Rev. Beth Anderson
Bermuda Hundred UMC
Encountering Jesus Sermon Series
Easter Sunday
April 5, 2015
Mark 16: 1-8
Behind the Stone
Mark’s Gospel is always fast paced and to the point.
And it’s here- in these words -that we understand Mark’s original Gospel ends, saying--- “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you. So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”
//
So there we are left….
An empty tomb.
Fleeing women.
Terror and amazement.
And no one is told, because …they were afraid.
//
They do not see Jesus. They do not touch him. He does not call their name.
None of the things we expect from the end of a Gospel.
There is no confirmation. There is no closure to their grief or assurance of resurrection.
//
Jesus is not in the tomb—They are told to Go and to know Jesus has gone ahead of them and they are to meet him there.
But how do you tell about an empty tomb?
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Early in the morning, the women have come- Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome. They bought spices to anoint Jesus’s body. In buying and bringing these spices they could do something with their grief.
They came to honor a dead man, to encounter death and deal with their grief, but instead of they encounter an empty tomb.
Even after they heard the young man in white tell them that Jesus had been raised, they didn't shout "Alleluia! Christ is risen!"
That's what we want them to say; didn't behave as we would like.
The story in Mark’s Gospel doesn’t end neat and tidy.
They fled from the tomb for "terror and amazement had seized them."
The words are even stronger in Greek: tromos(trauma) andecstasis(ecstasy).
Trauma and ecstasy had seized them.
The Gospel is overwhelming; it seizes us! They are overcome. They said nothing to no one- for they were afraid.
-----Mark's Gospel ends in silence and Jesus never appears
//
They came to work, they understand their job.
Anoint the dead.
It is what they always did when a loved one died.
It is what they know how to do.
They know their task. Their only question is, “Who will roll away the stone?”
Who is going to do that so we can get behind the stone, into the tomb…
They believe their work is in the tomb-
That their work lies – there behind the stone.
They understand this work- they know this work.
//
But when they come…
It is done.
The stone is rolled away.
The tomb is empty.
There is no dead man to anoint.
//
I believe we can understand what the women feel.
We tend to think it will be up to us to get the work done.
The work we know how to do.
The work we’ve always done.
Often we think that we’re going to have to get behind the tomb – to roll away that big, heavy, huge stone
– but getting behind the stone is not where we will find Jesus…
And our work is not in the tomb.
We’re so used to thinking that the work is on us—that it’s all up to us…
Easter scares us—like it did the women that day.
We come ready to weep and work- to figure how WE’re going to do it all…..
Easter scares us – we don’t really live as though we believe in Easter
That God gives us abundant Life;
We think we have to earn it.
“So we come to church… and we spend our lives showing God
What good people we are,
What achievers we are,
How much we deserve God’s love.
We want to pay our own way,
But Easter says it’s already been paid!
Easter says, no matter how prodigal,
We can go home again!”[i]
//
The women came—ready for funeral preparation – not an Easter Party!
They came to do the work of death!
But Christ has called us Resurrection WORK!
//
Our job isn’t to roll the stone away
Our work doesn’t happen behind the stone or in the tomb!
Jesus has done that work.
Our Savior has defeated death!
Our work is to tell others what Jesus did-
What He is doing- What he will continue to do!
We believe this powerful Mystery- that Christ has died, Christ is Risen, and Christ will come again!
Our work is to Go-- To tell it – to live it!
This is not the work of death and stones and tombs….. This is resurrection work!
Our Gospel tells us that the emphasis of this encounter is in these words:
“there you will see him, just as he told you.”
This is the power of the message at the tomb.
//
Jesus isn’t here!
He is RISEN!
He is out there! Ready to meet you!
//Mark’s Gospel tells them that Jesus goes ahead– Christ goes before them through the trials, sufferings, and death.
Even if the disciples have failed in their desertion, denial, in their fear --- Jesus will not fail them.[ii]
He’s right ahead of us calling us still- doing the work- leading the way!
Jesus isn’t left back there on the cross.
And our Savior cannot be forgotten behind a stone
Or Locked in a Tomb!
Jesus Christ is always going ahead of us!
You cannot get way from Jesus!
We have a Living! Risen! Savior who goes ahead of you!
//
Now-- We too may be filled with trauma and ecstasy- terror and amazement!
But Church- Our work is not behind a stone!
It is out there!
We are here to pick up where the women left off!
We can’t be afraid!
It’s up to us now!
It’s not up us figure out how to get behind the stone.
Or to deal with death!
And We aren’t here to hide in tombs!
But it is up to us to Go and tell!
The story of what God is doing in and through Jesus isn’t over at the empty tomb.
It’s just getting started!
Resurrection isn’t a conclusion, it’s an invitation.
Mark’s Gospel is all about setting US up
to live resurrection lives—to practice resurrection!
To be Easter People who raise our voices sharing God’s redemptive work in the world!
//
If you wonder why there is still so much distress and pain and brokenness in the world, it’s because God’s not done yet.
Amen??
God isn’t done with you or me—or any of us!
It’s only the beginning,
and we are invited—
The Empty Tomb—announces a Risen Christ – invites you and Me – to GO!
Go and Tell this Good Very Good News!
Tell everyone you meet!
Because we’re gonna find Jesus there!
He is not here!
He is Risen!
Go and tell!
Go and meet Him!
Amen!
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[i] Ann Weems
[ii] Brian P. Stoffregen Exegetical Notes