Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Mark 16 NIV
Jesus Has Risen
16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” 8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.
[The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.]
9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. 12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. 14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name, they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Would you have had trouble believing the angel’s words?
Lord, Your Word declares that You are the King of kings and the Lord of lords. You will overcome evil with Your Good for eternity. You have defeated sin and death by Your resurrection. Forgive me Lord, when I am skeptical about Your mighty power. I doubt that I can use Your resurrection power to do great things in Your name. Why do I look at the evil around me and have trouble believing that You can and will overcome it? I want to believe. Help me with my unbelief. I want to hold onto the truth that You are in control. You work all things together for good for those who love You and are called to Your purpose. Let me trust in Your resurrection power and trust that evil is not winning, but being exposed for what it is. It appeared that evil had won when You died on the cross, but the final victory was Yours. What I see in the natural is very compelling but You are not confined to the natural. Help me not limit what I believe You can do by my human understanding of the things of this world. Your ways are not of this world. Your glory will shine as You rise up to save the nations with Your mercy in powerful victory. Blessed are those who do not see but yet believe. Let my faith shine in the darkness. Let me fight evil on my knees with my hands lifted high. Lead me to participate in the great things You have planned. Allow me to serve You and to share Your story of love, sacrifice, and victory to all I meet. I believe that I’m going to see a victory, because the battle belongs to You, Lord. I choose to believe. Amen