HE HAS RISEN!
Mark 16:1-20
Key verse 16:6
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
Mark 16 tells us of the glorious resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In this passage, the Risen Jesus visits his disciples, plants resurrection faith in their hearts, and gives them the world mission command. This passage shows us what believing in the Risen Jesus practically means for our lives. May God bless us through this passage.
Part 1. He has risen! (vs. 1-8)
First, the stone had been rolled away (vs. 1-4). Let’s read verse 1 together: “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.” After Jesus was crucified, three faithful women wanted to do something for their Lord. So they bought some spices so that they might anoint his body, as was the customary thing for people at that time to do when a loved one had died. These spices were very expensive, and these women were not rich, but they did not hold anything back. Yet, because of the Sabbath, they could not go to Jesus’ tomb until the first day of the week. Look at verse 2: “Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on the way to the tomb”. This verse tells us that they were already on the way to the tomb just after sunrise, meaning that they had gotten up while it was still dark and set out at the first light of dawn. Their desire to do something for Jesus was very strong. Yet, as they were on the way, they suddenly remembered that a very large stone had been rolled in front of the entrance to Jesus’ tomb. This thought put fear in their hearts that they would arrive at Jesus’ tomb only to have to turn around and go back home because they could not move the stone. Look at verse 3: “and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” None of them could answer this question. Who could help them? Who would be at Jesus’ tomb at such an early hour? Maybe only Roman guards, and how could they expect that the same savage guards who had mercilessly crucified Jesus would do anything for them, especially going to the trouble to move such a large and heavy stone. When they thought about the stone, it seemed hopeless. They felt like giving up.
Look at verse 4: “But when they looked up, the saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.” The women were shocked to see that the very heavy stone standing between them and Jesus had already been rolled away. It is very meaningful that this was the first sign of the resurrection. Like these women, we want to serve Jesus. But, practically, there are very real and solid obstacles in our way. Each one is like a very large, immovable stone. One huge stone is our sin problems. Because of our sin problems, we are defeated again and again and separated from Jesus. When we persistently suffer from the same sin problem, we eventually lose hope and cry out in despair, “Who will roll away this stone?” Another very large stone is unbelief. Because of doubt and unbelief, we fall apart even before we begin to do anything, leaving us completely paralyzed. We lose hope, believing that we will never overcome our unbelief. Some stones are physical obstacles as real and tangible as a seven hundred pound stone, such as a full time job or full time class load that demands all our time and strength. How can we serve Jesus when we must work so hard at our job or school? In the face of such stones, we are tempted to despair and give up.
But praise God, because the first sign of the resurrection was that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. What does Jesus’ resurrection mean? It means that every stone standing between us and Jesus has been rolled away. What about our persistent problems? What about our sin problem, our unbelief problem, our work problem? Does this mean that they just go away? No. Nor did the stone in front of Jesus’ tomb go away. It was still there, but the difference is that it was no longer standing between the women and Jesus. What does the resurrection mean? It means that there is no longer anything that stands in the way between us and Jesus. It may seem like there are things standing in our way: our sin problem; our practical situation; our unbelief. Each one is impossible for us to do anything about. But God, knowing our weakness, raised Jesus from the dead so that every stone would be rolled away. Jesus’ resurrection means that sin can no longer stand between us and God. Jesus’ resurrection is the solution to our unbelief. It is even the solution for our work problem, for we are now working for the Lord. Therefore, since the stone has been rolled away, it is simply up to us to believe this good news that God has done and enjoy it.
Second, the first resurrection message (vs. 5-8). Look at verse 5: “As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.” Oh! Where is Jesus’ body?! They began to tremble with fear, thinking that the man in white was a tomb raider there to steal Jesus’ body. Yet, the man was actually an angel sent by God to tell them good news. Let’s read verses 6-7 together: “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” When the angel saw the women, he could tell that they were alarmed, so the first thing he said to them was, “Don’t be alarmed.” Yet, it seemed that they only became more alarmed. So the angel decided to get to the point. He said, “you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen!” This is the first resurrection message. It is good news of great joy: “He has risen!” These three words declare that Jesus has won the greatest victory of all victories: the victory over death.
Ever since sin entered the world, death reigned supreme as the most inescapable reality. No matter what you did or who you were, all ended in death. So even though people work hard to gain something in this world, it is all meaningless because of death. College students study hard so that they might one day get a good job. But, when they think about why they are working so hard, they are not sure. They cannot even be sure that they will be happy if they have a good job. And, even if they are successful, what can it mean if it all ends in death? This is why so many students today are consumed with thoughts of death. We even see many these days dressing in black clothes, putting on black lipstick and black nail polish, and listening to music that glorifies death. Why do those in the prime of life worship death? It is because they do not know the good news that death has already been defeated. Despair, fear, depression, and deep sorrow are all elements of death in man’s life.
