Mark 16:1-8 "Victory Over the Grave"

Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City!

Welcome to September… just four months remaining of this year… should the Lord tarry.

Thank you to those of you who have helped us along the way of moving into our new home.

We closed this past Friday and are in our final week of preparing our old home for the couple who purchased our home.

It’s been a busy month… almost done. Please keep us in prayer.

Before entering into our passage today, I wanted to say a few things about the Every Word event.

If you have not signed up to be a reader… I highly encourage you to do so.

It’s a great witness to the community… and there is something powerful about being the one to read the word publically.

I believe the inspiration for the event comes from Josh 8:35 which reads, “There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them.”

So, that’s what’s happening… a public reading of the word before all ears…

Please pray there would be impact… that there would be a large assembly… and God would be glorified.

Well… let’s glorify God now through the reading of the word…

Please turn to Mark 16. Mark 16:1-8 today. Final chapter of the Gospel of Mark… which we started June 2023…

And, have faithfully taught chapter by chapter and verse by verse through the book…

And we will wrap up the Gospel written to a Roman audience maybe next week… if not next week the week after.

And, then onward to Romans.

We left off in Jesus’ final week of ministry...

His passion… His death on the cross… His burial…

And, those present to witness… Joseph of Arimathea… Nicodemus… Mary Magdalene and the other women… Romans… the Centurion… Pilate… they marveled.

Joseph and Nicodemus took His body down… and gave Him an honorable burial… in a rich man’s tomb… fulfilling Isa 53:9.

But the tomb… could not hold Him…

Any other person in time… time past… time present… any other person who has ever died… they had a final resting place.

Death holds all… save One…

Jesus Christ.

And, today we come to that victory passage…

Today, we behold the empty tomb… for death could not hold Him.

We will see new life… His foretold resurrection…

Which is of the most significant of His promises and miracles…

And, it gives us confidence that as He had “Victory Over the Grave” (our sermon title today)…

And, so too will we prevail over death and the grave…

For ALL who place their faith in Jesus Christ… Death is not your end. We have victory because of Jesus Christ.

Let’s pray… and then enter the word.

In reverence for God’s word, please stand as I read our passage.

Mark 16:1-8 “Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”

Praise God for His word… and for the resurrection! He is risen!

V1 begins “Now when the Sabbath was past...”

At the end of Chapter 15… we looked at the burial of Jesus Christ late Friday afternoon, just prior to sundown…

Because in Jewish reckoning, sundown is when the next day begins.

And, the day after Friday was… … …

… Saturday… very good. It still is… the day after Friday is Saturday.

And, Saturday from a Jewish perspective is the seventh day of the week…

And, just as God rested on the seventh day… so too was the seventh day in Mosaic law designated as a day of rest… a Sabbath to the Lord.

Sabbath, by definition means “a cessation from labor” or “rest” even “complete rest” by the Hebrew definition.

Which the ladies mentioned in this passage did… they rested on Sabbath.

Luke 23:56 says this of the women after they observed where the body of the Lord was laid…

“Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.”

They rested on Sabbath… according to the commandment which could look back to a number of Mosaic Law scriptures… Exo 20:10… Deut 5:14… Exo 16:29…

And, we know… that while the Jews rested on this day… true rest comes only by entering His rest… only by faith in Jesus Christ… according to Hebrews chapter 4.

There are many things that people look to in this world to bring them rest… to bring them contentment… and peace…

But the things of the world do not bring rest.

John wrote, “… the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 1 Jn 2:17

Look to Jesus for rest… not to the world.

So… back in… ahh yes V1… we’re getting far today. Again it reads, “Now when the Sabbath was past...”

So, we now find ourselves past Sabbath… no longer Saturday… now it is Sunday…

We know this because V2 reads, “Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week…”

Matt 28:1 adds, “as the first day of the week began to dawn...”

And, as the resurrection is on the first day… on Sunday… this would set the tone for the early church and still today to choose the first day as the primary day of gathering together.

