Mark 16:1-20 - Skip Heitzig

[Music] welcome to expound our weekly worship and verse by verse study of the Bible our goal is to expand your knowledge of the truth of God as we explore the Word of God in a way that is interactive enjoyable and congregational we come to the very peak really of the life and Ministry of Jesus Christ redemptive history certainly has the cross as the pinnacle but there's nothing greater than the single miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and all four Gospel writers write about it and all of the New Testament writers and all the New Testament preachers made the resurrection central to their message when you get to the book of Acts you find that virtually all of those early sermons focused on the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and so it always has to be included when we share the gospel with people Jesus conquered death and in some parts of the church historically Jesus has been portrayed as this dying Savior the the crucifix and the dying Savior on the cross certainly that is true we celebrate that every time we take communion but he didn't stay there he got up from the grave he died and was buried and as was already mentioned he only needed the tomb for the weekend he was out of it that's why it was a borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea but we come in this last chapter of the Gospel of Mark to the events of that first resurrection Sunday the first day of the week what we call Easter Resurrection Day great celebration and we see the women getting up early to go to the tomb a man by the name of Alexandra McClaren a great Scottish preacher I have the set of his sermons Alexander McClaren said sorrow awakens or if you ever lost someone you know what that means when you lose someone and they die and your heart is filled with sorrow and your heart is breaking you don't get great sleep for a while nighttime can be terrifying very lonely very isolating and the person who is bereaving someone that they have lost a loved one that has died they get up very early and they get up many times during the night and typically don't have great sleep sorrow awakens early the women who are at the cross who witnessed Jesus died on the cross get up early in the morning and they come to the tomb their sorrowful they expect to see a corpse they do not expect a resurrected Savior they expect to see a body that has been interred in the traditional Jewish manner they are bringing spices with them their hearts are broken and I bet they tossed and turned the night before their sorrow has awakened them early when my brother died in a motorcycle accident he was 24 years of age it came as such a shock when my father called me and said your brother's dead it shocked me and I was in shock it felt like emotional shock for a for a period of time and I I distinctly recall not only waking up in the middle of the night but having dream after dream after dream for several weeks that my brother was still alive and that it was a hoax of some kind that I would find him alive that he was sort of hiding out somewhere and all that was was a coping mechanism of the human psyche to deal with great tragedy was hoping against hope hoping that he was still alive perhaps these women the night before had such a dream can you imagine one of them waking up and saying I know we were there when died we were there just last night but I had a dream that he was alive it would be very natural very normal only to fall back to sleep realizing it's only a dream they're about to discover if they did dream that that it wasn't a dream they're about to be in for the shock of their lives and in human language as limited as it is mark tries to describe it in vocabulary that is very interesting now just a little bit of a setup when the Jews buried their dead they buried their dead immediately and that is because they did not embalm their dead they didn't believe in that they did not believe in cremating the dead and so when one died they immediately buried them that day and there was a process cloth in strips and sheets was taken and each appendage each arm was wrapped each leg was wrapped and then the whole body was wrapped up to the neck in between the folds were packed spices myrrh and aloes the Bible says concerning Jesus in the Gospel of John there was a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes so they made sort of a cocoon and encasement the head wasn't wrapped there was a separate napkin or cloth that covered the head a turban that was over the head that's how they how they treated them and then they put them into the tomb the only thing added to that would have been spices that would be poured over the body spiced oils that would be poured over the body and all of that was a gesture he didn't do anything it wasn't an embalming fluid it simply was sweet-smelling because the human body very rapidly and so to counteract the horrible odor and I don't want to describe it to you but if you've ever smelled a human corpse you know it is an unmistakable odor and so to counteract that spices were put over the body the problem is Jesus died and was buried by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea and these ladies didn't have the opportunity to be able to anoint his body with these oils the day before Resurrection Sunday was the Sabbath so they wouldn't have traveled on Saturday because the law forbid that anybody travel more than two-thirds of a mile what the Bible calls a Sabbath day's journey but now the Sabbath is over and according to John they got up early in the morning before it was light by the time they arrived at the tomb the Sun has already arisen as we will see now when the Sabbath was passed verse one Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James and Salome brought spices that they might come and anoint him very early in the morning on the first day of the week they came to the tomb when the Sun had risen I like that phrase when the Sun s UN had risen they're about to discover that the Sun had risen the som had risen they're come right after the