"When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body" (Mk. 16:1).
They have not slept much again, this second night after Jesus' death.
When you are grieving deeply, you hardly sleep. Your heart and mind won't let you. If you are with others, you talk and weep. When you finally go to bed, you toss and turn and your mind won't shut down. Finally, sometime in the wee hours you fall into a fitful doze, but your heart wakes you again too soon.
Your first thought might be, "Why do I feel so terrible?" Then the reality hits again, like a bad dream--only this dream is real.
These women had not just lost a dear friend, one who had always been there for them, especially in their deepest need; they had seen Him beaten repeatedly. They had heard their trusted religious leaders cry out with the mob for His crucifixion (How could they?). They had watched in agony as Jesus allowed Himself to be flogged and then crucified, writhing in pain on the cross.
They were not just suffering loss; they had been traumatized to the depths of their souls. Hardly having slept, they were up early to do their last and loving service for their Friend--these women who had cared for His needs: washed His clothes, prepared His meals, whatever He needed (God bless all serving women--wives, mothers, church leaders and helpers).
Yes, they would care now for His needs one last time, by preparing His body for burial. What a sad, heart breaking chore.
Mark's list of the women is a little different from Matthew's--and Luke’s, "who investigated everything carefully" (Lk. 1:3). John only tells us about Mary Magdalene's experience. Who can blame these men for not remembering everything exactly, or the women either?
Interview witnesses of a traumatic crime or accident, and they will tell you their recollection; but each story may be different. The human mind under duress can't remember everything. The Bible is inspired, but inspiration is not dictation by God. Inspiring a writing, the Holy Spirit brings out a message. The details may be different, but God guides the message and the main points.
The main points of this story are the surprise, bewilderment, and fear of the women and disciples, contrasted with the truth of the Resurrection. Real, honest, gut-level story telling. The ring of truth.
The characters report their questions, their hesitation, their fears, and their joy. The ladies ask, "Who will roll the stone away?" It is very large and placed in a groove that slopes downward to prevent easy opening, even by strong men.
But the stone has been rolled away! And they see a young man dressed in white sitting on the right. They were alarmed, Mark reports. You go into an open tomb where there is supposed to be a deceased loved one and instead see a young man in white clothes. A tomb is a place of death, not life. Crashing thoughts! Violated expectations!
If I think my wife is one place in the house and she appears in another suddenly, I jump. She does too! A couple of weeks ago, I left the master bedroom for an adjoining room and returned momentarily. In that minute, my wife had come from another part of the house and entered the master bath which was dark. When I returned to the bedroom a minute later, "Someone" was moving in the dark master bath! My heart jumped, if not my body.
In our story, the angel is attuned to the women's emotions and soothes their fears, speaking words that orient and focus them: "You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here" (Mk.16:6).
Can you imagine their thoughts? Their bright hopes that Jesus was their Messiah had been crushed forever, one unjust sentence, one blow, one whip lash, one mocking scoff, one crucifixion nail, one agonizing breath at a time. And then, "My God, My God! Why have you forsaken Me?" And death.
They saw the spear thrust into Jesus' side and blood and plasma flow out. They were there, these women, when Joseph from Arimathea and Nicodemus took His mangled, bloody, limp body down. They had followed them to the tomb to see where He was laid and watched as the stone grated and ground down its channel to a thudding close. Yes, Jesus was dead. They would not see Him alive again--not in this lifetime. They would make many sad trips to His tomb, but see Him alive? It didn't even cross their minds.
"He has risen!" He has risen? How could that be? He was very dead, killed by certain means.
"Risen?"--Oh that would be wonderful! But He was so dead just last night!
"Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." (Mk. 16:8)
Do you ever wonder if Jesus really rose from the dead? This report does not sound like a lie. It has the emotional ring of truth, doesn't it? You live the story as you read it, it is so real.
"He has risen!" This is the joyful keynote of the Christian message. Three words that say so much:
Jesus is alive, no longer dead! The One whose life and deeds and words blessed so many. Death stopped His living, but He is alive. Now His love, His deeds may continue.
He is living! Death steals our loved ones from us. We were made to love and live, but death interrupts our relationships. Now, if they could only find Him, they could resume their precious friendship.
He is alive! If He is, everything He said must be true! It must be true!
He is alive! He is Who He said He was, then: Son of God, Savior, King of all!
