Romans 1:16-17

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"16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" ~ Romans 1:16-17 

We return to our study of Romans where we are given the most life-transforming truths ever given to man in one book. In fact, every major doctrine in the Bible is delivered in this letter. If we really understand and respond to these truths, for us, time and eternity will be totally altered. 

There are four key words in these two verses that make up the thesis statement for this book. Once we have understood these four words, we will discover that we will never be ashamed of the gospel ourselves. These four words are "power," "salvation," "believes" and "righteousness." 

In v.16 of today's passage we read, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

The Apostle Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, because it deals with the bottom line real issue in all of our lives. Paul had been imprisoned in Philippi, chased out of Thessalonica, smuggled out of Berea, laughed at in Athens, ridiculed as a fool in Corinth, stoned while in Galatia. And yet, he was eager to preach this gospel in Rome. The Apostle Paul was convinced of the veracity in the gospel. His eagerness was the result of understanding that the gospel does something no man can do for himself: to change his heart. It is the righteousness of Christ only that makes the sinner worthy before God. And, this righteousness is free to anyone willing enough to believe that the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ solved our greatest problem. This is what Paul writes about throughout the book of Romans.

Paul used the word power to describe the ability of the gospel to change the human heart. By using this word from which we get our English word "dynamite," Paul wrote of the omnipotence of God. The all powerful God of the universe is behind this operative power of regenerating us, of making us alive to Him.

There is a basic power within us all that makes us clamor for change. Deep down within us all, we really want our lives to be different, but we are utterly impotent to change ourselves. The advertisers of this world know this and make billions of dollars convincing on us that their product will change our lives. But, it never happens that way. This is why God delivered the gospel the way He did. He delivered the gospel of His Son as a force that He uses to transform our very lives through a personal relationship with Him.

The Romans were a very proud people due to their advancements in the world. They prided themselves on their military power that could conquer all other nations. They also had a tremendous program of road-building. They even had some of the greatest law-makers of history. And, Paul knew that the Romans also were powerless when it came to changing their hearts. They were powerless to eliminate slavery. In fact, up to half of the population of the Roman Empire were slaves. They were powerless to change the stubborn, hostile, hateful hearts of men and eliminate violence. The Roman Empire was full of violence and corruption and the suicide rate was extremely high at that time. The Romans could do nothing about these things. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ only that unleashes the power of God to do these very things that man cannot do. 

In v.17 of today's passage we read, "For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"

The righteousness of God that Paul writes about speaks not of a righteous God judging an unrighteous world, as much as a righteous God imputing righteousness to an unrighteous world. I find it staggering that God would use His very own righteousness to forgive us. And, the death of God was a must for the righteousness of God to be delivered to the ungodly. 

The salvation that God offers us operates only through faith, that’s all. This salvation is not something we will ever earn, it is something we receive when we recognize our need for it. This is why the Apostle spends the first three chapters of this book convincing us that we are sinful, wretched, and, hopeless apart from Christ before he delves deeply into the gospel. This is why the word "law" appears 78 times throughout this epistle. It is the law of God which condemns us in our sinful state. It is the efforts of Christ, only, which renders us acceptable before God.

Biblical faith is trust. Even faith or the ability to believe is a gift from God. And, this faith is trusting and believing in our hearts that God has raised the Lord Jesus from the dead. Faith in Him renders salvation from the penalty, power and presence of sin. It is not baptism. It is not moral reform. Salvation is not going to church, and, it is not conforming to rules. It’s not even self-discipline and restraint. It’s not morality. No, this salvation is a personal relationship with God wherein our hearts are being changed as we learn of His great love for us for eternity.

Romans 1:11-15

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11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. ~ Romans 1:11-15

Today, we continue our study of Romans which was written thirty years after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The first seventeen verses of Romans provides an introduction that points us to the goal of the book which is service. In our last blog/podcast we considered four of the seven characteristics which aid us to serve God and others best. Today, we will consider the final three. 

In v.11-12 of today's passage we read, "11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith."

The fifth characteristic which aids us at being servants is fostering a loving heart for others. Serving must never be done to gain attention from others. This calling is doing the will of God from the heart. "For God so loved the world that He gave..." That is what love does, it gives. The number one quality of love is giving; it gives of its time, talents and treasures. The Apostle Paul wanted to give to the believers in Rome something that would establish them in their walk with the Lord.

The phrase "spiritual gift" reveals that the source of the gift was the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul wanted to give the believers in Rome a gift from the Holy Spirit. And, his purpose was "to make them strong" in their faith in the Lord Jesus. Paul greatly desired to provide for them the means to make them more spiritually mature. That is what makes a church strong, the exercising of our spiritual gifts for one another's benefit. 

The Apostle also expected them to minister to him with the spiritual gifts that they had been given by the Holy Spirit. Thus, Paul expected they would mutually be strengthened by one another's faith in Christ. This is how God wants the church to operate, each of us ministering to each other, building up one another by our faith and sharing and exercising the gifts God has given. The professionalization of ministry has undermined this idea for many, many years. This explains why many churches lack maturity in the faith.

In v.12, we see the sixth characteristic that enables us to serve best. The way the Apostle wrote v.12, it is revealed that he had a humble disposition. I say this because the Apostle wasn't just planning to go into the church at Rome and exercising his spiritual gifts, he wanted the ministry to be a mutual thing. That takes humility which is the sixth characteristic designed to make us the servants God wants us to be.

Humility is born out of a heart that has lost sight of self. When we are truly humble, there will be no hint of superiority when we are around others. This idea of mutual ministry is born in such a context. And, this is what makes a local body of believers stronger in the faith. 

To be humble means simply to consider the needs of others more important than our own. The Lord Jesus considered that our need was so great that He left heaven to come here to meet our need. When we get to heaven, we will know then the enormity of that decision that the Lord Jesus made to humble Himself. The humble hearted servant is always thankful, prayerful, willing to be the solution to the problem if it's God's will. And it all comes out of a loving heart that seeks to wrap itself around others, not only for what it can give, but also for what can be given. In fact, when we prevent others from giving to us, we are stunting their spiritual growth.  

In v.13 of today's passage we read, " I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles."