But, as Paul wrote… we have the liberty to meet anyday… “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.” Rom 14:5

We choose to gather on Sunday as modeled by the early church and in recognition of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the first day…

But, we have the freedom to gather mid-week… Saturday… whenever…

So, now… back in our text… it’s sunrise… somewhere around 6am Sunday morning Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the less and Joses… (the same Mary in chapter 15 vv 40 and 47)… and Salome (also who was listed in V40 present at the crucifixion)…

Bring spices… and come to anoint the body of Jesus… as was the custom of the day to anoint the dead… both to counteract the odor of decay and symbolically to display loving affection the recent deceased.

Embalming was NOT a custom of the Jews… anointing was.

And, today… a question some ask is what is a Christian Burial? What is allowable biblically?

In our culture… cremation or burial are the main options for our recently deceased.

In 2023 the National Funeral Directors Association released these stats…

The cremation rate was 60.5% and the burial rate was 34.5%.

And, I’m not that good at math, but that adds up to 95%… what happened to the other 5% of people?

Lost at sea? They don’t specify.

But, Christian do ask if cremation is a allowable burial method.

And, the Bible does not explicitly say.

Burial in a tomb, cave, or in the ground was the common way to dispose of a human body…

Above ground in tombs was common for the rich.

Jesus was buried in a rich man’s tomb.

It seems the ground was more a poor person’s burial.

Perhaps like Rebekah’s nurse in Gen 35:8.

In 1 & 2 Kings there are instances of bones being burned and desecrated… or people being burned… but this is not the heart of cremation today.

Old Testament neither forbids cremation NOR attaches a curse or judgment on someone who is cremated.

“But what about in the resurrection Pastor Marc? How will God refasten a cremated body?”

The same way He will refasten the bodies of those who died thousands of years ago and are now dust.

This is not too big for God. We came from dust… we return to dust… and God will raise us… even if we are dust.

And, still if you have a strong conviction one way or another… pray for wisdom and follow your convictions.

Get buried if that’s your conviction… that’s fine.

But, also recognize your convictions may be different from others…

I’m so glad Paul writes about our liberties… our freedoms… balanced with the conscience of another believer… 1 Cor 10 is a great chapter on this as is 1 Cor 8.

You don’t need to alter your convictions to conform to a weaker brother’s conscience, but in love it’s advised to not stumble another with your freedoms.

Well… back in our text… Jesus was buried in a tomb… and the fact that the women went to the tomb to anoint the body… tells us they expected to find a body… they… like all the rest of the disciples were not prepared for what lie ahead.

They were not prepared for the risen Lord… for the resurrection.

In V3, they even asked, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”

And, I want to be critical of how dense all the disciples were… the men and the women… because time and again… in multiple ways… to multiple audiences… with multiple sayings… Jesus said He would die and rise again…

In year one of Jesus’ three year ministry… Jesus predicted His resurrection. In John 2:19 He said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

And John clarified that He was “speaking of the temple of His body.”

In year two… scribes and Pharisees said, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

In Matt Jesus replied, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matt 12:39-40)

The resurrection was not only a prediction, but also a sign that Jesus was the Messiah Israel had long waited for.

In Jesus’ final six months of earthly life… He predicted and spoke more explicitly about His resurrection to His disciples…

He was preparing them for His death… which was too much for them to bear…

They had great expectations of Jesus… Messiah as the conquering King… and they did not understand how death fit into the equation.

They did not understand that there were two comings for Messiah… first as the suffering servant to conquer sin and death…

And, then as the conquering King… which we too await.

So, Jesus prepared His disciples.

At Caesarea Philippi… Matthew 16:21 records, “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

Mark and Luke also recorded this saying.

This was where Peter rebuked Jesus… “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

And, Jesus replied, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

They say ‘repetition is the key to learning’… so shortly after, in Matt 17:22-23, Jesus would again say… this time in Galilee, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.

