Many years ago, a man climbed up on the side of the Brooklyn Bridge and was about to jump when a policeman grabbed him and drew him back. The man protested, “You don’t understand how miserable I am and how hopeless my life is. Please, let me go.”
The officer tried to talk him out of it. He told the man, “I will make this proposition to you. You take five minutes and give your reasons why life is NOT worth living, and then I will take five minutes and give my reasons why I think life IS worth living both for you and for me. If at the end of ten minutes you still feel like jumping, I will not stop you.”
So the man spoke for five minutes. The officer spoke for five minutes; and at the end of ten minutes, they joined hands and jumped off the bridge together. (Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, #6540)
They had lost their hope like a lot of people these days. With the loss of loved ones, the loss of financial security, or the loss of health, many are reeling in sea of despair.
It was not all that different for Jesus’ original followers nearly 2,000 years ago. If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Mark 16, Mark 16, where we see how Jesus brought hope to the hopeless.
Mark 16:1-3 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” (ESV)
This was a legitimate concern, because the typical stone which covered cave-like graves in those days 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, that was simple enough to do, but to move the stone away from the entrance to the tomb was next to impossible. Bible scholars 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 whole 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 anxious.
Mark 16:4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. (ESV)
The weight of their worries is gone!
Mark 16:5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. (ESV)
First, they were anxious, and now they’re alarmed!
Mark 16:6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. (ESV)
The angel, 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 in a heap with the face cloth “folded up in a place by itself” according to John’s account in John 20 (John 20:6-7).
The mummy wrapped body of our Lord had just disappeared, allowing the wrappings of cloth to collapse right where they were. 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). Jesus has indeed risen! The empty tomb and the empty grave clothes prove it. So there can only be one response.
Mark 16:7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” (ESV)
Jesus is risen! Go and tell somebody. Go and tell His disciples AND Peter, the one who had failed Jesus so miserably. Go and tell these discouraged, disheartened, and miserable disciples that Jesus wants to meet them in Galilee. Oh what grace!
Mark 16:8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. (ESV)
First, they were anxious. Then they were alarmed. Now they’re afraid. Literally, they were beside themselves with fear.
And you would be too! Graveyards are scary places especially in the twilight of dawn. Imagine yourself being there. You find one of the tombs open – a big two-ton rock blown away; and when you get enough nerve to peek in, somebody (perhaps a ghost) is sitting there. I don’t imagine you would stick around too long either.
These ladies are anxious, alarmed and afraid. In a word, they’re confused like so many people today. Our world is a scary place, and many people just don’t know what to do anymore. There seem to be no answers to the problems we face. That’s when we need to “See the place where they laid [Jesus]”. See that it is empty. See that Jesus is indeed alive! My dear friends…
DON’T BE CONFUSED any longer.
Don’t be anxious, alarmed and afraid anymore, because Jesus is risen from the dead. Instead…
BE CONFIDENT.
Be hopeful. Be sure of a grand and glorious future with your risen Lord!
Imagine the mystery and delight of not just hearing, but seeing the story of Jesus for the first time, almost as an eyewitness.
That's what happened to a tribe in the jungles of East Asia when missionaries showed them the Jesus film. Not only had these people never heard of Jesus, they had never seen a motion picture. Then, on one unforgettable evening, they saw it all—the gospel in their own language, visible and real.
The saw this good man, Jesus, who healed the sick and was adored by children, held without trial and beaten by jeering soldiers. As they watched this, the people came unglued. They stood up and began to shout at the cruel men on the screen, demanding that this outrage stop.
When that didn’t happen, they attacked the missionary running the projector. Perhaps he was responsible for this injustice! The missionary was forced to stop the film and explain that the story wasn't over yet; there was more. So they settled back onto the ground, holding their emotions in tenuous 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 another time. The missionary again tried to calm them, explaining that the story still wasn't over; there was more. So they composed themselves and sat down to see what happened next.
Then came the resurrection. Pandemonium broke out this time, but for a different reason. The gathering had spontaneously erupted into a party. The noise now was of jubilation, and it was deafening. The people were dancing and slapping each other on the back. Christ is risen, indeed!
Again the missionary had to shut off the projector; this time 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)
Let me tell you: when the truth of the resurrection grips your heart, there can be no other response. The confusion and fear is replaced with celebration and joy! And that’s what Jesus wants for you. That’s what Jesus wants for me. 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.
