Word of Salvation – Vol.52 No.14 – April 2007

 

Unfinished Business

An EASTER Sermon by Rev John Haverland

on Mark 16:1-8

 

Scripture Readings:  Psalm 16; Matthew 28; Mark 15:40-16:8

Theme: The gospel of Mark records the angel’s news to the women and then ends abruptly.

Purpose: To emphasise the reality of Christ’s resurrection and the need to tell others.

 

Explanation before reading this sermon:

You’ll see in the notes of the NIV and NASB that verses 9-20 of Mark chapter 16 are not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts. Most scholars agree that these verses are written in a different style of language and are different in content from the rest of the gospel. They were probably written by someone other than Mark to round out the conclusion of the gospel.

Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, in the formation of the canon of Scripture, the gospel concluded at verse 8 with a longer ending added later by another author, probably in the middle of the second century.

Now read Mark 1:1-8

 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Sometimes you are reading a book and you turn the page and you find it has ended. You expected more but the story is over. You can have that watching a film; it ends at an unexpected point that catches you by surprise. You can have that with a sermon; maybe not all that often perhaps! One writer on preaching says that some ministers, when they get towards the end of their sermon, are like the pilot of a small plane who circles around and around looking for a place to land! Sometimes the preacher can’t find a place to end! But there are some sermons that end suddenly when you weren’t quite expecting it.

The gospel of Mark ends abruptly. This isn’t what we expected. Maybe Mark wrote a bit more but that original ending was lost; the end of the scroll may have been torn off or damaged. Or maybe Mark intended this ending. That would fit with the way he began his gospel. He started suddenly: “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” No word about his birth or parents or childhood – Mark takes us directly into the ministry of Jesus. And as he tells the story about Jesus he moves quickly from one event to the other. One of the frequent words in the gospel is “immediately”; Jesus went immediately from one place to another.

And so Mark ends this gospel as suddenly as he began – it comes to an immediate end. In this way the Holy Spirit has left this gospel open-ended. It leaves us with unfinished business. It is intended to draw out a response. The Spirit wants us to do something with what we have read and heard and seen by faith.

And so as we consider this account of the resurrection of Jesus we will see that:

1. His death was real;

2. His resurrection was revealed;

3. A response is required.

The women who made their way to the tomb on that morning had no doubt that JESUS’ DEATH WAS REAL. They had seen him die. They were there. In his account Mark made special mention of the women at the crucifixion. In chapter 15:40 he says, “Some women were watching from a distance”, and in verse 41 that “Many other women were there.” In 15:47 he notes that Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where his body was laid. They had been there the whole time. They had seen him suffer and had seen him die.

This is worth noting because liberal scholars have tried to explain away the resurrection. One explanation is that Jesus did not actually die – he was unconscious and came to while he was in the tomb and then somehow had got out. This, however, goes against everything we know about Roman executions. Jesus had been flogged. Many people died from the flogging and the horrendous injuries and the resulting loss of blood. Then he had been crucified and these women had seen his agony on the cross, had heard him cry out just before his death, had watched him take his last breath. They had seen the Roman soldier thrust his spear into Jesus’ side to make sure that Jesus was dead; they had seen the blood and water come out, certain evidence of death. They had watched as his limp body was taken off the cross and wrapped up in linen; and they had followed to see where he was laid. Jesus had died and been buried.

As they made their way to the tomb very early on that morning after the Sabbath they expected to find the lifeless body of Jesus. They carried spices so they could anoint his body. The Jews didn’t embalm bodies as the Egyptians did; rather they were taking spices so the body wouldn’t smell so much. As they went they discussed among themselves how they were going to get into the tomb, because they had watched as a very large stone had been rolled in front of the entrance; a stone the size of a cartwheel had been rolled into a groove or a slot in the ground. They knew it would be very difficult for them to move that stone up out of that groove and then roll it away.

The women went there expecting to find the body of Jesus in the tomb. Again this is worth noting because another explanation of the resurrection is that the disciples, including the women, expected Jesus to rise, and so, in their minds, he did rise! In other words, the stories about the resurrection were the result of wishful thinking.

But again this does not fit with the gospel accounts. These women did not expect Jesus to rise. The resurrection of their Lord was beyond their wildest dreams; it was the last thing they would have thought of. They knew Jesus had really and truly died. So their belief later on was not the result of wishful thinking; it was not a story made up by the early church. No, their belief was based on the fact that Jesus had indeed been raised and on the explanation of the angel.

Secondly, we note that HIS RESURRECTION WAS REVEALED.

When the women got near to the tomb they were surprised, even shocked, to see that the stone had been rolled away. They went in, looking for the body. Tombs in those days had two rooms. First there was an entrance chamber, then there was a small doorway less than a metre high which went through into the burial chamber itself, which was about two metres square. They went into this burial chamber and noticed a young man in a white robe on the right side. Notice the detail. Later on the women told Peter what had happened. Peter told Mark, and he wrote it all down. This young man was an angel. We know this from the other gospels and because he gave them a message from Christ.

The angel confirmed the location. “Don’t be alarmed”, he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene who was crucified.” Some have tried to explain away the resurrection story by suggesting that in the semi-darkness of the early morning light the women had gone to the wrong tomb. They found it empty and jumped to the conclusion that Jesus had risen. But the angel confirmed that they were looking for the right person. He identified Jesus as being from Nazareth, which was in Galilee. This is where these women had come from because they, too, were Galileans. He also confirmed what had happened to Jesus – he had been crucified. They were looking for the right person and they were in the right place.

