HE HAS RISEN

Mark 16:1-20
Key Verse: 16:6

     "'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the
     Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.
     See the place where they laid him.'"

     Chapter 16 is the story about the glorious resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ. In this story Mark tells that the women who had followed
Jesus before the crucifixion did not run away. They followed Jesus to
the end, even beneath the cross. They followed Jesus, but they did not
believe the resurrection of Jesus. At the time of Jesus' crucifixion,
Jesus' disciples were terrified. Now they were in deep despair and were
hungry. The disciples saw the Risen Christ. But they did not believe
in his resurrection. Still Jesus did not give up on them. The Risen
Christ helped them believe in his resurrection by visiting them first
and teaching them the Bible, the same old, old story. The Risen Christ
also commanded them to go into all the world and preach the gospel.

I.  He has risen (1-14)

First, the women's desire to anoint Jesus' body (1-3). The several
women mentioned here are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and
Salome. Mary, Jesus' mother, Mary Magdalene, John Mark's mother Mary, Mary
the wife of Cleopas; there were many Mary's in the gospels.  These women
had seen God in Jesus and had begun to serve him and his disciples out
of their own expenses. To them, serving Jesus and his disciples was not
easy. But they wanted to serve them with full devotion.  Unexpectedly,
good Jesus died on the cross. Jesus who was so good, was crucified on
the cross between two criminals. They could not understand why such a
good person as Jesus was crucified so tragically. So they began to weep.

     Suppose there is no love in the world, the world would not be
beautiful at all; it would only be desolate like the desert surrounding
Las Vegas. Everybody knows that a woman's love is a beautiful thing. Jesus
died on the cross. But the women who had followed Jesus loved Jesus all
the more and longed for him more than before. They said to themselves,
weeping, "What can we do for Jesus now?" In the past they treasured
some expensive oils and spices. Now they brought them to anoint Jesus'
body. In deep sorrow and pain they waited, not sleeping at all, until
the Sabbath day passed, until the early dawn of the first day of the
week. To them, Friday the thirteenth was too painful and too long.
They came to the tomb of Jesus before the sun rose in order to anoint
his body. As they walked toward the tomb in the early dawn, they worried
about who would roll the stone away from the tomb for them, saying,
"The stone is too heavy for us to move." When they looked up, they saw
that the stone had been rolled away. They were alarmed. Jesus was not
waiting for them to anoint his body.

Second, he has risen, he is not here (4-7). What did the women do? Look
at verse 5. "As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a
white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed." He was an
angel of God keeping watch over Jesus. What did the angel say to them?
Look at verse 6. The young man said to them, "Don't be alarmed. You are
looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is
not here. See the place where they laid him." The angel's message was
the key point of the Bible. It was the key point of Jesus' teaching. The
angel's tiding was good news of great joy to all men. But they did not
believe that Jesus was risen. So they were sorry. They had seen Jesus'
tomb tightly closed up by the stone and the soldiers keeping watch over
it (Mt 27:65,66). Now the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty.
Still the women did not know how to stop weeping.

     The death of Jesus made the earth shake and the rocks split. The
tombs broke open. Speechless nature cried. How much more were the women's
hearts broken. But Jesus' death was not an ordinary man's death. His
death was the death of the Son of God. He was crucified and killed
at the hands of lawless men, but the death of Jesus was not a tragic
death. It was to fulfill God's will for world salvation. Jesus died as
the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29). Acts 2:23-28 say, "This man was handed over
to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help
of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God
raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because
it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. David said about
him: 'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the
grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to
me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'"

     The angel came and told them the good news. "'Don't be alarmed,'
he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He
has risen!'" (6) God did not abandon Jesus who died to obey his will for
world salvation. Acts 2:32,33 say, "God has raised this Jesus to life,
and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God,
he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured
out what you now see and hear." Through Jesus' resurrection God destroyed
the last enemy of mankind, death. In the world, there is no hope because
death swallows up whatever man can possess, even his own life.  1 Peter
1:24,25a say, "For, ‘All men are like grass, and all their glory is like
the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but
the word of the Lord stands forever.'" Again, 1 Peter 1:3 says, "Praise
be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy
he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead...." In Jesus we have a living hope. Nothing
lasts forever. But through Jesus' death and resurrection God gave us a
living hope. Through his resurrection, God's paradise is restored. Those
who believe in him will receive eternal life in the kingdom of God.

