MARK

Mark Chapter 16

• Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
• 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
• 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
• 4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
• 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
• 6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
• 7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
• 8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

This last chapter of Mark is our joy, our hope and our salvation.

He is risen. We have sung in many songs over the years over that fact. Do we realize what that means? He is risen and so will we be. In the Lord's eyes we who receive Him as Lord and savior have passed from death unto life. Being made dead to sin through Him, we are made alive through His resurrection. We were once dead in trespasses and sin but are made alive by the power of the Holy Spirit and the new birth.

What happens when we are born again, will also happen when this old body dies. It is changed into a new body that cannot die anymore. The new birth brings this to us now in the Spirit and then later in the physical. We become born again by His Spirit and all things become new. This is now.

When receive Jesus into our lives, we are made dead to sin and alive to God. We have the promise of eternal life and the body that our soul and spirit is housed in now will also be made new with a body that is incorruptible. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead with a new body that cannot die anymore, we who believe in Him will also inherit that new body which cannot ever die again.

We will be raised incorruptible with a sinless soul, body and spirit. The soul and spirit of us does not die. That is why we must take heed to make sure of our salvation. If we miss the way of salvation which God has provided for us, then our bodies may die but that soul and spirit will be alive somewhere either in the presence of God or in the pits of hell. Now is the day of salvation. Don't wait another hour, accept the Lord today and get all our ugly sins under the blood of Jesus Christ and receive the eternal salvation He had provided for you.

No pleasure, no riches, no friends are worth losing our eternal life for. Life in this present body is short and temporary. If we gain all riches, honor, and power in this life and lose our soul for eternity, what profit is it? Eternity is forever and ever, this life is a blink of the eye. It passes away quickly. What profit is it if we gain the whole world and lose our soul?

The scribes and Pharisees thought that Jesus was permanently dead and could not trouble them anymore. They could now be the chiefs of religion and authority again. No one was around to threaten their power with the people anymore. Or so they thought. Just as the scripture said, after three days, the women came to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus.

Their hearts were right but they forgot that a large stone covered the mouth of the tomb. They said, "Who is going to roll away the stone?" This was a heavy, large stone or else they could have moved it themselves. They came to the tomb and were very surprised to see the stone rolled away.

When Pilate set guards to watch the tomb to make sure no one could steal the body away and claim that Jesus had risen from the dead, he actually proved the power of the resurrection. Back then the guards were not allowed to sleep on the job. Had they fallen asleep as it is reported among the Jews up until today, they would have been put to death. To those who think Jesus didn't really die and was temporarily unconscious and revived, he would have been too weak to roll a large stone away from the inside. Besides that, the guards would have seen him if that were possible.

If the disciples had come and stolen the body, what happened to the guards? Even if they were asleep, there is no way that the disciples could have rolled away a stone and taken Jesus out without waking them up. Nevertheless, the resurrection of Jesus cannot be believed with our human intellect and reasoning. This is something that has to come by faith. Faith comes by hearing the word and the power of the Holy Spirit brings understanding of the word and the word takes root in the spirit of men and women. This produces faith that causes us to believe in the literal resurrection of Jesus.

Our faith is then exercised and by repenting of sins and receiving in our spirit the Spirit of God, we become born again. The Holy Spirit then witnesses within us the truth of the resurrection. Why do many believe in God, in Jesus Christ, in the resurrection, in the New Birth in spite of all the opposition of science, education and atheism in our world today? It is by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is by something we cannot take lightly, that which we call faith. Faith is powerful, it brings eternal life, it brings healing, it brings joy in the middle of sorrow, it brings hope in the middle of despair. Faith is why a person can go to a secular college and sit and hear the theory of evolution taught all day long for weeks on end and still come out believing in a God who created us, in the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection.

I am sure that type of education would challenge faith and I don't recommend purposely subjecting ourselves to that temptation but I believe in a powerful, Holy God who is greater than all this unbelief and lies of deception being taught in our institutions of learning today. He has been around a whole lot longer than our colleges, universities and all the technology of man in our world today. The discovery that we all possess a different DNA is another proof that we were created by a higher power.

What happened to the guards? According to Matthew:

• Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
• 2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
• 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
• 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men."

• Mark 16:7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
• 8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

The angel at the tomb instructed the women to go tell the others disciple. Notice that he specified Peter. The Lord probably wanted to assure Peter that he still was one of His disciples. Peter was still accepted by the Lord.

• Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
• 10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
• 11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
• 12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
• 13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

When Mary told of the resurrection of Jesus, no one believed her. In spite of the fact that Jesus told them time and again of His impending death, burial and resurrection, they did not believe. In spite of the miracles of healing, even some being raised from the dead, and devils being cast out, they still did not believe. They were there mourning and weeping because their friend Jesus had died, and when told that He was alive, they did not believe it.

• Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Jesus appeared in person and upbraided them for their unbelief. Unbelief is the greatest hindrance to salvation, healing or anything else. For some reason faith is the key to everything. Faith is powerful. Faith is mighty. Without faith it is impossible to receive anything from God.

Here are the Lord's final instructions before He temporarily leaves them to return to His Father.

• Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
• 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
• 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
• 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

His first instructions were to go into the entire world and preach the gospel to every creature. The entire world, all race, kindred, tongue and people were to hear. The gospel is for everybody.

He makes it plain, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved and those that do not believe shall be damned." I didn't say this, Jesus did. Jesus is the only way of salvation and eternal life. There is no other way. We are saved by faith in Him to provide our salvation and freedom from sin. Our sin will bring us everlasting punishment, we have to be made free from sin. Jesus came to free us from sin and bring us eternal life.

Signs are to follow believers. They will cast out devils in His name, they will speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it will not hurt them.

I think these scriptures is the reason so many try to remove Mark out of the canon of scripture but we can't do that because Jesus did miracles in the other gospels and told His followers to do them also. I don't believe that when the disciples died that the miracles were to end. Those who come after are to become disciples too and do the works that Jesus did. We are to preach the gospel, cast out devils, heal the sick, and speak with new tongues.

I will add my own comment here. I don't believe signs and wonders are for a sideshow to glorify any man or woman. The signs and wonders are to show who Jesus is and to bring people to Jesus. They are to glorify God and bring people to the knowledge of Jesus as their savior. They are not to make a big name for any one person. Also signs are given to confirm the word that is preached.

Taking up serpents is not for a big sideshow, neither is drinking poison on purpose. If a person is walking in the Spirit and power of the Holy Ghost and happens to run across a serpent or accidentally drink something poisonous, it is not supposed to harm him. This is what the bible says here and it is a thing completely by faith. This is hard for the natural man in us to comprehend. This is supernatural. I never think that we are to go look for serpents and do this on our own.

Here is an example:

• Acts 23:3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
• 4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
• 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
• 6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

Paul did not purposely go looking for snakes. We are also to lay hands on the sick fully expecting them to get well because the bible says, "They shall recover." Why this does not always happen, I don't know but I do know what the word says, "They shall recover." That is all I know.

The Lord says to preach the word, heal the sick, if it doesn't always turn out then we should continue to preach the word and heal the sick anyway and seek the Lord for wisdom to help us understand why all are not healed. I might add that not all we preach to about salvation are saved either so do we stop preaching salvation? So why stop praying for the sick just because all are not healed?

• James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
• 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
• 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

In James chapter 5:

• James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

We must go by what the scriptures say and not our human reasoning. Obey the word of the Lord and let God take care of the results.

• Mark 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
• 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

God gives us many proofs and witnesses:

• Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Before they went to do what the Lord commanded they had to receive the power of the Holy Ghost. According to the other gospels and the book of Acts, there is a space of time between verse 19 of Mark and verse 20.
 
Jesus was then lifted up and went back to heaven with His Father until the time of His return.

• Acts 1:3 To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
• 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
• 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

The disciples did not preach the gospel until after they obeyed the word of Jesus and went to Jerusalem in a place where they waited and sought God. When they received the Holy Spirit and were endued with power sent from God, then they went to preach the gospel and heal the sick. Signs followed them. They spoke with new tongues. They laid hands of the sick and did all that Jesus commanded.

That is what we are to do today. All these things are supernatural and not natural gifts of the Spirit. Our natural talents and gifts are to be used for the glory of God too but these mentioned here are not manmade gifts of healing by a doctor or hospital. These are by the power of God. God can use the natural healing of doctors, nurses and medicine but this spoken of here is supernatural power. This power is the kind that raised Jesus from the dead.

This kind does not take thousands of dollars of college education and medical school. Not than I'm putting down a college education or medical school, but I'm only pointing out that this power is supernatural and by the Spirit of God. It comes by faith and the power of the Holy Spirit, not by man.

Speaking in tongues or in other languages is not the natural language we learn by studying a language. This is the gift that comes when one is baptized in the Holy Spirit. This is a language we speak which allows us to pray in the spirit and pray according to the will of God with groaning that cannot be uttered by our natural intellect. It edifies the one doing the praying. Speaking in tongues is praying in the spirit with praise, adoration to the God who brought us the way of salvation. This strengthens us spiritually and helps us to pray when we don't know what to pray about.

Our attitude toward speaking in other tongues should never be "Do I have to speak in tongues to be saved?" It should be "When do I get to speak in tongues?" This is a gift, not something that we should have to get. He, (the Holy Spirit) is someone we should desire to receive. If our attitude is "Do we Have to?" Then we do not desire all the things we are offered by our Lord.

Natural gifts are to be used for spreading the gospel and doing good things but is should never be a replacement for the power of the Holy Ghost that is for us today. The same power that the disciples and other followers received on the Day of Pentecost is for all those who believe then and now.

I don't care who we may know who has claimed to have all this and has messed up in some way. That does not change the word of God. If someone receives Christ and stops serving Him and goes back into the world, that does not make null and void the whole plan of salvation. So if someone claims to have been baptized in the Holy Spirit and goes back into sin or try to rob God of glory and receive all the glory himself, that does not mean that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is not real.

If not all the sick are healed when we pray for them that does not mean that there is no healing today that is supernatural. God's word is still His word no matter what we human beings may do to mess it up. It remains true and unchanged.

Lets keep our eyes on Jesus and the bible He provided us and not on what others say and do. DC