Will You Believe Him?
Have you ever struggled to believe something you knew was true?
Not because the evidence was lacking, but because your heart just was not ready to receive it?
That is exactly where we find the disciples in Mark 16:9–11. The resurrection has happened. Jesus is alive. Mary Magdalene has seen Him. And yet, when she shares the news, they refuse to believe.
But before we even get to their response, this passage invites us to wrestle with an important question: Can we trust what we are reading?
Many Bibles include a note that some of the earliest manuscripts of Mark end at verse 8. Rather than weakening our faith, this actually reminds us how carefully God has preserved His Word. Scripture has been passed down through thousands of manuscripts, allowing us to see with clarity and confidence what has been faithfully transmitted. Even more encouraging, everything in this passage is confirmed throughout the rest of the New Testament. The resurrection of Jesus is not dependent on one passage. It is the central, undeniable truth of the entire gospel story.
And what a story it is.
The first person Jesus appears to is Mary Magdalene, a woman once oppressed by seven demons. Her past was marked by brokenness, but her present is marked by grace. Jesus chose her, not in spite of her story, but as a display of His redeeming power. This is a powerful reminder that no one is too far gone for God to use.
Mary does what redeemed people do. She goes and tells. She shares what she has seen. She does not wait until she has all the answers. She simply bears witness to the risen Christ.
But the disciples respond with unbelief.
Their struggle is surprisingly relatable. Grief, confusion, and disappointment can cloud our ability to see clearly. Sometimes we do not just struggle to believe, we resist believing. And yet, the good news of the gospel is that Jesus does not abandon doubters. He pursues them.
He meets us in our brokenness. He meets us in our questions. And He calls us forward.
From doubt to faith.
From silence to witness.
From death to life.
The resurrection of Jesus is not just something to acknowledge. It is something to trust. And when we do, it changes everything.
So the question is simple: Will you believe Him?
