Mark 16:9-14 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. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. 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.
Fear seemed to penetrate the hearts of those who had to do with Jesus immediately after the resurrection. Just as the women who came to the tomb were afraid, and lacked faith to tell anyone they had talked to a young man dressed in white who told them Jesus was risen, those who had been with him and mourned his death did not believe he appeared to Mary Magdalene. Neither did they believe a second report from two of their number who said they had seen Jesus while walking in the country. Fear and unbelief filled the hearts of those closest to Jesus while He had fulfilled his earthly ministry. This same Jesus who conquered death and the grave had prepared them for his death and resurrection, yet they seemingly had lacked ears to hear, and now did not believe. Early in his ministry, when Jesus cleared the money changers from the temple, He said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days,” prophesying his resurrection from the dead. (John 2:19) Later, He told his disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” (Matthew 17:22-23) We find this same message throughout Christ's interactions because his death, burial and resurrection are at the heart of God's salvation plan for mankind. Even the Old Testament speaks of the Messiah rising from the dead. David wrote: Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. (Psalm 16:9-10) We also read this prophecy: Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. (Hosea 6:1-2) These Jewish disciples knew these and other verses, and they had heard the words of Jesus, yet they could not fathom their Lord actually appearing to Mary and to two of their own.
No wonder Jesus rebuked them when He appeared to the disciples as they were eating for lacking faith and not believing the good reports. He knew they should have rejoiced, but they had drawn back in unbelief rather than embracing the truth of his victory over the grave--a victory he had foretold numerous times in their presence, a victory substantiated by God's Word and angels from on high. Sometimes we humans are so dense. We ask a lot from God. He blesses us so abundantly and in so many amazing ways, yet when a trial comes our way, how quickly we turn to doubt and despair. "Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done!" These words should be more to us than part of an old gospel song. Every Christian is so blessed. We often say to each other: If the Lord never answered another prayer for us, never undertook on our behalf, never healed us again, we would have to praise him for all eternity because we are so greatly blessed. Our salvation alone would be enough, but we can add to that a list so long that it goes on forever speaking of his many blessings to us. The 40th Psalm says it all for the believer: I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. (Psalm 40:1-4) Jesus had done exactly what He said He would do; nonetheless, his beloved followers could not accept that He was alive and appearing to his own. They lacked faith to hear and to see in the spiritual realm because they were caught in the natural world. They could mourn Jesus' death and burial, but they lacked faith to celebrate his new life!
How often do we draw back from what is new in the Lord, from what He has prepared in advance for us to do. Since Christ died and was made alive, we are alive in him. Paul wrote of this great miracle: But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. But God did not stop at merely saving us by his grace: He has filled us with his Holy Spirit and called us to do his work: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:4-5 & 10) Jesus always has a plan for his co-workers, God's joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. Jesus did not just appear to people that day to say, "See, I told you I would rise again." He had a much greater purpose. He had work to do. He had a commission to impart. He had unfinished business with his disciples. He as always was about the Father's business. The disciples were spiritually asleep, but Jesus was waking them up one more time. The Bible says Jesus chastised his chosen messengers of the Good News for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe the reports about him. The word stubborn stands out. They did not just fail to believe, but they dug their heels in and adamantly said, "We refuse to believe you saw Jesus." Even though three people came back with the wonderful news of encountering Jesus, they did not believe. This reminds us of Thomas' reaction to the risen Christ, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” Jesus came to them and had Thomas touch his hands and said, "Stop doubting and believe." Only then did Thomas say, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus went on to say, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (See John 20:25-29) This is our position as Christians today. Do we believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior? Do we serve him and his church and praise him for his many blessings while looking for his return? Do we have eyes to see him and ears to hear him in our everyday lives as we give a drink of water in his name or help the helpless? Can we say to others, "I have just seen Jesus, and He is alive! He is alive in me and He wants to live in you!"
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