Have you ever had an experience of not being able to believe some good news that came to you—some good news that surpassed the furthest reaches of your imagination? This seems to be precisely the case for the disciples when they received the news that Jesus was alive, and the tomb was no longer home to His body.
First came Mary Magdalene, and then two others to whom Jesus appeared. But “no one believed them.” We know, of course, that Jesus appeared to the eleven, cleared up the entire matter, and then sent them out to preach the Good News.
And now here we are, two millennia later, still made alive through our risen Lord Jesus.
Wow. Can you believe it?
© Brenda Henry
Mark 16:9-20 (NLT)
After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.
Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.
Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.
And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”
When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.
For Prayer and Reflection:
As you listened, was there a word, a phrase, or an image that stood out to you? Consider writing or drawing more about that with Jesus.
Have you experienced Jesus in different ways (forms)? What has this led you to believe or to hold close to your heart?
Have you had any experience(s) of seeing Jesus and not being believed? Where are some places you can bring your belief?
