HE IS RISEN DO YOU BELIEVE IT

Proclamation:

“As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said.  ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.’”  Mark 16:5-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Mark as he received it from the apostle Peter.  Mark begins this sixteenth and final chapter describing the events which occurred after the resurrection of Jesus, The Christ.  The women who went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus were afraid and alarmed at what the saw. (Mark 16:1-8)  After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene who did not recognize Him at first, (Mark 16:9-11 and John 20:11-18) but when she did, she went and told the disciples who did not believe her.  Jesus later appeared the disciples while they were eating and He rebuked them for their lack of faith and disbelief. (Mark 16:14)  Jesus told Thomas, who said that he would not believe it unless he saw for himself and touched the nail prints in His hands, (John 20:25) because you have seen you have believed, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

Application:

The basis of our Christian faith is the belief in the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ.  He predicted His death and resurrection and told His disciples several times beforehand. (Matthew 17:22-23, Mark 9:31, Mark 10:33, and Luke 24:7)  They did not believe until He appeared to them after His resurrection and they saw Him for themselves.  Jesus said blessed are those of us who believe in Him and His resurrection without having seen Him. (John 20:29)  He rose from the dead on the third day just as He said that He would do. (Matthew 12:40)  The question is: “Do you believe?”