But he wasn’t there anymore! The angel declared the most amazing news: “He has risen!” This is the astounding news of Easter Sunday! This is the most dramatic claim of the Christian faith! That Jesus who died also rose again from the dead. This is a miracle. This is the most remarkable event that can happen! That someone who was dead should then come to life. Jesus had predicted this and explained it to them in advance and foretold it, but they had forgotten. So the angel had to explain this to the women.

Until they had actually seen Jesus other explanations were possible. Maybe thieves had come and stolen his body; after all, grave robbery was not uncommon in those days. Or maybe the disciples had come there during the night and had taken the body. The religious leaders had thought of that and had posted a guard to prevent that possibility. Or maybe, as Mary Magdalene thought later, the gardener had come and carried him away (Jn 20:15). But none of these stories explain the empty tomb.

Rather the angel explained the facts. He interpreted the empty tomb. He revealed what had happened – Jesus had risen! It was as simple and remarkable and astounding as that! He was no longer dead but was alive! The angel then displayed the evidence: “See the place where they laid him.” The rock shelf was empty. The body of Jesus had gone!

The angel was patient with them. He could have told them off for being so unbelieving and forgetful. He could have rebuked them for being foolish women who should have known better. But he didn’t. He was gentle with them, reassuring. He confirmed the facts and explained the evidence. Jesus’ body had been there, on that rock shelf, but he had gone.

This brings us to the third point because a revelation like this REQUIRES A RESPONSE.

The women could not just walk out of there as though nothing had happened. You can’t imagine that they would casually walk away saying to each other, “Well that was interesting. Jesus rose from the dead. That’s nice.” No, there had to be some reaction! Nor can you leave here untouched. There must be a response!

The first reaction in these women was alarm! The word used in verses 5 and 6 is a very strong word and is translated as ‘amazed, astonished, dumbfounded and frightened’! In verse 8 we see more of their reaction: they were “trembling and bewildered”. The Greek word for bewildered is ekstasis, which literally means to be out of existence; we would say, “to be beside oneself”. It can also have the sense of joy. From it we get our English word ecstatic. Matthew tells us that they “hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy” (Mt 28:8). They were scared out of their wits. Dead men don’t get up. Dead people don’t walk out of tombs. This was unexpected and beyond their comprehension. They could not cope with this, and so they fled from the tomb in terror and confusion.

This is consistent with the reaction of others to Jesus during his ministry. When Jesus stilled the storm on the Sea of Galilee the disciples were alarmed. They had the same reaction when he came to them walking on the water; and when he was transfigured before them on the mountain; and when he cast the demons called Legion out of the man. Each time they were amazed, astonished, afraid!

There ought to be something of this in our reaction to Jesus. Too often we are casual or indifferent about the Lord and even about his resurrection. We know the story so well that we are a little “ho-hum” about it all. But we need to stop and think about this. We need to recognise the power and majesty of God displayed in the raising of Jesus from the dead! This is the most astounding event that has taken place in the history of the world! It is right to be startled, awestruck, astonished and even alarmed! But we need another reaction: you should be struck with awe but you should also be prompted to action.

The first action you need is faith, belief. Mark doesn’t tell us that the women believed, but from the other gospels we know that they did. They saw and heard about this great act of God’s power and they accepted it as true. They believed it. And they didn’t just believe it as something out there, as something objective or abstract or removed from them. No, they believed that Jesus had died for them; and they believed that he had been raised for them. They accepted his resurrection as the proof of his complete payment for their sins. They believed in him as their Risen King, and they wanted to serve him as their Lord and Master.

Here we are, some 2000 years later. But the truth is still the same and your reaction should be the same. Do you believe this for yourself? Have you received Jesus as Lord? Have you submitted to him as the risen and living and reigning King? Will you serve him in your life?

The second action you need is to “Go and tell”. This is what the angel said to the women: “Go, tell his disciples, and Peter.” Notice the compassion of Jesus here? He made a special mention of Peter. After denying his Lord, Peter especially needed to know that Jesus was alive and wanted to see him.

At first the women were too terrified to say anything. They fled from the tomb and “said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” Sadly, that is often true of us. We don’t say anything. We are afraid of people’s reactions, of what they might think of us, that they may laugh at us, or think us crazy or fanatical or some religious nut-case.

We know from the other gospels that the women soon got over their fear and hurried on to tell the disciples. We also know that those early Christians told the whole world about the Lord. You need to do this as well. This isn’t something to keep to yourself! Good news is for sharing. You need to go and tell others. The world needs to know what has happened.

Sure, there are people who don’t want to know, who are not interested. There are people who are hostile to the Christian faith and talking to them would be casting pearls before swine. But you will meet others who are interested and who ask questions and who want to know more. So look for and pray for opportunities to go and tell others that Jesus has risen.

Mark concludes his gospel abruptly. He tells us that Jesus died. His death was real, not a swoon or a sleep or a semi-conscious state. Mark also tells us that Jesus rose from the dead. The angel told the women about his resurrection, explaining the facts, interpreting this great act of God so that they understood what had happened. And this remarkable resurrection of our Lord calls for a response. There is unfinished business here. The Holy Spirit wants you to do something with this. He wants a reaction.

You need a response of awe, wonder, amazement!

You need a response of faith – to believe this for yourself.

Then you must go and tell others. You must be part of the ongoing story of what the Risen Lord Jesus is doing in his kingdom in this world.

How will you respond?

Amen.