But praise God: Jesus has risen! When God raised Jesus from the dead, He declared with power that Jesus is the new heavyweight champion of eternity. When Jesus rose from the dead, he gave Death the knock-out blow, for it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Now Death is defeated and Jesus rules supreme. Life has conquered Death, and the elements of life are joy, peace, and satisfaction of soul. “He has risen!” What should we do when we hear this good news message? First, we must praise and worship Jesus, for he has risen from the dead, conquered sin, death, and Satan, and given us a living hope. We love him and give him all the glory, for Jesus is our true hero. We must praise him with joyful songs. Second, we must throw away all the elements of death. Fear? No more fear. Jesus has risen and conquered all the enemies. Sorrow? No more sorrow. Jesus is alive. Fatalism? No more fatalism. We have a living hope. Jesus lives and we have no excuse to remain under death’s dark shadow. Third, now is the time for us to experience the resurrection power of Jesus in our own lives personally. Now is the time for us to conquer over every enemy and obstacle by the power of God for His glory. In short, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the beginning of a whole new era—the era of hope, victory, and life, and it is open to everyone who hears and believes the good news: “He has risen!”
Look again at verses 6-7. After delivering this good news message, the angel could tell by the look in their eyes that the women were not convinced, so he tried to clarify his meaning: “He is not here.” Then, just to make things really clear, he pointed to the place where Jesus’ body had been and said, “See the place where they laid him.” Empty. Then the angel gave the women a message to deliver to Peter and the other disciples. Look at verse 7: “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” This is the first resurrection promise given to Jesus’ disciples. At the last supper table, just before Jesus was to be crucified, the disciples were sad because Jesus told them that they would all fall away. But Jesus comforted them by giving them a promise: “But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’” Now the angel confirmed this promise. This promise gives the disciples great comfort. They were so sad that Jesus died; that he had gone away and left them. But he promised that he would see them again in Galilee. Why Galilee? Why not just meet them there in Jerusalem? Galilee was the disciples’ home. Jesus promised to meet them in the home country—the place where they could find rest for their tired souls. They would meet Jesus in Galilee, by the beautiful lake of Galilee, surrounded by green rolling hills. It was such a beautiful promise—there they would see him. They saw him die a violent death, but there they would see him alive, and his face would look so lovely to them. When we think about this promise, we receive much grace. What is the first promise of the resurrection? He is going ahead of you, and there you will see him. This gives us a glorious hope that makes us yearn for the day that we will see Jesus, and which makes all earthly troubles and joys seem small. This reminds me of the hymn, “When We See Christ”: “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Christ. One glimpse of his dear face, all sorrow will erase. So bravely run the race, till we see Christ.” How did the women respond to the angel’s glorious message? Verse 8 says, “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” The angel must have felt so bad.
Part 2. Jesus rebukes the disciples’ stubborn unbelief (9-14)
Look at verses 9-11. After fleeing from the tomb, Mary Magdalene was especially heartbroken. She loved Jesus so much because he set her free from seven demons. She thought that someone had stolen Jesus’ body. But, even while she was still crying, the Risen Jesus suddenly appeared to her. When she saw him, she finally understood what had happened, and she was full of joy. Then she ran to tell the others the good news. Look at verse 10: “She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.” When Mary found the others who had been with Jesus, they were still crying many tears because of Jesus’ death. They were probably also full of fear of the blood-thirsty religious leaders who might be looking to kill Jesus’ followers next. They probably all jumped when Mary burst into the room and shouted, “He has risen! Jesus is alive! I have seen him!” But, to Mary’s surprise, the others did not share her joy. Instead, they looked at her with sad eyes, shook their heads, and said something like, “Mary, we all wish that Jesus was alive. Maybe you should get a little rest.” Then Mary might have become angry: “Why don’t you believe me?!” It was, indeed, strange that they did not believe Mary’s message. Mary surely also told them about the angel at the tomb. What is more, Jesus himself had told them many times that he would rise from the dead. But, still, they did not believe. A second chance for them to believe came after Jesus appeared to two disciples as they were walking on a country road. After seeing the Risen Jesus, these two disciples were also filled with joy and excitement. They ran back to Jerusalem and burst into the room where the others were staying, making them jump again. Then they shouted in unison: “He has risen! Jesus is alive! We saw him and talked with him!” This time, there were two witnesses with matching testimonies. Now the others had to believe. But, amazingly, they still did not believe. Somehow they thought that the two who saw Jesus on the road had been delusional, maybe suffering from a heat-stroke or something like that. We would expect that the Apostles would have done a little better than the women who fled from Jesus’ tomb after hearing the angel’s message. But, actually, they were worse.