rising of the Sun they're about to make a discovery as well as the disciples make a discovery that is the fulcrum of human history there's three credentials that Jesus Christ has three basic main credentials number one his impact upon history if you were to take Encyclopedia Britannica or any major academic work work of codification like an encyclopedia britannica and look up great leaders look up religious leaders you'll find that Jesus Christ has more written about him than any single individual he has radically altered human history his impact upon history is unique its singular number two second credential fulfilled prophecy we discussed that I believe it was this last Sunday though I get my days and nights mixed up but recently we talked about fulfilled prophecy and three it was this last weekend three hundred and thirty arrows that were shot up made by the prophets in the Old Testament things that were written about him that he fulfilled the odds of which I mentioned this weekend are nine do impossible were it not for the hand of God and the third credential is the resurrection of Jesus Christ there's lots of world religions out there and did you know that all world religions except for four are built upon philosophies the teachings the philosophical postulates of the founders all the world's religions are based upon philosophy only four are based upon personalities Judaism Christianity Islam and Buddhism but of all those four there is only one that claims the resurrection of its founder and that is Christianity those who follow Christ we follow a risen Savior not just some guy who taught a bunch of good stuff who was a good man and died and we look back and go wasn't that a wonderful life he's still around he's still alive he is at the right hand of the Father and he's working he's got a job to do we'll see that as we close this chapter tonight I heard a story about a Muslim man in Africa who gave his life to Christ a radical conversion if you know anything about converting in that part of the world from Islam to Christianity you know the stakes are pretty high some of his friends who found out that he had made a conversion to Christ asked him why in the world he would do such a thing and he said well if you were walking down the road and the road had a fork in it so that you could go one of two directions and at that fork in the road there were two men one dead and one alive who would you ask directions from the dead one or the one who's alive he said I asked directions finally from the one who was alive and these are the instructions I got that's why I converted to Christ he's alive so the Sabbath has passed these women that are mentioned in verse one are the women that were at the cross they brought some spices that they might anoint him what they're doing going to the cemetery it's not uncommon we still do it to this day if you've lost a loved one I've lost my brother I've lost my mother I lost my father when I am anywhere close to where they're buried I will spend time in that cemetery and I know they're not there but the reason people visit cemeteries is simply because that was the last point of earthly contact we had with them and it brings great comfort to remember the day they were laid to rest in the people that were around them even as painful as that was the kind of support etc now in those days in the days were reading about according to one Bible Commentary the Jews had a custom of visiting the grave of loved ones for three days after the third day they laughed they would not return because the body the decay had set in by the fourth day was unmistakable it was Jewish superstition and I'm not saying that these women had though they may have been influenced by it in their past it was the idea that during the first three days the spirit of the departed person was hovering over the grave seeking re-entry but by day four since decay had well set in and there was no possibility of reentry the spirit departed and so the loved ones departed now that's just superstition it's not any kind of biblical teaching trust me you're absent from the body you're present with the Lord but it could be that they had been influenced by that it was certainly the custom of many who would visit graves in those days to have that belief system you'll notice in verse 2 very early in the morning on the first day of the week they came to the tomb when the Sun had risen now this is the reason why for the last 2,000 years Christians meet on Sunday to worship and not on Saturday the Sabbath I know there is a sabbatarian movement there always has been a sabbatarian movement throughout church history that you're not really worshiping God unless you worship on Saturday you know and and and I and I've had people say well you guys have Sunday services I said well we have saturday service as well you do sure come on to a Saturday service if you're all into the Sabbath but the reason Christians meet on Sunday is because Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week and that's why you read over and over again in the book of Acts they gathered together on the first day of the week not the seventh day of the week now some people are sticklers on the first day of the week and they get down on people who are worshiping on the seventh day of the week I just love what Paul said one man esteems one day of the week over all the others another man esteems another day above the rest let each one be persuaded in his own mind in other words it's up to you when do you want to worship now I'm persuaded in my mind that the Lord should be worshipped Sunday date Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday and Saturday that every single moment should be lived in his presence that I don't worship God on Sunday and then I live my secular life the rest of the week it's all his all in the presence and in the sight of God now as they're going notice they have a they have an issue they have a problem and they set among themselves who's gonna roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us that they obviously didn't think about