The seventh characteristic that aids us to be servants is

fixing our eyes on the fruit which is really the expression of God in the context of ministry. 

Paul didn't go to Rome because he was prevented by the Lord from doing so. It was not the Lord's will at that point that he go to Rome, even though Paul desperately wanted to. Paul's view of the ministry was a quest for the will of God which always produces spiritual fruit.  

Ministry is not an end in itself, it is a means to an end. The purpose of ministry is to get people to engage with God. The product of the growth of our faith is a desire to see others experience what we have experienced with God. I have never understood why Christians want to bash others for their sinfulness. We should be so broken hearted for them that we compassionately and patiently work with them until they enter into or go further into a personal relationship with God. Ministry is to touch the hearts of people with the truth of God.

In v.14-15 of today's passage we read, "14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome."

It is out of a sense of obligation that we are motivated to serve God and others. And, we owe the same to the best as we do the less. The word "eager" literally means "a great readiness of mind." The Lord Jesus once said, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." The word translated "willing" is the same word used here translated "eager."

The Apostle Paul yielded himself into being expendable because, he knew the love of the Father. When we are defined by God's love, we will be compelled deeply from the heart to help others in any way we possibly can. The Apostle wrote, "For to me to live is Christ; to die is gain." All of this leads us to life’s true purpose which is: To know God and to make Him known.

Romans 1:8-10

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8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. ~ Romans 1:8-10

Today, we continue our study of Romans 1. In the first fifteen verses of this epistle, the Apostle Paul gives us seven characteristics that are needed in order to equip us at accomplishing the goal of this book. You will remember that the last section of Romans is about service, so, being a servant is the end result of knowing all of the theological truths found in this most powerful epistle. 

In v.8 of today's passage we read, "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world." 

The first of the seven characteristics needed to serve well is that we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As the Apostle Paul has been demonstrating since the very first word of this epistle, the servant of the Lord must have firm faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Without the Lord Jesus, there is no point to our endeavors to serve God and others. Only the Lord holds the keys to effective servant leadership.

The second of the seven characteristics needed to be the servants that we want to be is prayer. In v.8 the Apostle highlights his prayer for the believers in Rome, even though he had never met them. It is a shame that most think of prayer as a crisis event. They think, “I'm in trouble, I had better pray.” But, prayer is conversation with our Maker who knows everything. It is wise of us to seek Him to know the One who knows all of the secrets of a successful life.

The Apostle Paul began this prayer with: "I thank my God." This introduces us to the third of the seven characteristics of the biblical servant , and, that is being grateful. Being grateful is a learned characteristic. The alternative to gratitude is complaining. Rather than complaining, it is better to go to the Lord with our needs and while telling Him about our needs, make the effort to be thankful. There is a silver lining in every cloud, only discovered by him is looking for it.

Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of self-preoccupation. When we make it a habit of thanking God, we will be most effective at serving Him which is an effective antidote for complaining. Gratitude is the soil in which joy flourishes.

In addition to being in relationship with the Lord and developing that attitude of gratitude, our growing faith in the Lord Jesus enables us to serve best. This is the fourth characteristic that enables us to be the servants that we want to be.

At the end of v.8 the Apostle accentuates the idea that the faith of the Roman believers was being noticed all around the world. It was the faith of the Christians in Rome that got the attention of the Roman world. 

Our faith is like the modulator on a transistor radio. The finer the tuning to the frequency the better we hear the station. It is the same with our faith in the God of the Bible. That which fine tunes our faith in the God of the Bible best is the Word of God. It is imperative that when we read the Bible, we do so in order to meet with God. Instead of just studying His Word, we must learn to become more and more intimate with Him. This only happens in the context of relationship with God. And, the more His Word gets into us, the more we generally are enabled to hear Him with our hearts. And, this is when our faith in Him grows.

In v.9 of today's passage we read, "God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times."

The phrase: "whom I serve in my spirit" is key to our understanding of how our walk with God works. The Apostle Paul had been raised in Judaism and he knew religion intimately for himself. He knew the externals of religion. In fact, Paul understood how religion serves the flesh. And, the flesh is the sinful desires that we all have within us, even though we may have been "born again." To religious people, service is external and superficial just like religion. True service is a heart thing. True service happens when our hearts are engaged with God and others and we do it with the right motivations.

In v.10 of today's passage we read, "and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you."

These four characteristics that we have considered help us to hone in on the will of God for our lives. All that we desire in this world is merely echoes for the will of God for our lives. 

In Romans 12:1 we read, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."

Literally translated, the last four words of this verse means "logical and reasonable service." The last section of the book of Romans is about service and it makes a lot of sense that Paul would write what he did here in Romans 12:1.

It is not only reasonable for man to be available to God, it is also logical for our existence. Frequently this word translated "worship" is translated "service" in the Bible. Service and worship are synonymous. The greatest worship that we will ever render to God and to others is to serve Him. Paul says, "I serve Him in my spirit," and, his spirit was full of the Holy Spirit.

When we are filled with God's Spirit, we will be granted the heart of the Lord. As a result, we discover, like the Apostle Paul, we will be engaged in praying for those we serve regularly! This is why the church in Rome flourished. The late Mike Yaconelli, founder of Youth Specialties once said, "The power of the Church is not a parade of flawless people, but of a flawless Christ who embraces our flaws. The Church is not made up of whole people, rather of the broken people who find wholeness in a Christ who was broken for us."

Romans 1:5-7

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5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Romans 1:5-7

Today, we return to our study of the epistle written by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Rome. As we have stated before, the theme of Romans is the availability of the righteousness of God to everyone who believes the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The thesis and the outline for Romans reveals the purpose of the book. The thesis is found in Romans 1:16-17. And, the outline is: Chapters 1-3 are about the sinful condition of man. Chapters 4-5 are about salvation. Chapters 6-8 are about sanctification. Chapters 9-11 are about the sovereignty of God, and chapters 12-16 are about service. The last section of this epistle reveals the ultimate point to the book: a life of service to God and to others.

In v.5-6 of today's passage we read, "5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ."

Through Christ we have received the grace of God which includes not only His favor, but also His daily involvement in our lives. As a result, we have also been called to the mission of sharing the gospel with all who will listen. The word "apostleship" literally means "sent with a message." Believers in Christ have been saved from the consequences of our sins to be sent with the message of the good news that our sins have been paid for eternally.

