Responding to the Resurrection
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Take your copy of God’s Word and open it to Mark’s gospel with me this morning. Now, if you have been with us, we have been studying through Mark’s gospel for quite some time on our Lord’s Day mornings. We are now coming to the end of this gospel, and we arrive on Easter Sunday, on the story of Christ’s resurrection.
Everything we have been studying, has been building to this point we come to today. Before we look at , let’s quickly remind ourselves of some key passages we’ve studied along this journey.
Mark began his gospel, with a clear message on Jesus’ identity:
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. Jesus is the Son of God. And this that Mark is sharing is the “gospel” or the “good news” about Him.
We learn from Jesus’ life and ministry, that He has authority over the Jewish religious leaders.
That Jesus has power to heal the sick, to control nature, to raise the dead, to cast out demons.
But perhaps, most striking, is Jesus’ claim to be able to forgive sins:
5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
:
Even demonic spirits cried out identifying Jesus for who He truly was:
11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”
Jesus was recognized by His own disciples for who He was:
29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”
Jesus predicted, in great detail, His own death. He was identified, and even charged on the basis of being, the King of the Jews, a title that truly fit Him perfectly.
And even in His own death, He wasn’t dying ONLY because of the hatred towards Him, but He was dying as the sacrificial Lamb of God for the sins of God’s people. He was paying their ransom.
45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
So, the Scriptures would teach us, that while He hung upon the cross....He became cursed, so that we would be blessed. He died, so that we could live. He endured darkness, to bring us to the light.
But here is a point that must be stressed.....not one part of ANY of that matters at all, if Jesus is still in the tomb.
If Jesus were not raised, the miracles, the identifications, the claims Jesus made Himself…amount to nothing.
If Jesus were not raised, there is no reason for the book of Acts, the history of the establishment of the church.
If Jesus were not raised, there is no reason for Paul to write to the Romans detailing the beauties of the gospel.
If Jesus were not raised, there is no reason for letters to be written to Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Colosse, or Philippi, correcting bad theology and church practice, and encouraging good theology and church practice.
If Jesus were not raised, there is no reason to instruct Timothy and Titus on how to pastor congregations well.
If Jesus were not raised, Philemon doesn’t need to be written; Jude has no reason to be stirred up to write because of all the false teachers; John can go for a hike instead of writing to the church
If Jesus were not raised, there is no reason for John to stay faithful to Christ, even after exiled on Patmos.
And even more personal, if Jesus were not raised, then our sins have not been paid for; we have no power over sin now; and there is zero reason to have confidence of any pleasantness at all in our future.
But praise God, Jesus has been raised.
Our text today, in , reminds us of the details surrounding Jesus’ resurrection. And it does so from the primary vantage point of the women who went to the tomb. And as they learn of the resurrection of Jesus, and His going before them into Galilee, they respond with great emotion and fear.
In some way, so should we. But no emotional response to the crucified Savior, who has been raised, is beneficial…until it leads us to Trust in Jesus.
And that’s our main point I want us to get today.... Jesus is raised, so trust Him.
Now…let’s look together at
1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.
2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.
3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.
5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.
6 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.
7 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.”
8 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.
Jesus is raised, so trust Him. In what way should we trust Him? For our time, I want us to consider 3 ways.
1. Trust His finished work
1. Trust His finished work
These women went to the tomb very early on Sunday. It would appear, the night before, after the Sabbath concluded, they had bought spices to anoint Jesus’ body.
Embalming was not a Jewish practice, so spices were poured on the dead, in order to perfume the body and mask the odor of decay. It was a sign of devotion and love for the one who had deceased.
This would seem to be the desire of these ladies. They are headed to the tomb with great loving devotion to their fallen leader.
As they walk, verse 3 describes how they are discussing their problem they are beginning to consider:
3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
This stone was heavy, and they knew they did not have the physical ability to roll it away (v.4 “it was very large”)
But as they walked, and the sun was beginning to rise, they look up to see the stone had already been moved.
No doubt, questions begin to fill their minds at this moment. They must have been confused, worried, curious.
5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.
