Surprise!

Gtcotr/ss040421

Mark 16 NKJV

1 ¶  Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Jesus.

2  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

3  And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”

4  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away — for it was very large.

5  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

6  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.

7  “But go, tell His disciples — and Peter — that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

8  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

9 ¶  Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.

10  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.

11  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

It is interesting to note a few things here.

·        First, these women went out shopping and spent their time, energy, and money to purchase spices that would never be used for their intended purpose. Surprise!

·        Next, consider the Sabbath worship service at the Temple in Jerusalem on the evening and next day immediately following the crucifixion of Christ:

o   Where the curtain was torn, and the Holy of Holies revealed.

o   Where anyone could now approach the mercy seat and enter into the very presence of God … however, no one did …

o   This service which was led by the chief priests, elders, and leaders of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes.

o   And was likely attended by the very people who had been paid to bear false witness against Jesus the day before.

o   Surely this sabbath service must have been a sad disappointment to God.

o   I wonder what the Priest said in the service that Sabbath. He probably didn’t include an altar call for repentance.

·        Finally, Mark recounts that on the third day, after the resurrection, the risen Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene.

o   She went and told His disciples but sometimes people can be so covered in their personal pain and disappointments, they cannot imagine Jesus is really alive.

o   Because if He really is alive, all of my fear is for nothing.

Mark’s account of the Resurrection of Jesus teaches us:

1.  Nothing we do for Jesus is a waste of our time or money.

a.   Things might turn out much better than we ever imagined.

b.   Don’t worry! God’s got a plan that will surprise even you.

2.  There is a huge difference between going to Church and being the Church.

There was a song written and performed in the early 80’s by a Christian artist named Don Francisco. The name of the song is ‘The Steeple Song’. 

I don't care how many buses you own
Or the size of your sanctuary
Doesn't matter how steep
Your steeple is, if it's sittin' on a cemetery

I don't care if you pave your parking lot
Or put pads upon your pews
What good is a picture perfect stage
If you're missin' all the cues

I don't care if your pastor is super powered
And your program's always new
What you need is love and truth
And men are gonna come to you

It doesn't matter if you know the Bible
If it's all just in your head
But the thing I need to ask you
Is have you done the things I said?

Do you love your wife?
For her and for your children
Are you layin' down your life?
What about the others?

Are you livin' as a servant
To your sisters and your brothers?
Do you make the poor man beg you for a bone?
Do the widow and the orphan cry alone?

I don't care if you pray for miracles
I don't care if you speak with tongues
I don't care if you've said you love Me
In every song you've sung

It doesn't matter if your sacrifice of praise
Is loud enough to raise the dead
The thing I need to ask you
Is have you done the things I said? 

Do you love your wife?
For her and for your children
Are you layin' down your life?
What about the others?

Are you livin' as a servant
To your sisters and your brothers?
Do you make the poor man beg you for a bone?
Do the widow and the orphan cry alone?

Lord, When were you a prisoner,

And we did not come to you?

When did we see you thirsty Lord,

That we did not follow through?

“Every time you turned your head

And pretended not to see,

When you did it not to the least of these,

You did it not to me!”

Do you love you wife …?

    (The Steeple Song by Don Francisco – 1982)

I just can’t imagine how sad it must have been to see all those people in attendance at the Temple that sabbath without a clue as to why God wanted them to be there. And there was no one to tell them how much God loved them or encourage them to repent and receive Jesus as Lord.

I hope our Church services, and those of us who attend on campus and online, are more pleasing to God they were at the service in Jerusalem that day when Jesus’ bruised, broken, and dead body was laying in the tomb just a few hundred yards down the street. Churches aren’t the place for self-righteous holy hatred or hardened hearts to all Jesus has done for us. This is the week to remember what it’s all about. Church is a place to celebrate Jesus. Do we understand why God wants us to go to Church?

3.  If Jesus is really alive, my problems just got smaller.

Jesus is alive! He rose from the dead victorious over sin, death, hell, and the grave. He has secured your eternity and heaven’s gates are open wide.

·        Nothing you do for Jesus will ever be a waste of your time, energy, or resources.

·        Jesus encourages His followers to attend Church services. However, He also expects us to be act like His followers throughout the rest of the week as well. We are the Church every day!

·        The resurrected Jesus is bigger than any problem and every pain we face. He is alive!

Happy Resurrection Day! Now, let’s go celebrate and share the good news so others can repent and receive Jesus. Have you repented of your sin yet?