He has Risen

Title:  He has Risen

Scripture Reading:  Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. ²Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” ⁴Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. ⁵Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. ⁶And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. ⁷“But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.'” ⁸They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

1. The Resurrection of Jesus.

Mark 16:5-6 

‘Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him’. 

The resurrection is the central pillar of the Christian faith.  

1. The Father
2. The Spirit
3. The Son

Acts 2:24 says, God, the Father had ‘raised up (Jesus), having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.’ 

Romans 8:11 says, ‘But if the (Holy) Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.’ 

John 2:19, Jesus the Son says, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 

2. The announcement of the Resurrection to the disciples and Peter

Mark 16:7b 

‘But go, tell His disciples and Peter’.

The resurrection appearances are as follows: 

Mary Magelene, Mary and Salome; 

Peter; 

Two travelers on road to Emmaus; 

All the disciples except Thomas and others with them; 

All the disciples including Thomas on Sunday night one week later; 

Seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee; 

Five hundred people in Galilee; 

The disciples receiving the Great Commission; 

The apostles at the ascension 

The apostle Paul.

The angel uttered this phrase, ‘Go, tell His Disciples and Peter.  Why is Peter singled out?  How thoughtful and tender our LORD is through the angel, that He would single out the backslidden and hurting Peter!  

There are times in life when we are physically, emotionally and spiritually fragile – like a bruised reed and a smoldering wick. Reeds are used for making music and musical instrument.  Smoldering wicking is actually smoking flax.  

3. The Great Commission and He is with you

Mark 7b, ‘‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.'”

This is authenticated in Matthew 28:16-20 when Galilee was also mentioned.  It says, ‘But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. ¹⁷When they saw Him, they worshiped Him;but some were doubtful. ¹⁸And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

The significance of this is that the Great Commission was not given to the Apostles alone, not even the hundred and twenty disciples of the Upper Room, but to the whole church. It is for all Christians, not just the church’s leadership! It was given on at least three different occasions.

1. Upper room, resurrection evening

 (John 20:21)

1. On a mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28)
2. On the Mount of Oliver just before the ascension (Acts 1:8)

All Christians are commanded to be lifestyle witnesses.  It is a priority and not an option. 

It speaks of universal, eternal kingdom for all, not just the Jews. 

Then he promised, ‘I will be with you always,’ 

If you are losing faith in Christianity, please remember the unique fact of Christianity is Jesus is alive.  All other religions record the death of the leader.  Only the Christian faith records the Resurrection of its Founder.  All other religious leaders are dead.  Only Jesus is alive.  This is important and imperative to know.