New Testament Studies: Mark (18): Chapter 16 v1 to 8 -- David Pawson

Summary

The video script is a detailed recount of the events surrounding the resurrection of Jesus Christ as described in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 16. It emphasizes the parallel between the beginning and end of Jesus' life, highlighting the roles of Joseph and Mary at both the womb and the tomb. The speaker discusses the women's visit to the tomb, their initial fear upon witnessing the supernatural events, and their subsequent faith after encountering the risen Jesus. The sermon also touches on the importance of both the evidence of the resurrection and the personal experience of believers, leading to the command to spread the gospel and baptize new believers. The narrative concludes with an impassioned call to preach the message of the living Christ and the promise of his presence among believers.

Takeaways

• 📖 The congregation has been studying Mark's Gospel for three months, reaching the final chapter, which is Mark chapter 16.
• 🚫 Stewards are available to provide Bibles to those who need them, emphasizing the importance of having a Bible for reference during the study.
• 🌅 The story describes Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bringing spices to anoint Jesus' body, only to find the stone rolled away from the tomb and an angel announcing Jesus' resurrection.
• 😱 The women initially react with fear and amazement upon discovering the empty tomb and the message of Jesus' resurrection.
• 📢 The angel instructs the women to tell the disciples, including Peter, that Jesus has risen and will meet them in Galilee.
• ✟ Mary Magdalene is the first to whom the risen Jesus appears, and she shares the news with the disciples, though initially they do not believe her.
• 🌟 Jesus appears to the disciples and rebukes them for their lack of faith, urging them to spread the gospel to all creation.
• ✝️ The signs that will accompany believers include casting out demons, speaking in new tongues, handling snakes, and healing the sick.
• 🔥 The passage emphasizes the importance of the Holy Spirit's work in both the creation of Jesus' body in the womb and his resurrection from the tomb.
• 🤔 The speaker reflects on the parallels between the events at the beginning and end of Jesus' life, noting the presence of Joseph and Mary at both the womb and the tomb.
• 🌱 The Holy Spirit's creative and powerful work is highlighted as being hidden from the eyes of men, first in the womb and then in the tomb, where Jesus was raised to life.
• 📚 The speaker encourages the congregation to search the scriptures to find Jesus and to understand the truth of the resurrection, asking for the Holy Spirit's guidance in their understanding.

Q & A

What book of the Bible is being discussed in the transcript?

The book of Mark's Gospel is being discussed.

Which chapter of Mark's Gospel are they studying?

They are studying Mark chapter 16.

What is the significance of the first eight verses in Mark's Gospel?

The first eight verses are significant as they are the actual part of Mark's Gospel and are followed by a section in small print at the bottom of the chapter.

Who are the women mentioned as visiting the tomb?

The women mentioned are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome.

What did the women find when they arrived at the tomb?

They found the stone rolled back, a young man in a white robe inside the tomb, and the body of Jesus was missing, indicating that he had risen.

Who was the first person Jesus appeared to after his resurrection according to the transcript?

Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection.

Why did the initial group of disciples not believe the women's account of the empty tomb?

The initial group of disciples did not believe the women's account because it was difficult to accept and they were likely fearful and in disbelief.

What does the preacher emphasize is the link between the womb and the tomb in the life of Jesus?

The preacher emphasizes that both the womb and the tomb were provided by men named Joseph for divine purposes, and both were places where the Holy Spirit worked creatively and powerfully in the life of Jesus.

What is the preacher's main point about the role of fear and faith in the resurrection story?

The preacher's main point is that while the evidence of the resurrection initially caused fear, it is the experience of meeting the Risen Jesus that leads to faith.

What does the preacher suggest is the Christian Gospel in a nutshell?

The preacher suggests that the Christian Gospel in a nutshell is to 'come and see' the evidence of Jesus' resurrection for oneself and then 'go and tell' others about it.

Why does the preacher mention the importance of baptism in the context of belief in Jesus?