that before they left but you know what that's love isn't it love doesn't consider the difficulties it just goes out to do it and then as you go you oh we're gonna have a problem there's a stone in front of that tomb that's Jewish burial a stone that weighed about two tons that would be a problem for a few gals but they go love has driven them they're not worried about the difficulties they're just filled with love for Jesus while I admire these women who are going out to anoint their savior did they succeed in their mission or fail in their mission will they anoint the dead body of their Savior no they're gonna fail in their mission right they're going out because they believe they're gonna see a dead corpse and perform a nice Duty for their dead friend by pouring oils that are spicy and and enjoy that time together weeping mourning his life but they will not succeed they won't be able to to anoint his body now if you remember back a couple chapters here's the reason why in mark 14 when Jesus was eating dinner with his buddy Simon who was a leper who was cured of leprosy and Lazarus was there and Mary and Martha that Mary brought a very costly oil of spikenard in a flask and broke it and anointed Jesus with it and Judas complained and Jesus said let her alone for she has come beforehand to anoint my body for burial so it's been done it was just done before the fact not after the fact anticipating his death prophetic of his death but they can't celebrate his death because he rose from the dead but they asked this question and they went now I again I mentioned it but I do want you to notice this this is important there was no predisposition in the minds in the hearts of disciples in the minds and hearts of these women or anybody that Jesus would be found alive nobody expected that even though he said I'm gonna die in Rise they just the Bible says did not even grasp that so there was no predisposition now why do I say that because Christians have been accused of making this stuff up beginning with the early church beginning the Apostles Jesus never rose but they say the Apostles made this stuff up because it was simply wish-fulfillment a philosopher many years ago by the name of Ludwig Feuerbach a good Irish name good good German name Ludwig Feuerbach a philosopher stated that Christianity but especially the resurrection is merely make-believe wish-fulfillment of people who are trying to explain and afterlife that they want but will never get there looking for an explanation for their existence and they're trying to imagine a way to conquer death and the way that they have come up with is that Jesus died and rose from the dead guaranteeing a resurrection for us all wish-fulfillment but part of his whole postulate is that they were predisposed to her resurrection no they weren't there was the last thing from their minds that's why they had spices in their hands because they thought they're gonna find a corpse that they were gonna pour these oils on but they didn't they asked about the stone but verse 4 when they looked up they saw the stone had been rolled away for it was very large now very large in the Greek means very large two to two and a half tons why was the stone rolled away well I'll tell you what it wasn't to let Jesus out Jesus didn't need to have the stone rolled away to get out if you know anything about the gospel records he could walk through walls he could appear in rooms he could go from one part of the country to another lickety-split no the stone wasn't rolled away to let Jesus out it was rolled away to let them in to see that he wasn't there that's the whole purpose of the stone being gone and entering the tomb verse five they saw a young man clothed now we know it's an angel young man is how this angel appeared to the women who looked at him but the other gospel records tell us it's indeed an angel clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side and they were alarmed I'm always suspicious when I hear about angel sightings I believe in angels I'm suspicious about stories I hear about angel sightings I'm just a skeptic at heart so I can be convinced but I don't believe every sighting the PIA I've heard people's oh yeah you know I was heard up the story in the van part got stuck on the freeway and an angel came and changed a tire in the rain and there's been stories of this over the years I'm not saying it can't happen I'm just saying angel sightings are a lot like Elvis sightings to me I do believe in angels it says in Hebrews many have entertained angels unaware so no doubt I have interacted with angels but I'm unaware as the Bible says I would be it's not like there's a sign I am an angel they saw this young man and by the way angels for the most part are invisible Daniel didn't even know the existence of these beings until an angel appeared to him in human form and told him about this battle array that was taking place in heavenly places that he was totally unaware of because it's like a parallel universe an invisible world to us but every now and then God allows angels to assume human form Abraham invited three beings into his tent two of which were angels that went down and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah they had a human form Abraham invited them in his tent Abraham prepared a meal for them I don't know what was on the menu maybe lamb maybe angel hair pasta that would be fitting for the angel but he was entertaining angels unawares look at verse five what it says toward the end and they were alarmed if if I were translating this I would say they were freaked because the word alarmed is a compound verb in the Greek language it's a word that is only used here in the entire New Testament and it's a strong emotion that combines fear with agitation a heightened sense heightened state of fear fear and agitation they were freaked out Luke tells us that this young man this angel described as an angel the garment the robe that it had was luminescent was gleaming was shining it just must have been cool to see now something else because if you read this you might have this