Key Passage
[Some of the oldest and best Greek manuscripts of the Gospel of Mark end the book after the previous verse.] Jesus rose from death early on the first day of the week. Jesus showed himself first to Mary from Magdala. One time in the past, Jesus had forced seven demons to leave Mary. After Mary saw Jesus, she went and told his followers. His followers were very sad and were crying. But Mary told them that Jesus was alive. Mary said that she had seen Jesus. But the followers did not believe her. Later, Jesus showed himself to two followers while they were walking in the country. But Jesus did not look the same as before he was killed. These followers went back to the other followers and told them what happened. Again, the followers did not believe them. Later Jesus showed himself to the eleven followers while they were eating. Jesus criticized the followers because they had little faith. They were stubborn and refused to believe the people that said Jesus had risen from death. Jesus said to the followers, "Go everywhere in the world. Tell the Good News to every person. Any person that believes and is baptized will be saved. But the person that does not believe will be judged guilty. And the people that believe will be able to do these things as proof: They will use my name to force demons out of people. They will speak in languages they never learned. Those people will hold snakes without being hurt. And those people will drink poison without being hurt. Those people will touch sick people, and the sick people will be healed." After the Lord Jesus said these things to the followers, he was carried up into heaven. There, Jesus sat at the right side of God. The followers went everywhere in the world and told the Good News to people. And the Lord helped them. The Lord proved that the Good News they told people was true. He proved this by giving the followers power to do miracles.
— Mark 16:9-20 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
What an incredibly wonderful message. Jesus begins as a nobody in a little-regarded place working with insignificant people and changes the world. As powerful a story as this is, we must remember that the story and the power are not ended. Jesus is still looking for people the world regards as insignificant and uses them to change the world. How can he do this? Because he is the Christ, the Son of God, who chose to minister in Galilee and the surrounding area, to be crucified in Jerusalem, and to be raised from the dead and reign over all the earth. Let's commit to joining him in his work of transforming the world by God's grace.
Prayer
As I end this year, dear Father, I want to thank you for the ways you have touched my heart and used my life. However, dear God, I fervently pray that you will use me in this coming year in ways I cannot imagine. I want to be part of your work of changing the world. Please wholly use my life until you call me home. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
So Jesus came to them and said, "All authority (power) in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach those people to obey everything that I have told you. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of the world."
— Matthew 28:18-20
"So, all the Jewish people should know this truly: God has made Jesus to be Lord and Christ. He is the man you nailed to the cross!" When the people heard this, they felt very, very sorry. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter said to them, "Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will forgive your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you. It is also for your children and for the people that are far away. It is for every person that the Lord our God calls to himself."
— Acts 2:36-39
In our prayers we always thank God for you. God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank God because we have heard about the faith you have in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all of God's people. You have faith in Christ and love God's people because of the hope you have. You know that the things you hope for are saved for you in heaven. You learned about this hope when you heard the true teaching, the Good News that was told to you. Everywhere in the world that Good News is bringing blessings and growing. This same thing has happened with you since the time you heard that Good News and understood the truth about the grace (kindness) of God.
— Colossians 1:3-6
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2016. All rights reserved.