Mark Chapter 16

The Resurrection of Jesus: 
(Read Mark 16:1-14)
The Resurrection account of Jesus begins with the women at the tomb.  Very early on Sunday, just at sunrise they went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with spices.  They wondered how they would remove the large stone away from the entrance of the tomb.  But when they arrived, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away.  They did not get a chance to anoint Jesus as Mary of Bethany did. When there is an opportunity, serve Christ. When they entered the tomb, they saw an angel sitting on the right side dressed in white robe and were afraid.  The angel said to them “Stop being afraid. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here!  Now go and tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you''.   The women went out trembling saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to speak. But when they found the apostles, they privately shared what they had seen and heard. Christ’s resurrection ensures our final victory over sin and death.  Now we can be assured of the fact that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39).  The evidence of Christ’s resurrection is many; the empty tomb, the origin of the church and its growth, the New Testament, the bold witnessing of disciples, and the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. To know more about resurrection, read Matthew 28:1-15. Many Bible scholars conclude that Mark ended his gospel here because verses 9-20 are missing from many of the earliest Greek manuscripts. But their underlying message fits with what we see elsewhere in the Bible.  When Jesus rose from the dead he first appeared to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She found the disciples and told them that Jesus is alive, but they didn’t believe her.   
 
The Conclusion:
(Read Mark 16:15-20)
Jesus gave the great commission to his disciples. "Go into the whole world and preach the gospel to the whole creation".  Whoever believes in Christ shall be saved but whoever does not believe will be condemned. The baptism in the early church was the outward declaration of conversion and the sign of genuine faith in Christ.  It has no saving merit.  Some of the sign gifts mentioned here describe the pattern of apostolic ministry in the early church.  Pray that God would help us to proclaim the gospel by our words and actions. May God bless my readers!