When we came to believe in Christ, we affirmed our faith in the God of the Bible. When we really believe the gospel we will be defined by it to some extent on a daily basis. No one has ever been made right before God through obedience, but, our obedience is evidence that we have entered into a personal  relationship with God.   

When we came to faith in Christ, we went out of unbelief into faith in Him, out of the darkness spiritually and into His light. We came out of a life of separation from the God of the Bible into a life of relationship with Him. The gospel is best delivered to and more quickly believed by others when we share it out of the context of our daily relationship with Him.  

In v.7 of today's passage we read, "To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Here we have three great truths about our privileges as believers in Christ. And, these three great truths particularly aid us in the call of God upon all of our lives to share the gospel message with all who would listen to us. In doing this, we serve them in the greatest possible way because the gospel impacts their eternity. And, if we are not convinced of the veracity of the Lord Jesus and His gospel, we will not share this most important message with others. 

The three great truths in v.7 are: We are beloved of God, we are called of God, and, we are saints. These are the privileges of the gospel, the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. No longer do we fear death because our sins have been forgiven us.

To be the "beloved of God" means we are loved by God. According to Ephesians 2:4, He loved us even when we were dead in sin. According to Ephesians 1:6 God can give His love to us and we can access it because His Son died for us. And so, the privilege of the good news is that we are loved by God. God loves everyone, but not everyone has access to His love. It is only through believing the gospel do we have access to God's love.

The second privilege of the gospel is that "we are called of God." This word "called" means the specific message issued by God to follow Him. In John 10:27, the Lord Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice and they follow." In tandem with the Holy Spirit God called us into relationship with Himself and by His grace we heard and did not turn away. As a result, we now enjoy a personal relationship with Him. Through the daily experience of relating with God, learning to talk to Him and learning to hear Him respond, we are positioned to serve others best by sharing the gospel couched in the story that God is giving us with Him.

The third privilege of the gospel is that "we are saints." By virtue of being loved by God, and, by virtue of being called by God, we have been made saints through the Lord Jesus. This means we have been made holy or perfect in the eyes of God through His Son. When God looks at us, having trusted in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross, He sees us through the lens of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This transaction has taken place due to the fact that we have come to trust in the Son's work on the cross on our behalf. And, as a result, we have been set apart to serve God and others. This is the ultimate theme of this book.

Romans 1:2-4

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1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God. 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. ~ Romans 1:1-4

Today, we continue our study of Romans 1. The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Romans from the city of Corinth. He wrote this letter in order to provide for his readers the theology needed to live the life God has called us to, best. 

In the truest sense of the word, Christianity is not a religion because religion is man trying to earn God's favor which is an impossibility. This is why the Lord Jesus had to come to earth and live a perfect life and die a perfect death. In going to the cross, the Lord Jesus had to take the punishment from God for that which had separated us from God. We were unable to endure the wrath of God due to our sinfulness.

So, Christianity is a personal relationship with God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why He went to the cross, to open the access point to God to sinful man. This relationship requires of us nothing to get us into heaven in the future, but, it requires a lot of us now in order to get heaven into us now.

In v.2 of today's passage we read, "the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures."

The Lord Jesus Christ was many years before promised to us; He came as predicted by God in the Old Testament. In fact, there are at least 324 different prophecies in the Old Testament that He fulfilled. And, the likelihood that He would fulfill those many prophecies is way beyond human comprehension! 

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David."

The Lord Jesus was a descendant of Israel's King David which emphasizes the humanity of the Lord Jesus. As the Son of God, He was conceived in the virgin's womb by the Holy Spirit. This was how He could share the nature of God with that of man. 

God had to come as a man in order to die on the behalf of sinful man. When we break the laws of society in which we live, we lose the right to move about freely in that society, among the people who abide by its laws. The Lord Jesus was arrested and made to pay for our crimes in order to “pay our debt to God.” 

The Lord Jesus came to earth because we could not pay our debt to God. When we broke God’s laws, we lost the right to associate freely with Him. God is perfect in every way, and our sinfulness has separated us from Him. This debt had to be paid in full. According to 1 Kings 20:42, in order to set us free who were supposed to die, somebody had to take our punishment. That someone was and is the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.4 of today's passage we read, "and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord."

The Lord Jesus Christ came by "the Spirit of holiness" which means when He came to this earth He came as a whole person, He came to demonstrate what it looks like to be holy or whole. The glory of the good news is that God's goal for us is to make us whole, so that we can handle life with all of its pressures and troubles.

At the root of our problem is our sin which undermined our perfection or wholeness. This loss of our wholeness is what made us selfish. It is our lack of wholeness that made us inadequate to do and to be according to God's perfection. This lack is in its essence, covetousness.

This is also why the Lord Jesus came "in power by his resurrection from the dead." The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest evidence that He is the Messiah and this is where our faith ultimately rests its hope. We can have confidence that God has told us the truth by the unshakable fact that He raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Through His resurrection, Christ conquered the penalty and power of our sin and covetousness. As a result of believing in Him, we do not have to obey sin. He through His death, burial and resurrection overcame death on the behalf of anyone who will simply believe on Him and His life-giving work on the cross. 

Romans 1:1

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Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God. ~ Romans 1:1   

Today, we begin a new study on the book of Romans. The Church in Rome had its beginning in Jerusalem when some Jews who lived in Rome were on pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. While in Jerusalem to worship, these people heard the sermon that the Apostle Peter preached in Acts 2. As a result, they trusted in the finished work of the Lord Jesus and became followers of Christ. Later, when they returned to Rome, they started meeting as believers in the Lord Jesus.

The most often words used in Romans are “God,” used 153 times, the word “law,” used 72 times, the word “Christ” used 65 times, the word “sin” used 48 times, the word “Lord” used 43 times and the word “faith” used 40 times. It is rather easy when we are studying a book of the Bible to determine the themes of the book by identifying the repeatedly used words therein.

So, Romans is about God, His law, Christ, sin, the Lord, faith and all the ramifications of those terms. The thesis statement is in Romans 1:16-17 which reads in the Message translation:

“It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God’s way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives.” 

