He Is Risen Series

GOSPEL OF MARK: GOD’S SERVANT IN ACTION

HE HAS RISEN!

EASTER SUNDAY

A. Last Sunday we looked at the AGONIZING CRY OF JESUS before His DEATH upon the CROSS. Today I want us to study the BURIAL and RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ. “DEATH, BURIAL,

and RESURRECTION”, which we know as the “GOSPEL”- 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.

1. Remember Mark’s opening words when we STUDIED it way back in May of last year: “The

beginning of the GOSPEL about Jesus Christ, the Son of God”- Mark 1:1.

COMMENT:

Mark, in rapid succession, has written about one EVENT after another in the LIFE of Jesus Christ leading up to His “DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION”—“the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ.”

2. It is this GOSPEL—the GOOD NEWS—that we CELEBRATE TODAY.

B. Mark 15:42-47 (READ)

1. One month ago on our last Sunday that we were able to WORSHIP together, we studied about

“Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem” known as Palm Sunday- Mark 11:1-11.

a. On that Sunday the people CHEERED and CELEBRATED as Jesus entered the city RIDING a

DONKEY.

b. However, the JOYFUL JUBILATION that the DISCIPLES felt that Sunday turned into a deep

SORROW and crippling FEAR that Friday as Jesus’ LIFELESS BODY hung on a CROSS.

COMMENT:

The One they thought would be the SAVIOR of the WORLD . . . IS DEAD! All their HOPES are DASHED. It wasn’t supposed to END like this. And, yet, there’s Jesus’ MANGLED body just HANGING there.

2. Mark tells us that a man named “Joseph from Arimathea boldly approached Pilate, the Roman

governor over Judea, for the body of Jesus so that he could bury Him”- vv. 42-43.

a. Matthew said that he was a “rich man who had become a DISCIPLE of Christ”- Matt. 27:57.

b. However, Mark also reveals that “Joseph was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin Council”, the very council that CONDEMNED Jesus—although Luke records that “he did not consent to

their decision to have Jesus crucified”- Luke 23:50-51.

COMMENT:

Since Jesus was convicted of TREASON for claiming to be the King of the Jews, Joseph would put his reputation and possibly his life in jeopardy for showing SYMPATHY for Jesus in any fashion. Yet, he along with another man, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, take the body of Jesus and PREPARE it for BURIAL.

3. Notice in v. 44 that “Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead.”

a. ASPHYXIATION—being deprived of OXYGEN—is the cause of DEATH by CRUCIFIXION.

COMMENT:

The one being CRUCIFIED lifts himself up by his feet that are NAILED to the CROSS to BREATH and then RELAXES his body. And that process is REPEATED time and again until he

doesn’t have the STRENGTH to LIFT himself up anymore, and then SUFFOCATE.

b. A crucified person could LINGER on a CROSS for many hours before dying, depending on how

STRONG he was and what TORTURE he endured before being NAILED to the CROSS.

COMMENT:

Jesus died after SIX hours. “The two THIEVES crucified with Him were still ALIVE, but because the Sabbath would soon begin they had their DEATHS hastened by breaking their legs so they could no longer lift themselves up to BREATH”- John 19:31-32.

B. After Joseph and Nicodemus hastily prepared the body of Jesus for burial and placed Him in a borrowed

tomb, a huge stone was rolled over to CLOSE the ENTRANCE of the TOMB.

1. Matthew records that the “Jewish leaders were concerned that Christ’s disciples would STEAL the BODY of Jesus and TELL people that he had RISEN from the DEAD, so they convinced Pilate to place Roman soldiers to guard the tomb”- Matthew 27:62-68.

2. But you see . . . when God OPENS GRAVES, nothing can STOP it!!

COMMENT:

Let’s follow the steps of Mary Magdalene and the other women as they go to the TOMB that

first Easter morning.

MESSAGE:

I. THE WOMEN LEAVE FOR THE TOMB DISTRAUGHT- Mark 16:1-8 (READ)

A. These women didn’t go to the TOMB in anticipation, but to take care of UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

1. Mark 15:47 states “that they had seen the tomb and where the body of Jesus was laid after

He was taken down from the cross.”

COMMENT:

However, they had to return home where they prepared SPICES and PERFUMES to anoint Jesus’ BODY, but their work was delayed because of the Sabbath. Even though Nicodemus and Joseph had ANOINTED the Lord’s body when they BURIED Him, it was done in HASTE and was not satisfactory enough for these WOMEN. They felt that Jesus DESERVED a decent burial as well as anyone else.

2. Who were these women? Well, we don’t know definitively who all the women were, but as we

read through Mark and the other GOSPELS we learn who most of them are.

(1). Mary Magdalene is mentioned in every one of the GOSPELS as being at the TOMB.