question so I'll just beat you to the punch Luke and John say there were two angels Matthew and Mark mentioned only one angel is that a problem not at all the reason one angel is mentioned is no doubt because the one angel is the spokesman for the two angels that were there two of them were there one is there who spoke to them and the one who was speaking to them is the one that they mentioned they were alarmed but he said to them do not be alarmed it's just so practical I know you're freaked out don't be freaked don't be alarmed angels frequently have to say this because they freaked people out because there is that fear and agitation you read this a lot don't be afraid don't be alarmed don't worry don't be alarmed you seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified now that's important it's important that you know that Jesus rose from the dead it was a resurrection not a resuscitation he was crucified that's a historic fact he died but notice the next sentence he is risen he is not here see the place where they laid him he is risen three words actually one word in Greek remember how I've told you that the Greek language can combine English words and make a statement that's just so pregnant with meaning that it doesn't even other languages don't even come close in their description another time this is employed is when Jesus hung on the cross and said it is finished three words in English one word in Greek tetelestai it is finished paid in full transaction complete - tell us ty one word the word he is risen is one word in Greek a Gareth a which meant he has Ray he has been raised it's past tense it's over it's done one single word that single word statement is the greatest miracle in all of human history He is risen he is not here then notice this see the place where they laid him the word CE means perceive experience encounter if I were translating this the angel said hey come here check this out that's the idea of see check this out the angel wants them to see nothing the angel is pointing to nothing the empty slab the empty stone the place from which he rose the launching pad if you will see it look at it perceive it encounter this check this out what would they see in looking at nothing well they would first of all see the humility of Christ this is the humility of Christ this is what God would do stooping down from heaven to become a man and suffer and die and get buried here that's that's how far God will go to win you to himself to bring you to heaven see it that's humility Philippians 2 who being in very nature God considered it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation taking on the form of a servant become obedient to the point of death even the death on the cross so see the humility of Christ number two see the sin of man how is it that God in human flesh could die because he took our sin if you ever wonder well how bad is my sin anyway I mean it's not that bad it put Jesus in the grave it put wounds upon him it put nails in his hands and in his feet and his spear in his side that's what my sin did to my Savior but finally look see check out the victory over death look at nothing because he who was once dead is dead no longer he's risen a girthy he was raised eras tense by the way for you Greek students it's done it's over with percussions lasting on and on as he said to you verse eight so they went out quickly and they fled from the tomb again notice how mark describes it for they trembled and were amazed and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid there's a lot of emotion in that verse they trembled promise is the greek word that describes what's happening to their body as adrenaline is rushing coursing through their bloodstream they're trembling they're shaking then it says and were amazed ecstasy is the greek word we get ecstatic or ecstasy that describes what's going on in their mind so we have a description of their physiology as well as their mentality in one verse adrenaline is pumping through they're shaken they're in this heightened form of ecstasy carried beyond themselves emotionally they said nothing because they were afraid now can I just throw something out to you what if they would have slept in what if they would have looked at each other and said I don't want to go it's so far and it's so cold and it's so dark and it's so early I'll go later they wouldn't have made the same discovery but because they sought the Lord early they made the discovery of a lifetime they saw the angel sitting there they heard he was risen they went out with this message all because they were seeking the Lord early now granted they were they were seeking a corpse when they found a risen Lord but they sought the Lord early can I suggest to you that there are discoveries for you to enjoy if you seek the Lord early in the day let me just challenge you to get up 15 minutes earlier tomorrow just 15 minutes if you want to go more than that go ahead but just just try a little bit earlier and seek the Lord you know they tell us that breakfast is the most important meal for your body I believe it's the most important meal for your heart a spiritual breakfast seeking the Lord early get up early and have time with the Lord in his word in his presence seek Him Psalm 63 oh god you are my god early will I seek you the discovery they made one-of-a-kind now when he arose early on the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene of whom he cast out seven demons and wen and told those who had been with him as they mourned and wept now you need to know something if you have a I'm going to say modern translation but there's not every modern translation has it but there are certain translations of the Bible that have a footnote in your Bible or a side note that says something like this after verse 8 the earliest and most reliable manuscripts do not include the following verses now I'm not seeing anything register so maybe you don't have a Bible like that but if you have a New International Version a New Living Translation others it will say earliest and most reliable manuscripts