The Good News!

Like Paul Harvey did many years ago, we close the gospel of Mark with “the rest of the story”…after the Resurrection of Jesus, our Savior. Most people think the “good news” ends with the resurrection, but this is where it BEGINS for believers who trust Jesus as their LORD as well as their Savior. He came to earth to seek and to save lost people. He died and rose again for lost people, paying off the debt of sin forever. But the story does not end there. He is ALIVE in us, giving us a similar mission, in His Name and by His power working in us….to tell the story.

9-11 [After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared early on Sunday morning to Mary Magdalene, whom he had delivered from seven demons. She went to his former companions, now weeping and carrying on, and told them. When they heard her report that she had seen him alive and well, they didn’t believe her.

12-13 Later he appeared, but in a different form, to two of them out walking in the countryside. They went back and told the rest, but they weren’t believed either.

14-16 Still later, as the Eleven were eating supper, he appeared and took them to task most severely for their stubborn unbelief, refusing to believe those who had seen him raised up. Then he said, “Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all. Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses to believe is damned.

17-18 “These are some of the signs that will accompany believers: They will throw out demons in my name, they will speak in new tongues, they will take snakes in their hands, they will drink poison and not be hurt, they will lay hands on the sick and make them well.”

19-20 Then the Master Jesus, after briefing them, was taken up to heaven, and he sat down beside God in the place of honor. And the disciples went everywhere preaching, the Master working right with them, validating the Message with indisputable evidence.]

Note: Mark 16:9-20 [the portion in brackets] is contained only in later manuscripts.

The women go back to tell the story to their friends. They didn’t believe. The women then go tell the disciples. At first the ones who had been with Jesus, heard Him SAY out loud that He would rise up from the dead, and they did not believe until He appeared to them. Jesus “took them to task” for their unbelief. Imagine being face to face with our Lord while he task us to task for OUR unbelief! This is followed by our mission, as true believers and behavers of God’s Word, to GO and TELL, don’t leave anything out, don’t hold back, don’t water it down, don’t put a spin on it thinking you can make the story better…Just tell the TRUTH, tell and show others JESUS!

They might not believe at first, but keep telling it. Most importantly, keep showing it with our lives. Jesus will show up in their lives just like He showed up in ours.

Dear Heavenly Father, You do take us to task in our hearts when we miss opportunities to tell Your story and declare Your glory in all that we are and do. We repent. Go with us this day. Help us live the “rest of the story” out loud to the world around us. Give us power to see opportunities and the right words to say, in the right time and in the right way. In Jesus Name, Amen