“EXPERIENCING THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST”
“Resurrection Sunday”
Mk. 16: 1-8, 10-11
Fr. Christopher M. Nerreau
Introduction:
• Discuss the pain of almost losing my son at birth. Discuss how difficult it was to have my hopes and dreams taken away and then discuss how wonderful it was the day I took him home from the hospital.
• This was similar to the disciples who had all their hopes and dreams die on the cross with Christ. They gave up everything for Christ and now felt hopeless. You can imagine there joy when the met the resurrected Christ.
Proposition: We also can experience the resurrection of Christ just like Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Christ and the disciples.
Interrogative sentence: Today we are going to see how this can happen…
Sermon Preview:
Today I am going to outline the three principles from our passage that if followed will lead us to experience the resurrection of Christ:
1. PURSUE CHRIST ALONE (16: 1-2)
2. PROCEED BEYOND THE OBSTICLES (16: 3-4)
3. PROVIDE THE RESURRECTION MESSAGE TO OTHERS (16: 7, 10-11)
Transitional Sentence: Let us look at the first principle for experiencing the resurrection of Christ in our hearts…
I. PURSUE CHRIST ALONE (16:1-2)
Explanation:
THE BIBLE SAYS: 16: 2-3 “And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen.”
• One of the chief reasons for feeling stagnant in your relationship to Christ is that you pursue not the person of Christ but rather what that person can give you.
• Your relationship becomes a “quid-proque” – you will try to be good and in exchange Christ will do as you expect. But that is not how it works! If this is you, then slowly you find yourself disappointed and separated from Him.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Christ met the resurrected Lord because they PURSUED NOT WHAT CHRIST COULD GIVE THEM BUT CHRIST ALONE.
A. They Just Wanted Be With Him:
• Because of the Sabbath the woman had to wait before they could do the work of preparing His body properly for burial.
• (v.2) “very early” – The woman could not wait another moment to be with Christ, to just visit His tomb. They left at Sun up.
• They did not know Christ was resurrected, they believed He was dead. They truly had nothing to gain but pursued Him anyway. They simply wanted to be with Him.
B. They Just Wanted To Serve Him:
• “brought spices…anoint Him” The ministry of the woman continued beyond Christ’s death.
• The disciples stayed home and wept. The woman could not fathom the one they loved lying in such a gruesome state. They sought to clean the body of Christ and apply fragrance so He did not stink.
Illustration: When I was a little kid, my friend across the street was given a gift by his father. It was a case containing every single star wars action figure ever made (at least by the year 1980). When I heard he had received this gift I ran over as fast as I could. We played for a few minutes and then his mother asked me – “what brings you over?” (I had not been there for several weeks.) I replied – “the toys”. She then asked me to leave and think about what I said. I realized that I had not cared about my friend, only his stuff. It was a good lesson…
Application:
• What do you seek from Christ? Do you seek simply to be with Christ or do you seek the benefits that can be had through a relationship with Christ?
• Ultimately the point that surfaces in these first two verses is that the woman met the resurrected Lord because they sought simply to be with Him.
• Today, do you simply want to be with Christ?
Transitional Sentence: So we see that the first principle for experiencing the resurrection of Christ in our hearts is to simply desire to be with Him but secondly…
II. PROCEED BEYOND THE OBSTILCES (16: 3-4)
Explanation: As the women were running toward the tomb, in the back of there mind was the obvious obstacle of the giant stone. Although they did not know how they were going to move the stone, they preceded to the tomb anyway…
THE BIBLE SAYS – (v.3) And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?”
o Obstacle Preventing The Woman From Being With Christ
• It seemed the giant stone would prevent them from fulfilling their ministry. But they continued because it did not matter… For them if all they could do was put there face against the large stone and be in the place where Christ lie, it would be enough.
• The woman overcame the obstacle not through might but rather through perseverance. They simply pressed on toward Christ.
Obstacle Overcome By God (v. 4)
THE BIBLE SAYS – (v.4) “And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back;—it was very large.”
• What the woman found when they arrived at the tomb was that the stone had already been moved.
• Because they proceeded beyond the obstacles that stood in their way they experienced the power of God in removing the stone!
Illustration: Noah built the Ark before it had ever rained, when it started raining, God shut them in the Ark. Moses lifted the staff not knowing what God would do as He did God parted the sea. And now the woman proceed to the tomb with no hope of moving the stone but find God had moved it for them.
Application: In order to experience the resurrection of Christ in your heart you must proceed forward regardless of the obstacles that stand before you.
• Proceed through the obstacles of feelings
• Proceed through the obstacles of short fallings
• Proceed through the obstacles of pain and suffering
o If you are willing to proceed beyond the obstacles you will find that God can remove them.
o Then as you peer into the empty tomb, you will see with your own eyes – “He is not here, He is risen!”
o Today, will you proceed forward toward Christ? Today, will you move toward the large stone and not run away from it?
Transitional Sentence: So we see that the first principle for experiencing the resurrection of Christ in our hearts is to simply desire to be with Him and secondly you must proceed toward the obstacles but finally …
III. PROVIDE THE RESURRECTION MESSAGE TO OTHERS (16: 7, 10-11)
Explanation: Finally we see the angel commanding the women to go forth and share the good news (gospel) of Christ’s resurrection.
THE BIBLE SAYS – “But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.”
A. Sharing Will Make Your Joy Complete – (v.7)
• 1 John 1:4 – “we are writing this that our joy may be made complete.” It is in the giving away that our joy is made complete.
• Experiencing the resurrection of Christ in our hearts happens as you see others receiving the message as well.
Jesus Command to Share (v.7)
• Jesus commands us to share the gospel not only because it is His means for leading souls into a restored relationship with Him but because it completes our faith as well.
• Sharing is as much for us as it is for the other person!
Illustration: I want you to imagine you just won the lottery, the jackpot was 100,000,000. What would be the first thing you would do? You would grab your cell phone and start dialing!!! Your joy and excitement would be made complete in your conversations with others… But now imagine for a moment you were the only person on the planet. All the money in the world would be worthless because you have no one to share it with.
This is the point, at the end of the day the gospel message is to be shared and our joy is made complete in that sharing.
Application: Sharing our faith can be difficult and sometimes scary, but I want to share a principle with you – “You can only keep that which you give away.”
• If you pursue Christ alone and proceed past the obstacles you will witness the great miracle of Easter, but your joy will not be made complete if you keep it to yourself.
• Giving is always better than receiving and your joy will be made complete if you are will to obey the command of the angel – “go tell…”
Conclusion:
Restate Proposition: We also can experience the resurrection of Christ just like Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Christ and the disciples.
Restate Main Points: If we are willing to:
1. PURSUE CHRIST ALONE (16: 1-2)
2. PROCEED BEYOND THE OBSTACLES (16: 3-4)
3. PROVIDE THE RESURRECTION MESSAGE TO OTHERS (16: 7, 10-11)
Final Illustration: (St. John Damascus)
The day of resurrection?
Earth, tell it out abroad;
The Passover of gladness,
The Passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
From this world to the sky,
Our Christ hath brought us over
With hymns of victory.
Now let the heavens be joyful,
Let earth her song begin;
Let the round world keep triumph,
And all that is therein;
Let all things seen and unseen
Their notes in gladness blend,
For Christ the Lord hath risen,
Our Joy that hath no end.
Closing Thought: Happy Easter!!! Amen!
