“HE HAS RISEN! HE IS NOT HERE.” (Outline)
April 12, 2020 - Easter Sunday - MARK 16:1-8
INTRO.: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! It is just as Scripture declared. Once again a message from an angel announces one of the most significant events in the history of the world. The last time an angel spoke was to announce the fulfillment of Scripture. The Savior was born! "Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord” (LUKE 2:10, 11). The angel’s Easter announcement is our theme. “HE HAS RISEN! HE IS NOT HERE”. I. A sad journey. II. A glad journey.
I. A SAD JOURNEY TO THE TOMB
A. Verse 1. The woman were about the only ones left when Jesus died. The disciples had left.
1. Now they wasted no time to properly prepare Jesus’ body to rest in the tomb.
2. They bought spices (in Greek is aroma). It was a sense of duty. Duty of love for Jesus.
B. Verse 2. Went to tomb on first day of the week. Went very early in morning. Started in dark.
C. Verse 3. Naturally they focused on the earthly logistics of their visit to Jesus’ tomb.
1. The women wondered about the stone that covered the entrance of the tomb.
2. Who will roll the stone away? How will they be able to get in to apply the spices?
3. Verse 4. They looked. Large stone was rolled away. Problem solved. Still sadness ruled.
D. How often do we think like these women? We focus on the sadness. We only think about all the effort involved with solving our situation. We plan. We struggle. We try to figure out how we will succeed. We might even worry. “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb for us?” Sooner or later we might just give up. We might think everything we want to accomplish is just too hard. Too difficult. Even impossible. Then we remember that all things are possible with God. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (PROVERBS 3:5). We probably cannot count the number of times the Lord has worked out everything according to his perfect plans for us. God’s good plans done for us even in spite of all of our energies. he stone is rolled away. Problems solved.
E. We are in the midst of an illness described as a pandemic. Everyone wonders what really the truth is. Our leaders have taken extreme measures in the name of protection. People are quarantined. Jobs have been lost. Businesses are closed. Satan uses this chaos to attack. The devil uses doubt to cloud our confidence in God’s providence. The world wants us to worry about what might or might not happen. Our sinful natures frets about our future. Can it get worse? Will it ever get any better? We turn our attention to the Lord. The One who cares. Saves. "They went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to die!’ He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, you of little faith?’ Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a complete calm" (MATTHEW 8:25, 26). “Lord, save us!”
F. Each one of us has made a sad journey in our lives. We make the journey to the cemetery. Our emotions flood our thinking. Sadness tries to sap our strength. Dear friends we know that the end of earthly life is not the end. Today all too many people look at death as frightening. Many are scared to death of death. They think it is the end. At death they enter into darkness. Nothingness. We pass from death unto life eternal. Our sad journey is not a trip into despair. Or hopelessness. "Those who sow with weeping will reap with joyful shouts. The one who walks along weeping, carrying a bag of seed to sow, will come back again with joyful shouts, carrying his sheaves” (PSALM 126:5, 6).
We journey to Jesus’ tomb. It was a sad journey. “HE HAS RISEN! HE IS NOT HERE.”
II. A GLAD JOURNEY FROM THE TOMB
A. The women rush to the tomb early in the morning. They want to finish their sad duty of love.
1. The large stone is rolled away. That problem is gone. But what now!?! Who did this?
2. Verse 5. In the tomb sat a young man dressed in white. “They were alarmed.”
B. Verse 6. Angel assured them: “Do not be alarmed”. Heavenly beings reassure mortals.
1. Knew their sad journey. They sought Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified.
2. More assurance: “He has risen! He is not here.” The tomb was empty. Jesus was alive!
C. Verse 7. The women came to see. Found an empty tomb. Now they were to go and tell.
1. Tell disciples and Peter. Peter last saw Jesus when he had denied the Savior. Tell him.
2. It was a simple message: “He has risen! He is not here.” Just as Jesus had told them.
3. Verse 8. They left in a hurry. They were still troubled. Perplexed. Was it really true?
a. They did tell the disciples. b. Theirs was now a message of gladness, not sadness.
D. The miraculous message of Jesus’ resurrection is simple, straightforward, and very, very powerful. “He has risen! He is not here.” First the angel calmed the fears of the women. Next the angel banished the sadness of the women. The truth of that first Easter message is still ours today. With the same bold announcement of the empty tomb our fears are calmed. Our sadness becomes gladness. We look to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are saddened by his death. We are gladdened by his resurrection from the dead. Amazing grace. “… and it (God’s grace) has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 TIMOTHY 1:10). Christ abolished death. We are given life and immortality.
E. “He has risen! He is not here.” This is our focus today. And tomorrow. And into eternity. We need to look beyond this life. This world. Look through the sadness that seems to be afflicting everyone recently. The corona virus is on everyone’s minds. No one can escape the relentless mentioning of this virus day and night from every news source. It is about the only news that anyone hears again and again and again. Ought we to be scared? Terrified? The Lord God of Armies is still in control of all things. All the time. Always for our good. We will leave this vale of tears. In God’s good time. At that time we will fully understand the depth and truth of the announcement: “He has risen! He is not here.” “But once this perishable body has put on imperishability, and this mortal body has put on immortality, then what is written will be fulfilled: Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 CORINTHIANS 15:54). We put on mortality. Christ conquered death. Christ gives us the victory!
F. “He has risen! He is not here.” This is the comforting message of joy that chases away sadness. In gladness we know, believe and confess that the blood of Jesus purifies us from sin. We are forgiven by God’s great love for us. And for the world. “Jesus Christ, the Righteous One…is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the whole world" (1 JOHN 2:2). Sadly, all too many are un-aware of Easter’s importance. By grace through faith we have this truth in our hearts. In our lives.
CONC.: “He has risen! He is not here.” The journey to the tomb was sad. The tomb was empty. “He has risen! He is not here.” Our journey from the tomb brings gladness to our hearts. For our lives. To benefit others. “Now may the God of hope fill you with complete joy and peace as you continue to believe, so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (ROMANS 15:13). The God of hope will fill you with complete joy and peace as you continue to believe “HE HAS RISEN! HE IS NOT HERE.” Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
EASTER SUNDAY Readings
JONAH 2:2-9; COLOSSIANS 3:1-4; MATTHEW 28:1-10; (PSALM 118)
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