do not include the next twelve verses verse nine to the end of the chapter so what they believe some believe that mark ends with chapter with verse 8 that's the end of it and I'll tell you why in a minute but can I just say if this is the end of it it's a weird end it just ends by saying they trembled and were amazed and they said nothing for they were afraid okay I guess you could end it that way now why do some say this is the end of the Gospel of Mark well here's the one reason there are two ancient manuscripts fourth century manuscripts they are known as the codex cine Atticus and the Codex Vaticanus dated from the 4th century who do not include verse 9 to the end of the chapter end of mark 16 so they say since those early manuscripts don't have it that's the end that's it well let me say something to you number one just because their earlier manuscripts and there's no evidence that they really are the earliest manuscripts but let's just say they are for argument's sake just because something was earlier doesn't mean it's more accurate you can make mistakes for a longer period of time or a shorter period of time that in and of itself doesn't validate authenticity number two though those two manuscripts the Vaticanus and Sinaiticus end at verse 8 the scribes who wrote them left a considerable amount of blank space afterwards that they didn't include in other Gospels as if suggesting that they knew about a longer ending that they just simply didn't have when they wrote that number three all of the other manuscripts include the rest of the chapter and another point the patristic writers the early church fathers IRA næss tation Justin Martyr quote from verses nine through verse twenty as if it were Scripture so all of that to say I don't think verse eight is the end I think it still goes on but I want to bring that up because in inevitably whenever I've taught mark somebody will compensate no wait a minute I thought it ended there because I got this little note in my Bible I'm glad you do that's a nice little note I'm familiar with with that idea in that system and it's a possibility but we have here the longer ending which I believe is also inspired by the Holy Spirit so now when he rose early verse 9 on the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene out of whom he cast seven demons she went and told those who had been with him and they mourned and wept and when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her they were so excited no now that is a mistranslation it says they did not believe I'm glad that's their you know why to me it adds to the validity and authenticity of the scripture instead of just saying yeah it was just so amazing everybody believed it from the get-go it shows you once again they were not predisposed to a resurrection so that even when an eyewitness says he's not there he's alive they said we don't believe it now one of the reasons they didn't believe it okay I'm not trying to sound male chauvinistic here this is historical fact one of the reasons they didn't believe because it was the testimony of women according to Jewish tradition not according to skip Heitzig the testimony of women 2,000 years ago was invalid 200 years later when a pagan by the name of celsus if you've ever been with us to ephesus and you've seen that great library that's the library of celsus he wrote to origin from alexandria speaking of the resurrection he called it the gossip of women didn't believe it because it was the testimony first of women so these guys didn't believe it as well after that verse 12 he appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country now who would that be the two disciples on the road to emmaus remember they were walking down the road their heads were hanging low they were upset they were in despair because the one they loved had died and Jesus comes walking up incognito they don't know he's alive didn't even recognize it as Jesus he's just like coming right up to him and then he asked him a question hey how come you guys are so bummed out and they say to him are you like a visitor or a stranger around here don't you know that things that have happened and Jesus said what things no he knew perfectly well because he was the one they happened to but he wanted to hear them describe it oh how Jesus of Nazareth one that we hoped in we hoped he had been the one but he died that's when Jesus revealed himself to them o foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken not Christ to have suffered and entered into his glory beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them all things concerning himself in the scriptures it says Jesus appeared to them in another form see what it says in your Bible another form heteros more faith a form of another kind that could mean number one a form differently than the one he had appeared to Mary Magdalene in it could mean a form differently than the one they had recognized him previously and or it could simply mean he came incognito as a traveler as a visitor to those two guys on the road to Emmaus that's simply what I think it means he appeared to them they had that conversation look at verse 13 and when they those two disciples who came back from Emmaus when they went and told it to the rest they did not believe them either so not just the testimony of women but the testimony of these men these male disciples they didn't believe it was just too good to be true they didn't believe it later he appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table remember the eleven apostles after Jesus died locked themselves in that upper room they were behind locked doors they were afraid of the Jews they thought they killed Jesus were next they were in fear of their lives they were not brave men they were hiding they were in that room at the table and he rebuked their unbelief and their hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen hardness of heart a medical term sclera kardia it refers to the condition of the heart refusing to believe the eyewitness testimony that said Jesus was alive now you find that exact