Easter Sunday

Where do you go after you die? Now this question was asked on the Melbourne Mums group. It’s a facebook group. Don’t worry, I’m not on it, but my wife Joy is. But it is a good question isn’t it? what do you say to a 5 year old that asks questions about death?

it’s funny because yesterday our 4 year old just kept asking me frantically, she had the Action Bible in her hands. ‘where’s the angel of death Dad?’ we were just reading about the Passover, when God saved the Israelites. He didn’t destroy them.

But in this Mums Group. here was the best advice.

1. Don’t focus on death. focus on life. Learn as much as you can, give to others and do all the things you want in life.

2. Others say nonna I think that’s grandmother, has gone to be with the angels up in the sky and will always look over you.

3. This advice was very direct. Grandpa was sick. Grandpa died. We won’t see him again. We are safe and cannot get his illness. Gee very direct.

4. One mum said there may be a potential cure in the future for people to live even longer and even if we die, we go to heaven where there is unlimited chocolate and ice cream. that made the child feel much better.

5. And the last one, one lady said watch the movie Coco because the moral of the story is, people don’t die, they still live in the memories of their family members who are alive.

What do you say? Not just to a child. But what’s going to happen to you when you die? What do you think? Where are you going?

I think the God of the Bible gives us the best answer. And rather than be ashamed or doubt, or even be embarrassed, our passage this morning Mark 16 gives us confidence. We can be so confident that Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus is the shocking risen King who is so gracious to us. That’s what we celebrate today. Jesus is alive.

Friends, God has never been interested in you having a pie in the sky kind of blind faith. You can’t see so you don’t know. It’s never been like that.

It’s always based on evidence.

Eyewitness evidence.

And as we saw on Good Friday Jesus was truly dead. he really was. He says

Luke 23:46 ESV

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

He was not in a coma. He was dead.

The centurion confirmed it. It was his job to make sure those who hung on the cross were actually dead. he confirmed to Pontius Pilate that Jesus was dead.

Not just him, but Jesus’ followers, these faithful women knew he was dead. they watched from afar. They saw him nailed to the cross, hung there in agony, and breath his last breath. While all the disciples were in hiding, they had seen Joseph of Arimathea, this politician risk his career to go to the governor to ask for Jesus’s body. He took Jesus corpse. He gave Jesus a burial and put him in the tomb. The women saw it all. They had no thought except that Jesus was dead. his body was decomposing, resting in a tomb. That’s why they go to anoint him.

1. The shocking reality of the resurrected Jesus (16:1-5)

Come to verse 1

Mark 16:1 ESV

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.

They buy spices because they knew Jesus was dead. You use the spices to perfume a dead body. That’s what you do. you couldn’t do it on the Sabbath. So they went to honour Jesus’ body later on.

Now, this is a terrible thing to say in these times that we live, but back then, you don’t give credit to a woman’s testimony. The authorities in Rome didn’t. The religious officials didn’t. But Jesus and God honoured women. That’s why these verses of women seeing the burial, women being at the tomb, women announcing this shocking resurrection is so amazing, so powerful. It’s not made up. Why? Because if Mark the author of the letter was making it up, he wouldn’t use women as witnesses. Can you see? He is telling the truth. So we are dealing with the truth. Eyewitness testimony. And these women knew Jesus was dead. come to verse 2

Mark 16:2–3 ESV

And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”

They went to the tomb expecting to find a dead Jesus. they were wondering, what are we going to do about the stone? It’s too heavy for us. you would expect that. you want your tombs to be like this because there’s a dead person in there. They expected to be sad because Jesus was in that tomb. That’s all they expected.

So imagine the shocking reality of what they find next.

Picture this in your mind. Verse 4

Mark 16:4 ESV

And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.

You’re in the cemetery. It’s still because it is at dawn. The air is fresh. You are going to visit one the crypts. I haven’t seen any here actually, but crypts they are the underground type tombs. You see the door of the crypt is open. What are you thinking? What’s going on in your mind? What would it take for you to go into that dark doorway and go inside. See what these women do.

Mark 16:5 ESV

And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.

