Explores the hope, faith, and fulfillment found in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as recounted in Mark.
Welcome, beloved congregation, to this blessed gathering where we seek solace, strength, and wisdom from the Word of God. I am humbled and privileged to be the vessel through which God's message is delivered to you today. We stand on the brink of the vast ocean of God's wisdom, ready to plunge into its depths, ready to be awash with its life-giving waters.
Today, we turn our hearts and minds to Mark 16:1-8. These verses recount an event of profound significance, an event that stands at the very heart of our faith - the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us read these verses together:
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, 'Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?' But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 'Don’t be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
In the quiet of the early morning, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome set out for the tomb. Their hearts were heavy with grief, their minds filled with the painful memory of Jesus' crucifixion. They had witnessed their beloved teacher, their friend, their Lord, brutally nailed to a cross. They had watched as His life ebbed away, as He breathed His last. They had seen His lifeless body taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb. And now, they were going to anoint His body with spices, a final act of love and respect.
Their worry: But as they neared the tomb, a question arose in their minds. 'Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?' The stone was large, too large for them to move. It was a barrier, a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. And yet, they continued on their way. They did not let their fear of the unknown, their fear of the impossible, stop them. They faced their fear with faith.
They have courage: The women were afraid, yes, but they did not let their fear paralyze them. They did not let their fear dictate their actions. They faced their fear with faith. They trusted in God, in His power and His providence. They believed that He would make a way, even when there seemed to be no way.
The angel they met: As the women entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe. They were alarmed, understandably so. The tomb was supposed to be empty, save for Jesus' body. And yet, here was this young man, sitting on the right side. But the young man quickly reassured them. 'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.' Once again, the women were alarmed but they did not run away. They did not let their fear overcome them. They listened to the young man's words, they took in his message. They faced their fear with faith. They believed in the impossible, in the miraculous. They believed in the Resurrection.
The young man's instructions to the women: 'But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' The women were given a mission, a task. They were to tell the disciples and Peter about Jesus' Resurrection. They were to spread the good news. This, too, required faith. The disciples and Peter were likely to be skeptical, to doubt their words. They were likely to question, to challenge. The women would have to stand firm, to hold their ground. They would have to face their fear of rejection, of ridicule, with faith. They would have to trust in the truth of their message, in the power of their testimony.
The women's reaction to the young man's words: 'Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.' The women were afraid, yes, but their fear did not last. They did not remain silent. They did not keep the good news to themselves. They faced their fear with faith. They shared the message of Jesus' Resurrection, they spread the good news. They played a crucial role in the early Christian community, in the spread of the Gospel.
The lesson we can draw from this passage: We, too, can face our fears with faith. We, too, can trust in God, in His power and His providence. We, too, can believe in the impossible, in the miraculous. We, too, can be witnesses to the Resurrection, bearers of the good news. We, too, can play a crucial role in our Christian community. All it takes is faith. Faith to face our fears, faith to trust in God, faith to believe in the impossible, faith to spread the good news. Faith, in the face of fear.
As we continue to immerse ourselves in the richness of Mark 16:1-8, we find ourselves standing at the crossroads of prophecy and fulfillment ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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