In our passage for today, the Apostle Paul ended the verse with "... separated to the gospel of God."

Christianity is not a religion because religion is man trying to earn God's favor, which is impossible to do. The Lord Jesus came to earth to live a perfect life and to die a perfect death on the behalf of mankind. He did this because we could not be good enough to earn God's favor. On the cross the Lord Jesus was punished for our sin which had separated us from God. "A Christian is not someone who is good, he is someone who has experienced the goodness of God." This is what it means to be separated to the gospel or "good news" of God. It means that we have the Gospel in such close view that it defines us daily. I like what one preacher once said, "I must live so close to the cross of Christ that I get splinters in my nose."

The Book of Romans has five divisions: Chapters 1-3 are about the sinful condition of man. Chapters 4-5 are about salvation. Chapters 6-8 are about the sanctification of the believer in Christ. Chapters 9-11 are about the sovereignty of God. And, chapters 12-16 are about the service of the believer.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God."

The initial description the Apostle Paul gives us in today's passage is he was a bondservant of Jesus Christ. A bondservant is a slave. The Greek word "doulos" means “one who is subservient to, and entirely at the disposal of his master.” In Roman times, the term bondservant referred to one who was held in a permanent position of servitude. Under Roman law, a bondservant was considered the owner’s personal property and he had no rights of his own. We chose to be a bondservant.

Like us, the Apostle Paul learned that being a bondservant of Christ is not a duty. It is rather an act of devotion because the Lord Jesus has delivered us from the eternal clutches of Hell itself through His sacrifice made on our behalf on the cross. 

After identifying himself as a bondservant, Paul referred to himself as an apostle. The Greek word used for "apostle" means one sent on a mission. Now, even though I believe there are no modern day apostles like Paul, one of the twelve, I believe that God has called all believers in Christ to mission. This mission varies each day, but each mission has one commonality: a personal relationship with God and loving on people. 

Now, there are three elements involved in being called by God. The first element is that we are consciously defined by Him in a given day. It is essential that we are in the Word of God every day, learning His thoughts and culture. More important is this: that God's word is in us, defining our thoughts and choices for that day. Think of it: Before Abraham was a Jew, he was a Gentile. He was from Southern Iraq. That which made him a Jew was God's definition of him. Abraham embraced the culture of God and that made him a Jew.

The second element involved in being called by God is that we receive a story with Him that He gives us each day. As God speaks into our lives and we respond by faith in obedience, we will receive the narrative and that will lead us to the third element involved in our calling for that day. 

The third element comes through our involvement in the lives of the people who God brings into our lives. Through those interactions, we directly and indirectly share how God has and is working in and through our lives. It is fairly simple, but we must be diligent to ask God to give us the sensitivity of heart and mind as we share the gospel and our story with God with others. We never want to shove God down someone's throat. We want to share with them as He does to us, patiently and respectfully. There have been many days that I have not spoken of God with a person. And then the next day, I discovered that they were ready to hear about God. My policy is to wait for the opportunity as they open the door for these conversations.

Let me close with a true story from my life that illustrates my point on calling. It was the year 2010 and I was at the College Baseball World Series in Omaha, Nebraska with two of my sons. In the early innings of the first game of the three game series between South Carolina and UCLA, I heard a guy behind me yelling his lungs out, rooting for South Carolina. Playfully, I yelled at him that USC would choke. I didn't know it but the guy was offended and had planned to fight me after the game. To make a long story short that guy and I are now best of friends. I did not immediately share my faith with him. In fact, I waited for him to bring God up in our conversations. Three days later, he did just that. And, well, many years later he is a man on mission.

Mark 16:17-20

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17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. ~ Mark 16:17-20

Today, we complete our study of the Gospel according to Mark. At this point in the narrative, the Lord Jesus had accomplished what He set out to by going to the cross, paying the penalty for mankind's sin, and raising from the dead. In doing so, He not only purchased the forgiveness of God on our behalf, He also dealt a death blow to sin and death. Having believed that the Lord Jesus died on our behalf, we have been delivered from the penalty and power of sin. And, when the day comes that we are transported into eternity, we will experience the fact that the Lord Jesus delivered us from the presence of sin for eternity.

In v.17-18 of today's passage we read, "17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

This passage makes it sound as if the Lord Jesus was saying that everyone who believes and proclaims the gospel will do so with miraculous abilities. But for centuries millions of people have believed and shared the gospel, but none of these signs were manifested. We must keep in mind the environment during those days the Lord spoke these words to His disciples. It was an environment of persistent unbelief. These words were also addressed to those first disciples who struggled mightily with their disbelief. These words were not meant for all believers for all time.

On that day of great emotional ups and downs for the disciples, the Lord Jesus was saying to them, "As you are going, preach the gospel. And to encourage you, certain signs that only God can do will accompany the message."

These signs were the signs given to the Apostles. They were given in order to authenticate the message of those who first went out with the gospel into an unbelieving and hostile Jewish world. This was necessary at that time because the Jews were conditioned for, and, demanded signs to accompany the message. These signs were for the sake of those first century Jews who would believe.

In v.19-20 of today's passage we read, "19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen."

Mark closes his account of the gospel with the idea that the Lord is involved in the invisible dimensions of our lives every moment of every day. God is involved right now in our lives more than we know. Perhaps, His miraculous involvement in our lives is kind of like the equivalent of the miracles that He assured those first century believers would accompany their sharing of the gospel. 

I can point to many times in my life when it was obvious that God was right in the middle of my life's decisions. I think of the Wednesday afternoon that I met with the man the Lord used to give me direction when I first became a believer. He said to me that day, "It appears the Lord is calling you into ministry. Let's look into the possible Bible Colleges that you could attend for the training you will need." 

Then, a few months after that Wednesday, I publicly expressed my desire to attend Bible College, but I had no money. I had no way to pay for the education. It was then that the Lord led a gracious couple to me. They asked if they could speak with me and through that conversation they told me that the Lord had laid it on their hearts to pay every dime of my college education. And, of course, they did.

Then, when I had been for two years at Columbia Bible College in Columbia, South Carolina, and I wanted to leave. It had been a lonely two years there. Then, at the beginning of my third year, I met the young lady who would become my wife. At just the right moment, she entered my life. If I had entered college the Fall after I had graduated from High School, I would have never met her.

