Resurrection & Ascension (Mark 16)

Who did Jesus meet after His resurrection? What will happen to whoever believes and is baptized? What did the disciples do after Jesus ascended to heaven? Are we continuing that legacy? Let’s find out in Mark 16.

What happened after sunset, when the Sabbath ended, and the following Sunday morning early?

Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside. (Mark 16:1-4 NLT)

What did the women discover? What were they told?

Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed. He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him! But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.’” (Mark 16:5-7 WEB)

Did they leave the tomb quickly? Why were they afraid?

Overcome with terror and dread, they fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. (Mark 16:8 CEB)

Who did Jesus first meet after His resurrection?

Very early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen to life, he appeared to Mary Magdalene. Earlier he had forced seven demons out of her. She left and told his friends, who were crying and mourning. Even though they heard that Jesus was alive and that Mary had seen him, they still would not believe it. (Mark 16:9-11 CEV)

Did Jesus also appear to others after His resurrection?

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. (Mark 16:12-13 ESV)

Did Jesus also appear to the eleven remaining disciples? Why did He rebuke them? What two step approach did He summarize as the way to salvation?

Later, He appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw Him after He had been resurrected. Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; they will pick up snakes; if they should drink anything deadly, it will never harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:14-18 HCSB)

Did Jesus then ascend to heaven? Did the disciples then go and preach everywhere?

So the Lord Jesus, after talking with his disciples, was taken up to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. Then his disciples went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the signs that accompanied it. (Mark 16:29-20 ISV)

Who did Jesus meet after His resurrection? What will happen to whoever believes and is baptized? What did the disciples do after Jesus ascended to heaven? Are we continuing that legacy? You decide!