You gather the courage to enter the crypt. There’s this stranger dressed in all white sitting on the crypt. This is eye witness testimony right, it even says he was on the right side. That’s the detail you get. Now what are you thinking? I’m pretty sure ‘and they were alarmed’ would have been an understatement. I would be packing it. freaking out. what on earth? Thinking about this in my study was just wow. These women have stepped into an unbelievably alarming situation. The guy in white is an angel. and he says ‘don’t be alarmed. OKAY. Don’t be alarmed. You seek verse 6

Mark 16:6–7 ESV

And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

I am not sure don’t be alarmed will help all that much.

I’m not sure being told my friend, the man I followed and loved, who cared so much for me rising again would lower my level of alarm.

This is a shocking news! The angels says He has Risen. What? He is not here. how? You are looking in the wrong place. You don’t come looking for the living among the dead. Jesus is alive. And he told you this would happen.

But notice what happens.

Mark 16:8 ESV

And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

This is a shocking reality. You can understand their reaction right? Of course they were trembling. Of course they were astonished. Of course they felt afraid. What on earth? It’s shocking that Jesus has come back to life!

You may be here thinking how can Jesus rise again? It’s just too shocking to believe. Jesus resurrected? This never happens. No body comes back from the dead. it’s unthinkable. That’s the point.

For the first time in history, a man who has done no wrong is killed and rises to life never to die again. This single event is so unique it changes everything. Christians stake our lives on this fact. Jesus is so powerful that death cannot contain him. He did as he said he would, die and rise again. He said it 3 times in the book of Mark. This was his mission. to die and rise again to save people from their sins. to give life. But many do not trust him. yes it’s shocking, but this is true.

And at this point the women do not trust this news. We know the disciples had already abandoned Jesus. You would expect Jesus to say, when I needed you, where were you? You’re fired. You’re out.

But no. God is gracious. There is grace isn’t there? We see the gracious reality from the resurrected Jesus

2. The gracious reality of the resurrected Jesus (16:6-8)

The Angel instructs these women. He tell the women 10 things – look at verses 6 to 7. God is just so gracious.

Mark 16:6–7 ESV

1. Don’t be alarmed

2. You’re looking for Jesus

3. He was crucified

4. He’s now risen

5. He’s not here

6. Go and tell the disciples and Peter

7. He’s going ahead of you

8. He’s in Galilee

9. You’ll see him when you get to Galilee.

10. he’s already told you

He says 10 things. And these things he says implies forgiveness.

Why? Because we can’t forget how they have treated Jesus. they deserted him at his hour of need. this especially includes Peter. that’s why he is named. Remember him? he’s the disciple that said even if everyone falls away Lord, I will not in Mark 14:29

Mark 14:29 ESV

Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.”

And he’s the one who said

Mark 14:31 ESV

But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

Brave words. But when it came to the crunch, when Jesus was arrested,

Mark 14:50 ESV

And they all left him and fled.

And in fact, only a few paragraphs later Jesus betrays his Lord. Jesus predicted 3 times that Peter would deny even knowing Jesus. and three times he denied his Lord. He was disloyal. He lacked character. He lacked courage. He lacked faith.

But who does the risen all powerful shocking King call to himself? Go and tell his disciples, and Peter notice there, he is going ahead of you into Galilee and there you will see him just as he told you. Jesus wants to restore the relationship. Jesus is gracious to Peter.

Isn’t that so encouraging? Jesus is so gracious. These unworthy spiritual failures, he gives them a message. When he needed them, they fled. And yet he still loves them. he calls them back to him. What a Lord. He gives them a fresh start. There is a promise for a fresh start for all people who don’t deserve a fresh start. There is a promise of glory with Jesus for those who deserve shame. that’s all of us. we’re sinners. we’ve all rejected God. But Friends, Jesus is gracious, and generous. He forgives sins. This is the gracious reality of the resurrected Jesus.

He’s risen to life. It’s shocking. And he is gracious, he offers life to anyone who believes. Weak as you are, fragile as you, frightened you may be, come to your Lord Jesus. believe in him for he has come back to life. He will welcome you like Peter and the disciples with open arms.

