The Power of Hope in a Cemetery

Hope in A Cemetery???

Has been read…

Mark 16:1–7 NASB95

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. “But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’ ”

Why a Cemetery?

Reminder of that Sunday morning

Our future hope of Christ return

morning Our future hope of Christ

Dead in Christ shall rise

return Dead in Christ shall rise

In the Cemetery that day there was found Hope amidst several things

Hope amidst Loss & Grief ()

Luke 24:1–7 NASB95

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? “He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

The women and disciples were grieving

The anticipation was Christ would still be dead

“Why do you look for the living among the dead”!!!

This statement must have confused and excited them all at the same time!!!

Hope amidst Doubt ()

Luke 24:8–12 NASB95

And they remembered His words, and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.

The disciples had to see it for themselves

Some of us still live in doubt concerning what God has done or what He can do

Christ offers Hope of something greater than this world

But Peter got up and ran to the tomb… WHY???

Hope amidst Regret ()

John 20:3–8 NASB95

So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed.

“Go tell His disciples and Peter”

Mark 16:7 NASB95

“But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’ ”

Peter when he heard this… he said my name?!

We all have a past and we all have regrets (cemeteries are full of them)

Christ died for sin and rose from the dead to conquer death (to heal our past and regrets)

His resurrection offers Hope