Do you REALLY BELIEVE in the RESURRECTION of CHRIST?
October 21 Bible Reading: Mark Chapters 13-16
Do you REALLY BELIEVE in the RESURRECTION of CHRIST?
"Later
He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not
believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them,
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved;
but he who does not believe will be
condemned. And these signs will
follow those who believe..." (Mark 16:14-17)
In Mark chapter 16, three separate appearances by the
resurrected Christ are noted, and in all three the disciples’ unbelief is highlighted (Mark 16:11, 13,
14). This last appearance to the eleven took place that same Sunday evening
(Luke 24:36; John 20:19–24; 1 Cor. 15:5). Although the disciples are referred
to as the eleven, only ten were present and Thomas was absent on this occasion.
During this appearance, Jesus rebuked His disciples for their refusal to accept
the reports of His resurrection from Mary and the others!
Then the disciples were commanded to preach the gospel to
the whole creation. The Savior’s goal was world evangelization. He purposed to
accomplish it with eleven disciples who would literally forsake all to follow
Him. There would be two results of
the preaching: some would believe, be
baptized and be saved; some would disbelieve and be condemned. In Jesus’
commission to preach the gospel (16:15–16), belief
is outwardly confessed through baptism, and unbelief
leaves a person condemned in the sight of God.
Let us understand that belief
is the inward reception of Christ, and baptism is the outward testimony of that
belief. What we see in the above passage was that Jesus upbraided these
disciples for not believing the
accounts of eyewitnesses, but He pronounced a blessing on “those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
Today, let us truly believe in the resurrection of Christ,
and propagate the gospel that originated out of this glorious resurrection!
This will be one way we can truly be His disciples!
"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Cor 15:3-4, 14, 20)