The preacher mentions the importance of baptism as the next step after belief, signifying a commitment to the Risen Lord and is a part of the process of preaching the gospel.

What does the preacher mean when he says that the evidence prepared their minds for the experience?

The preacher means that understanding the evidence of the resurrection is a prerequisite for the deeper spiritual experience of encountering the Risen Jesus, which then motivates one to share the gospel.

Outlines

00:00

📖 Bible Study on Mark's Gospel - Chapter 16

The speaker begins by inviting the audience to turn to Mark chapter 16 for a Bible study session. They have been studying Mark's gospel for three months and are now at the final chapter. The speaker offers Bibles to those who need them and starts reading from the chapter, focusing on the events after the Sabbath when Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bring spices to anoint Jesus' body. They describe the women's discovery of the rolled-back stone and the encounter with a young man in a white robe who informs them of Jesus' resurrection. The speaker also mentions subsequent appearances of Jesus to Mary Magdalene and others, emphasizing the importance of spreading the gospel and the signs that will accompany believers. The session concludes with a prayer, asking for guidance to understand the passage and to embark on a journey of faith.

05:02

🌅 The Easter Story and Its Parallels

The speaker reflects on the Easter story, noting the remarkable similarities between the beginning and end of Jesus' life, particularly the roles of Joseph and Mary at both the womb and the tomb. They highlight the generosity of both Josephs in offering what was theirs for God's purposes. The speaker also draws a parallel between the Holy Spirit's work in creating Jesus' body in the womb and resurrecting him in the tomb. They mention the absence of two Marys at the tomb on Easter Sunday and commend the women for being the first at the tomb, demonstrating their practical approach to grief. The speaker emphasizes the importance of both the evidence of the resurrection and the personal experience of meeting the Risen Jesus.

10:03

😨 Fear and Faith in the Resurrection Narrative

The speaker discusses the emotional journey of the women who visited the tomb, highlighting the transition from fear to faith. They recount the women's initial fear upon encountering the rolled-back stone, the sight of a young man in white, and the empty tomb. These supernatural events initially instilled fear but later led to faith when the women had personal experiences with the Risen Jesus. The speaker differentiates between the evidence of the resurrection, which can lead to fear, and the transformative experience of meeting Jesus, which leads to faith. They note that the Gospel of Mark ends abruptly, suggesting an incomplete account, but assert that the added ending in some versions of the Bible is consistent with other biblical accounts and emphasizes the progression from evidence to experience.

15:04

📜 The Importance of Experience and Witnessing

The speaker emphasizes that while the evidence of the resurrection is compelling, it is the personal experience of the Risen Jesus that motivates individuals to share their faith. They argue that the empty tomb and the supernatural events are not enough to inspire witnessing; it is the encounter with Jesus that transforms fear into faith and compels individuals to preach the gospel. The speaker also addresses the importance of baptism as a step of obedience following belief and uses the example of the road to Emmaus to illustrate the necessity of personal experience for effective witnessing. They conclude by encouraging the audience to embrace their experiences with the Risen Lord and to share their faith boldly, noting that the Lord is present wherever his people gather.

Keywords

💡Resurrection

Resurrection refers to the rising of Jesus from the dead, which is a central theme in the Christian faith. In the script, it is depicted as a supernatural event that occurred on the first Easter Sunday, leading to fear and then faith in those who witnessed it. The resurrection is the pivotal moment that transformed the disciples from fearful witnesses to proclaimers of the gospel.

💡Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is a divine presence in Christianity, associated with inspiration, guidance, and the divine power that worked within Mary's womb and at Jesus' tomb. In the script, it is the Holy Spirit that is credited with the miraculous conception of Jesus and his resurrection, symbolizing divine creativity and power.

💡Fear

Fear is an emotional response to the unknown or the supernatural, as experienced by the women at the tomb. In the script, fear is the initial reaction to the evidence of the resurrection, such as the rolled-away stone and the empty tomb. However, this fear is later overcome by faith through personal encounters with the Risen Jesus.

