THE GREATEST EASTER SPEACH EVER GIVEN

Mark 16:1-6

English Standard Version (Chapter 16)

16 v 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.

Easter eggs, Easter eggs Eggs of orange and blue. Here are lots of colored eggs All for me and you. Chocolate eggs colored brown, Jelly beans bright green Aren’t these the most beautiful eggs That you have ever seen?

Easter bunny soft and white Hopping quickly out of sight. Thank you for the eggs you bring At Easter time to welcome spring.

Yellow eggs and blue and red In the grass and flower bed We will hunt them everywhere Is it really you who put them there?

Throughout God’s Holy and Sacred Writ he has used angels to make special announcements.

Genesis 19 -An Angel brought a message of destruction to Sodom and Gomorrah.

Judges 13 - An Angel Announces the Birth of Samson.

Luke 1 - The Angel announces the birth of John the Baptist and the conception of Jesus Christ.

Luke 2 - The Angel announces the Birth of Christ.

The announcement this morning is what is preached Sunday after Sunday, and you’ve heard me quote several times, the Greek word “Euangelion” which means “Good News” as it refers to the Gospel.

This Good News that were speaking of i s the totally of the Gospel, He went in dead, He came out alive. The Gospel is the Good News that He went into the tomb dead but He came out alive...

This really is a depiction of what happens in Churches across the length and breath of this country every Sunday morning, somebody walks in the Church dead, but after having a life change experience through the power of God through Jesus Christ, you can leave here alive; Somebody in here should help me testify that there was a time when you were dead in your trespasses and your sins but you’ve been made alive by the power of GOD through JESUS CHRIST!!! You walked in dead but you can walkout live, you walked in a sinner but you can leave as a saint!!!

Last week I expressed to you all that this past week is one of my favorite weeks throughout the entire year because its HOLY WEEK.

1. PALM SUNDAY -JESUS ENTERED JERUSALEM

2. HOLY MONDAY - JESUS FREED THE SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS AND CLEANSED THE TEMPLE

3. HOLY TUESDAY - JESUS TAUGHT AT THE TEMPLE

4. HOLY WEDNESDAY - JUDAS ISCARIOT BETRAYED JESUS FOR 30 PIECES OF SILVER WHICH IN TODAY’S TIME COMES BETWEEN $197 - $215 DOLLARS.

5. MAUNDY THURSDAY - The word Maundy is derived from the Latin word for “command.” The “Maundy” in “Maundy Thursday” refers to the command Jesus gave to the disciples at the Last Supper, that they should love and serve one another. AT THIS SAME SUPPER JESUS WASHES THEIR FEET.

6. GOOD FRIDAY - JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED ON THE CROSS

He’s later removed from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea who was assisted by Nicodemus.

7. SATURDAY - HE’S IN THE TOMB which finally now has led us to this present day resurrection SUNDAY MORNING..

Bishop Morris I have to confess that during this season for many years I have heard several of our colleagues in the Gospel give misleading explanations to the purpose of these women at the tomb.

Many have preached that these women went to the tomb with embalming fluid, gbut that is not what the scripture teaches.

Embalming is a Egyptian tradition

Jews went to the tomb to anoint

Normally the dead were anointed at the time of burial , but according to marks Gospel the lateness of the hour on the day of preparation necessitated postponing the anointing until after the sabbath. It’s late in the evening on Friday its the beginning of the Sabbath, and not to break law and custom they lay him in the tomb with the intention of coming back on the next day, not to embalm, but to anoint.

Watch this, even though these women in Mark 16 missed the opportunity to anoint Jesus, the woman in Mark 14 had done it before he was crucified.

This women in Mark 14 was a sinner, she goes in the house where Jesus was washes he feet with her tears and drys them with her hair, breaks open the alabaster box and anointed the feet of Jesus, and Judas says hey hey, we could have sold this and gave the money to the poor, JESUS SAYS LEAVE HER ALONE BECAUSE WHAT SHE IS DOING IS A MEMORIAL FOR MY BURIAL AND EVERYWHERE THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED, MENTION WHAT THIS WOMAN DID!!

THE SINNER DID PREMATURELY WHAT THE SAINTS TRIED TO DO BUT IT WAS TO LATE, JESUS IS ALREADY GONE!!!

I LOVE TO READ LUKE’S RECORD OF THE CONVERSATION, IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE THE ANGEL ASKS, “ WHY SEEK YE THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD”!!!

If the great Hymnologist Alfred Ackley was here he said:

I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever foes may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him, He's always near.

He lives, he lives Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart!!! HE LIVES, HE LIVES, HE LIVES!!!

IF KNOW HE LIVES YOU DON’T NEED THE PREACHER TO GET YOU EXCITED, THE PRAISE TEAM TO TELL YOU TO GIVE GOD A HAND OF PRAISE; IF YOU KNOW FOR YOURSELF, IF YOU KNOW THROUGH YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE, YOU CAN WORSHIP HIM IN YOUR CAR, ON YOUR JOB, IN THE CLASS ROOM OR WHEREVER YOU MAY BE, YOU CAN FEEL THE POWER AND THE PRESENCE OF THE RISEN SAVIOR!!! BECAUSE HE’S ALIVE , HE GOES WITH YOU EVER WHERE YOU GO!!!

LET ME SAY TO YOU, THE ONLY WAY TO RECOGNIZE IF SOMETHING IS ALIVE IS IF IT MOVES AND SOME OF YALL AIN’T MOVED YET, BUT FOR THE 5 OF US IN HERE THAT KNOW:

AIN’T NO EGG GAVE ME THIS KIND OF JOY

I DIDN’T THIS JOY FORM A BUNNY RABBIT

SKITTLES, TWIX, SNICKERS, BUTTER FINGERS, BABY RUTH’S DIDN’T GIVE ME THIS JOY

WHEN I WOKE UP THIS MORNING, I DIDN’T GET UP SINGING

“HERE COMES PETER COTTON TAIL

AROUND THE BUNNY TRAIL,

HIPPIDY, HOPPIDY, EASTERS HERE TODAY;

BUT THIS MORNING I WOKE UP SINGING:

“BECAUSE HE LIVES,

I CAN FACE TOMORROW

BECAUSE HE LIVES ALL OF MY FEARS ARE GONE,

BECAUSE I KNOW WHO HOLDS THE FUTURE

AND NOW WHEN I WANTED TO GIVE UP, WHEN I WANTED TO QUIT, WHEN I WANTED TO THROW IN THE TOWEL, I REALIZED NOW THAT MY LIFE IS WORTH LIVING BECAUSE HE LIVES!!!!!!