They step into the tomb; they see no body of Jesus…they simply see, what Mark refers to as a young man....an angel.
Now, the women are afraid. But as is usually the case with angelic messengers, the first responsibility is to reassure the ones receiving the message. Then, to give them the message.
6 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.
Notice:
There is concrete evidence as to where His dead body was placed; something they had seen (15:47)
There is a clear identification of the One the women were looking for, and the angel was referring to, “Jesus of Nazareth”…the One who was crucified
The next line reads, “He has risen,” but in reality, it could have been said, “He has been raised.”
Since the emphasis in Scripture, is placed upon the fact that GOD raised Christ from the dead.
And all of these are important details used to refocus the ladies’ attention. You seek a Savior who was crucified…that same One, has been raised!
They went to the tomb, in order to show loving respect to their dead, fallen leader
But He isn’t a fallen leader; He is a conquering King!
He didn’t come and attempt a mission that failed; He accomplished the mission the Father sent Him to accomplish
Which is the very reason, while upon the cross, He was able to cry out, “IT IS FINISHED!”
The fact that Jesus is alive, proves that His life was sinless; proves that His sacrifice on our behalf was perfect; and that it was all accepted by the Father
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone,
24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
Jesus is raised, so trust His finished work.
Apply
We often live as if He’s still in the grave
Instead of being confident that our Savior, right now, is alive and is interceding for us…we live as if He’s distant; uncaring; and aloof
We often live as if His work wasn’t complete; as if it is up to me to fight against sin, and conquer sin, in order for God to accept me
We live as if our sins, ALL of them, were not perfectly atoned for through Jesus’ finished work
But....
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
We…ARE…healed.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
He was made sin, who knew no sin, to that we could be made the righteousness of God IN HIM
- He took our sins; we are given His righteousness
He took our sins; we are given His righteousness
30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
And He Himself declared from the cross, “IT IS FINISHED!”
These points are settled realities, because JESUS is alive! Jesus is raised! The crucified One is now also the risen One!
Jesus is not in the tomb; He is not where they laid Him. Jesus is raised, so we can trust His finished work!
Trust His finished work…secondly....
2. Trust His Ongoing Work
2. Trust His Ongoing Work
In God’s mysterious way of working, there was far more taking place 2,000 years ago than a mere man coming back to life
Jesus came back to life, vindicating His earthly claims and validating His finished ministry. And mysteriously, as He came out of the grave…He took us with Him.
When He went to the cross, His death atoned for the sins of His people. All those, in history past, and all those in the future, who would come to God by faith in Christ.
As He comes forth from the grave, all of those come forth with Him as well.
This is why it’s so important for us to at least begin to grasp that concept which is prevalent throughout Paul’s writings…that we are “IN CHRIST.”
So, we read in places like
11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Douglas Moo writes on verse 12, something I think is beneficial for us in thinking on the implications of the resurrection:
“As and in particular reveal, Paul views Christ, as he does Adam, as a “corporate” figure. As all people were somehow included “in Adam” when he sinned and brought death into the world, so all people (or all Christians) were “in Christ” when he died, was buried, and was raised to new life. By being identified with Christ in these key redemptive events, Christians experience in themselves the “change of eras” that God in Christ has brought to pass. No longer are we dominated by those “powers” of the old era, sin, death, and the flesh; we are now ruled by righteousness, life, grace, and the Spirit (see esp. ; ; ; ).”
Douglas J. Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2008), 200–201.
And this is the reality in which we must trust. WE…who trust in Christ....are ALIVE with Christ.
The same power that raised Christ from the dead, is the same power that now works in us, to continue to more and more put sin to death and live yielded to the Spirit.
There are categories in Christianity for true believers who fall into temporary snares of sin. But there are no categories of Christians who have no power over sin.
Within believers dwells the same powerful Holy Spirit who raised up our Lord from the dead…and He works in us to powerfully save us from the grips of sin’s bondage in our practical day to day lives.
Apply
How will I overcome my crippling fear of man, that keeps me from doing what God has gifted me to do?
How will I overcome my fear of man, that keeps me from witnessing and making disciples?