💡Faith

Faith, in the context of the script, is the belief in and trust of the Risen Jesus, which comes after the initial fear induced by the evidence of the resurrection. It is the transformative experience of meeting the Risen Jesus that leads to faith, which then motivates the disciples to preach the gospel.

💡Evidence

Evidence, in this script, refers to the tangible and observable facts that point to the supernatural occurrence of the resurrection, such as the empty tomb and the angel's message. The evidence is crucial but not sufficient on its own to inspire faith; it is the stepping stone to the experience of the Risen Jesus.

💡Gospel

The gospel is the message of Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection, which the disciples were commanded to preach to all creation. In the script, the gospel is encapsulated in the command to 'come and see' the empty tomb and then 'go and tell' others about the Risen Jesus, emphasizing personal experience and sharing the good news.

💡Baptism

Baptism is a Christian sacrament symbolizing the washing away of sins and admission into the Christian faith. In the script, it is presented as a next step after belief in Jesus, indicating a commitment to the faith and obedience to Jesus' command. The mention of the baptistry being open signifies an invitation to new believers to publicly declare their faith through baptism.

💡Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea is a figure in the New Testament who provided the tomb for Jesus' burial. In the script, he is highlighted as a person whose tomb, originally intended for himself, was given for the burial of Jesus, symbolizing generosity and service to God.

💡Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene is a significant figure in the resurrection narrative, known as a devoted follower of Jesus and the first person to witness his resurrection. In the script, she is portrayed as a key witness to the events at the tomb and a messenger of the resurrection, emphasizing the role of women in the early Christian movement.

💡Supernatural

Supernatural refers to events or phenomena that surpass the natural laws of the universe and are attributed to a divine or spiritual force. In the script, the term is used to describe the resurrection and the accompanying events, which are seen as beyond human capability and indicative of God's intervention.

💡Witness

A witness, in the context of the script, is someone who has seen or experienced an event and can testify to its occurrence. The disciples and followers of Jesus, after their encounter with the Risen Jesus, become witnesses to the resurrection, carrying the message of the gospel to others.

Highlights

The congregation has been studying Mark's gospel for three months, reaching the final chapter.

An offer is made for stewards to provide Bibles to those who need them.

The reading of Mark chapter 16 includes verses that are not originally part of the gospel.

The account of Mary Magdalene and other women bringing spices to anoint Jesus' body is shared.

The women discover the stone rolled away from the tomb and encounter a young man in a white robe who informs them of Jesus' resurrection.

The initial disbelief and fear of the disciples upon hearing of Jesus' resurrection is mentioned.

Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene first, who then shares the news with others.

The Great Commission is referenced, where Jesus instructs the disciples to preach the gospel to all creation.

The signs that will accompany believers are listed, including casting out demons and healing the sick.

The ascension of Jesus into heaven and his sitting at the right hand of God is described.

The importance of the Holy Spirit's role in both the conception of Jesus in the womb and his resurrection is emphasized.

The parallel between the womb and the tomb as places where the Holy Spirit worked is highlighted.

The absence of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and another Mary at the tomb on Easter Sunday is noted.

The women's visit to the tomb represents the first stage of their journey from fear to faith.

The significance of the empty tomb and the angel's message is discussed as a pivotal moment for the women.

The fear experienced by the women upon encountering the supernatural is contrasted with the faith that comes from meeting the Risen Jesus.

The sermon concludes with a call to preach the gospel and baptize new believers, emphasizing the living presence of the Risen Lord.