The parallel passage in Mark 9:30-32 tells us His disciples did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

Around this same time, Jesus also made the amazing claim that He had been granted the authority to raise Himself from the dead…

John 10:17-18… Jesus said, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

So, over and again… Jesus in many and diverse ways predicted that He would die and rise again…

And, this was NO secret prediction… it was known in the land that Jesus predicted His death and resurrection.

Which led the chief priests and Pharisees to go to Pilate and request Roman troops to guard the tomb.

Matt 27:63 records the religious leaders asking Pilate, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’”

Listen to me… if you go around predicting your death and resurrection… over the course of three years…

You and I would find ourselves in a State Hospital… people would think we need medication…

And, in some regard… Jesus’ own mother and brothers… on more then one occasion desired to have an intervention with Him.

But look… He said these things… He predicted death… and resurrection… not one day later… or two days later… but specially THREE days later…

And, it all came to pass just as He said… and what does that say about Jesus?

It tells us… He is beyond a mere man… fully Man true… but also fully divine… He is God.

And, yet… the women went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus…

Mary thought He was the gardener.

Peter and John ran to the tomb to confirm.

Thomas doubted.

You and I may have also.

But wisdom would suggest we trust the word of the Lord.

“Scripture cannot be broken.”

The word of God is inspired and inerrant.

Cling to the word during times of trials and doubt.

I’d love to read a verse where in those three days between His death and resurrection where even just ONE of the disciples… displayed such faith to hold onto Jesus’ predictions of resurrection.

“He said He would rise again.” is an absent phrase from the lips of the disciples.

Lord help us to have faith.

Well, back to the text… Mary, Mary, and Salome approach the tomb and wonder, “Who will roll away the stone from the door for us?”

And, the answer comes in V4… for as they look up… the large stone of the tomb had been rolled away.

A several hundred pound circular stone… rolled back up the sloped grove…

Rolled back amidst the Roman Guard set to keep intruders out.

Rolled back despite the seal upon the tomb warning against intrusion.

But, none of that mattered to God’s divine messenger seeing in V5.

No doubt an angel…

Whom Mark describes as a “young man in a long white robe.”

Luke wrote there were “two men [two angels] in shining garments.”

John records Mary saw Not two men, but “two angels in white, sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

And, in response to the empty tomb, she replied, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Still blind to the realities of the resurrection.

Matthew gives the greatest details about the intensity of the decent of the angels [though Matthew only focuses on one}… plus he captures the impact on the guards…

Matt 28:2-4 reads, “And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.”

The door of the tomb… the guards… the seal… none of it meant anything to the angels…

They were sent by the Father… and not to let Jesus out… but to let the ladies in.

Jesus at this time was glorified… he body transformed where he could move through physical objects…

Mark won’t record these moments, but the other gospel writers would capture scenes like when the disciples were in a closed room and Jesus was suddenly in the midst of them.

He did not need the stone rolled back for Him to exit.

Nor would He need an angel’s assistance… He could just command the stone to ‘move’ and it would obey.

I do find some of these details surrounding the angel’s description fascinating.

For example, Mark describes the angel as a “young man.”

One day in Jesus’ ministry, Sadduccees presented him with a ridiculous scenario about a woman who married and was widowed by seven brothers.

And, they asked, ‘… in the resurrection… who’s wife would she be?’

Jesus’ reply was essentially ‘none of them’…

And, very interesting… in relation to Angels… He said in Matt 22:30 “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.”

Now I take that as marriage is a covenant of earth, but NOT of heaven.

For some… that makes heaven that much sweeter… but if you really cherish your spouse… FRET NOT… heaven will still be sweet.

But, I wonder… in what other ways will we be like angels?

In our passage in Mark 15… the angels were young men.

Will we be as well… eternally young… that sounds real good to me.

Somewhere around the age of 30… the age Jews were recognized as adults, but still in one’s prime…

The Jewish writing the Mishnah describes 30 as the year when one achieves one's full strength…

I could handle being that age… for all time.

Of course, we will have to wait and see God’s plan of how that will all unfold.

