Jesus is Alive!

INTRO

Mark 16 is the final chapter of the Gospel of Mark. Yesterday in Mark 15, Joseph and Nicodemus prepared Jesus’ body for burial. But a dead Savior does no good––He would be just a normal, everyday man. But Jesus is more than that. Romans 4:25 said Jesus was delivered up for our sins (trespasses), but He was raised for our justification. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Paul clarified the gospel. Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures.

Today, we’re going to talk about Jesus’ appearances after His resurrection. Jesus appeared to many people (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). Our one word for Mark is the word Servant. In the first 13 chapters, we talked about the ways Jesus served us. Then we talked about the ways the disciples could have served Jesus. In Mark 14, while in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus, they could have stayed awake and prayed. In Mark 15, after Jesus was crucified, Joseph and Nicodemus buried His body.

Rhoads and Michie said, “In the final scenes in Jerusalem, the minor characters especially exemplify the admonition to be ‘servant of all.’” Earlier Jesus served others. Now, in His time of need, others served Him. Simon the Leper received Jesus in his house. A woman anointed Him with ointment worthy of a year’s salary. Simon of Cyrene took up His cross. Joseph took His body from the cross and buried Him. A group of women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus after His death. These actions of service for Jesus were done by people who courageously sacrificed and risked something—money, arrest, reputation—to carry them out. These minor characters served Jesus because they saw how Jesus served them.¹

TEACHING

Mark 16:1: When the Sabbath was over, the women brought spices to anoint Jesus’ body. They were ready to serve a dead body.

Mark 16:2-3: They went to the tomb at sunrise, all the while wondering who would roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb. They weren’t strong enough to move the stone. They weren’t thinking about the Roman soldiers, but about caring for Jesus’ body. Matthew 27:62-66 describes why Roman soldiers guarded Jesus’ tomb. The Pharisees had asked Pilate to secure the tomb because “while this deceiver was still alive, He said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’” They wanted to make sure the disciples couldn’t steal the body and then claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. So, Pilate had sealed the tomb and placed guards before it.

Mark 16:4-5: Surprise #1: The stone had been rolled away. Surprise #2: The women entered the tomb and were amazed and alarmed when they saw a young man (an angel) dressed in a white robe. Luke 24:4 says two men (angels) “stood by them in dazzling clothes.”

Mark 16:6: Surprise #3: The angel delivered the message that Jesus had risen from the dead. Did the women expect to hear this message? No. How do we know? They had taken spices to complete the burial customs. They had full expectation that Jesus’ dead body would still be in the tomb.

Mark 16:7-8: The angels told the women to go and tell Jesus’ disciples, and Peter, that Jesus was going ahead of them to Galilee. Before His death, Jesus had told them He would meet them in Galilee after His resurrection (Mark 14:27-28). So, the women ran from the tomb. Mark recorded that initially they told no one because they were afraid.

Mark 16:9-10: By comparing this account with John 20, we learn that the women ran to tell Peter and John, and then ran back to the tomb. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene at the tomb because she stayed there while the other women ran to the disciples. Who was the first person that Jesus appeared to? A woman. Mary Magdalene then reported to the disciples who were mourning and weeping. In another Gospel it says Jesus appeared to the other women as well (Matthew 28:9). Luke 24:34 says Jesus appeared to Peter. Over the course of 40 days, Jesus appeared to many people.

Mark 16:11-13: The disciples didn’t believe Mary Magdalene’s report. Jesus then appeared “in a different form to two of them” walking in the country. This was when Jesus talked with two believers on the road to Emmaus, which was covered in more detail in Luke 24:13-22. These believers reported this to the disciples, but they didn’t believe this account either.

Mark 16:14: Later, Jesus appeared to the 11. At this point, Judas had committed suicide after betraying Jesus, and they had not yet added Matthias. Jesus rebuked their hardness of heart and unbelief. How many times had they refused to believe those who had seen Him after His resurrection? How many times did Jesus say these events would happen? In Mark 8:31, Jesus told them the Son of Man must suffer . . . and then rise again. The message didn’t stop with His burial. In Mark 9:31, Jesus told them a second time what would happen. Mark 10:32-33 records the third time Jesus told them what would happen to Him. Mary Magdalene reported she had seen Jesus and they refused to believe her.

If you don’t let the resurrection sink in, His death and burial are pointless to who we are in Christ. He has defeated all the weight of the sin of the world past, present, and future. He carried and bore the curse of the law according to Galatians 3:13. All of that was wiped away through the resurrection. The disciples had forgotten what God had told them.

Mark 16:15-16: Jesus told them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” This included Jews and Gentiles. Everybody needs to hear that Jesus died, was buried, and has come back to life. Jesus also said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” The emphasis is on belief, not baptism, because those who don’t believe are condemned (not those who aren’t baptized). Salvation comes through faith, through belief. Baptism is an incredible way to outwardly express your inner faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. The best way to serve Jesus is to go and tell somebody the gospel.

Mark 16:17-18: Jesus described some signs that would accompany those who believe. They would drive out demons and speak in new languages (we’ll come back to the next two). They would lay hands on the sick, who would get well (v. 18b). The Holy Spirit wants to move through us to see these things happen. Verse 18 also describes picking up snakes. This doesn’t mean we should go looking for snakes (Matthew 4:7 says don’t test God). But if you’re sharing the gospel and for some reason you have to pick up a snake, don’t worry; it won’t harm you. If you drink anything deadly, it won’t harm you. As you continue to advance the kingdom of God, to tell the message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, you’ll be fine.

Mark 16:19-20: Right after speaking to them, Jesus was taken up to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. Jesus, in a miraculous way, is no longer in the tomb. The disciples went out and preached everywhere the message of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus is alive! The Lord worked with them and confirmed their words through the accompanying signs just described.

CLOSING

The Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24, John 20; and Acts 1. When Jesus’ servants began to realize that Jesus had gone through death, burial, and resurrection, they could not contain the good news any longer. We cannot contain this good news any longer; we have to go out and preach who Christ is. My challenge to you is this: Don’t stay quiet any longer—go tell people He’s alive!