same condition because you're sharing the gospel with people and you're sharing the eyewitness testimony of those who set it and wrote it down and how many people do you speak to that of sclera kardea hardness of heart their wills become impudent they don't want to hear they refuse to listen so even as they refuse to listen they will discover others will refuse to listen to them when they discover Jesus indeed is risen from the dead and he said to them go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature now before we get into this and close off this chapter we have the problem of the empty tomb what do you mean problem of the empty tomb well most all skeptics even the most rabid sceptic will not deny that there was an empty tomb even the early Jewish polemicists said there was an empty tomb the real issue is how do we explain the empty tomb the tomb is empty but what was the reason it was empty so let me tell you what the common explanations are for the empty tomb of Jesus reason number one most common the disciples stole Jesus body and started running around saying he's risen he's risen well first of all they were in no mood to do that the record shows them scared for their lives hiding in an upper room doesn't sound like they're all full of courage want to go steal a body and go make a story up and even if they did make up a story don't you think one of them would break since they all like died for that story they were martyred for that don't you think what I would say just kidding it was a hoax not one of them broke though they suffered the most gruesome deaths or isolation also if the disciples stole the body they had a problem because the Bible tells us there was a Roman guard which was between 4 and 16 depending on what history book you look at Roman soldiers who guarded the tomb and if the soldiers who guarded the tomb see you got to make up these details as you go along yeah yeah the disciples stole the body well how'd they get around the soldiers oh the soldiers were asleep really well you know that the penalty of a Roman soldier sleeping on guard is death right well I didn't know that okay let's just say they were sleeping though and nobody knows about it don't you think if the disciples could move a 2-ton stone it would wake up maybe a Roman soldier or the neighborhood so the explanation that the disciples stole the body is a poor explanation it's not adequate doesn't satisfy the mind explanation number two well the Jews stole the body interesting the Jews stole the body now that that doesn't satisfy me intellectually because in the next few weeks these disciples will be running around Jerusalem saying he's alive he's risen from the dead all the Jewish leaders have to do is say no he's not we have his body let us show up we'll dig it up and show you here it is didn't happen so that explanation is also an untenable explanation explanation number through three well the women who purportedly witnessed this angel in this tomb and said he's not here the women went to the wrong tomb now here's how it goes listen to it it was early in the morning the contrast is poor the shadows are large Jerusalem is filled with tombs very easy to go to the wrong tomb plus these women are emotional there's tears on their eyes they don't see very well it'd be very easy to go to the wrong tomb okay suppose they did go to the wrong tomb that means that later on when they get Peter and John to go check it out that Peter and John also went to the wrong tomb it not only means that the women went to the wrong tomb and Peter went to the wrong tomb and John went to the wrong tomb but also the angels who said come check this out this is where he laid the angels were stationed at the wrong tomb it would further mean let's say all of them went to the wrong tomb including the Angels don't you think the Jewish Sanhedrin would be able to find out the right tomb and if they were all confused including the Jewish Sanhedrin just asked Joseph of Arimathea it was his tomb to begin with he would certainly be able to say let me show you where my tomb is so that's not a good explanation for theks planation jesus never died he came close to dying but he swooned he was in shock he was on the cross they took him down from the cross but his heart was still beating he was barely alive but alive nonetheless he just swooned they put him in the tomb and the dampness of the tomb and the coolness of the air revived him and he got up now think that one through carefully do you mean to tell me somebody who had been beaten with a cat of nine tails eviscerating his back a crown of thorns upon his head being pummeled by the soldiers carrying across and not being able to make it to the place of execution spikes driven through his wrists feet spear in the side do you think a cool damp tomb no medical attention is going to make him better that's going to improve his condition and then somehow he's going to be able to unwind all of those wrappings and go for a walk you believe that you have more faith than I do fifth explanation the women hallucinate it and the disciples hallucinate of course the problem with that is the Bible tells us that Jesus appeared to the twelve corporately and he appeared to five hundred at one time psychiatrist Ella SaLuSa nations are not corporate they're individual they don't happen to a group they happen to a person of a certain kind of personality type high-strung individuals typically those who have a predisposition toward that the same ones that see angels fixing tires perhaps this was no hallucination this was no resuscitation this was a resurrection from the dead and that's the last and best explanation he indeed rose he's risen he's not here he got up that's the best explanation for the empty tomb of Jesus Christ now let's finish it up and he said to them go into all the world and preach preach the gospel to every creature that is throughout all of God's creation 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 in my name they will cast out demons they will speak with new tongues and these signs that authenticated the