Early in the third day after Jesus’s Death on the Cross, some of Jesus’s disciples went to his tomb and found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. In his Gospel, Mark identifies these as the women disciples Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome. A young man in a white robe was at the tomb and said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised…. Go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you in Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.’” (Mark 16:6-7). The young man referred to here was really an angel.
At first all of this was unbelieveable to Jesus’s disciples. Then the Risen Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene and to some of the other disciples, showing them his wounds and even eating with the disciples. What an extraordinary experience it must have been to see the Risen Christ alive and full of glory! But still some who have heard about these appearances could not believe that Jesus has risen.Then, as the eleven Apostles were gathered a meal, the Risen Christ appeared to them all together. He urged those who were weak in faith to now believe in him and in his Resurrection. He then said to his Apostles, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be
condemned.” (Mark 16-15-16)
The Risen Christ also told the Apostles that they would be able to so many things in his name, including driving out demons, speaking new languages, and healing the sick. He commissioned them, or sent them out, to carry the work of salvation and liberation that he had begun. Armed with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they were to evangelize all people.
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