Mourner to Messenger

Mark 16:1–8 ESV

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.

The message of Easter is not a complicated message. Jesus lived, He Died, and Rose again.

Today’s message intentionally is not going deep into a theological discussion of the resurrection of Christ.

You have to know the depth of Christ accomplished to be saved

“That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31)

Before they knew

Mark 16:1–2 ESV

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.

“When the Sabbath has past.”

After sundown on Saturday

Jesus and two criminals (on Friday) was rushed from the cross because it was almost the Sabbath (no work can be done)

They were going to finish was already started.

“Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome”

Who were these women?

Gospel don’t aim to identify all of them individually.

GROUP OF WOMEN (AT LEAST THREE) set out for the tomb early on Sunday morning.

(This will prove to be important.)

They were going out to anoint the body.

Anointing: spices poured over a dead body

counteract the oder of decaying body

symbolic expression of love.

They believed Jesus was dead.

They had anointing oil.

They are wondering how to move the stone.

Cudo’s to women on this one!

When their emotions are involved they will move even when it makes no sense.

Men would probably talk about it, construct some assembly and then go.

NOBODY was at the tomb expecting to find Jesus alive!

They must have felt so defeated and hopeless.

All that would soon change.

When they learned the truth.

Mark 16:4 ESV

4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.

They FOUND they stoned rolled away.

“It was very large” inference…They women would not have been able to move it.

Matt 28:1 “…an angle of the Lord descended from heaven…rolled back the stone...”

Mark 16:5–6 ESV

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.

They started the day in mourning

Went out expecting to see a corpse

find an open tomb discover it was empty

An here this angelic proclamation that is the irreducible trust of Christianity

He was crucified

Jesus’ death paid the price for our sins!

Romans

Propitiation: Our sins were not simply forgiven, they were paid for.

Just before Jesus died, recorded His words, “It is finished.”

He has risen

Jesus claimed victory over death!!!!

This isn’t a “play on words”

Jesus didn’t say He would be “alive in our memory”.

Jesus was/is Alive!

Don’t let people try to explain it away!

Miracle: Something we can’t explain

So the existence of the universe.

Jesus told His disciples, “…Because I live, you also will live.”

He is not here

(Admittedly) Our salvation is by faith

By Faith we believe who Jesus is, what He accomplished for us.

But the empty tomb is verifiable.

“The Wrong Tomb”

They buried Jesus

Romans send solder to guard it

Everything that follows shows they were are the tight tomb and it was empty!

“The disciples made up the story”

Jesus revealed Himself to hundred of people.

Disciples were eventually martyred proclaiming a resurrected Jesus.

“Disciples hallucinated it.”

That not how hallucinations work

All they had to do was show a tomb with Jesus in it!!!!

We can be assured...

Jesus died on the cross for our sins

They took him down and buried Him in a tomb

Sunday morning a group of women went to anoint His body

They found the tomb empty.

Their task

Mark 16:7 ESV

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.”

I believe this is one of the most convincing points of this story. The first witnesses to the risen Lord were a group of women ... who couldn’t even give a testimony in the court of law.

The pivotal event was their knowledge of the truth that Jesus is alive!

The knowledge of that truth was follow by a task to perform.

Go and tell His disciples.

They started the day as mourners but now they are messengers!

How we relate to this story:

Before you knew about the resurrection of Jesus.

When that group of women set out to Jesus’ tomb...

Jesus had already risen.

But as far as they knew HE was dead.

Jesus’ resurrection had no impact on their lives. (yet)

THEY WERE STILL MOURNING!!!!

You are also capable of living in a way that is unaffected by the resurrection of Christ.

They were going to anoint a dead body (to counteract the effects of death)

Act of love??? Yes no doubt

But essentially kind of pointless.

If you don’t have faith in Christ, your life is basically just as pointless.

When you learned the tomb is empty.

He lived, He died, He rose again.

This is the foundational truth of Christianity

In the Bible “KNOWING” something takes on a particular meaning.

The devil “knows” Jesus is the Christ, at the right hand of God

Knowing means to have faith.... to believe

So the question is “Do you believe Jesus’ tomb is empty?”

The day you realize this truth and believe in Jesus, your life changes.

You are a NEW CREATION

Now that you know that Jesus is alive.

If you are a Christian you also have a task!!!

Angel told the women … GO and TelL His disciples.

Jesus instructed us (the church)

GO and Make Disciples.

The angel said Jesus would see them at Galilee

Our message is that Jesus will see us when He returns.