So far, the Risen Jesus appeared to only a few people and sent them as witnesses to his disciples. This was Jesus’ final exam for his disciples on resurrection faith. But, they got a big F. So, finally, Jesus himself appeared to them and gave them their report card. Let’s read verse 14 together: “Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.” In the other gospel accounts, we have a more detailed description of what the Risen Jesus did and said when he appeared to his disciples after his resurrection. But the Apostle Mark focused on only one thing: Jesus’ rebuke. Jesus’ rebuke is very important, because it identifies the problem that prevented his disciples from believing: their stubbornness.
The disciples had every reason to believe. Jesus told them way ahead of time, in detail, exactly what would happen: that he would suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he would be killed and after three days rise again (Mk 8:31-32). Yet, even at the time Jesus told them these things, Peter refused to listen to this message, so he pulled Jesus aside and rebuked him, “Don’t say such things.” But Jesus did not give up. Once time, he took Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain and transfigured before them to show them his resurrection glory (Mk 9:2-3). Another time, he raised Lazarus from the dead after he had been in the tomb for four days (Jn 11:25-26, 43-44). But, no matter what Jesus did, they stubbornly refused to believe in the resurrection. Why did they so stubbornly refuse to believe? When we read the gospels we realize that the disciples’ problem was that they were not willing to let go of their worldly dreams and hopes. They rejected the message of the resurrection every time because they were hoping for glory in this world as prime ministers in Jesus’ earthly messianic kingdom. Of course, when Jesus died, their dream died with him. But they still did not let go. Instead, they mourned and cried over the corpse of their dead dreams, mixing their tears for Jesus with their tears for themselves. So, when Jesus sent his witnesses to tell them the good news, the disciples stubbornly held onto their sorrow like a child who scrapes his knee and refuses to be comforted. They should have believed and been full of joy and courage. But, instead, when Jesus found them they were hiding from the religious authorities and crying like babies. So the Risen Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith and stubborn refusal to believe.
Like the disciples, we have heard the good news of Jesus’ resurrection, yet there are many who stubbornly refuse to believe. Although they say that they believe in the Risen Jesus, they show that Jesus’ resurrection is not a practical reality to them because they stubbornly continue to pursue their worldly dreams and hopes. Like the disciples, they are happy when it looks like they might get what they dream of; then, when their hopes are destroyed, they are full of sorrow and self-pity. But this is not what it means to have resurrection faith. To have resurrection faith means to have a living hope in Jesus (1 Peter 1:3). When we have a living hope in the risen Jesus, we see everything differently. We no longer strive after things of this world. And when we go through hardships and troubles, we continue to rejoice because we know that our momentary sufferings are not worthy comparing with the glory that will be revealed. Jesus wants us to have a living hope in him. What, then, does he do when he sees you stubbornly holding on to your worldly hopes and dreams instead of living by resurrection faith? He rebukes you, saying, “Repent and believe the good news!”
Part 3. Go into all the world (15-20)
What, then, should we do with our lives when we have resurrection faith? What is there for us to do in this world when our hope is not in this world but in the Risen Jesus? Jesus gives the answer in verses 15-18. Let’s read verse 15 together: “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” It is no accident that the Apostle Mark recorded Jesus’ world mission command immediately after the Risen Jesus appeared to his disciples and rebuked them for their unbelief. Jesus gave his disciples this command so that they might practically experience the power of Jesus’ resurrection. What is the power of Jesus’ resurrection? It is the power of God that raises the dead and overcomes the world. When the Risen Jesus appeared to the disciples, he found them hiding out like fugitives from the religious authorities and crying like babies. They were so weak and pathetic. But Jesus challenged them to live by faith by giving them the world mission command. When the disciples made a decision to obey Jesus’ world mission command despite their weakness, they experienced the power of resurrection. The Apostle Peter once showed his human weakness when he denied Jesus three times out of fear, but when he had resurrection faith, he obeyed Jesus’ world mission command fearlessly. Then, even when the religious authorities threatened his life and ordered him not to preach the good news, Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men!” (Mark 15:66-72; Acts 5:28-29). For those who do not obey Jesus’ world mission command, resurrection faith is theoretical and impractical, but whoever obeys Jesus’ world mission command experiences the power of Jesus’ resurrection in their lives every day. Even though they die, they rise again. After making a decision to obey Jesus’ world mission command despite his full class load and part time job, one young man taught the Bible to about twelve students a week one on one. Many times it seemed that he would fail his school studies because of Jesus’ world mission command, but by faith he continued to obey. Then he experienced Jesus’ resurrection power time after time until he graduated with high honors. Another person experienced lots of persecution from family members after making a decision to obey Jesus’ world mission command, but she obeyed by faith, and later her whole family was saved. How can we know the power of Jesus’ resurrection in our lives? We must obey his world mission command (Php 3:10-11). May God help us to know the power of Jesus’ resurrection by obeying the world mission command.
