It is Easter! The empty tomb is a historical fact upon which the message of Christianity rises or falls. The women in Mark 16 were trembling and bewildered when they encountered it, and we have a hard time believing it ourselves. Yet the eyewitness accounts and the life transformation of the disciples are evidence that it is true. We can believe in this good news and share it.
It is Easter! The empty tomb is a historical fact upon which the message of Christianity rises or falls. The women in Mark 16 were trembling and bewildered when they encountered it, and we have a hard time believing it ourselves. Yet the eyewitness accounts and the life transformation of the disciples are evidence that it is true. We can believe in this good news and share it.
Good News – He is Risen!
Mark 16:1-8
April 17, 2022
The cross is empty. Jesus was crucified, hung between heaven and earth on that tree, rejected by humanity and God so that we’re not rejected by God. After that horrific moment when Jesus breathed his last breath, everything changed. Joseph of Arimathea goes to Pilate to ask him for Jesus’ body. Pilate’s surprised that Jesus died so quickly, so he asks the centurion if it’s true that Jesus is dead. The centurion confirms that Jesus is dead, so Pilate gives Joseph Jesus’ dead body. Mark mentions a number of times that Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James see Jesus die and where he’s buried. Tim Keller, quoting Richard Bauckman, writes that “this is another way that Mark is letting us know that he’s recording a historical account, not writing a legend.” Mentioning the women by name so often is Mark’s way of telling his readers to go talk to them and check out the truth of what he’s writing.
But now what? Jesus is dead. The cross may be empty, but Jesus is dead and his body, along with their hope, lay in a dark tomb. When you don't know what to do, it's easiest to simply do the practical thing right in front of you; so, the women get together to go and anoint Jesus' body with aromatic spices. The women go to anoint Jesus' body to take away the marks of his suffering and the smell of death.
The women are worried that they might not be able to anoint Jesus' body because of the large stone in front of the tomb. How were they going to roll it away? Maybe the soldiers would help? They don't let their worries stop them from continuing on to do the task they had set themselves. They'll figure out what to do when they get there; simple practical decisions, looking to figure things out one step at a time. Imagine their surprise when they arrive at the tomb and it's open already. I wonder what goes through their minds as they see the stone rolled away. They go into the tomb with perhaps a sense of fear, of hope, of worry about what they might see, or maybe what they might not see? I'm certain they didn't expect to see a young man dressed in white, sitting on the right side of the tomb.
Mark calls us to respond inamazement at who Jesus is. Mark tells us the women are alarmed, but in their alarm, they're also amazed and overwhelmed with wonder at this young man in his white robes. All these emotions are wrapped together, much like it is for us still today as we follow Jesus and encounter him and what he's doing in us, through us and around us. This is a normal human reaction to encountering the sacred, the unknown, the unexpected. This is part of the reason we find it so hard to change, to adapt because we first need to deal with all the emotions swirling around inside us as we encounter the sacred, the unknown or the unexpected. We need to listen during these times, need to unstop our ears, need to open ourselves to the unexpected, the possibilities that the unknown and sacred hold.
The young man speaks, "Don't be alarmed, you're looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid him!" Jesus isn’t there! Jesus is risen, he's alive! The disciples are told to go to Galilee and meet him there. They're told to remember what he had told them. Here’s a call to trust and believe what Jesus has taught them and to respond in faith and go. Jesus' followers have mourned, they've grieved. It's hard to remember what Jesus taught in times of darkness and suffering. Loss goes deep, especially the loss of relationships, of those we love or have loved. The present is filled darkness, and so it's a time to look back to remember and believe as you look for where God was so that you can find hope for right now and the future. This is where the women are right now; they've walked through the darkness of hopelessness and loss, but now light is beginning to shine through, and just as the sunrise marked the beginning of a new day, this young man in shining white robes offers the light of hope 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 ones being called to come see Jesus are the very ones who abandoned and denied Jesus; they’re being called to come see the one who is more powerful than death. "Tell his disciples and Peter," Peter is singled out by the messenger. You know why, brash bold Peter couldn't live up to his boasts, brave Peter turned out not to be so brave after all and now he cowers in shame and embarrassment, but that's not Jesus' desire for Peter or for you, he offers us renewal and forgiveness.
Jesus' death and resurrection is not only about freedom from sin, it's also about new life, and who we are as followers of Jesus and child of God, free from our old identity shaped by shame and guilt into a new identity shaped by the image of God we're created in; disciples and followers of Jesus striving to look more and more like Jesus as we embrace his teachings, his life and his Spirit. Jesus' death and resurrection is confirmation of God's deepest love and commitment to us, a sign that God never gives up on us and is willing to go to extraordinary lengths to show us that "neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, not anything else in all creation, will be able to separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord," as Paul writes in Romans 8.
"Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." The tomb is empty and the call is to go see Jesus. They’re trembling and bewildered; the words used also mean they’re astonished and amazed; wonder at what they've learned merges into fear because of the unexpected and unknown. Can this really be true? Are they afraid of the young man and his message, or afraid of getting their hopes up only to be dashed again as they were a few short days ago? They’d gone to the tomb looking for Jesus and now they're told to look for him somewhere else because he’s no longer dead, but alive and well and waiting for them.
The women's voices are silenced by their fear. Fear’s powerful, fear takes away confidence and strength, fear creates doubt and more fear, and here, even with glorious news, fear takes away their voices. What fear silences you? What prevents you from going out and inviting others to come and see, to go with you to find Jesus and follow the one raised from the grave? At some point you need to choose to work through it or allow yourself to be stopped dead in your tracks because of it. Running often seems like a good response to fear, but fear is like your shadow; it follows you wherever you go. You can run but you can’t hide from your fear, you cannot let it silence you forever. The women do find their voice again as we discover in the other Gospels and the disciples learn of the empty grave and the command to go see Jesus.
How do you deal with fear? Begin by admitting your fear honestly, calling it what it is. You can voice your fear straight to God in prayer, or gather a small group of trusted people together where you can be honest about your fear and how it stops you from really following Jesus and trusting Jesus completely with your life. This is why God has given you the gift of the church; a place where followers of Jesus can share their fear and find hope, encouragement, direction and strength and be reminded of the good news that we follow a living God in Jesus.
As you begin to face your fear, you will discover that the Holy Spirit is with you, helping you find your voice. As the young man in the tomb reminds the women of Jesus' words, so the Holy Spirit reminds you of who Jesus is; the risen Son of God, our Saviour and Redeemer. The Holy Spirit guides us to Jesus as we look for him, so that you can see him and how he’s with you through the Spirit and the church. The Spirit reassures us of the truth of Jesus' death and resurrection, of the restoration and forgiveness that’s found in the empty cross and tomb. This builds our trust and hope in Jesus.
Catherine Marshall sums up the benefits of trusting in God when she writes, “There is only one way to get rid of fear; like any sin, we must recognize it, confess it in true repentance, claim God’s sure promise of forgiveness, cleansing and renewal, accept these gifts, rise and get on with life. Not only new confidence, but real growth in character, follows this facing up to what we fear, provided we are acting under God’s direction.” The empty cross and tomb call us to step forward in faith and trust to declare to the world the good news that Jesus is risen and is Lord and Saviour of all; inviting the world to join us in following the risen Lord where they too can find hope, grace, healing, peace, forgiveness and acceptance into God's family.