RESURRECTION REVELATIONS

Mark 16:9-14

Morning Meditation 3/16/2014

"Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen."

This first day of the week was full of new things for the disciples of the Lord. A new order of things was now being established. When a soul passes from the old natural life into the new resurrection life in Christ it is a new creature entering into a new kingdom, where all things are made new. It is to such the first day of the first month of the year of their eternal life. There are here what might be called some incidental revelations connected with His resurrection worthy of notice. We have a,

REVELATION OF HIS POWER

Jesus was risen. John 10:17-18, "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

Romans 1:4, "And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:" We see the revelation of His power in His resurrection. The power Jesus has can empty every grave for judgment, cure every disease to bless, and empty every doctors office and every hospital. His resurrection is a demonstration of His mighty power. We also have a,

REVELATION OF GRACE

Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils. She who was the greatest sinner among His followers receives the first of His resurrection favors. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. The mighty pitying Saviour favors the humble, thankful, trustful follower.

Grace does not only forgive it restores the fallen to the place of service.

REVELATION OF DEEP SORROW

Mark 16:10, "And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept." The curtain is lifted, and we get a glimpse of how those that had been with Him felt and regarded the crucifixion, they mourned and wept. They were like a young motherless family, suddenly bereaved of their wise and loving father, their only real friend on earth. Their tears, though partly caused by unbelief, showed at least the place He had in their affections. Did not the enemies of the Cross make Paul weep? Philippians 3:18, "(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:"

REVELATION OF UNBELIEF

Mark 16:11, "And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not."

Jesus had trained the eleven in faith. He expected that the revelation of His resurrection would not be met with unbelief. Since we are called to operate in the spiritual kingdom by faith, this was a dismal failure on the part of the disciples to demonstrate unbelief instead of belief.

I am afraid that we are as guilty as those early disciples. We act like we are taking a great risk when we take a step of faith. We are like the guy who fell over a cliff and on his way down to certain death he managed to latch on to a root of a tree sticking out of the embankment. He began to cry for help.. A booming voice came from above, "I will help you. I am the Lord. Turn loose!!!" The man paused for a moment and sent up another desperate cry, "Is anyone else up there."

REVELATION OF HIS FAITHFULNESS

Mark 16:14, "Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen."

Jesus expected that His disciples would have believed the resurrection as proclaimed by Mary Magdalene. Mark 16:9-14, "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen."

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White