The Rev. Paul J Cain
Mark 16:1-8
Our Resurrection
The Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Day, 08 April 2012
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, WY
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Jesus was born to die for you. He was raised that you may
live. He is our Resurrection. Because of Jesus’ death and Resurrection, He
gives to you forgiveness of sins, delivers you from death and the devil, and
gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of
God declare in the last chapter of Mark, “Whoever believes and is baptized will
be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” [Mark 16:16].[1]
In the American Edition of Luther’s Works, Dr. Luther refers
to Mark 16 in forty-five of the fifth-four volumes. He cites Mark 16 some 140
times.( I didn’t count the index volume.) And that’s just in the English
translation. (The bulk of Luther’s writings remain untranslated from the German
or Latin.) What I haven’t mentioned yet is that Luther quotes a later part of Mark
16 far more than the Gospel for Easter Day.
TLSB: Three women
undertake the job of properly preparing Jesus’ body for burial, which the press
of time prevented earlier. When they arrive at the tomb, they find it empty and
hear the wonderful (and temporarily paralyzing) message that Jesus has risen
from the dead and the tomb is empty. In spite of Jesus’ clear predictions on at
least three occasions (8:31–32; 9:31; 10:33–34), His disciples do not believe.
Jesus rises from the dead, proclaiming His victory to all creation and
providing for all believers a resurrection to eternal life on the Last Day.
“Christ Jesus lay in
death’s strong bands For our offenses given; But now at God’s right hand He
stands And brings us life from heaven. Therefore let us joyful be And sing to
God right thankfully Loud songs of alleluia! Alleluia!” Amen. (LSB 458:1)[2]
What is the message of today? Jesus physical resurrection
from the dead! Let’s hear the message of an angel in Mark 16:1-8.
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother
of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early
on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were
saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance
of the tomb?” 4 And
looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering
the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white
robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And
he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was
crucified. He has 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 to Galilee. There you will
see him, just as he told you.” 8 And
they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized
them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Verse eight is worth repeating: And they went out and fled
from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said
nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Does this initial reaction make sense?
They fled. They said nothing. They were afraid. The angel had clearly told
them, “Do not be alarmed….He has risen; He is not here.” Initially, the
disciples do not believe, just as they did not believe Jesus’ clear predictions
of His death AND His Resurrection. Something changed. We have the Gospel
according to Mark. We have the rest of the story. We have the Gospel according
to Matthew, the Gospel according to Luke, and the Gospel according to John. And
we have later in Mark some of Luther’s favorite verses that point us to Gospel
hope instead of trembling and disbelieving astonishment, faith instead of fear,
and bold proclamation of the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name instead of
astonishing silence.
Jesus Himself appears to His disciples and declares: “Go
into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever
believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be
condemned….” [3]
Jesus continues, for He has more to say about the mission
and ministry of His disciples after His ascension. Immediately, you note that
something has changed. The angel’s words earlier have now been fulfilled: “Do
not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has 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 to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told
you.” And so they do. And Jesus commissions them to “Go into all the world and
proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever
believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be
condemned….”
Why does Luther refer to two verses of Mark 16 spoken by
Jesus over the first eight verses of Mark 16, not just once, but over 150 times
in his Bible lectures, sermons, and essays? Luther focuses on the Gospel, not
just alarming and astonishing things. He focuses our attention on the fulfillment
of the promise, and not merely the promise itself. He points to faith in
contrast to unfaith, unbelief. It is the lack of faith that condemns. Whoever
believes and is baptized will be saved. Luther presents to us Jesus Himself
over and above a servant and messenger.
Jesus Himself appears to us, His disciples here and now, and
declares: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
16 Whoever
believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be
condemned….” The time for fearful silence is over because He who was dead lives
again. Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is
Risen indeed! Alleluia!
The Resurrection of Jesus is good news for you because we
live in the valley of the shadow of death. Death reigns. Death separates us
from our loved ones. For those who fall asleep in Christ, that separation is
painful, but merely temporary. All with God-given faith in Christ have
forgiveness, life, and salvation now and an eternity with Christ and all who
are with Him.
The Resurrection of Jesus is good news for you not merely
because of reconciliation with God now and heaven to come. The Lord has much
more in store for you that just that. Jesus
was born to die for you. He was raised that you may live. Christians also have
the promised hope of the resurrection of the body. Whatever the Lord does not
heal in this life, He will perfect on
Resurrection Day. If all God cared about was your soul, would He have had to
send His Son to take on human flesh, physically die and physically rise? The
Lord God cares for all of you, body and soul and spirit.
Jesus won salvation for you on the cross. He delivers that
salvation here and now in Word and Sacrament. We are washed in the renewing
flood of Holy Baptism. Absolution, a water word for forgiveness, renews us and
restores us to our baptismal grace. We feed on Jesus’ very body and very blood
for the forgiveness of sins, all according to His words and promise.
Because of His death and Resurrection, Jesus, in Holy
Baptism, gives to you forgiveness of sins, delivers you from death and the
devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and
promises of God declare in the last chapter of Mark, “Whoever believes and is
baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” [Mark
16:16].
The time for shock and silence has passed. Now we sing and
tell of the joy of the Resurrection in anticipation of our resurrection. Amen.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
[1] Concordia : The Lutheran Confessions.
2005 (Edited by Paul Timothy McCain) (339). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing
House.
[2] Engelbrecht,
E. A. (2009). The Lutheran Study Bible
(1697). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.
[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.
2001 (Mk 16:15–18). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
