In The Word
Read: Mark 16:9-20
9 [Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.11 When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it.
12 After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking along on their way to the country. 13 They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.
The Disciples Commissioned
14 Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.]
[And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions. And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.]
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Ever wished that you could have seen what the disciples saw? Or what the children of Israel saw as they left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea? Ever teased yourself by wishing you could walk by sight and not by faith? Well, if you read the accounts, you will find that even seeing is not really believing. We see God move now, and yet, we know that you can see with your eyes and still not believe in your heart.
After the resurrection, the disciples could believe that His death was real, but they could not believe that He lived again, even though He told them plainly beforehand. (John 16:29) These same disciples saw Him do many miracles, and even raise the dead to life. God had used them in miraculous ways, but they could not believe that He was risen.
Mary reported to the disciples while they were mourning and weeping that she had seen Him risen, but they refused to believe her words. After that report, two others reported they had also seen Him, but they did not believe them either. Jesus reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.
Our belief is fundamental to our salvation. “He who has believed, shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”
(Mark 16:16) “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” (John 20:29)