Gospel message you can see and read about in the book of Acts they will take up serpents and if they drink anything deadly it will by no means hurt them they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover do not read into this that you can go have a service at your church and pass a snake around in parts of the south traditionally and even in some pockets to this day they have such services where a snake is passed around or poison is even taken and if you really have faith you'll be ok well he did it and he and he died well I didn't have enough faith it's a bad way to find out it's not what it means it means in the process of getting the Gospel message out of going into all the world these are the signs that will authenticate your ministry and if you take up a serpent it won't harm you it happened to Paul on Malta acts 28 a viper came out and attached itself to Paul's hand and all of the people around said he's a dead man he must be a very wicked person he's gonna die in a minute and he just shook it off and had dinner and went to bed was fine nothing happened to him that's how that was fulfilled lay hands on the sick and they will recover now we have just a few minutes so I want to touch on something that's the thing of baptism people really get hung up on that verse and I want you to notice that verse in verse 16 he who believes in his baptized will be saved now what people typically who believe in a doctrine that I do not believe in a doctrine called baptismal regeneration which states that you must be baptized in order to be saved they focus on the first part of this verse and they neglect the second part the first part does indeed say whoever believes and is baptized will be saved but notice the second part he who does not believe will be condemned in other words the condemnation is on the basis of unbelief alone not baptism otherwise Jesus would have said whoever is doesn't believe and is not baptized why does he even bring up baptism because baptism is a work that follows faith you're saved by faith through God's grace not of yourselves baptism is a work you're not saved by works but if you are saved by grace the work of baptism which comes after subsequent to salvation will no doubt be encountered by that one who believes there is a scripture in the book of Acts that the proponents of baptismal regeneration love to focus on I'll just read it to you it's in Acts chapter two and I just want to briefly explain it before we close and pray listen to acts 2 beginning in verse 37 now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles men and brethren what shall we do and Peter said to them repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit the people who love the doctrine of baptismal regeneration focusing on that word for baptized for the remission of sins and what they mean is that the word for means in order that for in order that you may be saved I take issue with that the Greek word for is the word ice which can mean for in order that it can also mean into unto or because of so if I say this soldier was awarded for bravery do I mean he was given a medal in order that he might be brave no I mean he was given a medal to prove that he was brave to show that he was brave because he was brave if I say this boy was given a bigger allowance for his good grades do I mean that he was given a bigger allowance so that he would get better grades in order that no because of you see my point to be baptized for the remission is because of the remission of sins because that person has had his sins or her sins remitted forgiven taken away baptism follows that and that's why the Williams translation is most accurate saying and as an expression of it let every one of you be baptized in his name something else in 1st Corinthians 1 Paul makes a boast and he says you know what I was among you I don't remember baptizing any of you except Christmas Gaius and the household of stephanas besides that I can't remember if I baptized anybody else listen to what he says for Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel if baptism was a part and equal to that of being saved he would never have said that he would never have made the distinction crisis and sent me to baptize but preach the gospel if Paul believed in baptismal regeneration he never would have made that statement in fact he would have carried a baptismal tank with him wherever he went but he didn't for Christ didn't send me to baptize baptism doesn't save anybody it simply is for the remission of sins it's because your sins have been remitted because you're saved you show it now why should we get baptized easy Jesus said to do it that's all you that's all you need if you love me keep my Commandments be very hard to find somebody goes yeah I really know I love Jesus so much but I'm never gonna get baptized really if you can't even obey that command how are you gonna be any other command that's so simple number two you are identifying with his death burial and resurrection according to Roman's 6 that's what baptism is right demonstrating his death buried coming up from the water resurrection number three it's a witness in many parts of the world they don't get baptized at a church service they get baptized at the public river they march through the town so all their friends and family know they have walked out of Darkness and come to light well I better finish up the chapter then after the Lord had spoken to them he was received up into heaven and he sat down at the right hand of God what's he doing up there he's just kind of like twiddling his thumbs like we've been doing this a long time 2000 years I've been sitting here man there's a whole sermon I could preach on him sitting down a priest only sat down when his work of atonement was finished the great High Priest sat down it's done it's over no more work has to be done on earth but he's still doing work in heaven do you know he's doing work in heaven do you know what he's doing for you right now Hebrews seven he ever liveth to make intercession for you he's praying for you Jesus your savior is talking