Now, before we move on, I need to say something about the note in some of your Bibles. Do you see it there after verse 8? It says something like this: “Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9-20”. Well, let me assure you. That’s only about THREE manuscripts. The majority of manuscripts (now numbering close to 10,000), from ALL the major families of manuscripts, include the ending of the Gospel of Mark that we’re about to read. So I believe this is an accurate record of Jesus’ post resurrection appearances. First, He 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, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. (ESV)
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 these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. (ESV)
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.
Sir Edward Clark, in a letter to a friend, wrote: “As a lawyer I have made a prolonged study of the evidence for the events of the first Easter 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).
Josh McDowell, at one time an 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 and more!
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 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. (ESV)
Jesus wants to leave no doubt in their mind whatsoever that He has 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. And this is no lie, for these same men died proclaiming the truth of the resurrection when denying it would have spared their lives. Let me tell you: 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 a grand and glorious future with Jesus even in these difficult days.
Five years ago, John Ortberg, pastor and author of a number of best-selling Christian books, spoke words to his congregation at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, which are even more true today than they ever were.
He said, “I cannot think of an Easter in recent memory where there was a bigger need for hope, for something that would breathe life into the human spirit. A year ago, so many people… felt like they were on pretty solid ground. [Now they] find themselves in circumstances they never would have predicted.
“A lot of people… are feeling anxious. They have pressures… that they did not have [before]. They [regret] decisions they've made over this last year. They wonder where things will stand a year from now.
“Nobody ever wants a season of hard times…to come, but when they do, they have a way of making you…ask, What am I really counting on? That's why I've been looking forward to Easter… [a time when] we gather to remember the only hope capable of sustaining a human life through everything.
“People have not gathered for the past 2,000 years 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.’ Here's 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)
My dear friends, don’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…
GO AND TELL SOMEONE!
Share the good news with your friends and family. Tell everyone 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 proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. (ESV)
Tell the good news to everyone!
Following an Easter service some time ago (2003), a woman approached her pastor and asked, “So what happened with Jesus after the Resurrection?”
“Well,” the pastor replied, “He ascended into heaven and he's still alive.”
“I know he was resurrected,” she said, “but he's alive?" she asked.
“Yes, he's alive,” the pastor replied.
And the lady said, “Alive? ALIVE?! Why didn't you tell me?!”
For the next two weeks, she telephoned everyone she knew and exclaimed, “Jesus is alive! Did you know he's alive?!” (Eric Reed, Leadership Weekly, 4-13-04; www.PreachingToday.com)
When the truth of Christ’s resurrection grips your heart, you can’t keep it to yourself; so tell somebody. That’s what Jesus told his disciples to do. Then he said to them…
Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (ESV)
Literally, “the believer and baptized one shall be saved”. In the New Testament, there was no such thing as an unbaptized believer. They were all 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 here.
Baptism was just an expression of that belief, and it should be an expression of your belief today. Jesus commanded that all believers be baptized (Matt. 28:19-20), not for their salvation, but as a testimony that they are following Christ.
My dear friends, if you are a believer in Christ and have not yet been baptized, what’s holding you back? Please, don’t be disobedient to Christ any longer. Get a hold of me this today, and we’ll set up a time to get you baptized.
It’s a great way to share the good news of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, and 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 to a new way of life. Don’t put it off any longer. Contact me today and let’s get this done!
Jesus told his disciples to share the good news, 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 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (ESV)
Now, before you go drinking deadly poison and picking up serpents, you have to realize that these signs were given only to Jesus’ apostles. They are his only audience here.
You see, 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 the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs. (ESV)
They scattered all over the world, sharing the good news 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.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! So don’t be confused any longer. Instead, be confident and share the good news!
In November 2010, a wedding party in Glenelg, Australia, was posing for pictures on a scenic ledge right after the wedding ceremony. Then, all of a sudden, a woman not in the party fell into the water and started drowning. The best man, dressed in his tuxedo, jumped in and brought the woman back toward shore. The bride, a trained nurse, waded into the water and started administering CPR. By the time the rescue squad had arrived, the woman had regained consciousness.
One safety official said, “[The victim] was very lucky that the bridal party was there and they acted quickly and got her to the shallows.” After the daring rescue operation, the drenched but heroic best man and the bride happily rejoined the wedding party and continued with the festivities. (Best man jumps off Glenelg Jetty to save woman, News.com.au, 11-29-10; www.PreachingToday.com)
I close with this story, because it illustrates what Christ has called His church to do here in Mark 16. We have enjoyed the celebration this morning, the celebration of our Lord’s resurrection. Now, it’s time to dive in and save somebody. Go and share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, “for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