For friends, Jesus did appear many times as the other Gospels tell us. he appeared many times in the next 40 days before he went to heaven. Appeared to over 500 the brothers. This is fact. Jesus is the shocking risen Saviour and Lord who offers to forgive you. he is gracious.

So here’s the question

3. How will you respond?

Because you notice how the story ends. Verse 8 is a strange ended. It’s not a Hollywood ending is it? It’s anti climactic. The angel says don’t be afraid, they were afraid. The angel says go and tell the disciples they said nothing.

Strange ending.

But I reckon implied here is a challenge. It’s a challenging end. Make sure you are not the same. Don’t live a life of fear. Don’t live in silence.

3.1 Be confident because you know the risen King

Unlike the world who doesn’t know the future. we don’t just focus on life now and pretend there’s no death. we don’t say they are angels in the sky. we don’t just be stoic, grandpa died, we are safe. don’t worry. we don’t say airy fairy stuff like there’s unlimited ice cream in this made up heaven with fluffy clouds, we don’t just say just remember their memory even though it is good to do that, we say confidently, Jesus is the risen King who died for my sins and rose to give me eternal life. i trust in Him. We are confident of where we are going because Jesus is the Risen King. We have eye witness testimony. this is true. so we have hope of the future. Knowing his grace and generosity.

And more than that, we must believe confidently in the facts, not our feelings.

3.2 Believe in the facts and not your feelings

See, the feelings of the women is not the point. They were so alarmed. They were astonished. They were trembling and they were afraid. It doesn’t matter if they were shocked, alarmed, astonished, trembling, afraid. the facts came and they found out that Jesus is alive. Jesus is alive! Jesus has resurrected like he said he would. In a time when feelings are the most important thing, God says feelings are not important here. It’s the facts. Jesus is alive. He is resurrected. You can be confident in this. it’s shocking but you can confident.

And you may be a believer. You trust in Jesus. but you are nervous. You doubt. And you can think, I believe in Jesus but I still doubt. Why is that? Again, can I say to you, your feelings are not the most important. The most important thing is someone has taken away the danger. Jesus taken away your sins. God has shown his grace. Just like he was gracious to the disciples who left him at the hour of his greatest need, Jesus has rescued you. saved you. died and rose for you. Jesus is alive. He has given you eternal life. That’s guaranteed by faith alone. He will you carry you through because he has taken away your sins. keep trusting in Jesus, not how you feel.

And I want to say to you, if you don’t know Jesus, how you feel about him, that’s not the big issue. The big issue is this; has Jesus died for you? has Jesus risen from the grave – it’s shocking yes – but it’s truth. And God holds out to you the gift of eternal life. Will you believe in him? He offers you the forgiveness of your sins? I’m not talking about pie in the sky make belief here. You need come to Jesus and believe. This is true. These are the facts. The alternative is horrible. Death and eternal judgment. Please do not go there.

You may be unsure, you’re not convinced. I’ll belief when I get the proof. You will never get proof in the way you want. It’s not going to come from a lab. God can do anything, yes, but he probably won’t come to you in a dream or vision. You have evidence here. He has revealed himself to us in the Bible. Like I can’t prove that my wife loves me, but I see the evidence. God has given us plenty of evidence. Here it is. These are the facts. Come and believe.

A few years ago now, Nello gave me a call and said Brian I need you to go to the Northern Hospital. The nurses there are looking for a pastor to pray for someone who is on his last legs. He’s going to die. I thought, Oh. Okay. What do I do here? What am I going to talk about? What am I going to say to his family? Of course I don’t talk about easter eggs and bunnies. of course i don’t talk about the footy? This man, I don’t know what he heard but I prayed for him that He might know Jesus. I remember go outside in the waiting room. I spoke his daughter. At that moment, the look on the face tells you it’s time to get serious. Talk about things important. Things that are eternal.

On this Easter Day, brothers and sisters, the resurrection is the most important thing to talk about. It’s the subject of life and death. Those who put their faith in Jesus will have resurrection life. It’s the shocking risen Jesus who shows us amazing grace, so that we don’t fear death. we’ll be with the Lord forgiven, living forever with the risen Lord Jesus.

So be confident, stand firm on the facts, live and rejoice. let’s thank our God.

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