Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.”
They refused to believe the testimony of a woman. In the time of Christ, a woman’s testimony was not considered valid in a Jewish court of law. So Jesus appears to two men, as well.
Mark 16:12-13 “After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.”
They did not believe Mary Magdalene, and now they don’t believe these two men, even though this should have been enough evidence for them. The Mosaic Law made it very clear: “A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19:15).
Jesus is presenting irrefutable evidence of His resurrection here. In fact, it is evidence that would stand up in any court of law today.
Josh McDowell, a one-time atheist, was challenged to examine the evidence for himself. He did and became a believer as a result. Later, he wrote the book, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, which quotes these legal experts;
Sir Edward Clark, a very prominent English lawyer wrote: “As a lawyer I have made a prolonged study of the evidence for the events of the first resurrection day. To me the evidence is conclusive, and over and over again the High Court and I have secured the verdict on evidence not nearly so compelling.” (Josh McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, p.198).
Professor Thomas Arnold, appointed to the chair of Modern History at Oxford University, wrote: “The evidence for our Lord’s life and death and resurrection may be, and often has been, shown to be satisfactory; it is good according to the common rules of distinguishing good evidence from bad. Thousands and tens of thousands of persons have gone through it piece by piece, as carefully as every judge summing up on a most important cause. I myself have done it many times over… and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort… than [the fact] that Christ died and ruse again from the dead.” (Josh McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, p.198).
John Singleton Copley, recognized as one of the greatest legal minds in British history, wrote: “I know pretty well what evidence is; and I tell you, such evidence as that for the Resurrection has never broken down yet” (Josh McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, p.198).
Jesus is indeed risen from the dead! It’s the most well attested fact of history. Even so, the disciples have a hard time believing it when they first hear about it. So Jesus appears to all eleven of them at once.
Mark 16:14 “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.”
Jesus left no doubt in their mind whatsoever that He had indeed risen from the dead. They should have believed it on the basis of the three witnesses, and Jesus tells them so. Now, they can’t help but believe it, because He is standing right there in their midst.
This is no illusion, for eleven men do not have the same illusion at the same time. For these same men died proclaiming the truth of the resurrection when denying it would have spared their lives. No man dies for what he knows to be a lie. Jesus is indeed risen from the dead – a fact confirmed by the empty tomb, a fact confirmed by the empty grave clothes, and a fact confirmed by His post-resurrection appearances.
Jesus is alive!! So don’t be confused and anxious anymore. Be confident. Be sure of your grand and glorious future with Jesus even in these difficult days.
John Ortberg, pastor and author spoke to his congregation: “Believers have gathered for the past 2,000 years not to say, ‘The stock market has risen. ‘It has risen indeed.’ They have not gathered to say, ‘The dollar has risen. ‘It has risen indeed.’ Or, ‘the employment rate has risen.’ Or, ‘the gross domestic product has risen.’ Or, ‘General Motors has risen.’ Or ‘the value of your 401(k) has risen.’ The one hope that has held up human beings across every continent and culture for two millennia of difficult times of poverty, disease, pain, hardship, [and] death itself: ‘Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.’ (John Ortberg, in the sermon Resurrection: Metaphor or Miracle? Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, Menlo Park, CA, preached 4-12-09; www. PreachingToday.com)
As Jesus followers, we shouldn’t put your hope in the stock market or in the job market or in any other market. Put your hope in Jesus Christ who died for you and rose again. He is the only One who can save your soul and help you face even death itself with the assurance of eternal life. Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed, so don’t be confused; be confident; and then…
Our command is to GO AND TELL others!
Share the gospel with your friends and family. Tell people you know that Jesus died and rose again, and tell them that they too can be confident about the future simply by trusting Christ as their Savior.
Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Share the gospel to everyone!
When the truth of Christ’s resurrection grips our heart, we are not supposed to keep it to ourselves; we are commanded to tell somebody. That’s what Jesus told His disciples to do. Then He said to them…
Mark 16:16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Literally, “the believer and baptized one shall be saved”. In the New Testament, people were baptized as soon as they came to faith in Christ. But it is not the baptism which saves. That’s why the rest of the verse says, “Whoever does not believe will be condemned”. Unbelief brings judgment, not the lack of baptism. Thus belief (or trust in Christ) is the determining factor.
In the New Testament baptism held an important place in the life of the believers. In the book of Acts, when an individual became a Christ follower, he or she was immediately baptized.
Baptism was just an expression of belief in Jesus. Jesus commanded that all believers be baptized (Matt. 28:19-20), not for their salvation, but as a testimony to the world that they are following and believe Christ.
If you are a believer in Christ and have not yet been baptized, what’s holding you back? It’s a trust and obedience point. It’s also great way to share the gospel since it announces Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. It’s a great way to tell your friends that you identify with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, that you have died to an old way of life, and that you are following Christ. Don’t put it off any longer!
Jesus told his disciples to share the Gospel, but He knew it would be difficult for many to believe it, so He gave them some signs to confirm their message. He gave them some miracles to authenticate this new revelation.
Mark 16:17-18 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; “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.”
Now, before you go drinking deadly poison and picking up snakes, you have to realize that these signs were given to the generation of people who witnessed Jesus’ resurrection. I believe that the miracles in this passage were intended for this historical audience.
There is a rule of thumb about studying these events in the Bible. Whenever God gave the world a new message, new revelation, He always accompanied it with signs and wonders. When Moses received the Law, there were all kinds of miracles – the 10 plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, and water from the rock. When the prophets came on the scene, prophets like Elijah and Elisha, they also performed miracles to demonstrate that their message came from God. So also when Christ and His apostles spoke, their message was confirmed by these kinds of miracles. It was God’s way of saying, “Pay attention; these men are speaking My words.”
In 2 Corinthians 12:12, the Apostle Paul, proving that His words come directly from God, said, “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you… with signs and wonders and mighty works.”
Hebrews 2:3 says, “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard (i.e., by the apostles), while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles…”
Here in Mark 16, God is not telling us to pick up snakes, no! He is telling us that the Gospel is true, because the first telling of it has been accompanied by various signs and wonders.
That’s what the book of Acts describes. As these apostles spread the message of the Gospel, they performed many miracles to confirm the authenticity of their message. Acts 28 actually describes a poisonous viper biting Paul on the hand. The native people in the area waited for him to die; but when nothing happened, they believed his message.
God’s Word is true! You can count on it. Jesus did indeed die on a cross for our sins, and Jesus did indeed rise from dead, so that all who believe in Him have the assurance of eternal life. Believe it, and then tell somebody about it as the first disciples did.
Mark 16:19-20 “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.”
They scattered all over the world, sharing the gospel of Jesus. And that’s what Christ wants us to do today. We may not perform the miracles today, but we can tell everybody about the miracle of Christ’s resurrection, and the miracle of our salvation.
Christ is risen! He is alive indeed! So don’t be confused any longer. Instead, be confident and share this news!
We have enjoyed the celebration this morning, the celebration of our Lord’s resurrection (The Lord is alive). Go and share the gospel of Jesus Christ, “for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
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