I also think of that October day in 2004 when my wife and I had built up $12,000 in debt. Very frustrated with myself and the situation, I called a wealthy friend who told me that God had plopped a sizable amount of money into his lap and he had been praying all week that the Lord would make it obvious who He had in mind for this money. The afternoon that I went to that man's office, I learned that the check was written for $12,000. Just the amount we needed.

These stories and many others, have been used of the Lord in my life to say, "I'm in your life. You are on the right track, keep going." When we yield our lives to the Lord, we are in for the greatest adventure in this world that we can imagine. I am not saying that God will give us our will. No, I am saying that as we learn to yield our lives to Him, He will direct us into His will. And, what I have learned about His will is this: It is far greater than anything I could have imagined.

Mark 16:14-16

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14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. ~ Mark 16:14-16

Today, we continue our study of the gospel according to Mark. In Mark's final chapter, the Lord Jesus has conquered sin and death by being raised from the dead. The dark backdrop behind that wonderful news was being experienced by the disciples who had fled and were hiding out for fear. The disciples were behind locked doors and afraid for their lives. They feared that the Jewish religious authorities were coming after them next.

In v.14 of today's passage we read, "Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen."

Hardness of heart refers to the condition of the heart that refuses to believe in the word of God. The disciples did not believe in the resurrection, even though eyewitness testimony had been provided. For a short time, persistent unbelief among the disciples ruled them after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 

Throughout the whole of the Scriptures, the Jews were known to require evidence before believing anything. This was a huge mistake on their behalf because in the kingdom of God, seeing is not believing. With God, believing is seeing. He expects us to believe before we see. This is, in fact, why the Lord Jesus rebuked the disciples for their unbelief. 

In Luke 24 we learn the disciples basic problem was they did not believe all that the prophets had written about the Messiah. They saw Messiah as a Conquering Redeemer, but they did not see Him as the Suffering Servant. As they read the Old Testament, they saw the glory but not the suffering, they saw the crown but not the cross.

Unbiblical unbelief is always a product of developing a hard heart. The disciples had been told repeatedly that the Lord Jesus had risen but they had refused to believe it, even after the Lord Jesus Himself had told them previously that this was going to happen. The disciples just ignored the Lord's teaching regarding His death and resurrection because it did not fit into their preconceived ideas of how they thought it would all go down. Truth that is known but not acted upon has an awful effect of hardening our hearts so that our ability to believe is lessened. 

Today, many say that if we only had the ability to do miracles like the early church did, then others would really believe. Even if God granted us this kind of power, it would not translate in massive revival because miracles do not create faith. It is instructive to remember that the Lord Jesus fed over 5000 people (on two occasions!), thousands of others saw Him perform those miracles, yet on the Day of Pentecost, there were only 120 believers.

John tells us that a week later the Lord Jesus appeared to the disciples again. This time, Thomas, who had not been with them when He appeared the first time, was present. The Lord Jesus invited Thomas to put his hand on His side and touch the nail prints in His hands and feet. As a result, Thomas fell down, crying, "My Lord and my God!" When Thomas saw and felt the nail prints in the Lord Jesus, He was shaken out of his unbelief. God knows our individual frame and He taylors the truth for us, even though He knows that the lasting kind of faith is not the product of seeing and believing.

The fact is faith comes not from seeing miracles, it comes from hearing the Word of God and then choosing to believe. In John 20:29, the Lord Jesus asked Thomas: "Have you believed because you have seen? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.'"

When we have adequate, trustworthy witnesses who report to us what they have seen, we are wise to respond with belief. Even though we have not seen Him, we believe because of the eyewitness accounts. After rebuking the disciples for their unbelief, the Lord Jesus gave them a command to preach the gospel. Many, down through the years, have emphasized the word "go" as a command, but, it is a present active participle, meaning "as you are going." We best evangelize others by living the life God has called us to and sharing the gospel with whoever will listen because in is is the power of God unto salvation.

Now, the good news, is clearly, the death, the burial, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Through the good news, we who believe enjoy the security of knowing that our sin is forgiven us by God. We have been freed from that which griped us and was destroying us through the sacrifice of God's Only Begotten Son. Heaven is not the good news; but it is a result of the good news. The good news is that the power of evil in our lives has been broken! It has been broken by the power of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.16 of today's passage we read, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."

It is not baptism that saves us. Baptism is a way to outwardly show that we have believed in the Lord Jesus as our Savior. During the first century, baptism was much more meaningful than it is today since everyone in the town would have witnessed it in the local water hole or river. We err when we baptize someone in the confines of a building.

The reality is when we believe in the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we will be saved. It is difficult to understand this word "saved" if we do not understand the hopelessness of our fallenness. Once we see how absolutely helpless and hopeless we are due to our sinfulness and the fact that we are separated from God, we will begin to understand what it means for us to be "saved." We will not believe until we see our utter need to be saved. Then, once we see that we are utterly lost, it is then that we may believe. This is why the Lord Jesus said, "believe and be saved."

Mark 16:9-13

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9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. 12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. ~ Mark 16:9-13

Today, we continue our study of Mark 16 where a group of female followers of the Lord Jesus have been having a conversation with an angel at the tomb where the Lord Jesus was laid after His crucifixion.

In some versions of Mark 16 there is a footnote indicating there has long been doubt on the veracity of v.9-20. It is true that the best of the Greek manuscripts do not contain these twelve verses, but it is also true that the overwhelming majority of the Greek manuscripts that we have today do contain these verses. The main thing is this: these verses do not contradict the whole of Scripture. So, it is safe for us to consider them a part of the canon of Scripture.

In v.9-10 of today's passage we read, "9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept."

Mary Magdalene, according to John's gospel, was ahead of the other women who went to the tomb. When Mary saw the empty tomb, she ran to tell Peter and John. Evidently she did not hear the angel's explanation. Then, Peter and John both ran to the tomb. Peter went inside and saw the grave clothes lying there still wrapped. This convinced Peter and John that the Lord Jesus had risen. But they still had not seen Him for themselves.

