“HE IS RISEN!” Mark 16:1-8
FBCF – 4/17/22
Jon Daniels
INTRO – There are a lot of things that disrupt our lives, & certainly death is at the top of the list. Not going to dwell too much on this topic b/c of the emotions that it brings or getting too morbid on Easter Sunday. But there’s no doubt that death is a disruptive, even devastating part of life.
- News cycles are daily filled w/ reports of deaths all over the world from wars, crime, diseases, natural disasters, & other causes
- Around 7000 people will die around the world while we are in this worship service today
- Our own church FAMILY is regularly impacted by deaths of our members, or family members & friends of our members
There was one death that was unlike any other death that has ever happened & that was the death of Jesus. In one sense, His death was just LIKE every other death b/c it was real – He really did die. He didn’t faint or pass out. He was dead. No heartbeat. No brain activity. The medical definition of death – “the irreversible cessation of all vital functions especially as indicated by permanent stoppage of the heart, respiration, and brain activity: the end of life” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/death) – describes what happened that day on the cross when He cried out, “It is finished!”
But His death was UN-like another death b/c His death followed by His victorious resurrection.
- His death was not a defeat – It was a domination!
- His death was not a collapse – It was a conquest!
- His death was not a waste – It was a win!
- His death was not a tragedy – It was a triumph!
Jesus wasn’t the only person to be raised from the dead. But He’s the most important of all who have been raised from the dead, b/c w/out His resurrection, there would be no resurrection for those of us who know Him. Only our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, & came out of the grave to be alive forevermore. Colossians 1:18 says He is the “firstborn from among the dead”, or as the NLT says, He’s the one who is “supreme over all who rise from the dead.”
- He is our supreme, sovereign Savior.
- He is incomparable, indescribable, & incredible.
- He is unequaled, unmatched, unparalleled, & unsurpassed.
- There is no other Savior who is more powerful than Him, more loving than Him, more faithful than Him b/c there is no other Savior than Him.
- He’s the only Savior who came from heaven down to us; lived among us; gave His life for us; conquered Satan, death, & hell for us; returned to heaven to prepare a place for us; is interceding for us; & will soon return for us.
He's alive forevermore! And if you will place your faith & trust in Him alone, you, too, will live forever!
EXPLANATION – Mark 16:1-8
These verses, along w/ the other accounts of the resurrection in Matthew, Luke, & John encapsulate THE MOST WONDERFUL EVENT THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN! From the women going to the tomb, to the angel descending from heaven to roll the stone away, to the earthquake that happened, to Roman guards passing out from fear, to the women running into Jesus on their way to tell the disciples, to Peter & John running to the tomb to investigate, to Mary Magdalene seeing the angels & Jesus – all of these combine to scream to the world that HE’S ALIVE! And b/c He’s alive, we can make this statement:
APPLICATION – The Resurrection changes everything!
IT MOVES US FROM SADNESS TO JOY – Imagine the emotions running through the minds of the 3 women who were headed to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body – v.1 – probably not for embalming, but as an act of love & service to the One who had served them.
They were concerned about the heaviness of the stone that covered the entrance to the tomb – v. 2 – “Who will roll away the stone for us…?”
But there was certainly another heaviness that they were dealing with – the heaviness of the grief of the death of Jesus. They had personally seen His suffering (15:40) – the excruciating pain, the agony, the gore, the ridicule & humiliation. They had personally seen Him breathe His last breath & give up His spirit (John 19:30).
Some of us have been there before.
- We’ve seen a loved one breathe their last breath.
- We’ve heard their last words.
- We’ve seen their eyes close for the last time.
- And the heaviness of the grief can be overwhelming.
I even think that we can pick up on their grief at the beginning of v. 4 – “And looking up…” – I can picture them slowly walking through the dim light of daybreak w/ their heads bowed low, maybe even tears in their eyes or trickling down their cheeks.
But, WHEN THEY LOOKED UP, everything changed! It wasn’t long before they moved from sadness to joy b/c the resurrection changes everything!
- Visited w/ a church member this week who lost his wife of 52 ys about 9 yrs ago – “Miss her every day…My best friend…”
- B/c of the resurrection, our sadness is overcome w/ joy that one day, there’s going to be a great reunion if we know the risen Savior & if our loved ones knew Him, too.
- Randy Alcorn’s tweet: “On Easter, my beloved Nanci [died cancer 3/28] won’t have to say, ‘He is risen.’ She can look right into His eyes & say, ‘YOU are risen!’”
- Doesn’t matter how good a person you are or how good a life you’ve lived. Doesn’t even matter if you were coming to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. What matters is if you know Him – TRULY know Him as YOUR Savior & Lord!
IT TURNS US FROM FEAR TO FAITH – Keep going on into the tomb w/ these 3 women. They encountered an angel there & it scared them. But angels’ main job is to be God’s messengers & THIS ONE HAD AN AWESOME MESSAGE! Imagine if you were the angel that God chose to being THIS message to these women & to the world!
- V. 6 – THE GREATEST MESSAGE THE WORLD HAS EVER HEARD!
- B/c Jesus is alive, we don’t have to be afraid of ANYTHING!
There are so many things that scare us – sickness, financial hardship, future of our kids/grandkids, future of our nation/world, family issues, etc. What does fear do to us?
- Paralyzes us
- Pressures us
- Poisons us
But when we trust Christ to save us & we live our lives in Him & for Him, we are set free from the paralyzing, poisonous pressure of fear.
- He’s our Savior, our Sustainer!
- He’s our Provider, our Protector!
- He’s our constant Companion & Friend!
- He’s our Fortress, our Shepherd, our Refuge
- He’s our Way-maker, Miracle-worker, Promise-keeper!
- He’s our Rest-giver, Joy-giver, Mercy-giver, Grace-giver!
B/c, you see, the resurrection changes everything! And the ultimate change is this:
IT CHANGES US FROM DEATH TO LIFE – These women left that tomb w/ the knowledge of the greatest event that the world has ever seen. And they did what anyone would have done w/ that knowledge: The went & told others.
Easter 2019 – Last Easter as Pastor at CWBC – Matthew 28:
- V. 7 – “Go & tell”
- V. 10 – “Go & tell”
- V. 18-20 – “Go & tell”
And for the last 2000 years, that’s what Christ-followers have been doing – going & telling that Jesus is alive & that He will save anyone anywhere at any time – all the way to April 17, 2022, where a pastor stands before you today to make that same proclamation: “Jesus is alive & He will save YOU today!”
You see, the resurrection changes everything. Jesus went from being dead to being alive, & you, too, can be changed from being dead to being alive today. But you must come to Him today!
- Let the resurrected Jesus come into your life today!
- What’s keeping you from doing that?
- Some of you needed to hear this very message today so that you can make the most important, most wonderful decision of your entire life.
- Give your heart to Jesus today!