     Jesus reminded them of the promise he made to see them again.
Look at verse 7. "But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead
of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" This
good news of his resurrection was not instant; it had been promised and
fulfilled in accordance with Bible prophecies. Especially this promise
was given to the disciples right before his arrest. Mark 14:28 says,
"But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." This
promise has immense background. This promise has two points: Jesus'
death on the cross and his glorious resurrection. During his earthly
messianic ministry, Jesus made a most strenuous effort to plant in his
disciples' hearts his suffering, death and resurrection. The first time
Jesus predicted his death and resurrection was in Mark 8:31. It says,
"He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things
and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and
that he must be killed and after three days rise again." He spoke plainly
about this. How did his disciples respond? "Peter took him aside and began
to rebuke him" (8:32). A second time Jesus wanted to plant his death and
resurrection in their hearts. So he said in Mark 9:31, "The Son of Man is
going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after
three days he will rise." What was the response of his disciples? "But
they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about
it" (9:32). The disciples were idealistic and human glory seeking. So
they could not understand what Jesus was talking about–his death on the
cross and his glorious resurrection which gives us a living hope in the
kingdom of God. Another time, Jesus wanted to plant resurrection faith.
Jesus said in Mark 10:33-34, "We are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of
Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They
will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who
will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later
he will rise." In Mark 14:28 Jesus said to his disciples, "But after I
have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." This promise is short,
but it is the promise taught and realized when Jesus rose from the dead
and went to Galilee ahead of them. This promise is the key point of
the Bible.  This promise is the only living hope for all mankind. But
the disciples did not remember. It was because the promise was too big
to believe and they were too fearful to believe in it in their situation.

     The women were faithful. But they also did not remember his
glorious resurrection promise, because they did not listen to Jesus'
words concerning his death and resurrection. They knew how to serve Jesus,
but they never knew how to listen to Jesus' teaching.

Third, the Risen Christ visits his disciples (8-14). The women who had
heard the angel's message were stunned. So, trembling and bewildered,
they went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone,
because they were afraid (8). The news they had heard from the angel was
the good news of great joy. But they did not believe the resurrection
of Christ because they did not have one promise of God in their hearts.

     Through Jesus' death and resurrection, the power of sin and death
was gone. And eternal life in the kingdom of God came upon those who
believed in him. But the women did not believe. Still, the Risen Christ
did not give up on them. Look at verse 9. "When Jesus rose early on the
first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom
he had driven seven demons." Mary Magdalene was a totally abandoned
person in the society because of her immoral life. She was possessed
by seven demons. She was tortured by seven demons day and night, and
her life was misery itself. But by believing in Jesus she was cured
from demon possession and she became a normal person. Now, this once
wretched woman was the first person in history who saw the glorious
Risen Christ. What a beautiful story of Jesus' grace and truth. Jesus
hoped that she would better understand the spiritual world. She went to
the disciples and told them the fact that Jesus was alive. How did the
disciples respond? They were weeping and mourning, saying, "O my broken
dream, O my marriage problem. My stomach is growling unceasingly." In
self-pity, they did not accept the resurrection message.

