Getting More Than We Deserve
Friday, April 21, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Jesus found it necessary to rebuke many of the followers for not believing the others when they shared the amazing news that Jesus was alive. I confess today that I have often been skeptical of Your works. I have doubted Your involvement in healings, and in other areas of life where You have stepped in and made a transforming difference. Perhaps most of all, there have been times when I have failed to believe that You could or would change me. Forgive me, Lord. Forgive my unbelief, and forgive my unwillingness to put You first in every moment of life. Fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit that my every breath will be dependent on the reality that You are alive and well, and that You are still performing miracles all around us. Use me today as You see fit to advance the cause of Your coming Kingdom. I pray all this in the strong name of Jesus Christ, my risen Savior and Lord! Amen.
God’s Word Today – Mark 16:1-18
1The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene and Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus’ body. 2Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they came to the tomb. 3On the way they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. 4But when they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone—a very large one—had already been rolled aside. 5So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white robe. The women were startled, 6but the angel said, “Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. 7Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died!” 8The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to talk.
Then they reported all these instructions briefly to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen.
9It was early on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead, and the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10She went and found the disciples, who were grieving and weeping. 11But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.
12Afterward he appeared to two who were walking from Jerusalem into the country, but they didn’t recognize him at first because he had changed his appearance. 13When they realized who he was, they rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.
14Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their unbelief—their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
15And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. 16Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. 17These signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak new languages. 18They 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 heal them.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
What is the hardest aspect of God’s word or promises for you to believe? Why is it difficult for you? Take some time right now and ask God to increase Your faith in this area.
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
What does Jesus’ rebuke of the disciples tell us about Jesus’ expectations for them?
What role does belief have in our daily lives as followers of Jesus?
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
What does today’s Scripture tell us about Jesus’ purpose for our lives?
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
Consider those areas of your life right now where you have trouble believing God’s word or promises, which you already reflected on earlier in the study. What does lack of belief tell us in general about our faith in God? Take some time right now to ask God to increase your faith, and also the faith of others in the church family---your own family members, church family members, leaders, and pastors. Ask God to give us all such a great measure of faith that we will be sure to believe and live in the power of Jesus moment by moment!
Thoughts—Jesus Rebuked Them…
Jesus had just risen from the dead after undergoing one of the most gruesome deaths in recorded history. One would think that He would be in an extremely good mood after that! But one of the first things Jesus did when He appeared to the eleven remaining disciples was rebuke them! Rebuke is a strong word. Jesus was more than a little upset that the disciples had not believed Mary and the other two followers who had seen Him, before He appeared to the whole group. Why would Jesus be so upset? First, Mary and the others were trusted members of the group. For the disciples not to believe them was a sign that the fellowship was disintegrating and that folks were considering only their own selfish perspectives. To be sure, hearing of anyone rising from the dead would test the limits of relationship with the one who was bearing such testimony, but remember they told the group that it was JESUS who had risen from the dead. Jesus had told them all on several occasions that He WOULD rise from the dead, so why did they have so much difficulty believing that Jesus was alive? This is the second, and most important reason for the rebuke—the disciples were disbelieving Jesus’ own words. When they wouldn’t believe their comrades concerning Jesus’ resurrection, they not only called the integrity of their friends into question, but Jesus’ integrity as well. As we close out this week after Easter, and our study of the account of Jesus’ resurrection and what followed, let’s remember that ALL of Jesus’ promises are true. When He tells us that He is going to do something He IS going to do it. He has fulfilled virtually all of His promises to us already. One that remains to be fulfilled is His return to claim us—His second coming. Some no longer concern themselves with this matter, because it’s been 2,000 years and Jesus hasn’t come back. The appropriate response is to say, “Jesus promised to come back, so I’m going to be ready.” The best way to be ready is to BELIEVE what He teaches and to live it out in the power of the Holy Spirit. We certainly don’t want His first words to us when He returns to be words of rebuke, right? The way to hear words of praise is simple: Live each day with simple trust and action that shows Jesus and the world that we believe His promises!