Jesus Is Alive
(Matthew 28.1-8; Luke 24.1-12; John 20.1-10)

Mark 16 After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James bought some spices to put on Jesus' body. ²Very early on Sunday morning, just as the sun was coming up, they went to the tomb. ³On their way, they were asking one another, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance for us?" ⁴But when they looked, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away. And it was a huge stone!
⁵The women went into the tomb, and on the right side they saw a young man in a white robe sitting there. They were alarmed.
⁶The man said, "Don't be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was nailed to a cross. God has raised him to life, and he isn't here. You can see the place where they put his body. ⁷Now go and tell his disciples, and especially Peter, that he will go ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you."
⁸When the women ran from the tomb, they were confused and shaking all over. They were too afraid to tell anyone what had happened.

ONE OLD ENDING
TO MARK'S GOSPEL

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
(Matthew 28.9, 10; John 20.11-18)

⁹Very early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen to life, he appeared to Mary Magdalene. Earlier he had forced seven demons out of her. ¹⁰She left and told his friends, who were crying and mourning. ¹¹Even though they heard that Jesus was alive and that Mary had seen him, they would not believe it.

Jesus Appears to Two Disciples
(Luke 24.13-35)

¹²Later, Jesus appeared in another form to two disciples, as they were on their way out of the city. ¹³But when these disciples told what had happened, the others would not believe.

What Jesus' Followers Must Do
(Matthew 28.16-20; Luke 24.36-49; John 20.19-23; Acts 1.6-8)

¹⁴Afterwards, Jesus appeared to his eleven disciples as they were eating. He scolded them because they were too stubborn to believe the ones who had seen him after he had been raised to life. ¹⁵Then he told them:

Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world. ¹⁶Anyone who believes me and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe me will be condemned. ¹⁷Everyone who believes me will be able to do wonderful things. By using my name they will force out demons, and they will speak new languages. ¹⁸They will handle snakes and will drink poison and not be hurt. They will also heal sick people by placing their hands on them.

Jesus Returns to Heaven
(Luke 24.50-53; Acts 1.9-11)

¹⁹After the Lord Jesus had said these things to the disciples, he was taken back up to heaven where he sat down at the right side of God. ²⁰Then the disciples left and preached everywhere. The Lord was with them, and the miracles they worked proved that their message was true.

ANOTHER OLD ENDING
TO MARK'S GOSPEL

^9-10The women quickly told Peter and his friends what had happened. Later, Jesus sent the disciples to the east and to the west with his sacred and everlasting message of how people can be saved forever.

Some of the People Rebel against Rehoboam
(2 Chronicles 10.1-19)

1 Kings 12 Rehoboam went to Shechem where everyone was waiting to crown him king.
²Jeroboam son of Nebat heard what was happening, and he stayed in Egypt, where he had gone to hide from Solomon. ³But the people from the northern tribes of Israel sent for him. Then together they went to Rehoboam and said, ⁴"Your father Solomon forced us to work very hard. But if you make our work easier, we will serve you and do whatever you ask."
⁵"Give me three days to think about it," Rehoboam replied, "then come back for my answer." So the people left.
⁶Rehoboam went to some leaders who had been his father's senior officials, and he asked them, "What should I tell these people?"
⁷They answered, "If you want them to serve and obey you, then you should do what they ask today. Tell them you will make their work easier."
⁸But Rehoboam refused their advice and went to the younger men who had grown up with him and were now his officials. ⁹He asked, "What do you think I should say to these people who asked me to make their work easier?"
¹⁰His younger advisors said:

Here's what we think you should say to them: "Compared to me, my father was weak. ¹¹He made you work hard, but I'll make you work even harder. He punished you with whips, but I'll use whips with pieces of sharp metal!"

¹²Three days later, Jeroboam and the others came back. ¹³Rehoboam ignored the advice of the older advisors. ¹⁴He spoke bluntly and told them exactly what his own advisors had suggested: "My father made you work hard, but I'll make you work even harder. He punished you with whips, but I'll use whips with pieces of sharp metal!"
^15-19When the people realized that Rehoboam would not listen to them, they shouted: "We don't have to be loyal to David's family. We can do what we want. Come on, people of Israel, let's go home! Rehoboam can rule his own people."
Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor, and Rehoboam sent him to talk to the people. But they stoned him to death. Then Rehoboam ran to his chariot and hurried back to Jerusalem.
So the people from the northern tribes of Israel went home, leaving Rehoboam to rule only the people from the towns in Judah. Ever since that day, the people of Israel have opposed David's family in Judah. All of this happened just as the LORD's prophet Ahijah had told Jeroboam.
²⁰When the Israelites heard that Jeroboam was back, they called everyone together. Then they sent for Jeroboam and made him king of Israel. Only the people from the tribe of Judah remained loyal to David's family.

Shemaiah Warns Rehoboam
(2 Chronicles 11.1-4)

²¹After Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he decided to attack Israel and take control of the whole country. So he called together one hundred eighty thousand soldiers from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
²²Meanwhile, God told Shemaiah the prophet ²³to give Rehoboam and everyone from Judah and Benjamin this warning: ²⁴"Don't go to war against the people from Israel--they are your relatives. Go home! I am the LORD, and I made these things happen."
Rehoboam and his army obeyed the LORD and went home.

Jeroboam Makes Religious Changes

²⁵Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in Ephraim and made it a stronger town, then he moved there. He also fortified the town of Penuel.
^26-27One day, Jeroboam started thinking, "Everyone in Israel still goes to the temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the LORD. What if they become loyal to David's family again? They will kill me and accept Rehoboam as their king."
²⁸Jeroboam asked for advice and then made two gold statues of calves. He showed them to the people and said, "Listen everyone! You won't have to go to Jerusalem to worship anymore. Here are your gods who rescued you from Egypt." ^29-30Then he put one of the gold calves in the town of Bethel. He put the other one in the town of Dan, and the crowd walked out in front as the calf was taken there. What Jeroboam did was a terrible sin.
³¹Jeroboam built small places of worship at the shrines and appointed men who were not from the tribe of Levi to serve as priests.

Turn Back to the LORD

Hosea 14 Israel, return! Come back to the LORD, your God.
Sin has made you fall.
²Return to the LORD and say, "Please forgive our sins.
Accept our good sacrifices of praise instead of bulls.
³Assyria can't save us, and chariots can't help.
So we will no longer worship the idols we have made.
Our LORD, you show mercy to orphans."

The LORD Promises To Forgive

⁴Israel, you have rejected me, but my anger is gone;
I will heal you and love you without limit.
⁵I will be like the dew-- then you will blossom like lilies
and have roots like a tree.
⁶Your branches will spread with the beauty of an olive tree
and with the aroma of Lebanon Forest.
⁷You will rest in my shade, and your grain will grow.
You will blossom like a vineyard
and be famous as the wine from Lebanon.

⁸Israel, give up your idols!
I will answer your prayers and take care of you.
I am that glorious tree, the source of your fruit.

⁹If you are wise, you will know and understand what I mean.
I am the LORD, and I lead you along the right path.
If you obey me, we will walk together,
but if you are wicked, you will stumble.