In John's gospel we learn, as Mary stood weeping in the garden she saw what she thought was the gardener whom she asked where they had laid the body of the Lord Jesus. This supposed gardener spoke Mary's name and at that point, she knew it was the Lord. This was the first appearance of the Lord Jesus to anyone after His resurrection. 

In v.11 of today's passage we read, "And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe."

When Mary told the disciples that the Lord Jesus was alive, they chose rather not to believe and they continued to mourn and to weep. Those last four words in v.11 are so important. I am so glad those words are there because those words help me when I find myself struggling to believe. And then, once I begin to recount the track record of the Lord in my life, I shake out of my unbelief.

I am also glad that those word are there for another reason. Those words, "they did not believe" add to the validity and authenticity of the resurrection story. It shows us, once again, the early disciples were not predisposed to the resurrection. So that even when an eyewitness says, "He is not there, he is alive," they responded with, "We do not believe it." 

One of the reasons they didn't believe was due to the testimony of the women. You will remember that in their culture at that time, the testimony of a women was useless and invalid. Think of this: If it were a fabricated story, God surely would not have used the testimony of a group of women that would be automatically received with skepticism. God's culture is so inside out and upside down in comparison to ours. 

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country."

This speaks of the two disciples who were walking some seven miles to the nearby village of Emmaus. As they walked along the Lord Jesus just so happened to join them. As He walked with them, He began with Moses and the prophets and showed them all the things that referred to Messiah. According to Luke, later, as they sat at their dining room table with Him and they saw His hands as He broke the bread, they recognized Him. Then, all of a sudden, He disappeared. So, when these two disciples came running back to Jerusalem, they immediately told the eleven what they had seen. Again, their response was disbelief.

Life is full of contradictions, perplexities, pain, and lack of answers. Like those first believers, our pain is useful to the restoration of our vision. The two on the way to Emmaus recognized the Lord Jesus by the nail prints in His hands. When we get to heaven, we will recognize that there will only be one man-made thing there: the nail prints in the hands and feet of the Lord Jesus. It is through His and our suffering that we grow best in learning to know and love Him. And, this takes time, a long time. The Apostle Paul refers to this as the fellowship of His sufferings. 

In v.13 of today's passage we read, "And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either."

The key to this verse is the word "believe." The death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is to be believed, because it is what makes it possible for us to know God and to know that our sin has been forgiven us by Him. But, when the disciples heard of Mary's experience with the Lord Jesus, they, initially, did not believe. They did not believe the testimony of those two Emmaus disciples. For the moment, their theology failed them, leading them to believe it was just too good to be true. 

Of course, in time the disciples believed, even doubting Thomas. But, before they believed they had to wrestle with the questions created by their doubts. And then, having been convinced of heart they believed in the conquering of sin and death. 

Doubt is a normal part of a life of faith because the development of our faith or our heart's ability to see God must involve our emotions and our minds. Faith that allows no room for doubt is ultimately too frail and limited. Biblical faith honestly wrestles with the parts that cannot be reduced to simple equations and measurable qualities and glib answers. Biblical faith, in the end, endures and leads us to an assured hope that wavers not. Wrestling with the questions created by our doubts is essential to the birth and the strengthening of our faith. It is through this process that we become so intimate with Him that we find it easy to tell others about Him. After all, this is what it is all about: Knowing Him and making Him known.

Mark 16:6-8

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6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” 8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. ~ Mark 16:6-8

Today, we continue our study of the last chapter in the Gospel of Mark, Mark 16. In the first five verses of this chapter we considered how three women had gone to the borrowed tomb where the Lord Jesus had been laid. They went there to apply spices to the dead corpse of the Lord Jesus, not expecting what He had told the disciples what would happen: that He would be raised from the dead. 

So, when they arrived at the borrowed tomb in which the Lord Jesus had been buried, they discovered that His body was not there. Instead, two angels met them there and gave them further instructions. Today, we will consider the conversation that took place at that point.

In v.6 of today's passage we read, "But he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.'"

One of the two angels was quick to tell the ladies that the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead. The Lord Jesus had been crucified and He was dead. That's a historic fact. The three words, "He is risen," is actually one word in the Greek. That one Greek word provided the greatest miracle in all of human history. 

The word "see" means to perceive, to experience, and to encounter. The angel directed the women to the empty tomb knowing that they would see nothing. As a result they were perplexed. They were perplexed until the angel gave them more revelation. It is one thing to see with our eyes and it is quite another to see with our hearts. These ladies were the first to witness the resurrection of the Lord Jesus because they were the ones who saw what the Lord Jesus was doing with their hearts.

In v.7 of today's passage we read, "But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."

The angel was quick to tell the women to go tell the disciples, especially Peter, that the Lord was risen. The last time we saw Peter, he was standing in the courtyard of the high priest during the trial of the Lord Jesus. A servant girl identified him as a follower of the Lord Jesus. Then, Peter denied knowing the Lord three times, as the Lord had predicted.

When the rooster crowed and Peter remembered what the Lord had predicted, he went out into the darkness of the night and wept uncontrollably, like a baby. This was the worst moment ever in the life of Peter, and yet, it was the best of moments for him. Like Peter, we see what is real through the roughest moments of our lives. It is during these unwanted times that we are more likely to be more and more convinced that we need a savior. Even though we are "born again" we still need a savior. We never get to the place where we no longer need a savior. And failure, such as that of Peter's, is a reminder that we desperately need the Lord Jesus every moment of every day.

We are at our best when we are most dependent upon the Lord. Dependence is the key. In his book, Confessions of a Struggling Christian, Robert Tombs wrote, "God loves dangling Christians." This is the beauty of Christianity. If you have trusted the Lord Jesus as your savior, you can know Him intimately, not just as a figure of history, but in that intimate, personal, real, way. And our troubles aid us in our pursuit of Him. Like Peter, we find ourselves most prepared to go deeper with the Lord on the heels of our biggest failures.

In v.8 of today's passage we read, "So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid."

The Greek word translated "trembled" describes the adrenaline rush that coursed through the bloodstream of these young believers. They literally were visibly shaking. The Greek word translated, "amazed," is the word from which we get our word "ecstatic." What they understood with their minds had a visible impact on their bodies.

