Ascend Bible Church

Mark 16

We’ve come to the final week in our journey through the Gospel of Mark—53 weeks walking with Jesus—and we arrive at the most important moment in history. The resurrection changes everything. If Easter didn’t happen, then this is just a gathering built around a dead man. But if it did happen… this is the most important truth in the world. In this message, we walk through Mark 16:1–20 and see: The reality of the empty tomb The struggle of unbelief—even among Jesus’ followers The grace of Jesus in pursuing people anyway The call to go and proclaim the gospel Mark’s Gospel ends in a way that invites you into the story. It forces the question: How will you respond? The gospel is simple and powerful: Jesus lived. Jesus died. Jesus rose. Jesus is alive. This isn’t about what we do—it’s about what He has already done. So the question remains: Will you believe? Will you respond? Will you go? If you’re exploring faith, this message is for you. If you’ve followed Jesus for years, this is a reminder: the gospel doesn’t just inform us—it sends us. Take a moment today to reflect, respond, and consider what it means to live in light of the resurrection.

Mark 15:1-21-37

This week we’re stepping into one of the heaviest moments in Scripture Instead of a normal sermon, we’re inviting you to experience it differently. Don’t just watch this. Feel it. As you listen, do something that requires effort—go for a run, work out, clean, or finish something you’ve been putting off. Let the weight you feel remind you of the weight Christ carried. We’re so quick to rush to Easter. But if we don’t slow down here, we won’t understand what it cost. Take time today to sit in the reality of the cross. Before we celebrate the empty tomb… we remember.

Mark 15:1-20

In this passage, Jesus is handed over to Rome, and the question becomes clear: Who is King? We see a King who stands silent, a King who is rejected in place of a guilty man, and a King who is mocked on His way to the cross. Barabbas goes free. Jesus takes his place. The innocent for the guilty. This isn’t just their story—it’s ours. We may not shout “Crucify Him,” but we often choose control, comfort, and sin over surrender to Jesus. Even in the suffering, the truth remains: Jesus is King. So the question is—who is King in your life?

Mark 14:53-65

In this message from Mark 14:53–65, we step into one of the most intense moments in the Gospel of Mark—the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Jesus has been arrested. The cross is now only hours away. But what unfolds in the house of the high priest is not a fair trial seeking truth. The verdict has already been decided. The religious leaders are not trying to determine whether Jesus is guilty—they are trying to find a charge that will justify killing Him. In this passage we see: • A court searching for a verdict rather than truth • False witnesses whose testimony cannot agree • The silence of Jesus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53 • The clearest declaration of Jesus’ identity in the Gospel of Mark • The Son of Man who will one day return in glory When the high priest asks, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus answers with unmistakable clarity: “I am.” The One standing trial in that room would one day sit as the Judge of the world. This passage forces every one of us to wrestle with the same question: Who is Jesus?

Mark 14:27-31 ; 66-72

We are hours from the Cross. The table has been set. The hymn has been sung. They walk into the night. Before the nails. Before Pilate. Before the crowd. Mark slows down and shows us Peter. In this sermon from Mark 14:27–31 and 66–72, we walk through Peter’s bold self-confidence, his painful denial, and the surprising hope Jesus speaks even before Peter fails. Peter says, “Even if they all fall away, I will not.” But before the rooster crows twice, he denies Jesus three times. This passage forces a question: What will happen with your faith under pressure? In this message, we explore: • The danger of spiritual self-confidence • How quickly we can collapse under pressure • And the powerful promise of restoration spoken before our failure ever happens The good news? Our failure doesn’t surprise Jesus — and it doesn’t have to define us. If you are confident in yourself, Peter’s story is a warning. If you are crushed by failure, Peter’s story is comfort. The answer isn’t “try harder.” The answer is trust the promises of Jesus. In Christ there is: • Forgiveness for real denial • Strength for real weakness • Courage that grows out of humility Join us as we look honestly at failure — and even more honestly at the restoring grace of Jesus.