The Hope of the Resurrection

Introduction

Hudson - the significance of birthday this year has sunk in. He turned 4, and the day was all about him. Every day since, “When is it going to be my birthday again?”

Dutch man wanting to change legal age from 69 to 49. Would help on dating sites. Cannot alter his age. He won’t live forever no matter the number he assigns himself.

https://www.npr.org/2018/11/08/665592537/69-year-old-dutch-man-seeks-to-change-his-legal-age-to-49

The resurrection delivers on what we all want - to live forever. Each day we live knowing that 2,000 years ago that a dead man walked out of the grave so that we could have new life.

The resurrection delivers on what we all want - to live forever. Each day we live knowing that 2,000 years ago that a dead man walked out of the grave so that we could have new life.

The Resurrection of Jesus it most important event in human history because. No resurrection - no reason to gather, to worship, to be a Christian, etc.

Resurrection is THE fundamental truth of the Christian faith. If Jesus rose from the dead: 1. There is a God. 2. Jesus is that God. 3. The Bible is true. 4. Heaven and hell are real. 5. Jesus makes the difference if you go to one or the other.

Nothing more hopeful than resurrection. If Jesus is alive, we’re alive forever. Everything He said and promised is true!

Two major truths this morning: 1. The hope of the resurrection is for people who have everything. 2. The hope of the resurrection is for people who have nothing.

Story:

The women watched in agony. Now Jesus is dead. Unlike disciples, they stayed until the end and watched the gruesome torture that Jesus was subjected to.

After death on cross, common for criminal to hang on cross for days. But, Jews could not fathom leaving a dead corpse hanging on a cross. Even for those who were executed for violent crimes, Jews made sure the criminal had a proper burial. ()

However, Jesus had to be buried before the Sabbath - to bury on the Sabbath was to profane the Sabbath.

Joseph of Arimathea asks for the body. A member of the Sanhedrin! He had it all: power and influence, wealth and prestige, etc. But unlike the other members of Sanhedrin, knew there was more than what he had.

He was looking for the Kingdom, and he didn’t find it in the religious system. He did not consent to the decision of the Sanhedrin to crucify Jesus, but he kept his faith to himself. () A covert disciple of Jesus along with Nicodemus. Believed Jesus but also concerned about what would happen to him if Sanhedrin found out about his faith.

Grief and guilt: Why hadn’t he been bold enough to publically associate with Jesus while Jesus was alive?

But now no longer cares if the Sanhedrin knows he’s a follower or not. Joseph realizing that while he had it all, he really had nothing - he needed more than power and prestige, wealth and influence. He needed Jesus. In Jesus, saw kindness, love, sacrifice - something he didn’t see in the Sanhedrin.

In his grief, and maybe even his guilt, he makes a bold move. He publically associates with Jesus. He goes to Pilate and asks for the body of Jesus to give him a proper burial in his own tomb.

Courageous move - a member of the Sanhedrin - the group that wanted Jesus dead - asking for His body? What would Pilate think? And, what would his fellow council members think when they discovered Jospeh had buried Jesus in his own tomb? It didn’t matter to Joseph anymore what they thought.

Pilate surprised Jesus died so quickly. Gave Joseph Jesus’ body. Joseph wrapped him in a shroud and laid him in a tomb. All 4 Gospel writers report the burial of Christ. Want us to know Jesus was dead; really dead. While Joseph finally associated with Jesus publically, too little too late.

The women - the polar opposite of Joseph. They didn’t have power and prestige. They had nothing. While they were with Jesus to the very end, they didn’t have much courage, or really much faith for that matter. Instead, they had fear.

On Sunday morning, they go to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus.

16:1 - an aside - Mark names the women a second time. Why the redundancy. “Make sure you know who I’m talking about, because if you don’t believe my story, go ask them. They can tell you their story from their own lips.” Mark’s way of letting us know this really happened.

