Have you ever had something happen that was unexpected? I know that I have and sometimes those were wonderful surprises and other times they turned into a disaster. As you read Mark 16:1-13 you will read how these ladies who loved the Lord Jesus had something happen in their lives that was unexpected. Even though Jesus told them that he was going to suffer, die and then rise again on the third day it’s obvious that no one knew what that meant. Notice that the ladies went and bought spices so that they could go and anoint the body of Jesus very early the next morning on the first day of the week. The next morning as these ladies are going to the tomb they do have a question that seems to consume their conversation., “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” These ladies didn’t know that the religious leaders had asked Pilate to secure it with a guard to keep the disciples from stealing the body of Christ. As these ladies look up the stone had been rolled back removed from where it should have been. That is when the unexpected happened to them! They had an encounter with a messenger from heaven. This angel looked like a young man dressed in a white robe and they were alarmed, amazed, lost for words. His response 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. But go and tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” The unexpected happened! Jesus fulfilled his promise to the disciples that he would rise again from the dead. In the Old Testament the LORD used prophets to raise the dead, but there never was a prophet who died and raised himself from the dead. Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth. He is the only one who has ever received the authority from his Father to lay down his life and to pick up his life. (John 10:18) In Matthew’s account of the resurrection Jesus met the ladies and greeted them. All they could do was fall down and worship him. When these ladies regained their composure they went and told the disciples. The disciples had their own struggle with unbelief as well. Let me ask you a question: Do you struggle with unbelief? Have you lost your amazement that Jesus is the resurrection and the life? Take some time this week to stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene. As you stand amazed in his presence you may wonder how he could love you a sinner condemned and unclean? You to may find yourself singing this chorus, “How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be; how marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior’s love for me!
Categories: Weekly Sermon