Mark Vol. 3 - Week 15 (16:1-8)
Mark 16:1-8
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Mark 16:1-8
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Mark 16:1-8 〰️ Mark 16:1-8 〰️
He has risen!
This is our final week in the Gospel of Mark. Some of the earliest manuscripts of John Mark's Gospel account include 16:9-20, but we are closing our time in v8. In all, we've spent 47 weeks in Mark, and that is no small feat for you as our leaders and our people as we approach God's Word each week. I hope our time over the last year has cultivated a deeperlove for Jesus in us and in our people, no matter when some of us jump in.
This week's passage is only eight verses, opening with the day following the Sabbath. Mary Magdalene and Mary, Jesus' mother, approach his tomb with the full expectation to find Him there, lifeless in the tomb. They came to anoint His body with spices as a way of honoring the dead, but as they approached, they discovered the stone covering the entrance to the tomb had been moved, and Jesus' body was missing.
A common argument is that Jesus' followers robbed His grave, stole His body, and claimed that He rose from the dead. It's a compelling argument for about 5 seconds until we analyze the historical events that followed. Dozens of people who knew Jesus first-hand would forfeit their lives, living and-- eventually-- dying to spread the news of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. Ignoring hindsight for a moment, we think of the cultural implications of Jesus' death for those who followed Him. Your Rabbi is publically executed on a cross, the highest and most shameful form of execution in human history. Culturally, if Jesus didn't resurrect, it was social suicide to double down on this and lie. It was far more painless (and probably so easy) to just pretend the whole thing never happened. The social cost for many was little for those who followed Jesus and witnessed or heard of His death. But no; those closest to Him had first-hand encounters with Him afterHis death and resurrection and subsequently gave their lives to spread the news. No belief system or movement in human history has ever had such a widespread impact with an executed criminal as the central focus. The difference is that we follow, serve, and obey the One who rose from the dead.
So, as we enter into discussion to close out the Gospel of Mark, we'll have some more broad and open-ended questions that can get to the core of what we believe. What comes to mind when we think of the resurrection? What does Jesus' return from death ask of us? If He did come back from the dead, the cost of my sin, then surely He is deserving of my whole life. We're not looking for anything in particular, but it can be so easy for us to breeze by the "Jesus died for my sins" and all and forget to stand in awe of what exactly He did for us. I deserve to be punished for my sins. Every time I lied, cheated, or used my book in a closed-book exam, I betrayed my Creator, but He gave Himself so that my tab would be paid and I could be made right with Him. Let's not easily forget that our Lord came to us to redeem us.
Discussion Questions
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does anything in this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
MarkWhat's the first thing that comes to mind about Easter in general? What about the Resurrection story?
How would you explain Jesus' resurrection to someone who had never heard it?
If Jesus didn't resurrect, what would be different for us today?
If Jesus really did rise from the dead, what does that demand of us?
How does Jesus' death and resurrection impact our faith and belief?