Well, the ladies at the tomb were alarmed by the angels…

But the angel responded with many striking things…

In V6, he said, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.”

First he encouraged them to NOT be alarmed. Matthew wrote they said, “Do not be afraid...”

God is in the business of assuring His disciples to FEAR NOT.

18x in the New Testament… the specific phrase “Do not be afraid” is written.

Either directly from Jesus… or from an angel.

Sometimes the call to not be afraid was paired with the call to belief.

Because fear is so often the enemy of faith.

Jairus… who daughter was gravely ill… Jesus said to him… “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

Twice when Paul was imprisoned… he was encouraged to not be afraid, but to speak, and not keep silent…

That time as a vision from the Lord.

And, another time from an angel instructing Paul on his future path to Rome… “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar...”

Nothing to fear there… standing before Emperor Nero… nothing to fear there at all.

I wonder if Paul ever heard the teaching from Jesus where He instructed, “My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:4-5)

Jesus understood that this life is a vapor and people take the life of another… they don’t control the final destiny of man.

Death only leads to eternal life…

And, death leads to God… who either ushers the dead to heaven or hell based upon whether they accepted Jesus as Savior.

There is a fear or reverence appropriate for God alone.

Other people have No power beyond the grave.

And, the women at the tomb neither need be afraid either…

The body was not taken by the enemies of the Lord…

In Matthew 28:5-6 the angel assured the women that God was in control… he said, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”

From this verse… we get our Resurrection Sunday victory chant… “He is risen.”

And, the response “He is risen indeed” stems from Luke 24:34 where the two disciples on the road to Emmaus returned to Jerusalem and proclaimed to the eleven Apostles and those gathered with them… “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”

And, then they expounded on all that had happened on the Emmaus road and their encounter with our risen Lord.

And so… here in V6 of Mark 16… this is a Resurrection verse. The angels assure the women that Jesus is risen…

The word ‘resurrection’ by def. means “a standing up again; a rising from the dead.”

Jesus’ bodily resurrection is indeed in view here in V6.

Several scholars title the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ as “the cornerstone of our Christian faith” … “the most important event in history.”

Frankly… it’s the climax to the Gospel of Mark… Mark shares the resurrection account… and then quickly ties up His whole Gospel message…

Because to his readers in Rome… he didn’t have much more to say after that… as it pertains to the good news of the Gospel message.

And, if you don’t understand how important the resurrection of Jesus Christ is to our faith… I encourage you to go to our app or website, and under “Topical Messages”… ones that I preached…

There are four Easter Sunday messages spanning from 2021 to 2024… focused on the resurrection… all a little different… spot lighting not only the resurrection, but various facets… various accounts of resurrection day.

Five quick points on the importance of the Resurrection…

First, It fulfills prophecy from the OT and from Jesus. The resurrection proves Jesus’ words and promises are true. And, that He is God.

Second, The Resurrection tells us that the Father accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross…that the price of sin has been paid…that our sins are forgiven.

Third, the Resurrection is the basis for the hope we have as Christians…that upon death, we will also rise again.

Fourth, the resurrection provides believers with spiritual power today. (c.f. Romans 6:3-4; Ephesians 1:19-21)

Fifth, the resurrection is evidence that God will one day judge the world in righteousness. (c.f. Acts 17:31; John 5:25-27)

To highlight how important the resurrection of Jesus Christ is to our faith… one scholar wrote, “The resurrection was not only the supreme validation of [Jesus’] deity; it also validated the Scriptures, which foretold His coming and resurrection. Moreover, it authenticated Christ’s claims that He would be raised on the third day. In fact, apart from Christ’s bodily resurrection, we have no Savior, no salvation, and no hope of eternal life. As the apostle Paul said, our faith would be “useless” and the life-giving power of the gospel would be altogether eliminated.”