How will it be possible to conquer this addiction, to be set free from this nagging temptation that seeks to ensnare me?
How will I start living as a biblical husband, or a biblical wife?
ALL is by the same power that raised Christ from the dead. The same Spirit that now lives within you and I as Christians.
We’ve read it already this morning in our time of Scripture reading:
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Christ was raised....we were raised with Him…therefore we live by the power of the Spirit who raised us.
It’s made clear two chapters after this in
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
We look at the resurrection, and we respond with similar astonishment as the women at the tomb that day. “How can one who was dead, now be alive?”
But we who were dead in sins, are now alive in Christ.
And by the Spirit’s power, we can say no to sin as it is more and more exposed in our lives. We can trust that our Lord will keep doing the work He started in us, all the way until the end.
TRUST, dear Christian, in Jesus!
Jesus is raised, so trust Him. Trust His finished work. Trust His ongoing work. Trust His future work.
3. Trust His Future Work
3. Trust His Future Work
These women, at the tomb this day, came to find a fallen leader; instead they find that their crucified Savior, has been raised. And not only that, they’ll see Him soon.
7 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.”
8 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.
Jesus promised, through this angelic messenger, that He would see them all soon. And there’s so much precious truth in this message....as well as in the women’s response
1- This fulfills His promise He gave to them previously
28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”
27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”
Jesus knows all things…and God is in control of all things. So when He promised them something specific about the future, there’s zero chance it won’t happen.
The same is true for any promise left unfulfilled thus far in Scripture
2- This is a promise to those who had just forsaken Him
They all abandoned, with John seemingly coming back to Him as He’s on the cross
They are afraid and in hiding; dejected; overwhelmed
And the message from Jesus is not, “You abandoned me at my time of greatest need, therefore I’m rejecting you forever.”
No…in this message from the angel they are referred to as “His disciples” and He will see them in Galilee
7 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.”
3- Peter is singled out. “Tell His disciples, and Peter.”
The one who so boldly proclaimed, “I’ll never forsake you. I’ll never deny you. I’ll go to the death for you.” Is the very same one that could not stand up to the pressure of servant girls and people standing around the fire.
The one who cursed and swore, emphatically declaring, “I DO NOT KNOW HIM.”
The one who wept bitterly over His denial…THAT’s the one, Jesus ensured a message would be given to.
Tell Peter, I’ll see Him in Galilee. He’s not rejected; I haven’t abandoned Him.
Remember, even before Peter’s denial, Jesus knew of his denial…and still prayed for Him, that His faith wouldn’t fail.
And here the message is, “I’ll see you again, real soon.”
This is the message, and promise, these women are given. And they are to simply trust it to be true.
And these women are to simply trust that promise to be true.
A part of the evidence of that trust will be seen in whether or not they obey the command, “Go, tell....
We know from the other gospels that they did go tell them…but notice what Mark focuses upon, they spoke to no one else about it…because they are terrified and bewildered by it all
They are overcome with mixed emotions...
8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
There’s this sense of awe…this sense of wonder…this sense of trepidation…this sense of confusion…this sense of joy. But regardless of the emotional responses…they must be moved to hear the message from the Lord, and TRUST IT!
And in much the same way, the same is true for you and I.
We are told, that we will be living out the mission of Christ while here on earth…but that one day, He’s returning.
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
So brother, sister…how well are you doing with that command to encourage one another with these words?
“Well, when I hear about it, I get emotional. I am in awe; I am curious about the details as to how it will all transpire; I’m filled with joy.” THAT’S WONDERFUL…PRAY THAT NEVER STOPS.
But are you encouraging ONE ANOTHER with those words? Are you going to “tell the disciples?”
How do we do that?
Gathering regularly with a local church to be reminded of Christ and to remind others of Christ; His finished work on the cross; and His resurrection that validated that work and vindicated Christ’s claims
We do that by actually engaging in covenant membership and intentional relationships with people within the congregation to ACTUALLY encourage them with the hope we have in God for the future
Jesus has gone before us…He’s coming back to get us…so keep preaching the gospel to yourselves, and to each other, and encourage one another until Christ returns!