Transcripts

now can you tend in your Bible if you

have it to Mark chapter 16. we've been

reading and studying Mark's gospel for

three months now we've come to the final

chapter of all

if you'd like a Bible just raise your

hand and one of the stewards will bring

you one straight away there are plenty

at the back one down at the front here

one over here anybody else like a Bible

one in the middle

anybody one upstairs please

down in the front anybody else like a

Bible

Mark's gospel chapter 16.

and you notice that the first eight

verses are actually in Mark's gospel and

then I'm going to read the section in

small print at the bottom of the chapter

and when the Sabbath was passed Mary

Magdalene and Mary the mother of James

and Salome brought spices so that they

might go and anoint him and very early

on the first day of the week they went

to the tomb when the sun had risen and

they were saying to one another who will

roll away the Stone Forest from the door

of the Tomb

and looking up they saw that the stone

was rode back for it was very large

and entering the tomb they saw a young

man sitting on the right side dressed in

a white robe and they were amazed

and he said to them do not be amazed you

seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified

he has risen he is not here

see the place where they laid him but go

tell his disciples and Peter that he is

going before you to Galilee and there

you will see him as he told you and they

went out and fled from the tomb for

trembling and astonishment had come upon

them and they said nothing to anyone for

they were afraid

now when he rose early on the first day

of the week he appeared first to Mary

Magdalene from whom he had cast out

seven demons and she went and told those

who had been with him as they mourned

and wept but when they heard that he was

alive and had been seen by her they

would not believe it

after this he appeared in another form

to two of them as they were walking into

the country and they went back and told

the rest but they did not believe them

afterward he appeared to the eleven

themselves as they sat at table and he

upbraided them for their unbelief and

Hardness of Heart because they had not

believed those who saw him after he had

risen and he said to them go into all

the world and preach the gospel to the

whole creation

he who believes and is baptized will be

saved

but he who does not believe will be

condemned and these signs will accompany

those who believe in my name they will

cast out demons they will speak in new

tongues they will pick up serpents and

if they drink any deadly thing it will

not hurt them

they will lay their hands on the sick

and they will recover

so then the Lord Jesus after he had

spoken to them was taken up into heaven

and sat down at the right hand of God

and they went forth and preached

everywhere while the Lord worked with

them and confirmed the message by the

signs that attended it amen

loving God our heavenly father we thank

you that your word is alive because

Jesus is Alive

and we only study this book to find him

he said search the scriptures for they

bear testimony to me

and we come now and ask that we may find

Jesus Christ Within These pages

that as we read these things which

happened so long ago we may remember

that they are true but also that he is

alive today the same yesterday today and

forever

and so we ask that the Holy Spirit may

help us to understand this passage

and then as we look at these pictures

before us we pray that each one of us

may make a pilgrimage of faith

and see where he laid

and then go and tell

that he is indeed risen from the dead we

ask it in his name and for his sake amen

oh

I want to speak for a short while about

this passage we've just read and then

I'm going to hand over to the Reverend

Leonard Pearson and it's such a joy to

me and it will be to all of you by the

time we've reached the end of this

service to have him with us

now every time I read the Easter story I

find something in it that I never saw

before it always is fresh and new and

wonderful

and the thought that has come to me this

year as I've looked at this story again

is this what a remarkable likeness there

is between the beginning and the end of

the life of Our Lord

between the womb and the tomb

first of all have you ever noticed that

the the names Joseph and Mary both

appear at the beginning and at the end

at the womb and the tomb there was

Joseph his foster father Mary his mother

at the other end of his life there is

Joseph who gave him the tomb and there

are at least two Mary's who come to the

tomb to find his body so there's a link

there's something more than that

both the womb and the tomb belonged to a

man called Joseph and was freely given

to God for his purposes Mary was

betrothed to Joseph her body belonged to

Joseph but when Joseph knew what it was

needed for he gladly accepted that the

womb of his wife

should be the home of the son of God

Joseph of Arimathea had a tomb it

belonged to him he'd prepared it for

himself no doubt at the bottom of his

