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Home , Mark 1

“HE IS RISEN?” :1-20 3/23/08

Though Christmas is important, Easter is the single most important event on the Christian calendar.

Our faith stands or falls on the historical truthfulness of ’ resurrection. If True If Not True is true Christianity is wishful thinking Jesus is Jesus is a fraud The disciples are truthful The disciples are liars The is true The gospel is false We are forgiven We aren’t forgiven We are going to Who knows if there is a heaven 1. Christ Is Risen: Who Says? How Credible Is It? 16:1-14 Two questions have to be answered. What happened to His body? What about the witnesses? On that first Easter morning everybody agreed that the tomb was empty - Friend and foe alike What happened to the body? It is ridiculous to believe that everybody went to the wrong tomb- friend and foe alike. His enemies wouldn’t have stolen the body. His disciples wouldn’t have stolen it and then been willing to tortured and die for a hoax. It is just as unreasonable to think that Jesus just passed out on the cross and later resuscitated. Pilate checked. :44-45 The soldier ran a spear into His side. John 19:33-34 It would have been impossible for Him to have had to quietly move a 2-ton stone and snuck by the guards and then to have appeared in good health. Then what about the witnesses? The records that Jesus appeared at least 10 times over a period of 40 days to a total of over 500 people. Mark 16:9-11; John 20:11-18 The other women :9-10 Peter Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5 Two men going to Emmaus Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13- 32 Ten of the disciples in the Upper Room Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25 All eleven disciples John 20:26-31 Seven disciples by the Sea of Tiberias John 21:1-25 All eleven disciples on a mountain in . Matthew 28:16-20 The disciples and over 500 in Galilee. 1 Corinthians 15:6-7 Those who witnessed the ascension. Mark 16:19; Luke 24:44-53; Acts 1:3-12 Later Jesus appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus And it dramatically changed the direction of his life. cf Acts 9:1-6 cf 1 Corinthians 15:8 In Mark’s gospel we have four of these post-resurrection appearances of Jesus recorded. It is important to note that these people weren’t expecting a resurrection. Christ’s resurrection was the farthest thing from their minds.

2 1 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary bought spices so that they might finish preparing Jesus’ body for burial. They weren’t anticipating an . They were coming to anoint a lifeless body. When they visited the cemetery they didn’t expect to see an empty grave. 3 They were fretting over how they would get into the tomb. 11 When Mary reported that she had seen the resurrected Jesus, the disciples refused to believe it. 13 When the two disciples who had encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus reported back to the others, again they did not believe them. John 20:24-25 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." It wasn’t until Jesus appeared again and Thomas saw, and touched Jesus that he believed. Cf John 20:26-31 Jesus wasn’t a phantom spirit or vision. He was the real, live, flesh and bones Jesus!!! cf Luke 24:39 It doesn’t seem like that the disciples invented the resurrection story. First, the description of the disciples is not flattering, but it is honest and real 14 Jesus reproaches them for their unbelief and hardness of heart.

3 Second, the resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the apostles’ changed lives and their willingness to die for their faith. They saw the empty tomb. They met the risen Lord They came to believe the Word of God . . . “ . . . that Christ died for our according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) It is only after seeing the resurrected Jesus, that these disillusioned skeptics became confirmed believers. And they suffered greatly for it. The only logical explanation is the one they gave. They had seen the resurrected Jesus. 2. Christ Is Risen: So What? What Difference Should It Make To Me? Why Should I Care? 16:15-18 If Christ is risen then He is who He said He was and it is important that we listen to what He said. Jesus is God come in flesh. He is not a fraud. He did die for our sins. We are forgiven. We can look forward to going to heaven sometime in the future. a. If you are a Christian, go into the world and proclaim this good news. vv. 15, 17-18 The disciples turned the pagan world upside down. Their boldness impacted thousands.

4 It has been said that wherever they went there was either a revival or a riot. We are likewise commissioned to proclaim His message of hope and . The message that Jesus died and rose again, so that they can be spared from God’s coming judgment Challenge people to examine the evidence for the resurrection. 17-18 These signs were reserved for the first century apostles. 2 Corinthians 12:12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. Hebrews 2:3-4 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the according to His own will. But we still have the word of God and the Spirit of God. Romans 1:16a For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who . . . John 16:7-8 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning and righteousness and judgment Frank Wallace b. If you are not a Christian, Jesus calls for you to believe and be baptized. v. 16 Because of Christ’s death on the cross, you can be forgiven of your sins.

5 Because of the empty tomb, you can have assurance that what you believe is true. Because of the empty tomb, you can have hope of life after death in heaven with God. Mark’s gospel ends in the same place he began. Mark 1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." here is the outward response of an inward faith. It is not essential for salvation The thief on the cross was unable to be baptized, yet Jesus promised him, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Baptism doesn’t save us, but it is an important response for those who truly believe. 3. Christ Ascended: What’s Next? 16:19-20 cf Acts 1:1-11 Jesus is coming again as Savior and as Judge. Which will He be for you? Hebrews 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. John 14:2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

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