Mark 16:14-15, 17 (NKJV) 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. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature….And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
Jesus rebuked His disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart. Why? God is pleased when we have faith in Him and obey His Word. We need strong faith and a soft heart. We need firm conviction in our belief in God, especially in Jesus’ resurrection. Without strong faith, we won’t act on His prompting. Meanwhile, we need a soft heart, or else we won’t act on what He asks of us.
Even Jesus’ enemies remembered that He had said He would rise again on the third day. The angels reminded the disciples of His resurrection (Luke 24:6-7), yet they did not believe. The most important message Jesus gave after His resurrection was to Mary Magdalene. She was instructed to inform the disciples, who were nowhere to be seen!
Jesus expected the disciples to have faith in His Word that He would be resurrected after three days. However, the disciples chose to believe what their eyes had seen: Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross, His giving up His Spirit, and His burial—the factual events, but not His resurrection, even though eyewitnesses had come to inform them! They had hardened their hearts! Likewise, we can struggle to believe in the supernatural or in what the Word of God teaches. If we must see before we believe, then faith is not required once we have seen it. The Bible says that blessed is the man who has not seen but believes (John 20:29).
Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) Now without faith it is impossible to please God for whoever come to Him must believe that He is and is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Faith pleases God. It means taking God at His Word, especially His promises, and trusting that we can do what He said we can through His help. We must also have faith that He has resurrected, so signs and wonders will accompany our obedience to His Word!
Three lessons we can learn from the disciples’ experience:
- Don’t harden our hearts in unbelief in the supernatural! Tear down the strongholds of the mind of unbelief and bring them to the subjection of Christ.
- Work on believing and building our faith in God. Jesus is alive today, and He will work with us through signs, accompanying what He has promised in His Word.
- Be faithful in doing what He has asked us to do, act on His instructions, His will, and His promises. Faith takes hold of what is written in the Word because God and His Word are one.
Reflection: What keeps you from believing the Word of God, especially when it concerns the supernatural? What truths about God do you need to know, and what strongholds need to be torn down?
Sermon Series：Jesus Ministers Through His Body After the Resurrection
柔软的心，刚强的信心
马可福音 16:14-15，17 后来，十一个门徒坐席的时候，耶稣向他们显现，责备他们不信、心里刚硬，因为他们不信那些在他复活以后看见他的人。 他又对他们说：“你们往普天下去，传福音给万民听。…信的人必有神迹随着他们，就是：奉我的名赶鬼；说新方言；
耶稣责备门徒的不信和心里刚硬。为什么呢？因为神喜悦人对祂有信心，并顺服祂的话语。我们既需要刚强的信心，也需要柔软的心。我们必须在对神的信靠上有坚定的确信，特别是对耶稣复活的信心。没有刚强的信心，我们就不会回应祂的感动；而若没有柔软的心，我们也不会顺服祂的吩咐。
连耶稣的仇敌都记得祂曾说过，第三日祂要复活。天使也提醒门徒祂已经复活了（路加福音 24:6-7），然而他们仍然不信。耶稣复活后，首先把最重要的信息托付给了抹大拉的马利亚，要她去告诉门徒——而当时门徒竟然都不在现场！
耶稣原本期待门徒凭着祂的话，相信祂三日后必要复活。然而，门徒却选择相信他们亲眼所见的：耶稣被钉十字架、断了气、被安葬——这些都是真实发生的事实；但对于祂的复活，即便已有亲眼见过主的人来告诉他们，他们仍然不肯相信。这正是心里刚硬。同样地，我们也常常难以相信超自然的作为，或神话语中的应许。若一定要看见才肯相信，那么在看见之后，信心就不再被需要了。圣经说：“那没有看见就信的有福了。”（约翰福音20:29）
希伯来书 11:6人非有信就不能得神的喜悦，因为到神面前来的人必须信有神，且信他赏赐那寻求他的人。
信心是神所喜悦的。信心就是照着神的话去接受，尤其是祂的应许，并相信靠着祂的帮助，我们能够成就祂所说的一切。我们也必须相信祂已经复活了，如此，当我们顺服祂的话语时，神迹奇事就必随着我们。
从门徒的经历中，我们可以学到三个功课：
- 不要因着对超自然的不信而使心刚硬。要拆毁一切不信的坚固营垒，使我们的心意降服于基督。
- 要操练相信，并建立对神的信心。耶稣今天仍然活着，祂必借着神迹随着，与我们同工，成就祂在话语中所应许的。
- 要忠心去行祂所吩咐的，照着祂的指示、旨意和应许去行动。信心就是抓住神话语中所写的一切，因为神与祂的话原为一。
默想：是什么拦阻你相信神的话，特别是在关乎超自然作为的时候？你需要更深认识神哪些真理？你生命中有哪些坚固营垒需要被拆毁？
讲章系列：复活的主，借着祂的身体继续作工