garden a lovely tomb but when he knew

that he could use it for the Lord Jesus

it became his

if I can say it reverently Jesus left

both the womb and the tomb

now everybody knew that a baby is only

in the womb for nine months but nobody

expected a corpse to stay to come out of

a tomb after three days but in both

cases Jesus came out of the womb to live

his life on Earth out of the Tomb to

begin an even greater Ministry

and therefore both the womb and the tomb

were back

as the property as it were of the owners

Joseph in both cases we know that Mary's

womb was used again

she there were other children brothers

and sisters

whether the tomb was ever used again I

do not know I question whether having

been used for the Lord Jesus anybody

would ever use it again

but there is something even more

wonderful that links the womb and the

tomb and it is this in both hidden from

the eyes of men the Holy Spirit was

doing something wonderful creative

powerful making a body

in the womb of Mary the Holy Ghost

having caused the conception Was

preparing a body for 33 years Ministry

but in the Tomb shut off from the eyes

of men the same Holy Spirit was raising

up Jesus from the dead and giving him a

glorious body that would not grow any

older that is still his body

so the Holy Spirit was working in both

and it's interesting that in Psalm 139

the psalmist says when my body was being

intricately wrought in the depths of the

earth you were watching me now he was

referring to his mother's womb but the

tomb was literally in the depths of the

Earth the place where the Holy Spirit

was creating the Glorious body of Jesus

so there's a wonderful parallel

now the interesting thing is that there

were two Mary's who were not at the tomb

on Easter Sunday morning there are one

or two seats at the front

by the way if you can just close up a

little and make a little

space near the aisles it helps

there were two Mary's not at the tomb

one was Mary the mother of Jesus John

was looking after her in in his own home

but the other was the Mary who had

anointed his body beforehand for the

burial she did not come

because as we saw one evening this week

she knew that there would probably be no

opportunity afterwards to anoint the

body and so she did it before he died so

she didn't come to the tomb with the

others to anoint the body

now the women were the last at the cross

and the first at the tomb this is quite

typical

men would be sitting silent or talking

aimlessly behind locked doors but women

get on with things pretty quickly

they get over their grief by doing

something practical men sit around and

so the women came first thing in the

morning to the tomb of which you're

going to hear later

and they passed through two experiences

one of fear and one of faith

and what caused the fear was the

evidence of the resurrection and what

caused the faith was the experience of

the Risen Jesus

and these are the two stages through

which we need to pass

Mr Pearson is going in a moment to speak

to you of the evidence

and the evidence considered impartially

by anybody should convince them that

something Supernatural happened on the

first Easter Sunday but that does not

lead to Faith

faith comes when you meet the Risen

Jesus and have an experience of him

the evidence will convince that it could

lead to no more than fear it is the

experience that leads to Faith

now remember that they were tired that

they were sad remember that it was an

eerie time of day the Shadows were still

there it was the first light of mourning

remember that they had come to perform a

rather distasteful task especially after

three days and three nights and you'll

realize their nerves must have been very

much on edge

and then three things they saw any one

of which at first sight could be assumed

to be a human event

but when looked at more closely became a

Divine event

at first sight a surprising thing at

Second Sight a supernatural thing and it

was this that caused Their Fear

when people first meet the Supernatural

and realize that something has been

happening that no human being could have

done they are invariably afraid

now look at the three things first of

all the roadstone and again you'll hear

more about this later plenty of room

down at the front

the roadstone it may have weighed over a

ton

had they forgotten about it did they

think the guards would let them in did

they think there'd be somebody around to

roll it away for them I don't know but

imagine they came at they'd forgotten

until they got to the Garden about the

stone

perhaps in their grief they hadn't

thought it through but suddenly one of

them said to the other

there's no point in coming if you've

forgotten that stone

and then they looked up from the Gate of

the garden and they looked down into the

garden and there they could see

the stone was rolled away it wasn't just

rolled away sideways I think from the

Scripture it was lying flat because an

angel rolled it away and sat on it I

love that phrase the contempt of an

angel for a ton block of stone he sat on

it

just flicked it away and sat on it as

much as to say that's nothing to Heaven

it's a pebble

that they came and at first sight it

must have seemed like a human Act

we know that it was a supernatural act

no man rode that stone away indeed there

were guards there to see that they

couldn't

that was the first thing second thing

they saw was a young man

all dressed in white

and it wasn't John Lennon either

and it wasn't a young man either

who was it they saw this young man

dressed in strange clothes

and at first sight again a human event

and yet we know that it was a

supernatural event they hadn't expected

to see that young man inside there

the third thing was the empty tomb

itself

and the young man whom we know to be a

supernatural visitor an angel said come

and see

now go and tell

and here is the Christian Gospel in a

nutshell come and see it for yourself

then go and tell someone else about it

make sure in your own experience that

Jesus is Alive and then go and share

that blessing with somebody else it's

all there but you notice that they

didn't go and see and they did not go

and tell why because three Supernatural

things before breakfast was more than

three women could take

and they ran and they were afraid and at

that point Mark's gospel finishes in the

middle of a sentence

it's the strangest thing we don't know

why we don't know perhaps if if the end

of it got torn off

we don't know if he was interrupted in

the writing of it we don't know why it

finishes at that point

but if the gospel itself finished at

that point we would never have heard it

fear doesn't make you go and Witness

a taste of the supernatural doesn't make

you a burning messenger wanting to share

it all

and if they had got no further than the

evidence and fear

the silence would have stayed until this

time

but the evidence prepared their minds

for the experience

there has to be a certain amount of the

truth grasped by a person before they

can meet Christ a certain amount of the

evidence must be presented but evidence

alone never convinced anybody of the

need to go out and tell others about

Jesus

an empty tomb would not have been

sufficient and so somebody realizing

that Mark's gospel was incomplete

wrote an ending to it

now that doesn't mean that we can

dismiss the ending and say ah well it's

not the word of God far from it

everything that is added in this other

ending that somebody has rightly added

can be checked elsewhere in the Bible

some of the things can be checked in

Matthew some in Luke some in John some

in the book of Acts but what the ending

that somebody added is saying is this

the evidence gave way to an experience

the empty tomb gave way to a full upper

room he appeared to one woman in the

garden

he appeared to two of them as they went

into the country the road to Emmaus he

appeared to 11 of them in the upper room

as they sat at table and you know every

time it says they could hardly believe

for sheer Joy

but they did believe

and the fear of the evidence changed to

Faith In The Experience

now I say it again anybody who will

examine the evidence for the

resurrection with an open mind and with

an honest scientific historical approach

must be convinced by the evidence which

is better for this event than any other

event in ancient history they must be

convinced that something Supernatural

had happened in that Garden two thousand

years ago but

a person who is convinced by the

evidence that something Supernatural

must have happened isn't a person who

goes out and preaches

something more is needed and on the road

to Emmaus

those two said to Jesus without knowing

it was Jesus we went to the tomb and

found it even as they had said

that him they did not see

it's the experience that they needed and

they got it and therefore Jesus said now

now you have the experience now go into

the whole world preach every way you can

get them to believe baptize them when

they have believed you notice he didn't

say if somebody isn't baptized they'd be

lost he said if somebody isn't believe

doesn't believe they'll be lost but he

said if you do believe baptism is the

next step and that's why we've got the

baptistry open today we're baptizing

people tonight who've believed go

everywhere he said preach the gospel

believe and baptize life and death is at

stake because if someone doesn't believe

in this they're lost

and that's what sent them out

they weren't intellectuals going out

with a pile of evidence they were

ordinary men and women going out with a

heart full of experience and the Risen

Lord went with them everywhere they went

he's here this morning

he's everywhere his people are

everywhere people have gathered this

morning who believe in him there he is

right in the middle of them

and that's why we preach and that's why

we're up on the hill this morning

shouting Hallelujah and that's why we'll

be here tonight baptizing not into the

name of a dead savior but into the name

of a Risen Lord

well now that finishes my studies in

mark That's the shortest study I've

given you