Believe and Proclaim - Mark 16:9-20

Mark 16:9-20 Believe and Proclaim 2020-07-12 Believe in and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ Difficulties of this passage and different approach to teaching this morning - Scripture has manuscripts in abundance, and more being found. An article from the Institute for Creation Research says there are around 25,000 manuscripts of the New Testament, compared to 10 for Caesar’s Gallic Wars and 5 for Arisotle’s Poetics. Sean McDowell writes that a stack of manuscripts for the average classical writer would measure about 4 feet high, but a stack of manuscripts for the New Testament would stack to more than 1 mile high. - More manuscripts are strengthening the Biblical text, not refuting it or causing doubt. Manuscripts are being found that are closer to the time of the original writing, which in many cases are believed to be even more accurate to the original writing. - Later ending to Mark’s original gospel - Doesn’t carry the weight of Scripture, but the accounts in it are consistent with Scripture “In any case, the doctrines that are found in this passage are consistent with what is taught throughout the New Testament. Thus, we can read and study it with confidence and profit.” - RC Sproul. Passage: Mark 16:9-20 Believe in and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unbelief Despite Increasing Testimony (vv.9-13) 1. v.9 “Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene…” - I’ll just point out here that this is a bit odd, if it were original to Mark’s gospel, that he would back up and reintroduce us to Mary Magdalene. But Luke’s gospel gives us this bit of information about her. 1. Luke 8:1–2 “Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,” 2. v.10 “She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.” - The disciples have had their worlds rocked. One of them betrayed Jesus, the most prominent among them chickened out and denied knowing him, and Jesus was just crucified and buried. They’re mourning the loss of their friend and teacher. 3. v.11 “But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.” - This is a problem. Rather than allow truth to direct them, they’re caving to their own perspectives and emotions. 1. Jesus had instructed them about his death and resurrection. Mark 8:31–32 “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly.” Their mourning is understandable, but when they heard the report of his resurrection they should’ve been rejoicing. But this joyous news didn’t break through the hard crust of their hearts. 4. v.12 “After these things he appeared in another form to two of them…” - This is the Emmaus Road encounter in Luke 24:13-35. 5. v.13 “And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.” - These two disciples went immediately back to Jerusalem to report this to the disciples. Luke says their hearts were burning within them while Jesus opened the Scriptures to them (Lk 24:32). But their blazing hearts are met with stone cold hearts as they share with the disciples. 6. First it was the witness of one woman, which in their culture wouldn’t have had the greatest weight of testimony. But then two witnesses, to men, and the disciples still didn’t believe. There is this increasing testimony, but the disciples aren’t being directed by what they’e been taught by Jesus, and what they’ve witnessed in their three years with Jesus. Instead, their being driven by their own limited perspectives and fickle emotions. Correction (v.14) 1. v.14 “Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them…” - John tells us in his gospel that he came to them in a locked room, where they were sheltering themselves because of fear. John 20:19 “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.” They’ve heard Jesus teach them about his death and resurrection beforehand, they heard Mary Magdalene’s testimony, they’ve heard the testimony of the two disciples from the Emmaus Road, and they’re still hunkered behind a locked door and full of fear. Jesus comes to them and rebukes them, and rightfully so. They are rebuked for unbelief and hardness of heart. 1. Rebuked for unbelief and hardness of heart - These two don’t exist in isolation from each other in Scripture. They’re partners of the worst kind. 1. Psalm 95:8–9 “do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah (quarreling), as on the day at Massah (testing) in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.” Here the Psalmist ties hardness of heart with unbelief. The people tested the Lord, they quarreled and complained because, even though they had seen his works and benefited from them, they didn’t believe he would continue; they wanted to return to Egypt, the land of bondage, slavery, misery. 2. I think we’ve seen this same connection in Mark’s gospel, when they were utterly astounded after Jesus calms the raging sea, “for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.” (Mark 6:51-52) It’s not so much a lack of intellectual understanding as it is a lack of reasoning faith. 1. Hard hearts negatively impact our faith. Has unbelief and hardness of heart crept in on you? Youth, do you have difficulty believing that what God has laid out for you truly is best? Have you determined to test the waters to find out for yourself? What perhaps started as a doubt or question has been germinating and is now ready to sprout forth. Moses chose to endure the difficulty that comes with obedience to God and association with his people rather than the fleeting pleasures of sin in Egypt (Heb. 11:25), but you’d like to find out just how fleeting they are. That’s not a lesson only for the youth, but the adults as well. Maybe you’re a parent and unbelief and hardness of heart is working in when it comes to training up your children. The allure of the quick-fix program or scheme, the parenting silver bullet that will once and for all bring your child into perfect obedience, rather than the long-game of faithful endurance, instruction in God’s Word, and prayer. 2. But perhaps this unbelief and hardness of heart is even more basic, more fundamental, more systemic. It might not be in any one specific area, but belief in Jesus dying for your sins and being raised for your justification in general. This is where the disciples found themselves. They’re not condemned for their wrestling and struggles, but neither are they commended. They’re corrected and commissioned. 3. Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Commission (vv.15-20) 1. v.15 “And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’” - Rather than being driven by limited perspectives and fickle emotions, the disciples are to be out on the mission they’ve been given by their Lord. 1. Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” 2. vv.17-18 Not teaching that snake handling and the presence of speaking in tongues is required evidence of genuine faith, but that the Lord would work to protect his messengers and grant them success as they carry out his mission. 1. Acts 2:3–4 “And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” 2. Acts 28:3–4 “When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”” 3. Luke 10:19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” 3. vv.19-20 Their faith now overcomes their fear, their perspectives, and their emotion. They go out preaching, and the Lord fulfills his promises to them and builds his kingdom through them. 1. Luke 24:50–53 “And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.” Conclusion: As we wrap up this last study in Mark this morning, it’s my prayer that, as we’ve tracked through the life and ministry of Jesus, even his death and resurrection, that we’ve grown in our belief. Even as we’ve seen the disciples grow, even fail and falter at times, but now with resolute hearts and a strong faith go out to preach the gospel of Christ, that we would follow in their steps