Resurrection Sunday Message from Mark 16:1-8 - "Jesus, Alive & Waiting"

Jesus took his last breath, died, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Access to God was now, not through the temple, not through the law, but through Jesus. It would be an identification with Jesus – with his death on the cross for all humankind, and a burgeoning relationship with him, that would allow us to reach our spiritual heights. Grace has come down from heaven to meet the needs of every human being born.

Jesus was presumably in the tomb, where Joseph had laid his body, covering the entrance with a great stone. So, as Mark relates the story, Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James) and Salome, who had each followed Jesus to Jerusalem and observed the scene of the cross, were now at the tomb, mourning and wanting to anoint Jesus’ body with spices (according to custom). Then the surprise!

That they were discussing how they could possibly get the stone removed from the entrance to the tomb, shows that they had no real expectation of Jesus’ resurrection, despite what Jesus had told his followers on at least three occasions. 8:31 >

"Then [Jesus] began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again."

Such words were repeated at 9:31 and 10:34. I guess we could excuse these women and all the disciples for not getting it, yet are we being challenged here concerning our own readiness to accept the wondrous things Jesus can do … in our lives and the lives of others? Do we stay the way we are, or limit what God can do through us, by not really taking Jesus’ words seriously?

Less than a week ago, Jesus had talked about the person of faith being able … through prayer … to not only move but completely eradicate the mountains that get in the way of experiencing life in all its fullness. We can indeed participate in the new movement founded by Jesus to transform the world and deal with injustice.

Yet, having received the message (that was undoubtedly from God through the figure dressed in white) to tell Peter and the other disciples that Jesus had risen, and that Jesus is going ahead of them to Galilee, and that they should meet him there – what did the women do?? They fled in fear and remained silent!

This is a very uncomfortable ending to Mark’s Gospel. So uncomfortable … that much later other endings were written and added to the end of this gospel. But I believe Mark deliberately left his gospel with such an uneasy ending to provoke a response in his readers. What would we have done? Gone to be with Jesus in Galilee, or fled?

Again, we could probably excuse the women here for letting their grief, confusion and fear get the better of them. Feeling under pressure, the disciples had already fled when Jesus was arrested (14:50). Then we have the scene of Peter denying even knowing Jesus (14:66-72) when he was given the chance to speak up. We shall see as we continue in Mark’s Gospel, that fear, although understandable, is the great enemy of faith.

These women had just witnessed their friend, leader and inspiration in life crucified on a Roman cross. Perhaps no words of expectation and reassurance could prepare anyone for that. It would not have been easy for any follower of Jesus, being ridiculed by some, carefully watched by others.

It would not have been easy for the Jesus followers in Rome in the year 70CE (where and when this Gospel was addressed), being a such a minority movement, and one that challenged traditional religions and societal norms. Some would have been opposed or disowned by their own families. Some would have suffered mistreatment; and also vivid in the memory would have been Roman Emperor Nero’s intense persecution of Christians following the big fire in the year 64.

Yet these Jesus followers were being challenged nonetheless, when it came to the crunch, would they go with Jesus wherever he led them. The football commentators or the hardened coaches talk about – ‘when it’s you’re time to go, you’ve got to go’! Meaning, when it’s your turn to put your body on the line for the sake of the team, you have to do so!!

This is how our spiritual ‘coach’ Mark concludes his gospel – asking the question whether (or not) we will go to meet with Jesus in Galilee … to be charged with the mission of taking the gospel to the world.

There are no resurrection appearances in Mark’s Gospel. The reason for this is twofold:

1. It will be those who metaphorically gather in Galilee with Jesus who provide proof of the resurrection. The reality of Jesus’ resurrection is shown in the lives of his followers.

2. It is the cross that remains centre-stage in Mark’s gospel. This is where the transformation happens between darkness and light. The cross though also reminds us about the suffering that is involved in bringing about salvation. Such suffering may well be normative in the sharing of the gospel in any age. This is not to commend suffering in itself, nor accept injustice in any way, but rather to acknowledge this reality. We read Jesus words in 8:34 > "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me".

Yet we know that Jesus endured that suffering, experiencing feelings of abandonment by God (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me’), and died there on the cross – but was brought back to new life! Jesus knows what it is to be tempted to go in a different direction – to be caught between possibilities (remember his temptation at the hands of the devil, and his own inner yearnings in the Garden of Gethsemane).

Are we serious enough about Jesus to stick our necks out? Would we rather just claim the forgiveness offered through the cross, without the responsibility that goes with it? The risen Jesus is waiting for us! Jesus wants to rescue us, commune with us, and guide us in life; but Jesus also wants to empower us with the Holy Spirit, and send us to the world. Are we ready … no matter the cost?

In the context of its time, Mark’s Gospel is concerned for the salvation of the Gentile peoples. In the context of our time, Mark’s Gospel promotes a concern for all those who have not previously had the opportunity of experiencing God’s grace. Whether that’s been as a result of hardheartedness or material distraction, or whether that’s been the result of abuse and growing mistrust, or whether that’s been because of never seeing the life of Jesus lived out – Mark challenges us to cross over to the other side with the love and grace of Jesus.

There’s one further aspect of this text to consider. God, through the messenger dressed in white, asks the women to gather together all the disciples, especially mentioning Peter, and tell them to head over to Galilee to meet up again with Jesus. Do you see a further significant point here??

God had not given up on the remaining eleven disciples despite the fact that they had fled at Jesus’ most difficult hour; not even giving up on Peter who had disowned Jesus. There would be no doubt that these disciples, for all their earlier commitment to following Jesus, had failed. Part of this failure had derived from not quite understanding the full depth of Jesus’ mission; part simply deriving from fear. However Jesus would regather these disciples at Galilee, and forgive them, and bless them, and assure them that his love and presence would go with them as they headed off in their mission to the world.

Personal failure is not the end, far from it, just a bump in the road. There is ample opportunity to learn lessons, and be drawn back onto the track of spiritual fulfilment. We may at times desert Jesus, but Jesus will not desert us! The fear of failure itself can mean that we aren’t prepared to take risks. However faith accepts that the one who fails in their endeavours can still be restored by Jesus. Peter’s tears of failure were transformed into unprecedented ministry. Even a fallible person can come to live the gospel with integrity.

Jesus is alive and waiting for we fallible people to join him!