What, then, does Jesus’ world mission command entail? Let’s read verse 15 once more: “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.’” Jesus’ command has two main parts: “go” and “preach”. First, “go.” Go is the opposite of the word “stay.” Usually people like to stay where they are because life is more comfortable that way. But the disciples were to go, leaving their comfortable and secure lives behind in order to find those who had yet to hear the good news. How far did Jesus tell them to go? Into all the world. The world is fallen, but instead of taking them out of the world, Jesus sent them into the world. This shows God’s love for the world—he does not want to miss anyone. This command means that some of them would have to be missionaries to foreign countries, learning a new language and culture. It was not easy, but when they had resurrection faith they could overcome all challenges. Second, the mission to “preach” means that they were to be teachers. But preaching is not like teaching math—preaching involves exhortation. The disciples were to teach and exhort people to believe the good news. This is very important, because unless someone teaches them, how will people believe? In this world, there are so many people who are waiting to be saved, but the problem is that there are not many teachers. We must pray that God would raise up and send out harvest workers who will teach people the good news.
Of course, we must remember what we are preaching. It also has two parts: “good” and “news”. “News” is information that is “new.” If information is old, then it is not news, but history. In 1969, when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, it was big news; but today, it is just history. Similarly, Jesus died and rose again about 2,000 years ago—this seems more like ancient history than news. This is particularly true in America where everyone seems to have heard the gospel message one way or another. So, many people think that the gospel is old, boring history. But this is not true. No one who truly knows the good news will say that it is boring. If they say so, it shows that they don’t really know the gospel. So we must teach them the good news until they understand. Then, when they finally understand, it will be a completely new message to them—it will be good news of great joy. However, if we who teach ever begin to forget Jesus’ grace upon our lives, then the gospel will begin to look old and boring to us, and no one will believe us when we tell them it is good news. So, in order to preach the good news, we must always be sure to keep Jesus’ grace fresh in our hearts.
Let’s read verse 16 together: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” This shows the absoluteness of the gospel. These days, many people believe that all roads lead to heaven. But this is not what the Bible teaches. Through sacrificing his Son, God made a way for people to be saved, showing his love for the world. Yet, He did not make any other way. Therefore, we must take the gospel very seriously: those who believe will be saved, but those who don’t believe will be condemned. May God help us to work hard to save souls.
Let’s read verses 17-18 together: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on the sick, and they will get well.” Jesus promised that he would support his disciples in four ways. First, Jesus would equip them with spiritual authority so that they would drive out demons in his name. This is very important because there is also a spiritual battle to be fought against the devil and his demons. Second, they would speak in new tongues. This first happened in Acts chapter one at Pentecost. Third, God would protect them from dangers, such as accidental poisoning. This does not mean that they should drink poison, but that God protects his servants until his mission for them is done. Fourth, they would put their hands on sick people, pray for them, and they would be healed.
Look at verses 19-20. After Jesus gave his disciples the world mission command, he was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God. Now that Jesus took his place in heaven, it was time for the disciples to do the work of God on earth. Verse 20 says, “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Before they had resurrection faith, the disciples were so weak and afraid. They were helpless. But when they had faith in the Risen Jesus, they picked up courage and determination to advance God’s kingdom. Fearlessly, they went out and preached everywhere. Also, verse 20 says that Jesus worked together with them to confirm their message. When we have resurrection faith, then we can boldly obey Jesus’ world mission command.
In this passage, we learned that when we believe in the Risen Jesus we have a living hope in Jesus Christ. With resurrection faith, we overcome all the elements of death and live for the glory of God. When we believe in the Risen Jesus we can and must obey his world mission command. And when we obey, we come to know the resurrection power of Jesus in our lives practically. Praise God for raising Jesus from the dead. May God help us to hear and believe the good news.
One word: He has risen!
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