On the way, wondering who would remove the stone. Notice: no indication that they thought that maybe the tomb would be empty even though Jesus had told his followers on several occasions that he would rise on the third day. Not one of the the twelve disciples goes to the tomb on Sunday morning. They all fled. Not one curious to see if Jesus had risen from the tomb. Why? Resurrections don’t happen! If you’ve ever said, “I can’t believe that a dead man would rise from the dead” you’re in good company. Those closest to Jesus didn’t believe it either until they saw…

Arrive - stone already rolled back - an angel on the right side. “He is not here. He has risen. Go tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus will meet them in Galilee.”

And they fled in fear - not rejoicing - but saying nothing! And the Gospel ends with the women leaving in astonishing fear.

Aside - More proof that this really happened. If this was a legend or fairy tale, would have ended more triumphantly, and women wouldn’t have been the first to witness the empty tomb. Men would have been. In an ancient court of law, women could not even serve as witnesses! But the Gospel ends with women as witnesses to the empty tomb! He simply reports the facts - regardless of how shameful it sounds.

Different people - different responses to the death and resurrection. What does it mean for us?

The hope of the resurrection is for people who have everything.

The hope of the resurrection is for people who have everything.

Joseph had it all. Nicodemus had it all, but in reality they had nothing.

You might think you have everything you need in this life, but if you don’t have Jesus, you have nothing.

A new car doesn’t bring contentment. A huge salary doesn’t make you ultimately happy. A college education doesn’t make you a more significant person. The perfect looking family doesn’t mean you have a perfect life. You can have everything you want in this life and still be empty and miserable. You can have everything and be eternally separated from God. You can have everything and have nothing. (Identifying as a 49 year-old-man - desperately trying for change to get more - but it won’t be enough.)

You’ve been working so hard to gain - (degrees, long hours, social connetions, etc.) but you don’t feel like you’ve gained anything. That was Joseph of A. He had everything and knew there was more.

Eventually led him to make a courageous association. To no longer care about everything he gained. He buried Jesus not knowing Jesus was going to rise again, but he knew there was more. Can you imagine what happened to Joseph once he discovered Jesus rose from the dead?

Do you want more? It’s time for a courageous association with Jesus. Courageous association = public association, reorganizing priorities around God’s purpose, and choosing His will over yours.

My fear for many of you - a weak association. You’ve been a covert disciple. You like Jesus, but you like everything else in this life much better. Jesus is an accessory. You want to believe enough to get out of hell, but not enough where someone might think you’re a religious nut. You want to serve the church, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your schedule. This is not biblical Christianity!

Or, no association. You could care less about Jesus because you’re too busy pursing everything.

Have everything? Realize that ultimately you have nothing until you believe that Jesus died in your place and rose again to give you new life.

The hope of the resurrection is for people who have nothing.

Notice how often Jesus ministers to women in the Gospels? Reality - a male driven culture - women had little value outside of motherhood.

These women certainly felt like they had nothing after the death of Jesus. He had cared for them, loved them, elevated them, shown them significance. Now, Mark portrays them as hopeless and fearful. If Jesus was dead they would go back to a life where they were insignificant in the eyes of people.

But, when they begin to understand the impact of the resurrection, they would understand that instead of having nothing, they have everything.

You might not feel like you have everything. Instead, you feel like you have nothing. Everything seems to be falling apart. : Blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Spiritual blessings? Eternal life, forgiveness of sins, spiritual gifts, purpose, wisdom, power of God, love of God, etc. You have everything!

For you: Time to stop with the pity parties and start rejoicing! Jesus is alive for you! Alive in you! To empower you to have wisdom to reconcile your marriage, to disciple your children, to overcome that sinful lifestyle, to live out His will! Stop throwing a pity party and start rejoicing in who you are in Christ!

This morning you can have everything if you believe that Jesus died and rose again.

Mark ends with a cliffhanger - intentionally a lack of details - Matt, Luke, John more details. Responses to the death and resurrection: Disciples flee, A gentile, Roman centurion believes. A member of the religious elite takes a courageous step of faith, and a group of faithful women respond in fear and astonishment. Mark to us: how will you respond? Belief? Courageous faith? Fear and astonishment? Because we know the whole story, the only right response is glad surrender.