In The Word
Read: Mark 16:9-20
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. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
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.
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 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.
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)