Unbelief Removed

Mark 16:9 -20. Unbelief removed.

Marks gospel has come to abrupt end - very much in the style of the pen writer Mark to have stopped it as he has done with the fear and bewilderment of the women in awe of the resurrection, leaving us all to make or own decisions. But at the very start He made it clear that this was the gospel about Jesus Christ the Son of God. And the resurrection should leave us in no doubt of the fact.

And if you are still in doubt here we have an added postscript to Marks gospel (scholars believe this wasn’t written originally by Mark) summing up the 40 day period after the resurrection. But this is an excellent overview for us to see how unbelief is removed in our lives.

• True story of a man in New York City, where Horace Greeley’s Statue now stands, stood a man offering $20 gold pieces for $1 each. All day he kept up loudly announcing his wares, but of the thousands that passed him, most paid no attention and others either laughed or scowled at him. About 15 minutes before six o’clock, when he was about to quit, a woman timidly approached him and, after carefully investigating the gold piece, by biting it and testing its sound, but throwing it on the pavement, she reluctantly paid the dollar and pocketed the golden double eagle. Ten minutes later, just as the man was about to go home, the woman reappeared accompanied by two friends and between them they purchased the rest of the man’s stock, worth $160, for $8 in bills.

The next day and for several following mornings, the street was crowded for blocks with the same woman in the lead waiting for the vender of gold coins, but he never appeared again.

This story is known to be true the man was Horace Greeley who came to New York with $10 1831 and started the (New York tribune) - responsible for the incident in demonstration of his theory that most poverty is due to the fact that the general public refuses to believe even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Here we see a continually emphasis upon their refusal to believe v11 – v13 – v14

Unbelief leads people into a spiritual poverty - Despite the eye witnesses accounts –the circumstantial evidence – the growth of Christianity -the changed lives –. Friends there is something wonderful on offer today – greater than any gold pieces - eternal life. But how can it be? How can I have my unbelief removed? Jesus rebuked his disciples for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe v14

1. Unbelief is removed by seeing. v9,12,14 key verses) come - see

Here we see that firstly unbelief removed by coming and seeing Jesus - Jesus was crucified incontrovertible fact – Jesus died and was laid in a tomb another incontrovertible fact and friends here is the next incontrovertible fact that Jesus is alive and has appeared before people v9 Mary Magdalene v12 two on the road to Emmaus v14 to the disciples and notice it wasn’t until they did see Him did they believe. Because both Mary and the two returning from Emmaus even when they told the disciples v11, 13 they did not believe it.

How about Jesus appearance to us? It wasn’t until they saw with their own eyes heard with their own ears and touched with their own hands did they truly believe.

• You might be saying Aubrey - we can’t meet Jesus in the way these disciples meet Jesus - well that’s where you wrong because one day the way these disciples saw Jesus we too will see Him

• Phil. 2:10 at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God.(Not as Judge but as Saviour and Lord)

But don’t leave it to that point if as yet you don’t believe - because it will be too late to believe you can see Him and meet him today not with the human eyes but with the eyes of faith.

In John 20:29 Jesus said to Thomas, because you have seen you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Jesus is referring to those who would believe through the eyes of faith.

You see it with the eyes of faith today - that you see Jesus, and unbelief is removed as C.H.Spurgeon once said of faith “Faith sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, touches the intangible and does the impossible.”

This is when the Soul of a human being comes into contact with the Divine living God and receives the gift of faith. Friends have you seen Jesus in this way? If so you are blessed, unbelief has been removed – you have faith and have meet with Jesus. If as yet you do not believe - why not come to Him now and see for yourself not only by facts but by faith.