{"id":37569,"date":"2025-09-30T22:00:06","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T05:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/?p=37569"},"modified":"2025-10-02T20:15:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T03:15:00","slug":"mark_16_12-20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/mark_16_12-20\/","title":{"rendered":"Because Jesus Rose Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mark 16:12-20 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Mark 16:12-20.\u00a0 With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.\u00a0 Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?\u00a0 After you\u2019ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Mark 16:12-14 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Later 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 12-14:\u00a0 Even after Jesus had repeatedly told them that he would rise again, even after the incredible miracles the disciples had seen Jesus do, and even after multiple witnesses were testifying to them about Jesus\u2019 resurrection, the disciples still refused to believe.\u00a0 Based on all that the disciples had been shown, the disciples should have believed earlier, but they didn\u2019t.\u00a0 So Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0God will hold us accountable to the evidence that He makes available to us.\u00a0 It\u2019s not up to God to have to keep convincing us of who He is as much as it is up to us to look at what God has already done and said and to ask humbly, \u201cWhat does this mean?<\/strong>\u00a0 What is the best conclusion I can draw from the evidence in front of me?\u201d\u00a0 May you not be held back by unbelief, which is the stubborn refusal to believe despite the evidence.\u00a0 Instead may wisdom and faith fuel the steps you take and the conclusions you reach.<\/p>\n

Also, the fact that Jesus chose these eleven disciples when his ministry first began and even continued to choose them after He rose again shows that\u00a0God chooses people not based on human merit but on God\u2019s grace.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark 16:15-16 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 15-16:\u00a0 The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest and most important \u201cgood news\u201d of all time.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0For if Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, then:<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0You don\u2019t need to take Jesus\u2019 words seriously.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0All those predictions Jesus made about him resurrecting were empty promises.\u00a0 Jesus was either lying or crazy.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Contrary to what he said, Jesus can\u2019t give you eternal life or life after death.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Contrary to what he said, Jesus\u2019 sacrifice was not sufficient to save you from your sins.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Contrary to what he said, Jesus is not God.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Christianity is just another religion, people following another dead leader.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Death has not been conquered.\u00a0 Christianity offers a false hope that has no power beyond the grave, and as Paul would write, \u201cWe are to be pitied more than\u00a0all men\u201d.<\/p>\n

But if Jesus did rise from the dead, that means that:<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Jesus was telling the truth.\u00a0 Jesus knows something about life after death and you can trust what He says about it.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0When Jesus promised to give us new and eternal life, that is a real promise you can count on.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Jesus is no ordinary human being.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Jesus has proven in the most powerful way who He claimed to be: the Son of God.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Jesus can forgive your sins, which caused death.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Jesus\u2019 words carry more weight than any person who did not rise from the dead.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0Jesus has defeated death. In Jesus there is hope beyond the grave, and the world needs to know about this good news.<\/p>\n

Here we are told how God wants us to respond to this most important good news about Jesus: believe, be baptized, and preach this gospel to all creation.<\/p>\n

Mark 16:17-18 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n17\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
\n18\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0they 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.”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 17-18:\u00a0 We see a lot of these signs accompanying Christians in the early church.\u00a0 The disciples had already been driving out demons in Jesus\u2019 name (Mark 3:14-15; Luke 10:17) and the early church would continue to do so (Acts 8:7).\u00a0 \u00a0Christians would speak in new tongues starting at Pentecost (Acts 2:3-11).\u00a0 Paul would be attacked by a viper but would not be harmed (Acts 28:3-6).\u00a0 Over and over in Acts we read about the apostles praying for sick people and them being healed.\u00a0 The sign of drinking deadly poison is the one which is harder to find in the book of Acts, although that is not to say that it didn\u2019t happen.\u00a0 Keep in mind that the signs of picking up snakes and drinking deadly poison were not things to be done for show but were more like reassurances that in the course of serving God, Christians could count on God\u2019s protection from various attacks and persecution.<\/p>\n

To what extent can we expect these signs to apply to Jesus\u2019 church today?\u00a0\u00a0If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, as a follower of Jesus you can believe that in Jesus\u2019 name you have authority over demonic powers when you pray.\u00a0 You can also believe that God\u2019s Holy Spirit who lives inside you will empower you to serve Jesus.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0This may come in the form of speaking in new tongues, praying for the sick and seeing them healed, or other signs.\u00a0\u00a0You can also believe that as a child of God you have God\u2019s special protection on your life.\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t give us a license to be reckless, but it means we don\u2019t need to live in worry or terror all the time, knowing that God is our protector.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark 16:19-20 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n19\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.
\n20\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 19-20:\u00a0 The disciples would go from unbelieving, fearful followers of Jesus to the most courageous, passionate and selfless preachers of Jesus\u2019 gospel, even giving up their lives as martyrs for Jesus.\u00a0 Why such a change?\u00a0 It was the resurrection of Jesus Christ that made the difference.<\/p>\n

Likewise, because we know that Jesus Christ conquered our sin at the cross and conquered death at His resurrection, we can live courageously for His glory, knowing that God is with us.<\/p>\n

Jesus, Your resurrection changes everything.\u00a0 Thank You for dying on the cross for our sins and rising from death just as You said You would.\u00a0 Because You are alive and seated at God\u2019s right hand, You are the reason we celebrate today.\u00a0 May I live life courageously for You today and every day.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

copyright \u00a9 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Mark 16:12-20.\u00a0 With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.\u00a0 Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?\u00a0 After you\u2019ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Mark 16:12-14 (NIV)
\n12\u00a0\u00a0Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.
\n13\u00a0\u00a0These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
\n14\u00a0\u00a0Later 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.<\/p>\n

On verses 12-14:\u00a0 Even after Jesus had repeatedly told them that he would rise again, even after the incredible miracles the disciples had seen Jesus do, and even after multiple witnesses were testifying to them about Jesus\u2019 resurrection, the disciples still refused to believe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37571,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37569"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37569\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37572,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37569\/revisions\/37572"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37571"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}