Snapshots25: Mark 16:1-20 Easter Sunday
Questions for Community Groups
1. Do you know people who do not believe for one of the reasons we heard in the sermon?
2. How do you feel about the fact that Jesus is the only way?
3. Do you know "Christians" who don;t believe Jesus is the only way? Is that a problem?
4. Are you on mission to share the Good News with the people around you?
5. Give some examples of how other people helped you share the Good News with family and friends.
This morning we are going to look at the resurrection account in the Gospel of Mark. Through that account we are going to look at three questions.
1. Why won't you believe?
2. What do we need to believe?
3. What do we do when we believe?
1. Why won't you believe?
-Business as usual-Vrs 1-3 The women going to bring spices to Jesus body They were not expecting the resurrection. They were expecting to bring spices to a dead body. Maybe that is you...you are not expecting God to do anything, spiritual things are not on your radar. Business as usual. Or maybe for you it is I am too busy for God. Technology and
A.W. Tozer said “Modern civilization is so complex as to make the devotional life all but impossible. It wears us out by multiplying distractions and beats us down by destroying our solitude, where otherwise we might renew our strength before going out to face the world again.”
Winston Churchhill said Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.
Don't fall in to the business as usual trap
-Not ready or do not want life change Vrs 4-8 The women were not prepared for this and it scared them. They were trembling.
Maybe that is you, the whole Christian thing scares you, you don't want a change or feel you are incapable of a change. Leave that to the Lord. If you trust Him He will change you. Jesus does not say clean yourself up and come to me. He changes us and renews us.
-Lack of evidence- Vrs 10-11 The disciples did not see Jesus yet. They only spent all that time with Him, heard Him teach and talk about the resurrection. Maybe you are saying to yourself these are fairy tails, how can this be true? I can't answer all those questions for you now but what I would say is...educate yourself, do you have something better that answers life's questions.
Dr. Paul L. Maier (a prominent professor of ancient history) stated: "No shred of evidence has yet been discovered in literary sources, epigraphy or archaeology that would disprove that the tomb in which Jesus was buried was actually empty on the morning of the 1st Easter."
Most people just fall into the category of saying.."it just does not sound like it could be true.
C.S. Lewis said A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him, than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.
Don't just dismiss Jesus because you have heard others say that there is not enough evidence.
-Ignoring the void- vrs 10b only Jesus can fill this void. It is common that people spend much of their lives trying to fill the void not realizing that there is a void. We try to make ourselves happy and feel good and in the pursuit of that often times we are let down. Ref. Eccl
Ravi Zacharias said The loneliest moment in life is when you have just experienced that which you thought would deliver the ultimate, and it has just let you down.
What are you trying to fill the void with?
-Being skeptical- Vrs 12-13 Jesus appeared to two disciples and the rest would still not believe. They were skeptical. Maybe you are skeptical of Christians, "oh that is a crutch" "they will not trust Jesus when something bad happens"
Jesus rebukes the skeptics Vrs 14
Dante Gabriel Rossetti said The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful, and has nobody to thank.
Maybe this is NOT you maybe you believe in God but you are not believing the right thing about God.
2. What we need to believe?
Let me tell you why this day is so important. Vrs 16
- The Gospel Jesus Died and rose again for the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is an act of obedience after belief not a condition for salvation.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.
Jesus is the only way....... Card or prayer
3. What do we do when we believe?
-Get on mission Vrs 15 If you are not down with the mission you may be very uncomfortable here because this is what we are about. Why? Because Jesus said so.
Someone once said "make your life a mission...not an intermission"
-Rely on the power Jesus Vrs 17-18 Don't try this at home, these were apostolic signs to be used before the Scriptures were complete.
The power is displayed by the resurrection 1 Cor 15.
-Remember you are not alone Vrs 19-20 They had each other but more importantly they had Jesus. As you are on mission know that others went before you, others will go after you, we are with and Jesus is with you.
He will never leave us or forsake us.
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