And, let me just read the passage by Paul referenced in that quote…

1 Cor 15:12-22… Paul wrote, “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? [the church in Corinth had all kinds of problems… a skepticism toward the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ being one of them] 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. [Again, the scholar I just quoted paraphrased, “our faith would be “useless” and the life-giving power of the gospel would be altogether eliminated.”] 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. [an example and a guarantee of what’s to come] 21 For since by man [Adam] came death, by Man [Jesus] also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”

Paul declares that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is THE event that is the cornerstone of our faith…it is the foundation for our hope in life after death…eternal life…bodily eternal life in a glorified body…all of these hopes that we hold onto as Christians are substantiated in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Rom 8:11 clearly expresses this reality...“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

These are more than hopes for the Christian. The word of God promises life eternally for the believer of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because of Jesus’ finished work on the Cross and the evidence through the Resurrection, the Christian can confidently declare “O Death, where is your sting? O death, where is your victory?” All because Jesus is Risen!

If you don’t understand the significance of the resurrection… you must.

You must because it is a promise and a hope that you can take to the bank because it is written… it is demonstrated in the life and death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ witnessed by over 500 eye witnesses…

And, it differentiates OUR faith from ALL other world religions.

One scholar said, “Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was the crowning achievement that forever separates Him from any other religious leader who has ever been or will ever live. No other religious figure in history has ever prophesied His own death and resurrection—and then accomplished it.”

Confucius is dead… Buddha is dead… Mohammed is dead. Joseph Smith is dead. Elvis is dead. And, Grant is in his tomb.

But, in Jerusalem…there is an empty tomb.

Because our God… Jesus Christ is alive…right now seated at the right hand of the Power... His throne in Majesty in the heavens… making intercession for the saints…and we will see Him…we will be with Him coming on the clouds of heaven as He returns with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all...

All because He is Risen! He was victorious over the grave.

An “Amen” or “Hallelujah” would be an appropriate response.

Well… back in our text… these blessed women are the first witnesses of the resurrection… and the angels… now in V7 give them a charge…

“But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

Peter was named by name here… Peter who had just denied the Lord three times.

Jesus saw fit to make sure Peter had a special message sent to him that the Lord would meet him and the rest of the disciples in Galilee…

Peter had a special appearance by the Lord post resurrection.

And, in Galilee… Jesus would have a private conversation with Peter… specifically to let Peter know he is loved… and to commission Peter to ‘feed Jesus’ sheep.’

If you’ve denied the Lord… if you’ve fallen into sin… you need to remember how the Lord treated Peter.

We all do… even us on the other side… how do we treat those who have made mistakes in their walk with the Lord?

Jesus demonstrated tremendous grace to Peter… and he didn’t put Peter on the shelf…

Within 43 some days… from death to ascension and Pentecost… Peter now baptized with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 preaches a mighty Gospel message and 3000 get saved.

A tremendous example of grace…

Of course Paul also lays out other guidelines when it comes to church discipline…

Every situation is different… and every person’s heart is different… some are truly repentant… some are only sorrowful for getting caught… and some are hard hearted.

And, we must discern… with a multitude of counselors… and through prayer how best to restore a brother or sister.

But, I do love the Peter example… such grace.

And, I also love that the angel says to the women in V7 “He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

That looks back to the scene of the Lord’s Supper… turn back to Mark 14… and follow along with me.

In Mark 14, immediately following the Lord’s Supper… the disciples sung a hymn and departed the upper room in Jerusalem heading to the Mount of Olives…

And, we read in Mark 14:27-31 “Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.” 30 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” 31 But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise.”

And so, they all said they would not deny the Lord… Peter was caught in the act three times at the enemies fire verbally denying the Lord.

All the rest denied Him as they forsook Him and fled at the Garden of Gethsemane…

And remember that… not a one of them was innocent… they all denied the Lord…

If anyone was innocent… and I’m not sure… it would be John… who was present at the passion scenes… the crucifixion… he was the only one… him and the women.

Regardless… Jesus would restore them all. And, He would do it where it all began. In Galilee.

