No Entrance! No Exit! No Way!
Mark 15:33 – 16:7
Mark 15:33-37
33 At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he’s calling Elijah."
36 One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.
37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
(NIV)
John Paul Sart summarized the despair of our world in a two-word title, “No exit!” Once you die, friend, there is no exit, no way out. Jesus Christ died. “That’s all she wrote! It was fun while it lasted, but it’s over!”
Listen to the finality voiced through the scripture. Circle the words: DARKNESS. FORSAKEN. LEAVE HIM ALONE. JESUS BREATHED HIS LAST.
It’s over! Jesus breathed His last. What a life He lived! People have been changed for the rest of their lives. Think of all those who have been healed, those who were so trapped by demons whom Jesus set free, all those wonderful words He spoke! Man, that was great! But it’s OVER! Jesus is dead and that’s FINAL! NO EXIT!
Let’s just go home!
Wait a minute. Are you saying that that’s not the end of the story? Don’t you see that Jesus is dead? Read on and hear the eyewitness accounts of the death of Jesus:
Mark 15:38-47
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"
40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached,
43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.
44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.
45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.
46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
(NIV)
If I am counting correctly, there are at least six people listed here who will go record to tell you that Jesus is dead! And that doesn’t include all those who were at the temple when the veil was rent in two. The people listed here (The Centurion, Pilate, the women, Joseph of Arimathea) all know that Jesus died.
No only did He die, but He was buried! What other proof do you need that Jesus is dead? There is no exit when it comes to the grave! If Jesus wasn’t dead before, just put Him underground and see how long He lasts! Friends, it’s over! Let’s go home!
What? You say there’s more? Well, let’s read on into the next chapter and I’ll prove it to you.
Mark 16:1-3
1 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.
2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb
3 and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"
(NIV)
These ladies who had cared for Jesus’ needs during His ministry are now caring for His needs in death. That’s sweet! But He’s still dead! And not only dead, but buried with a huge stone in front of His grave, too big for them to push out of the way! There is NO EXIT from death, NO EXIT from the grave, PERIOD! It is absolutely crazy for you to believe anything else! So let’s go home!
You say, read on? Okay…
Mark 16:4
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.
(NIV)
GREAT! Not Only DEAD, Not Only BURIED,
but now GONE!
Now not only is Jesus dead and buried, now some grave robbers have stolen His body! Once again, I call your attention to the eyewitness testimony of Mary Magdalene, as recorded by John:
John 20:11-13
11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb
12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don’t know where they have put him."
(NIV)
Mary believed that Jesus’ body was stolen. Jesus died, was buried, and now He’s gone! And so is all hope! Even if he could come to life again, there isn’t any way now because His body is gone! There is NO WAY!
What? You say there’s more to the story? Let’s pick up where we left off in Mark’s gospel:
Mark 16:5-7
5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6 "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.
7 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.’"
(NIV)
HE IS RISEN! NO WAY!
No wonder you are here this Easter Sunday morning! Jesus is ALIVE! He is risen just as He said:
"I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live, even though he dies…”
(John 11:25 NIV)
The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgin’s womb and an empty tomb.
Jesus entered our world through a door marked "No Entrance".
Jesus left through a door marked "No Exit." The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single most important event ever! Death has been defeated. Before the resurrection of Jesus, no one had ever gone to the grave and returned to say, “There is a way through!” Resurrection takes place in the country of death.
We live in a world that only offers death after life. You live, then you die. Everything is geared to living. The land of the living is obviously not a vacation paradise. It’s more like a war zone. If the resurrected Christ offers life after death in a world that only offers death after life, then we’d better get fired up about it.
We’re the people of the empty tomb. (Perhaps instead of crosses, we should fashion for our neckwear a little golden stone beside a 14-karat hole.)
And for all who feel it is impossible to overcome the situations facing them—sickness, death, divorce, persecution, loneliness, despair, addictions—Jesus stands at the human door marked "No Way" and knocks.
John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(NIV)
Do feel like there is no way…no hope? JESUS IS ALIVE and He’s here right now to meet you. Nail –pierced hands are now extended to you. Will you place your life in them? There is a way out! His name is Jesus! Come to Him NOW!
