Is it all too good to be true?

Recently, I grabbed lunch with several of my students at a local coffee shop.  Our aim was to get there early so we would beat the typical lunch crowd.  Thankfully, that plan worked and we had a great conversation over lunch.  But as I pulled up to the building and got out of my car, a man on the inside of the coffee shop started knocking on one of the windows to get my attention.  As he knocked, he repeatedly pointed at my car.

 When I walked inside, I walked up to him and started chatting.  He asked me everything he could think to ask about my car, including several technical questions I couldn’t answer.  I enjoy my car, but his enthusiasm reminded me of my decision to buy it as well as the long story that led to its purchase.

 For the majority of their lives, my kids knew I was going to buy that vehicle.  For at least 14 years, I drove a base model Honda Civic with crank windows and no frills so I could direct as much of my income as possible to paying off our mortgage.  That entire time I told the kids, “When I finally pay off this house, I’m buying a Mazda MX-5 RF with a retractable hardtop.”  When the day came and it was time to actually buy it, I still remember one of my sons saying, “I can’t believe you finally own it.  It’s so strange to actually see it in the driveway.”  It felt too good to be true.

 Cars are certainly fun and it was a gratifying personal goal to actually buy that vehicle, but there are much more important things in life than cars and personal finances.  In fact, as we look at the closing verses of Mark’s gospel, we’re reminded that the disciples initially struggled to accept the fact that Jesus had risen because that truth seemed far too good to be true.

Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.  (Mark 16:9-13)

The closing verses of Mark’s gospel provide an interesting summary of events that seem like a synthesis of events that are referenced in the other gospel accounts.  The reason that may seem to be the case is that’s precisely what these verses are.  In fact, it’s widely believed that these closing verses weren’t actually penned by Mark, but were added sometime in the second century by an unknown editor.  The earliest manuscripts of Mark’s gospel do not include them, but I still think these verses offer a valuable postscript on the earthly ministry of Jesus as well as an encouragement to us to faithfully follow Him.

 This account tells us that Mary Magdalene was the first to see the resurrected Christ.  At this point in her life, she was a devoted follower of Jesus.  Years earlier, she had been plagued by demonic possession, but had been liberated from their presence in her life through Christ’s direct intervention.  

“Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,”  (Luke 8:1-2)

 Mary Magdalene’s proclamation of Christ having risen from the grave initially seemed too good to be true to the weeping disciples, but soon they too would believe. 

 This summary conclusion at the end of Mark’s gospel also speaks of the two disciples who conversed with Jesus on the road to Emmaus without realizing whom they were speaking to.  Luke 24 tells us that Jesus looked different after His resurrection and these disciples were initially kept from realizing who He was.  In the midst of their conversation, Jesus explained that the Old Testament was clearly pointing to Him and it described in detail all that the Messiah would one day do.  Following their conversation, it was revealed to them that they had been speaking with the resurrected Christ.

While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.  (Luke 24:15-16)

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.  (Luke 24:25-27)

 It’s interesting to consider how many times Jesus spoke of His death and resurrection when He was conversing with the disciples.  They didn’t seem to like when He spoke of these things and they either failed to understand what He was speaking about or blatantly ignored it because it didn’t fit their preferred narrative.  Even after He fulfilled the prophetic words He had spoken to them, they still struggled to wrap their minds around it all.  How could one who had been so savagely beaten and killed be alive and making appearances among them?  Again, it all seemed too good to be true and they didn’t want to set their hearts up for disappointment if what was being told to them about His resurrection hadn’t actually come to pass.

Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  (Mark 16:14-18)

 Being rebuked or challenged by a friend isn’t typically pleasant at first, but if their rebuke comes from a place of love, and if their rebuke is accurate, it should be welcomed and embraced.  Jesus, who had just spent several years walking with His disciples, teaching and training them for life and ministry, rebuked them for failing to believe that He had indeed risen.  Their hearts were hard and needed to be softened.  They needed to be challenged because unbelief needed to be eradicated from their lives.

With that rebuke out of the way, Jesus gave them a challenge that is just as applicable to us today as it was to the disciples when they originally received it.  Jesus challenged them to go into all areas of the world and make the gospel known.  That’s a challenge that believers throughout the centuries have taken seriously, and it’s a challenge we should continue to make a point to live out right up until the Lord returns or calls us home.

 In the apostolic era, as these men made the gospel known to various people groups who were unfamiliar with the truth of salvation, various signs accompanied their message.  These signs were meant to confirm that the message they were speaking wasn’t of human origin, but was in fact divine in nature.

So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.  (Acts 14:3)

“The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.”  (2 Cor. 12:12)

 Some people look at the comments made in Mark 16:17-18 and believe it includes a list of signs that believers of all ages will perform.  I’m of the opinion that these were signs demonstrated by the apostles and their close associates during the foundational era of the church, but that these gifts are not in common use during the present era.  While the Holy Spirit certainly can and does gift people as He wills with supernatural abilities to serve others, I’m of the theological opinion that this specific list of spiritual gifts is not commonly distributed during the era in which we live.

 But just the same, we're still encouraged to be men and women who speak boldly of the truth.  I recently had a conversation with a friend who took the opportunity to share the hope of the gospel with someone she had just met in a local coffee shop.  She said this was the first time she had ever attempted something like this and the experience was one of the most impactful aspects of the past year of her life.

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.  (Mark 16:19-20)

 At the end of Christ's earthly ministry, He ascended back to heaven with the promise to return again in like fashion at some future date.  We don't know when that date may be, but the word of God encourages us to live with the understanding that He could return at any time.  In His first coming, He came in humility as a servant.  In His second coming, He will return as the conquering King over all creation.

In the meantime, Mark's gospel mentions that after Jesus returned to heaven, He sat down at the right hand of God.  There are other Scriptures that speak of this as well, but what does it mean?  What's so significant about Jesus doing this?

"looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."  (Hebrews 12:2)

 The fact that Jesus sat at the right hand of God signifies at least two consequential truths.  First, it's a demonstration of His divine authority.  Second, it's a demonstration of the fact that His work to atone for the sins of humanity is finished.  The earthly priests in the Jewish religious system stood daily offering repeated sacrifices, but Jesus was offered as a once-for-all sacrifice to take away the sins of man.

"And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God," (Hebrews 10:11-12)

 It's fascinating to consider all that Jesus accomplished on our behalf.  The gospel of Mark chronicles all kinds of fascinating details of Christ's earthly ministry.  In order to rescue lost humanity, Jesus took on flesh and walked among us.  He lived the perfect life that we were incapable of living because we were dead in our trespasses and sins.  He suffered and died on our behalf as one who was innocent of sin yet willing to accept the blame for our transgressions.  Our punishment was laid upon Him at the cross, yet death couldn't defeat our sinless Savior.

 Jesus rose from death, appeared to His followers, commissioned them to tell others the plan of salvation, ascended to Heaven, and promises to return at some future day.  It's such wonderful news, and even though it may sound too good to be true, it is true indeed.  And if our hearts are convinced of this truth, He will empower us to live it out while inviting others to share in the hope we've received through our unbreakable union with Jesus Christ.

© John Stange, 2024