If you missed my Mark 14 message titled “I Will God Before You to Galilee”… it was for sure one of my favorite messages I’ve ever preached.

There are certain passages… where the beauty of scripture… and the grace of our Lord just rises off the pages and… this passage in Mark 14 was one of them.

If you need to hear a message of restoration and hope… go back an listen to that message.

Truly it was my privilege to expound that passage.

It’s easy to overlook… but one of the greatest ways Jesus prepared and settled the hearts of the disciples… and restored them… AFTER they forsook HIM… was sending them back to Galilee…

He predicted in Mark 14 that He would be “raised”… resurrected… and He predicted He would then go before them to Galilee…

And, then in our passage today… the angels remind the ladies “He is going before you to Galilee...”

Which was tremendously inconvenient… being they were already in Jerusalem and would need to be back in Jerusalem for Pentecost…

And Galilee was about a 38 hour walk North…

But, sometimes the Lord calls us to do things that don’t make sense…

He called me recently to sell my house and buy another… the list of pros and cons were balanced in my mind…

I was happy with a closed door, but the Lord kept the doors open and I walked forward in faith.

And, for the disciples… Jesus called them back to Galilee…

And, when He calls… He also went before them… as it is written.

And, that’s what He still does… He calls you and He goes before you.

You’re not on this journey alone… He never leaves you nor forsakes you… and He goes before you.

And, for the ladies this resurrection morning… they were called to now carry a message of victory over the grave…

Initially, they were afraid and said nothing as we read in V8, “So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”

But, as Luke 24 records, they would remember the predictions of the Lord… would return and tell the eleven and the rest…

But, sadly… Luke 24:11 records, “And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.”

And, that ok… they were faithful messengers… and the Lord would deal with the hard heartedness of His other disciples.

And, that’s true today… you just focus on being the faithful messenger.

And, let the Lord deal with the recipient.

Wrapping up… between the four Gospels, there are many rich events recorded on resurrection morning… and the 40 days between the Resurrection and the Ascension…

The stone rolled back… the empty tomb…

The appearances of Jesus to the women…

The Emmaus Road…

Jesus appears to Simon and then to the eleven… rebuking their unbelief and hardness of heart…

He shows them His hands and His feet… His scars… He eats…

Doubting Thomas proclaims, “My Lord and my God!”

Rightfully so, for Jesus is both Lord and God.

He goes before them to Galilee… restoring Peter… preparing them for Pentecost… settling their hearts where it all began.

He appears to 500 believers all at once…

He gives the Great Commission…

He appears to James… His brother…

What was that encounter like? Was it then that James believed?

Jesus appears to them again in Jerusalem and speaks about the Baptism with the Holy Spirit… the empowerment to be a witness to Him throughout the whole earth starting in Jerusalem and expanding out.

Finally, the Ascension… taken up in a cloud from the Mount of Olives… the same location where He will return according to Zech 14:4.

Glorious… worship team please come.

Next week… and probably the week after… we will see Mark conclude his Gospel… with an overview of the appearances of Jesus and the ascension of Jesus Christ… Read ahead.

Let’s Pray!

Very appropriately… now after looking back to the resurrection of our Lord…

Per our church tradition… on the first Sunday of the month, we take communion…

Please posture your hearts in praise as I read our Communion Passage:

1 Cor 11:23-29 “...the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”

Please distribute the elements...

Communion is a time for us to look three directions…

We look back remembering Jesus’ sacrifice… His broken body and shed blood for the remission of our sins.

His new covenant. Salvation by faith and in grace.

Look forward in hope of His imminent return… we proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. He is coming.

And, looking inward to examine ourselves… to take communion in a worthy manner.

Time to do business with God.

Once you have prayed… take the communion elements individually.

Our worship team will play one worship song, and then close us in prayer.

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If you have never accepted Jesus as Lord...

...either let the cup pass and do not partake in communion -or- the better option...

…first accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior today.

Our Elders will be up front to guide you in a prayer of faith… to confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

… then take communion.

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