Pastor Michael Brownfield
They have not slept much again, this second night after Jesus' death.
When you are grieving deeply, you hardly sleep. Your heart and mind won't let you. If you are with others, you talk and weep. When you finally go to bed, you toss and turn and your mind won't shut down. Finally, sometime in the wee hours you fall into a fitful doze, but your heart wakes you again too soon.
Your first thought might be, "Why do I feel so terrible?" Then the reality hits again, like a bad dream--only this dream is real.
These women had not just lost a dear friend, one who had always been there for them, especially in their deepest need; they had seen Him beaten repeatedly. They had heard their trusted religious leaders cry out with the mob for His crucifixion (How could they?). They had watched in agony as Jesus allowed Himself to be flogged and then crucified, writhing in pain on the cross.
They were not just suffering loss; they had been traumatized to the depths of their souls. Hardly having slept, they were up early to do their last and loving service for their Friend--these women who had cared for His needs: washed His clothes, prepared His meals, whatever He needed (God bless all serving women--wives, mothers, church leaders and helpers).
Yes, they would care now for His needs one last time, by preparing His body for burial. What a sad, heart breaking chore.
Mark's list of the women is a little different from Matthew's--and Luke’s, "who investigated everything carefully" (Lk. 1:3). John only tells us about Mary Magdalene's experience. Who can blame these men for not remembering everything exactly, or the women either?
Interview witnesses of a traumatic crime or accident, and they will tell you their recollection; but each story may be different. The human mind under duress can't remember everything. The Bible is inspired, but inspiration is not dictation by God. Inspiring a writing, the Holy Spirit brings out a message. The details may be different, but God guides the message and the main points.
The main points of this story are the surprise, bewilderment, and fear of the women and disciples, contrasted with the truth of the Resurrection. Real, honest, gut-level story telling. The ring of truth.
The characters report their questions, their hesitation, their fears, and their joy. The ladies ask, "Who will roll the stone away?" It is very large and placed in a groove that slopes downward to prevent easy opening, even by strong men.
But the stone has been rolled away! And they see a young man dressed in white sitting on the right. They were alarmed, Mark reports. You go into an open tomb where there is supposed to be a deceased loved one and instead see a young man in white clothes. A tomb is a place of death, not life. Crashing thoughts! Violated expectations!
If I think my wife is one place in the house and she appears in another suddenly, I jump. She does too! A couple of weeks ago, I left the master bedroom for an adjoining room and returned momentarily. In that minute, my wife had come from another part of the house and entered the master bath which was dark. When I returned to the bedroom a minute later, "Someone" was moving in the dark master bath! My heart jumped, if not my body.
In our story, the angel is attuned to the women's emotions and soothes their fears, speaking words that orient and focus them: "You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here" (Mk.16:6).
Can you imagine their thoughts? Their bright hopes that Jesus was their Messiah had been crushed forever, one unjust sentence, one blow, one whip lash, one mocking scoff, one crucifixion nail, one agonizing breath at a time. And then, "My God, My God! Why have you forsaken Me?" And death.
They saw the spear thrust into Jesus' side and blood and plasma flow out. They were there, these women, when Joseph from Arimathea and Nicodemus took His mangled, bloody, limp body down. They had followed them to the tomb to see where He was laid and watched as the stone grated and ground down its channel to a thudding close. Yes, Jesus was dead. They would not see Him alive again--not in this lifetime. They would make many sad trips to His tomb, but see Him alive? It didn't even cross their minds.
"He has risen!" He has risen? How could that be? He was very dead, killed by certain means.
"Risen?"--Oh that would be wonderful! But He was so dead just last night!
"Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." (Mk. 16:8)
Do you ever wonder if Jesus really rose from the dead? This report does not sound like a lie. It has the emotional ring of truth, doesn't it? You live the story as you read it, it is so real.
"He has risen!" This is the joyful keynote of the Christian message. Three words that say so much:
Jesus is alive, no longer dead! The One whose life and deeds and words blessed so many. Death stopped His living, but He is alive. Now His love, His deeds may continue.
He is living! Death steals our loved ones from us. We were made to love and live, but death interrupts our relationships. Now, if they could only find Him, they could resume their precious friendship.
He is alive! If He is, everything He said must be true! It must be true!
He is alive! He is Who He said He was, then: Son of God, Savior, King of all!
Pastor Michael Brownfield
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