     Afterward, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while
they were walking in the country. According to Luke 24, apparently these
two disciples were the ones who were running for their lives to Emmaus
in deep despair after Jesus' crucifixion. The Risen Christ met them and
taught them the Bible persistently. In light of Luke, Jesus taught them
Genesis to Revelation. After the Bible study, their hearts were moved and
their spiritual eyes opened to see the Risen Christ. They were happy. They
felt that they could see the kingdom of God. They felt that the world
was like the kingdom of God. So they came to the other disciples and told
them with great conviction what they had seen and heard–the resurrection
of Christ. But the disciples did not believe. These men were the ones
whom Jesus had called. When they first received his call, they made
great sacrifices to follow Jesus. As they lived with Jesus, they came
to love him. They came to realize that he was not an ordinary man. They
realized that he was the Son of the living God. Once Peter confessed
his faith, "You are the Christ." After this event, Jesus taught them
the meaning of his death and resurrection. At every opportunity Jesus
planted resurrection faith in them. But when Jesus was crucified, they
were paralyzed with fear and could not remember even one word of Jesus.

     What did Jesus do with his unbelieving disciples? Look at verse 14.
"Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked
them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe
those who had seen him after he had risen." The Risen Christ visited his
disciples and rebuked them first for their lack of faith. Their unbelief
came from their lack of faith. One student wants to finish his college
courses and get married. But he does not study. So he cannot graduate.
Without graduating, he cannot marry because no one wants to marry a
bum. He has a lack of desire. Likewise, the disciples could not believe
Jesus' resurrection because they had no faith in Jesus' teachings,
especially about the resurrection of Jesus. They did not believe the
resurrection of Jesus because their hearts were stubborn. The disciples
followed Jesus to learn of him. But they had a fixed idea that Jesus
would establish the earthly messianic kingdom, and each of them would
be his cabinet members. These days many people think that they can buy
happiness with money. One young lady said, "I am not happy with yuppie
life. I want to live poorly and purely like Jesus." Her parents, whose
idea was fixed that money is God, called deprogrammers to brainwash
her. But they failed miserably.

     Most importantly, the disciples could not imagine that a dead man
would came back to life. With many reasons, the disciples' idea was
fixed to the things of the world. They loved Jesus so dearly. But in
believing his promise of glorious resurrection they were very slow.

     Jesus didn't wait until they finished eating. He rebuked them while
they were eating. Jesus' rebuking really worked. Through the Risen
Christ's rebuking they could have resurrection faith in God. We must
remember that Jesus taught his disciples the meaning of his death and
resurrection during his earthly messianic ministry, and during the time
after his resurrection before his ascension.

II.  The Risen Christ gave them the world mission command (15-20)

First, "Go into all the world..." (15). What did Jesus tell these weak
disciples? Look at verse 15. "He said to them,  'Go into all the world
and preach the good news to all creation.'" Jesus gave them the world
mission command, in spite of their spiritual condition. He told them,
"Go into all the world." And he said, "Preach the good news to all
creation."  Of course, Jesus knew that they couldn't afford to go to
foreign countries as missionaries. But Jesus believed that they would
go to the ends of the earth.

     Jesus knew that his disciples were weak. But he also believed that
God would give them the power of the Holy Spirit. He believed that God
would preach the gospel to the whole world. He believed that through these
men God would give his gospel to all the people who are suffering under
the influence of evil spirits. At that time, the disciples were hiding
from the Jewish authorities. They were in a helpless situation. But
Jesus gave them the world mission command. Here we learn that Jesus
wants us to obey his world mission command absolutely, no matter what
the situation is.

Second, the Risen Christ teaches them that the gospel is absolute
(16-18). Jesus also believed that the gospel is absolute. Read verse 16.
"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does
not believe will be condemned." Verse 16 contrasts the extremes of
salvation and condemnation. Those who believe in Jesus will be saved.
Their sins are forgiven. They become heirs of God with Christ. Those who
don't believe in Jesus will be condemned. This condemnation is eternal
punishment. Some people take the gospel lightly and live to satisfy their
own desires and ambitions. They will be condemned to eternal punishment
in the lake of fire. The only way to be saved from eternal punishment
is to believe in the gospel. Only the gospel is good news of great joy
for all men.

