Title: Hope Is Alive
Text: Mark 16:1-8
Date: April 8, 2012
Place: Washington A/G
Introduction
I. A Man Named Jesus
A. A multitude of Prophecies fulfilled in His peculiar birth
1. He was conceived by the Spirit
2. Born of a Virgin
3. The location and angelic announcements
B. His life as a carpenter
C. The Time He launched His ministry
1. Baptized by John
2. Anointed by the Spirit
3. He called His disciples
II. This Man’s Purpose
A. Not to lead another movement
1. It would not be another uprising against the government
2. This was not to be a new spin on the status quo.
B. Isaiah Prophesied This Man’s Purpose
1. "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified." (Isaiah 61:1-3 NKJV)
2. If you’re in any of these positions this prophecy can be summarized in one word “HOPE.”
a. It is the possibility that tomorrow might be brighter than today, and today can end better than yesterday ever thought of being.
b. It speaks of the potential rectifications of current situations
C. Jesus confirms this prophecy
1. Jesus was Teaching in the Synagogue
a. He was handed the book of Isaiah and found the place where this prophecy was written
b. Jesus Spoke of the People and said, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:21 NKJV)
2. Jesus not only confirmed this prophecy in word but also in deed.
a. It’s true that Jesus came for “whosoever.”
b. It were those who were especially brokenhearted, downtrodden, and dejected that seemed to hold a special place in His heart.
c. The Bible is filled with story after story of how Jesus healed the sick, gave life to the dying, and provided miraculously for those in the deepest despair.
d. John’s ending statement of His gospel goes like this, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen” (John 21:25 NKJV)
- We marvel at what we do know
- John says, “you don’t know the half!”
Body
I. Jesus Crucified
A. As wonderful as this Man was there were those who were not so enthused about His ministry.
B. The truth is that there were those the Bible says who sought to kill Him
1. Kill Him they did
a. You’ve heard of the unjust trail
b. You’ve heard of the beatings
c. You’ve heard of the mocking
d. You’ve heard about the cross and the price that He paid
2. For us there is an understanding of a deeper meaning
a. We approach the narrative with the understanding that No man took Jesus’ life but He freely laid it down for our benefit.
b. We read the text centuries removed from the true horror of that day
c. What if the death of this wonderful Man was a part of your present reality?
C. For many the day that Jesus died marked the death of every shred of hope that they had known in that present hour.
1. The Man who spoke of a future glory was hanging on a cross
2. The man who had healed their bodies was now hanging broken on the cross
3. The One who had lead them had seemingly led them to a dead end
4. They watched His brutally beaten, Nailed to a cross and then, they saw Him die.
II. The Burial of Jesus
A. There among the crowd that day was one Joseph of Arimethia, who when Jesus was taken from the cross asked for His body and Had it laid in his own tomb.
B. The Pharisees knew parts of the message of hope
1. Jesus would rise again.
2. They asked the Romans to set a seal on the door of the tomb and have a guard present to be sure that the man they had worked so hard to get into that grave stayed there.
C. For many this was the burial of their hope; everything they had wished for the future was wrapped up in this Man.
1. All of their hopes for the future now lie wrapped in a tomb.
2. Have you ever been there?
a. The place where it seemed as if hope had died?
b. The place where it was as if the world had crumbled around you
c. Time is now spent mourning what could have been, despair has filled your heart, because now hope has gone?
D. The Bible speaks of some women who have found themselves in this position.
1. Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
2. These ladies were on their way to mourn the passing of hope
3. If they saw His body perhaps they could spend just a few nostalgic moments remembering the words that He spoke and the works that He did
4. They approached the tomb
a. With no expectation of a resurrection
b. Expecting to find their hope still locked inside
c. With spices to make the best of the tragic reality
5. They asked a question that many are asking today
a. Who will roll away the stone?
b. The Stone represents a façade of the enemy’s seeming victory
c. The stone prophecies the doubt, despair and finality to this situation
d. It seems so imposing and impossible
e. In our minds hope is lying still and lifeless on the other side
6. In many instances it might be said of us that we are seeking a living hope among the dead things of this world.
III. The Resurrection of Jesus
A. But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. (Mark 16:1-6 NKJV)
B. Hope is alive!
1. Not in the form of a political figure-head
2. Hope is alive today and is found in none other than the Person of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
I. If you are in need of Hope today won’t you allow Jesus Christ to minister that hope to your heart today?