And in some way, on this point in the sermon, that’s what I’m hoping is done in our hearts today. We are encouraged by the confidence in Jesus we can have, concerning our future.
Jesus is raised, so trust His future work. When we consider any part of our future existence, we have no reason to fear…BECAUSE Jesus is raised!
For example:
- We have no reason to doubt or fear our future destination:
33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
If you are in Christ, why fear condemnation at the end of this life? Jesus died for us! Jesus was raised for us! Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us!
Romans 8:33-
We have no reason to fear death, for death is only to be feared by those over whom death still holds power
Death had no power over Jesus…He is raised
WE are in Jesus, death has no power over us:
54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:54-
We have no reason to fear our lives leading up to the time of death
For Jesus has not only been raised, He has ascended into heaven
He has not only ascended into heaven, but He has been crowned King
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
Where was He going? He was going to His coronation ceremony. The moment in time that had been predicted LONG ago by Daniel the prophet, who used the same title that was Jesus’ favorite title to use of Himself while upon the earth, “Son of Man.”
Daniel prophesied of this crowning moment this way
13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Jesus is not only alive…Jesus is enthroned in heaven.
The nations may rage against Him; the kingdoms of this world may rally against Him. But they will never dethrone Him…for His kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom.
When He came to earth, the Kingdom of heaven was “at hand.” Now the Kingdom of heaven has come, and will be recognized in its fulness one day.
Jesus is raised, so trust His future work moment by moment.
Our Lord reigns in perfect sovereignty. There are no maverick molecules, there are no maverick kingdoms, and there are no maverick individuals. As the Psalmist declares, God is in the heavens and He does all He pleases.
Nothing happens that isn’t ordained by Him.
And all things work together for good to those who love Him!
We don’t move forward as a religious movement licking its wounds in the aftermath of a fallen leader.
We move forward as soldiers in the armies of the Lord, the sovereign ruler of all the universe;
the one with limitless resources and limitless power.
Jesus is the Christ, the One crucified, the One raised…and in His name we proclaim His gospel, and watch as He marvelously builds His church.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
We have no reason to doubt the future, because Jesus is raised.
We have every reason to have confident hope in the future, because Jesus is raised.
Praise God, for the hope we have in Christ!
Now, here’s a reality that you must consider. If you are not in Christ, you have no hope.
Jesus’ finished work, paid the price for the sins of believers. And if you are not in Christ, your sins are still on your record.
You also have no hope to conquer sin in your life. The idea that you’re going to clean up your life, then come to God, is an idea that can NEVER come to fruition. You have no reason to trust in a work of life-transformation that cannot ultimately be successful.
And you have nothing to look forward to besides the dreadful wrath of a holy God to be poured out upon you forever
You are hopeless without Christ. But I hope you understand, that hope is offered to you today, in Christ.
You are a sinner, worthy of wrath and judgement. But for all those who turn from sin, and trust in Christ’s work…they are saved from that wrath and judgement. They are given His Holy Spirit. They then can trust the work of Christ finished all the requirements of the Law; it finished all the wrath of God; it finished all that we needed to be finished for us.
They can trust that He will continue to sanctify them day by day.
They can trust that He will come back to take them home at some point in the future.
Today…right now…turn from sin; trust in Jesus; be saved. He is alive....trust in Him today!
There are many who would love to talk to you about that today.
And for those who are brothers and sisters, remember…each Lord’s Day…THIS is what we celebrate. Our Lord is alive!
Our Savior is King over all!
Our God is mighty to save!
Glory be to His name!
Conclusion
Repeatedly, throughout Mark’s gospel, Jesus has been revealed for who He truly is.
He is the Son of God; the Son of Man; He is the Messiah; He dies for sinners....but none of this means anything at all, if He does not come back from the dead.
But Jesus was raised! He is alive! And we are alive in Him!
The reason we have the books of the New Testament after the gospels, giving us details of the growth, expansion, and shaping of Christ’s church. The reason we have century after century of stories of Christians…is because Christ is raised. And the same power that raised Him from the grave, is at work within us.
Jesus is raised! So…trust Him!