The message that the Lord Jesus had risen should not have surprised them, because the Lord had told them that He would go before them to Galilee when He had risen from the dead. This is what later filled them with hope, the words of the Lord Jesus that He would meet them in Galilee. This is the role of God's Word in our lives. It is the Word of God that buoys our souls with the hope of heaven in this world of skeptical tsunamis.

The resurrection of Christ is the key to our resurrection, and what is unique to Christianity is that we who believe in Christ are promised to be raised from the dead – physically and bodily, as He was. There is no such promise like that in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or any other world religion or philosophy. What is unique to Christianity is the promise of a physical resurrection into a form that will be perfect, joyful, and eternal.

I find it quite instructive that there is no account of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. There’s no description of what happened for no one saw it. How it happened is humanly incomprehensible and supernatural. 

In John 21:15-17, forty days after His resurrection, the Lord Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" Peter responded, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Then the Lord Jesus gave to Peter his calling: "Feed my sheep."

This was why the angel sent that personal word to Peter that morning. Peter needed a small reminder that when we are walking with the Lord, we will gain His heart for the welfare of others. In 1 Peter 1:8, Peter wrote, "Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him & rejoice with unutterable & exalted joy." And, that kind of joy can not be kept to ourselves.

Mark 16:1-5

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1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. ~ Mark 16:1-5

Today, we begin our study of Mark 16 where the Lord Jesus had been crucified on His cross and buried in a borrowed tomb. This chapter begins with the darkest day in human history. All of redemptive history came to its apex that particular day, and the disciples of the Lord Jesus were no where to be found. Undoubtedly, they were hiding out, fearing for their lives.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen."

It was six o'clock on Sunday morning and the Sabbath was over. 

This fact explains why Christians meet on Sunday. It is due to the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week. And that's why we read over and over in the book of Acts they gathered together on the first day of the week, not the seventh day of the week.

Mark is the only gospel writer to mention this Sabbath in connection with the cross and the resurrection. The Sabbath or the Saturday before the resurrection of the Lord Jesus was the darkest day in history. It was a day of halted hopes, a day of dashed dreams, a day of broken hearts. Every hour during that day was torture for those early followers.

Although not in the exact same way, we too, struggle like those first century believers. Nighttime can be terrifying, very lonely, and very isolating. And the person who is bereaving someone that they have lost, does not sleep. This explains why these women rose so early on that Sunday morning to anoint the body of the Lord Jesus. It is likely they did not sleep. 

In that context, hopelessness was no stranger for them. In all of our lives hopelessness arrives like an uninvited guest. Yet, hopelessness is useful, and in many circumstances, necessary to give birth to hope. Hope can be a beautiful thing, because it gives us direction and grants us a sense of purpose and meaning. Hopelessness has caused me to lean in to hear God more profoundly. It is then, I have discovered, that I hear the truth the best.

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "And they said among themselves, 'Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?'"

These three women who were the last at the cross were the first to the tomb. As they approached the tomb, they wondered how they would be able to get into the tomb to apply the spices to the decomposing body of the Lord Jesus. They didn't think of this detail before leaving the house because that is what love does; it does not consider the difficulties at hand. Love just loves. And, they wanted desperately to get to the body of the Lord Jesus. And, they could not go Saturday evening for it was the Sabbath and there were laws against that. So, they had to wait until the next morning. They weren't mindful of the details during that most hopeless of moments.

Neither did they expect to discover a risen Savior when they arrived at the tomb. They clearly were prepared to apply the spices to the decomposing body of the Lord Jesus. This smacks in the face of those who blame the early believers of making up the resurrection story. They would not have brought spices had they made the story up. And, all of these details just underscores the fact that during that weekend despair appeared to triumph over hope. 

In v.4 of today's passage we read, "But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large."

The stone that covered the entrance to Joseph's borrowed tomb weighed at least a thousand pounds, perhaps two thousand. But when the women arrived, the stone had been rolled away. According to Matthew's account, an angel had come and rolled back the stone. The stone was not rolled away so that the Lord Jesus could exit the tomb, it had been rolled away so that His followers could see inside.

Those who were not believers would not have stolen the body of the Lord Jesus, if they had they would have played right into the resurrection story. And, if they had, they would have gladly produced it in order to disprove His resurrection. The believers would not have taken the body of the Lord Jesus, for there were guards stationed at the tomb, and the stone was sealed. And, they would not have died for a lie.

In v.5 of today's passage we read, "And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed."

The angel appeared to these women as a "young man," but the other gospel records tell us that it was indeed an angel. Luke and John say there were two angels. Matthew and Mark mention only one angel. The reason one angel is mentioned is no doubt because the angel was the spokesman for the two angels that were there. Two of them were there, one was there who spoke to them, and the one who spoke with them was the one that they mentioned.

According to John 20:7 the wrapping around the head of the Lord Jesus was not just thrown aside. The wrapping was neatly folded, and left where the head of the Lord Jesus had laid. When someone had finished eating a meal in their culture, they would have risen from the table, wiped their hands and face, and they would waded up their handkerchief and tossed it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, "I’m done eating." But if the master got up from the table, folded his handkerchief, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table because the servant knew that the folded handkerchief meant, "I’m not finished eating yet." The folded napkin of the Lord Jesus that was left behind in that tomb that day meant, "I’m coming back!"

The folded handkerchief is a subtle reminder that the Lord Jesus will one day soon come back. In the moment that the folded handkerchief was noticed, the disciples were given a whole new perspective on that otherwise hopeless weekend. Hope always swallows up hopelessness and despair. Without the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the cross would mean nothing. In fact, the teachings and the works of the Lord Jesus would mean nothing, because without the resurrection there would be no salvation and there would be no hope. 

Mark 15:45-47

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45 So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid. ~ Mark 15:45-47

Today, we conclude our study of Mark 15 which ends with Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus taking the dead body of the Lord Jesus down from His cross and burying Him in a tomb. At some point these two religious leaders of Israel, Joseph and Nicodemus, had come to faith in the Lord Jesus. All through the trials of the Lord Jesus, they did not raise their voices. But after His death, they took courage and prepared the body of the Lord Jesus for His burial and placed it in the tomb.

This is what the cross of the Lord Jesus does to us, it addresses our hypocrisy and forces us to decide between the way of the coward and the way of the committed. Everyone knows in their hearts that there is a God. And, we all know deep down within us that the Lord Jesus is who He says He is. The question is this: Will you have this God to define your life?

