Easter Sunday 2021

Mark 16:1-8

And when the Sabbath had passed, Mary from Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome purchased fragrances so that they might come and anoint him. Very early on the first day of the week they come to the tomb at sunrise, and they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” When they look up, they see that the stone had already been rolled away. See, it was very large. After they entered the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. Now, he said to them, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, the one crucified. He was raised, he is not here. Look: the place where they laid him. But you must go and say to his disciples and to Peter that he is going before you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as I have said to you.” And after they went out, they fled from the tomb, because they were trembling and in shock. They said nothing to no one, because they were terrified.

Meaning of the Resurrection

Why do we still celebrate this event almost 2,000 years later? What does Jesus’s resurrection really mean for us? Why is it important not just that he died, but that he was also raised?

Anointing the Dead

The eighth day

They came to anoint Jesus, but he would anoint them!

Anointing the dead a sign of honor/respect

Jesus would glorify them, not the other way around

What were they thinking on the way

They had witnessed Jesus perform miracles and even raise someone else from the dead.

Other prophets had done those things too, but now Jesus was dead. No one, not even a prophet, comes back from the dead.

The resurrection marks new beginnings

Where They Laid Him

The stone was rolled away, death could not hold him

“The crucified one, he was raised”

Look, the place where they laid him

bodily resurrection

Unexpected firstfruits of the resurrection

Defeat of Death

And Peter

And Peter- not just to disciples, but even to the disciple who had most betrayed Jesus.

Was Peter scared? Were the women worried about what might await the men in Galilee?

We know Jesus called Peter not to condemn, but to forgive.

Forgiveness of Sins

A Charge to Keep

Women sent out as first “apostles”

Came as mourners, left as messengers/delegates

New Life/Vocation

The End?

Mark “secret gospel” theme. Followers told not to tell others about the Messiah before and yet do. Now they’re told to tell others and yet don’t!

What were the women afraid of?

What are we afraid of?