The Risen Saviour

9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. 12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. 14 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. 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 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 sick people, and they will get well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Introduction

Final section in Mark's Gospel

BUT - most suggest not written by Mark.

Reasons why...

1) Sudden ending in Verse 8, and ends grammatically strangely!

2) Various different endings - suggests later addition / various additions.

3) Mary Magdalene - why suddenly "from whom 7 demons..."

4) Writing style is not Markan

5) Words used not Markan

Having said that, there is nothing particularly difficult in these verses that would present a problem in Scripture as a whole.

There is no new doctrine or teaching, nothing that cannot be sustained by other Scripture.

Way that we will approach this...

1) Will look at each section

2) Show Scriptural support from other Scripture references

3) Encourage us to respond appropriately to God's truth in our own lives.

1. The Appearances of Christ (vv.9-14)

At least 3 different appearances are recorded here.

1) To Mary Magdalene (vv.9-11)

Mark 16:9 (NIV84) — 9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

This is the first appearance of Jesus since his resurrection.

Recall from Luke 8:2, and confirmed in this verse, that this is a lady that had been under severe attack from demons, and had been delivered by Jesus

It's THIS woman to whom Jesus first shows himself.

In the preceding account, an angel had appeared to the group of women that had come to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus.

They had run away fearful.

It then seems that Mary Magdalene then ran to Peter and John, and announced to them that Jesus' body had been taken! Grave robbers!

Those two disciples then run to them tomb, with Mary following behind them...

They get inside, see that Jesus is gone... and they believed that Jesus' body had been taken!

John 20:9 (NIV84) — 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

John 20:11–19 (NIV84) — 11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

It's at this point that we see she goes to the other disciples in order to tell them all that she had seen... (verse 10...)

Mark 16:10 (NIV84) — 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.

But while she is the privileged one to get a first glimpse of the risen Saviour, none of these others believe her story.

Mark 16:11 (NIV84) — 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

It seems like there was scarcely a person who was ready to receive the truth of the resurrection of Jesus!

2) To the Emmaus Disciples (vv.12-13)

Then our attention gets turned to some other disciples that Jesus appears to.

Mark 16:12 (NIV84) — 12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.

This record in these verses corresponds with the account of the two disciples that were on the road to Emmaus, as recorded in Luke 24.

One of the questions that arises here is: "What is meant by different form"

Well clearly, he appeared to them in a manner in which He was not recognisable to them.

Luke 24:16 (NIV84) — 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

Clearly Christ had in mind that before He would actually make Himself known entirely, He would hide His identity in some form (we don't know how) but would then use this as an opportunity to show these two disciples how all of the Scriptures pointed to Him.

Luke 24:27 - "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."

We then read further down in verse 30-32

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

It is then, following this long encounter that these two disciples have with Jesus, that Mark 16:13 fits in...

Mark 16:13 (NIV84) — 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

Luke's account actually confirms that these two disciples returned at once to Jerusalem, and found the other 11 disciples, and reported to them what they had seen...

3) To the Eleven Disciples (v.14)

The final appearance recorded in this section is now to the eleven.

On both previous occasions, when those who had seen Jesus reported to the 11, they had not believed them.

They didn't believe Mary Magdalene. They didn't believe the two who were on the road to Emmaus.

Mark 16:14 (NIV84) — 14 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.

The appearance that Jesus makes to them is "while they were eating!"

Both Luke and John record this appearance of Jesus to His disciples...

Luke 24:36–43 (NIV84) — 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.

John 20:19–20 (NIV84) — 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

So these are the three appearances that are recorded in this passage in Mark’s Gospel, and as we’ve seen, they correlate well with the other Gospels in terms of Christ’s appearances.

Some important points to note.

The record here in Mark's Gospel is consistent with other accounts.

Jesus certainly did appear to the various disciples.

1 Corinthians 15:5–8 (NIV84) — 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

This should be of encouragement to us.

We should certainly view these accounts as being true - even the way they are recorded for us in the Scriptures, emphasises the truthfulness.

It doesn't say that the disciples saw and were rejoicing at first sight....

Instead, it took some convincing... none of them really believed that Jesus would rise again... and it took special opening of their eyes, and persuading them, to bring them to a place of trust in the resurrected Christ.

Let us be encouraged that Jesus didn't leave us without eye-witness testimony.

2. The Instructions of Christ (vv.15-18)

We must now turn our attention to the instructions that Christ gave to His disciples.

Remember, Christ's ministry and time in the world has come to an end, and He is now leaving His disciples with these last words of instruction...

Christ's goal is that His kingdom be established in the hearts and lives of people in the world.

2.1 The Message they should preach (v.15)

Mark 16:15 (NIV84) — 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

Obviously this ties in with the very well-known Great Commission text in Matthew 28, particularly v.19 - "...Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..."

Christ does not leave His disciples without instructions as to what they are to do.

The most basic thing that they are to do is "preach"....

Disciples of Jesus are commissioned to preach the Good News.

We as a church are focusing our attention on Colossians 1:28... "We proclaim Him (Christ)..." Proclamation is fundamental and foundational to who we are as the church.

After all, it is the "Good News" that we proclaim.

FIRST - Must understand the BAD News

Part of the bad news was that all people were lost in darkness, wickedness, utter sinfulness!!

The other part of the bad news was that God is holy, and pure, and altogether righteous, perfect in all His ways, and unable to look upon sin.

Further, that God must, but must, punish all sin and wickedness and rebellion against Him (any sin is rebellion against God). and thus we were under the just condemnation of God.

The evil of mens hearts is just profound, and the extent to which all people are just marred in their lives by the ravaging effects of sin is truly sickening when put into the light of God's holiness.

John 3:19–20 (NIV84) — 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

The GOOD NEWS...

There is a way for sinful man to be reconciled to God.

Luke 24:47–48 (NIV84) — 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

Many verses convey this glorious Gospel (Good news) message...

Romans 5:8 (NIV84) — 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 6:23 (NIV84) — 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV84) — 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is the glorious Good News... and can you just picture the anticipation and excitement of these disciples...

They wouldn't at that stage have had a perfect and full understanding of all the implications of Christ's resurrection...

Indeed, they were only just believing that He was raised from the dead.

But this was the good news, a living Saviour. He was the Saviour... and they were to go out and preach the Gospel of repentance and salvation in Christ.

Romans 10:8–10 (NIV84) — 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

To whom should it be preached?

"Go into ALL the world..."

"...preach the good news to ALL CREATION..."

This was a call to evangelistic, world-wide, missions...

Go into the world, and make known the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:23 (NIV84) — "... This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to EVERY CREATURE UNDER HEAVEN, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant."

There is no people group who does not need this Gospel of Christ.

And the commission of the Jesus to His disciples, is that they should go and preach Christ, and Him crucified and resurrected, for the forgiveness of sin.

2.2 The Sign of Believing (v.16)

Not only does Jesus tell them to preach this Gospel of repentance, but He tells them the sign that is to be demonstrated of this faith.

Mark 16:16 (NIV84) — 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Baptism was to be the sign of their belief.

Baptism is intricately linked with faith in Christ - when you have faith in Christ, you are baptised.

This intricate demonstration

Acts 22:16 (NIV84) — 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

Did the baptism here wash away the sins? No!! But so intricately involved, so important and essential to the inward faith in the heart, that belief and baptism should not be separated!

Acts 2:38 (NIV84) — 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Again, the intricate relationship of baptism and repentance... can't separate them, shouldn't separate them.

1 Peter 3:21 (NIV84) — 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God...

Baptism doesn't save, but really is the demonstration and pledge.

We must ask, if you are expressing faith in Jesus, but are not baptised, I'd really urge you to consider why you are not being baptised...

One more thing needs to be stated here: Those who do not believe - in the work of Christ, in His Lordship, and His resurrection, will be condemned.

2.3 The Signs Confirming the Gospel (v.17-18, 20)

Mark 16:17–18 (NIV84) — 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 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 sick people, and they will get well.”

The fact is, in the early church, where Christianity was not even a religion, it was in its infant stages, God would give signs in order to prove and demonstrate the authenticity of this Gospel message in Christ.

Hebrews 2:3–4 (NIV84) — 3 how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Already we have seen instances of Jesus giving His Apostles authority over demons...

Mark 3:14–15 (NIV84) — 14 He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.

That power extended even beyond the 12, however...

Luke 10:17–19 (NIV84) — 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

The fact is that this really unfolded, particularly in the book of Acts, as the early church was being established.

Acts 2:4 (NIV84) — 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Acts 5:12 (NIV84) — 12 The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people...

Acts 5:15–16 (NIV84) — 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

Acts 8:7 (NIV84) — 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed.

Acts 10:46 (NIV84) — 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God...

Acts 14:3 (NIV84) — 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.

Acts 19:6 (NIV84) — 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

Acts 19:12 (NIV84) — 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

All of these verses just outline the profound working and moving of the Holy Spirit in the early church so that the Gospel message in its infancy could be confirmed as being true.

Paul on island of Malta...

Acts 28:3–8 (NIV84) — 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. 7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him.

This profound demonstration of the power of God was what He used to confirm the message of Christ.

Mark 16:20 (NIV84) — 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

The consequences of this working of God is a church today that is just about worldwide!! Praise God for His power and working.

Should we today presume to use this working of God?

I watched video not so long ago of a snake pastor, where he routinely brought snakes into His service, as some demonstration of this power of God... Actually it was probably a show-off for himself, setting himself above others. But as it turned out, one of the snakes bit him quite severely. He tried to act brave, and full of faith, and tell the church that he was healed in Jesus name... well that didn't last very long. The venom got to him, and he had to be rushed to hospital...

Therein is the abuse of these Scriptures, where God really used these signs as a purpose, whereas today that purpose is for the most part something of the past

3. The Ascension of Christ (v.19)

Mark 16:19 (NIV84) — 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

This is the final piece in the Gospel puzzle, if you like: Christ ascended!

Luke 24:50–51 (NIV84) — 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

The book of Hebrews emphasises this aspect of Christ’s ascension into heaven...

Hebrews 1:3 (NIV84) — 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

Hebrews 8:1 (NIV84) — 1 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,

Hebrews 10:12 (NIV84) — 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.

Without the ascension of Jesus into heaven, we should not think that He rules with power.

But because Christ has ascended, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, we can be certain of the Father's good pleasure in His Son

And we can be certain of the full power and authority that Jesus has over all creation.

Many Scriptures speak to this ascension to the right hand of the Father, and of the power that He thus has available to Him.

Psalm 110:1 (NIV84) — 1 The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

Acts 7:55–56 (NIV84) — 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

The religious leaders were appalled at this - and shouted out, blocked up their ears, and charged at Steven and stoned him to death for daring to say these words.

Because of this fact, that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven, we rejoice in a powerful, loving, awesome Saviour!

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV84) — 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Romans 8:34 (NIV84) — 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Conclusion

While this longer ending may not have been originally included by Mark, there is nothing difficult within its contents for us.

Instead, there are glorious truths which are supported by the Biblical witness.

Mark's Gospel account is one of demonstrating the authority and power of Jesus.

But it's also one of demonstrating the deep humility of Jesus - that He came as the "Son of Man" - and lived amongst people, so that He could bring salvation to mankind.

As we conclude our study in Mark's Gospel, we must ask ourselves once again: Have I humbled myself to the Lordship of this Saviour, Jesus?

Am I living my life in Him...

Not in the sense of Him being a convenience to me, because He's my ticket out of hell, or He's the one who can make my life plain-sailing...

But have I recognised my utter sinfulness before a holy God; my wickedness; my rebellion; my hatred of God (maybe not expressed in my words, so much as in my actions); and then looked upon this Jesus Christ, and all the poewr that He demonstrated; and all the love and kindess and grace and compassion...

And have I bowed the knee, saying Lord Jesus: You are God; You are the perfect Saviour; I confess my sinfulness before you; I confess my desperate need for a Saviour; I repent of my sinful ways, and my selfish life; and I confess you as Lord; meaning I DENY myself today; I commit to TAKING UP MY CROSS now and in every day that you grant me and FOLLOWING YOU in my life. My joy is in you alone...

Let that bring suffering; let that bring pain; let that bring the mockery of those in darkness; let that bring torment from those around me; let that bring daily challenges in my life even from the routine and ordinary; I commit myself to following you and living as Christ lived... in humility; in loving service of others; in a life overflowing with the fruit that comes from being filled with your Spirit...

Have you come to that place?

Are you living for Jesus Christ?

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