In v.45 of today's passage we read, "So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph."

When the Centurion assured Pilate that the Lord Jesus was dead, the limp body of the Lord Jesus was granted to Joseph of Arimathea. Down through the years, the Roman soldiers had executed many criminals by way of crucifixion and they knew a dead body when they saw one. They were expert executioners and they knew with certainty that the Lord Jesus was dead. Further proof was given when the soldier thrust his spear into the side of the Lord Jesus. When the dead body of the Lord was punctured, blood and water came gushing out of His side. This meant that His pericardium had filled with water denoting that He was really dead. This was important because there is no question the Lord Jesus had died and that He later raised from the dead.

In v.46 of today's passage we read, "Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb."

With the high price that Joseph paid, he was motivated by his love for the Lord Jesus to take care of His body after His death. Joseph did not want to see the body of the Lord Jesus dishonored by being thrown in a dump with the criminals, so, he loaned Him his tomb for decomposition.  

In John 19:38 we read, "And after taking Him down, cleaning off the blood and the sweat and the dirt, he would have wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock."

Then, in John 19:39 we read, "Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes about a hundred pounds weight."

Also, in John's Gospel, John also wrote they buried the Lord Jesus in the "burial custom of the Jews." That included washing the body of the Lord Jesus before wrapping it in the large linen cloth that Joseph bought. Joseph cut the linen into strips. Then, Joseph and Nicodemus put aromatic spices in the strips of cloth. And then, they wrapped the body of the Lord Jesus in the strips of the linen cloth.   

Nicodemus helped Joseph in the process of preparing the body of the Lord Jesus for burial. One has to wonder the process both of these Jewish religious leaders went through to get to that point. What kind of conversations did they have after certain instances like the visit Nicodemus made to the Lord in John 3, or, the trials before the Jewish Council of which they were a part?

In v.47 of today's passage we read, "And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid."

Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus were still there, mourning in their sadness, and, paralyzed by the confusion created by it all. And, when they saw Joseph and Nicodemus take the body of the Lord Jesus away, they followed them, from a distance, so that they could ascertain where He would be laid. 

Then in Luke 23:56 we read, "They returned to their homes and prepared their own spices."

The events of that dark day were hard for all who had a heart for the Lord Jesus. The darkness of that day would shortly be swallowed up by the light of His resurrection. So often over the previous three years of His ministry, the Lord Jesus strategically allowed those whom He loved and who loved Him, to dwell in the agony of their pain. This type of pain always serves us best for it is the hardest of pains. This is why our faith is so very important. Often, we are totally clueless to what He is about to do in our lives and then He springs something on us that would have been easily overlooked by us if it were not for the preparation provided by the pain. Wondrous are His ways. May His kingdom come!

Mark 15:42-44

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42 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. ~ Mark 15:42-44

Today, we continue our study of Mark 15 where the Lord Jesus has been crucified on the cross and all of His followers had fled except three women: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the Lord Jesus, and Salome the mother of James and John.

In v.42-43 of today's passage we read, "42 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus."

Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem. The Sanhedrin was the supreme court of ancient Israel, made up of 70 men and the high priest. Joseph of Arimathea is strategically mentioned by all four gospel writers. Matthew calls him "rich." Luke calls him "righteous" and "just." According to today's passage, he was looking for the kingdom of God to arrive on earth. At some point along the way, Joseph believed in the Lord Jesus as his personal savior. This explains his actions after the Lord Jesus had given up His last breath.

The Sabbath began on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and lasted until Saturday at 6:00 p.m. The Bible tells us the Lord Jesus died at 3:00 in the afternoon. This left only three short hours for the Lord Jesus to be buried within the restrictions of the religious laws of Israel. If the body of the Lord Jesus was to be buried in the proper sense, His burial had to happen rather quickly.

After the death of the Lord Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and requested His body. Normally, the dead bodies of the crucified were buried in mass graves along with the others who were crucified. It is believed that Pilate willingly gave the body of the Lord Jesus to Joseph as a further indication that he believed the Lord Jesus was innocent, since he allowed Him to not be buried with the criminals. And, Joseph buried the Lord Jesus in his family tomb. This family tomb was the last possession of Joseph's family family. Joseph loaned it to the Lord, as was prophesied in Isaiah 53:9. This prophesy was made 700 years before the Lord Jesus was put to death.

It was quite significant that Joseph buried the dead body of the Lord Jesus, because, once he did, he was declared defiled for having touched a dead corpse. The decision he made to bury the Lord Jesus was quite calculated and Joseph lost a lot as a result. In fact, Joseph lost his prominent position on the Sanhedrin. All of this makes sense now since according to the gospel of John Joseph of Arimathea is referred to as a "secret disciple" of the Lord Jesus.

In v.44 of today's passage we read, "Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time."

Pilate marveled that the Lord Jesus was already dead because Roman crucifixion was a method of execution designed to prolong suffering. It was not unusual for those who were crucified to hang on for days or even weeks before they died.

From John's Gospel, we learn the Lord Jesus "gave up His spirit." The significance of this wording is that it shows that the Lord Jesus was in control of the timing of His death. He did not die because His body could take no more punishment or because of blood loss. He died because He decided it was time for Him to die.

According to John's Gospel, another ruling council member, Nicodemus, helped Joseph take the dead body of the Lord down from the cross. Nicodemus brought one hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes, both of which were used in the embalming of the dead for burial.

Along with Joseph of Arimathea, by handling the dead body of the Lord Jesus, Nicodemus lost everything that day. By touching a dead body, both men knowingly made themselves "unclean" according to Numbers 19:11. This, along with helping the cause of the Lord Jesus, resulted in their banishment from the ruling Jewish council.

This is where embracing the Lord Jesus leads us. We lose certain things in this world. But, we gain so much more by losing. We do not earn our rightness with God, but once we have come into His way of thinking, we increasingly view life differently. One might say, we grow in God's wisdom. And, as a result of growing in His wisdom, we value not what the world offers, we value what He offers. The paradox of all paradoxes: they, like we, are co-heirs with the Lord Jesus Himself.

In Romans 8:17 we read, "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ."