<< Previous | Index | Next >>"THE GOSPEL OF MARK" He Is Risen! (16:1-14) INTRODUCTION 1. After Jesus was buried, His body lay in the tomb until early Sunday morning... a. On Saturday evening, three women bought spices to anoint Him - Mk 16:1 b. On Sunday morning, they came to the tomb as the sun was rising - Mk 16:2 2. The woman were concerned about access to the tomb... a. It had been sealed with a large stone - Mk 15:46; 16:3 b. But the large stone had been rolled away! - Mk 16:4 3. Entering the tomb, they saw a young man... a. Clothed in a long white robe (an angel) - Mk 16:5; cf. Mt 28:2 b. They were alarmed, but he sought to calm their fears - Mk 16:5-6 4. His message to the women... a. "You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen!" b. "See the place where they laid Him." c. "But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee." d. "There you will see Him, as He had said to you." - Mk 16:6-7 [The women left amazed and afraid (Mk 16:8). But soon their fear would turn into great joy! Not just for them, but for other disciples as well. To appreciate why, let’s survey the appearances of Jesus in all four gospel accounts, plus those listed by Paul...] I. THE APPEARANCES OF CHRIST TO HIS DISCIPLES A. TO MARY MAGDALENE... 1. As described in our text - Mk 16:9-11 2. Expounded by John in his gospel - Jn 20:11-18 B. TO THE OTHER WOMEN... 1. As revealed in Matthew’s gospel - Mt 28:9-10 2. Where Jesus reiterated what the angel had said - ibid. C. TO TWO DISCIPLES WALKING IN THE COUNTRY... 1. As described in our text - Mk 16:12-13 2. Elaborated by Luke in his gospel - Lk 24:13-32 D. TO PETER... 1. Reported after the testimony of the two disciples - Lk 24:33-35 2. Mentioned by Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians - 1Co 15:5 E. TO THE APOSTLES WITH THOMAS ABSENT... 1. Possibly the occasion in our text - Mk 16:14 2. Described in detail by Luke and John - Lk 24:36-43; Jn 20:19-25 F. TO THE APOSTLES WITH THOMAS PRESENT... 1. A week later, as described by John - Jn 20:26-31 2. Mentioned by Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians - 1Co 15:5 G. TO SEVEN DISCIPLES BY THE SEA OF GALILEE... 1. Including Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, James and John - Jn 21:1-2 2. While they were fishing, and then eating together - Jn 21:3-25 H. TO FIVE HUNDRED BRETHREN AT ONCE... 1. Recorded by Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians - 1Co 15:6 2. Possibly in Galilee as directed by the angel and Jesus - Mk 16:7; Mt 28:10,16-17 3. Possibly when the Great Commission was first given - Mt 28:18-20 I. TO JAMES THE LORD’S BROTHER... 1. Recorded by Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians - 1Co 15:7 2. Who previously did not believe, but then became a disciple - Jn 7:5; Ac 1:14 J. TO THE DISCIPLES WITH ANOTHER COMMISSION... 1. Recorded by Luke in his gospel - Lk 24:44-49 2. This time in Jerusalem, shortly before His ascension - Ac 1:3-8 K. TO THOSE PRESENT AT HIS ASCENSION... 1. Recorded in Mark’s gospel - Mk 16:19-20 2. Also by Luke in both of his books - Lk 24:50-53; Ac 1:9-12 [These many appearances were claimed by the disciples of Jesus. One might properly ask, "Why should we believe them?" That we might have the same joy in believing that "He is risen!", consider... II. THE STRENGTH OF THE DISCIPLES’ TESTIMONY A. DEMONSTRATED BY THE NATURE OF THEIR TESTIMONY... 1. Their testimony appealed to empirical evidence a. I.e., evidence derived from experiment and observation rather than theory b. They refused to accept second hand evidence - Mk 16:11,13; Jn 20:25 c. But for forty days they were given infallible proofs - Ac 1:3; 10:41 d. They saw, heard, and touched Him - Jn 20:24-28; 1Jn 1:1-2 2. There is no way they could have been deceived or deluded a. If all they had were individual dreams, visions, or hallucinations...perhaps b. But they testified that Jesus appeared to them in groups as well as to individuals B. DEMONSTRATED BY THEIR TRANSFORMATION... 1. Prior to the resurrection, Jesus’ disciples were afraid and without hope a. They fled at his arrest - Mk 14:50 b. Peter cowardly denied Him three times - Mk 14:66-72 c. The women mourned His crucifixion - Lk 23:27 d. After His death, the disciples were sad - Lk 24:13-17 e. After His death, the disciples hid behind closed doors, for fear of the Jews - Jn 20:19 2. But after the resurrection, they fearlessly praised God and proclaimed Jesus! a. Praising God in the temple - Lk 24:52-53 b. Proclaiming Christ, despite persecution - Ac 5:28-32,41-42 3. This transformation in their lives is strong evidence for the resurrection, as admitted by one Orthodox Jewish scholar: a. "If the disciples were totally disappointed and on the verge of desperate flight because of the very real reason of the crucifixion, it took another very real reason in order to transform them from a band of disheartened and dejected Jews into the most self-confident missionary society in world history." - Pinchas Lapide, former Chairman of the Applied Linguistics Department at Israel’s Bar-Iland University (TIME, May 7, 1979) b. He concluded that a bodily resurrection could possibly have been that reason! C. DEMONSTRATED BY THEIR HIGH MORAL STANDARD... 1. They taught others to live holy lives - 1Th 4:1-7; Ep 4:25 2. They lived their own lives in unimpeachable way - 1Th 2:3-12 -- Does this sound like people who propagate lies when they know better? D. DEMONSTRATED BY THE PRICE THEY PAID... 1. The apostles endured much suffering because of their testimony - 1Co 4:9-13; 2Co 11:23-28 2. All but one died a martyr’s death because of their testimony 3. Even Jesus’ brother, James, was thrown off the temple and then clubbed to death for his testimony -- There was no motive for them to persistently lie about Jesus’ resurrection! CONCLUSION 1. As revealed in Mark’s gospel and those of Matthew, Luke, and John... a. Jesus Christ rose from the dead b. He appeared to many of His disciples c. Who later became witnesses of the resurrection 2. The nature of their witness does not allow for the option of being deceived or deluded... a. Again, they professed empirical evidence b. They claimed to eat and drink with Him, touch Him, see Him 3. If Jesus was not raised from the dead, there is only one alternative... a. These witnesses were liars, deceivers b. Even Paul freely admits this is the only alternative - 1Co 15:14-15 4. Is it reasonable to believe they successfully propagated a lie...? a. Too many people attested to the same fact b. They were not the kind of people to fabricate such a falsehood c. They lived noble lives, and were ALL willing to suffer and die for their testimony! When we carefully examine the lives and testimony of the witnesses of the resurrection, the only reasonable conclusion to draw is that they really saw what they claimed concerning Jesus... "He is risen!"<< Previous | Index | Next >>
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