to the Father about you getting you through those problem areas Wow that's another whole message and they went out and preached everywhere the Lord working with them and confirming the word through accompanying signs amen some years ago we were in Israel and we were baptizing our group in the Jordan River we take an afternoon we go to the site of baptism and we explained it and we baptize people in the jaw River it's a great time whatever we do you have people who stand around and watch who are on the outside of the walls not inside they're looking around just scoping it out so I had baptized her group and I'm leaving and this young girl from South America named Olga said excuse me sir what are you doing I said well we were baptizing people and she said well what is that and I try to explain to her so she goes into so why do you do it and tell me and she just wanted me to tell her the gospel because it was a witness that was that last point a baptism is a witness public witness so I explained what we were doing and she goes would you mind if I came in would you baptize me and I said I would be willing if you believe in Jesus with all of your heart and I explained who he was and we prayed and she received Christ she was dressed in her clothes she wasn't any baptismal garb or bathing suit she goes I believe so this previous unbeliever who was witnessing believers getting baptized she came around and we baptized her in front of her friends in front of Brook group and with our group beautiful witness your life is a witness it's a testimony and your commission you're sent out and the Lord is in heaven interceding for you your advocate before the father your intercessor with the father you're in a win-win situation you can't lose let's pray father we thank you for the many weeks we've had to study this incredible gospel 20 weeks of a diet in the book of Mark looking at the life of Jesus Christ told to the Roman audience mostly a Gentile audience an audience that we can most relate to or we look at how you change lives and especially when these women and these men made the discovery that the one that they thought was dead would would prove them wrong would be alive would be alive and then ascend into heaven where he is ever living always living continually living to intercede for us even as we discuss Sunday the angels of heaven marveling at salvation and Jesus the son in heaven desiring that all men be saved and all women be saved I wonder if there's anyone here tonight Lord that you might want to just bring into your kingdom and as we close the service if you are here tonight and you have never personally asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior I don't mean just a nice person or have a religious bent but you don't remember a time where you've consciously invited Christ into your life to be your Lord your savior or maybe you remember some religious experience of the past but honestly wherever you're at now you're not walking with the Lord and you need to come to him you need to come home to him you need to come back to him if that describes you if you desire to come to him to have your sins forgiven to walk in newness of life to have purpose in life to have the joy the peace that passes understanding as the Bible describes it because of a relationship with him if you want that as we're praying right now I want you to raise your hand up in the air raise it up so I can see it just raise it up for a moment just keep it up god bless you right up in the front and a couple of you in the middle on my left anyone else raise your hand up raise your hand up in the air to my right god bless you on the side who else yes man toward the back on my left father we thank you and we pray for these who are with us do a transformation in these hearts in Jesus name we pray amen would you stand with me please we're gonna close this service in a song I'm gonna ask those of you who raised your hand to do something that you probably didn't think you were gonna do when you came in but I'm gonna ask you to do it as we sing this song I'm gonna ask you to get it from where you're standing and find the nearest aisle and come stand right up here where I'm gonna lead you in a prayer publicly to receive Christ Jesus called people publicly to follow him and I think there's a joy that happens and a relief that happens in a heart of a person who's willing to make that stand that step so as we as we sing this song you come up from where you were standing now and you stand right up here in the front I'm gonna have my counselors come and just show you where to stand just come now as we sing this song [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] oh Jesus [Music] [Applause] me pleasures all forsaken me Jesus [Music] ooh [Applause] [Music] we're about to praise their anybody else you've seen people make decisions like this and make a walk like this before maybe God has been working on your heart of late and you just think what am I missing could it ever get better oh yeah could get a lot better that's it awesome anybody else anyone else you that have walked forward I'm gonna ask you to pray with me I'm gonna pray out loud and I'm gonna ask you to pray out loud after me save this from your heart you're saying this to the Lord you're inviting him in that's all this is a prayer of let's pray lord I give you my life I know I'm a sinner please forgive me I believe that Jesus died that He shed his blood for my sin and that he rose to life again I turn from my sin I turn to you as my savior I trust you with my life help me to live for you as my Lord in Jesus name Amen give the Lord a big hand for that [Applause]

Channel: Calvary Church with Skip Heitzig

Views: 6,776

Rating: 4.8504672 out of 5

Keywords: Calvary Church, Skip Heitzig, Mark, John the Baptist, John Mark, synagogue, missionary, New Testament, clergy, baptism, satan, devil, King of the Jews, kosher, law, disciples, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John

Id: ArtBBYhSBoQ

Length: 67min 7sec (4027 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 11 2018