     Look at verses 17,18. The Risen Christ promised to give power to
gospel workers. He gives power to cast out demons. He gives power to
speak in tongues. When we really receive the world mission command in
our hearts, our language problem disappears. The last part of verse
18 says, "They will place their hands on sick people, and they will
get well." These words promise healing power to gospel workers. And God
promises that he will take care of his servants. Even though they pick up
snakes or drink poison, they will not be harmed. This means that God will
protect us from all harms when we have absolute faith in Jesus Christ
who died and rose again on the third day. But one church elder was a
little presumptuous. He was attending a hallelujah church. He did not
try to have absolute faith. He wanted to show himself off. He picked
up a poisonous snake before his church members. Then the poisonous
snake bit him and he was swollen to death. Having absolute faith and
experimenting with faith is quite different. So don't pick up snakes
without absolute faith. We cannot carry out the world mission command.
But the Risen Christ will carry it out through us when we have absolute
faith in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Third, after the ascension of the Risen Christ the disciples work
(19-20).  After Jesus finished speaking to his disciples, he ascended
into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. What happened to the
disciples when Jesus ascended into heaven? Look at verse 20. "Then the
disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with
them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." Before
the ascension, the disciples did not have faith in the Risen Christ. But
after the ascension of Jesus, the Spirit of Jesus came upon them. Jesus'
teaching about his death and resurrection began to work. In the past,
they were powerless to do anything. But when they had faith in the
resurrection of Christ, they became powerful servants of God and their
gospel work was powerfully carried out.

     May the Risen Christ rebuke us of our unbelief and plant in our
hearts that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only hope for all
mankind. May the Risen Christ command us: "Go into all the world and
preach the good news to all creation."

     We have studied Mark's Gospel. Mark 10:45 seems to be the key
verse of Mark's Gospel. It says, "For even the Son of Man did not come
to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
The Son of the Most High God did not come to be served, but to serve. We
must learn to serve our Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose
again on the third day. These days so many people are irritable and
unhappy and complaining unceasingly about nothing. It is because they
do not know how to serve others in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But they want to be served by others. So they become selfish and they
are endlessly unhappy living in God's beautiful world. Jesus, even
though he is the Son of Almighty God, came to this world to serve all
kinds of sinners. Finally, he served mankind through his death as a
ransom for many. Thus, he became our King of kings and Lord of lords.
Thus, he became one who is worthy of receiving our honor and glory and
power and wisdom. Today we studied about the resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ. He served us with his body by being crucified on the cross.
But God had mercy on him and raised him on the third day after his death
and made him the Risen Christ. Without the resurrection of our Lord Jesus
Christ, we have no hope because we have no destination after death. But
through his resurrection we have a living hope in the glorious kingdom
of God. We thank our Lord Jesus Christ who gave his life to give us
a living hope in the kingdom of God. May God be gracious unto you and
help you accept the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ so
that the kingdom of God will be yours.


STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Read verses 1-2. Who were the women who brought spices to the
   tomb? What reveals their love for Jesus? Read verse 3-5. What was on
   their minds as they walked along? What amazed and alarmed the women?

2. Read verse 6. What good news did the angel tell them? In what respect
   is this news the key point of the Bible? (Jn 1:29; Ac 2:23-28) What
   mission did the angel give the women? (7) What promise had they
   forgotten? (8; Mk 14:28; 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34)

3. Read verses 8-13. Who brought the good news to the disciples? How did
   they respond? Why? Read verse 14. According to Jesus, why didn't they
   believe? What was their fixed idea?

4. Read verses 15-16. What command did Jesus give the doubting
   disciples? What can we learn here about Jesus' faith? About the
   absoluteness of the gospel?  What is the only way of salvation?

5. Read verses 17-20. What power did Jesus promise gospel workers?
   What protection? How did Jesus continue to help them?