The Day the Grave Lost the Fight

On the darkest morning in history began a story of unimaginable joy. It began with tears, spices, and a sealed tomb. A few devout women walked toward death expecting silence from a sealed tomb. But what they found changed the world forever.

Mark 16 starts before sunrise. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome are walking toward Jesus’ tomb. Their minds are focused on practical and very human concerns. “And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” ~Mark 16:3. They anticipated obstacles. They anticipated death. They anticipated the story would end.

But God had already acted.

“When they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.” ~Mark 16:4. The obstacle they dreaded was already gone. The empty tomb speaks of a truth that flows from Genesis to Revelation: God finishes what man cannot finish. The women entered the tomb and found “a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in white” who “saith unto them” ~Mark 16:5. That young man gave the announcement that changed history:

“Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here” ~Mark 16:6.

Three sentences summarize the gospel: Jesus died on a cross. He was buried. And He rose again.

Jesus did not rise because of a mistake or accident. Jesus had told them this would happen weeks before. Jesus said, “The Son of man must suffer many things… and be killed, and after three days rise again” ~Mark 8:31. Because Christ arose, every word He spoke was true and every promise of God remains steadfast. Jesus defeated death. The grave could not hold Him. The Son of God walked out alive.

The angel tells the women something incredible. “But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee” ~Mark 16:7. Notice Peter gets mentioned by name. The same Peter who denied Jesus three times is not forgotten. Grace reaches down for Peter. The grace of the risen Christ will gather His scattered disciples again. That is the heart of the gospel: Christ does not simply conquer death. He calls sinners back to life.

Mark says that the women left the tomb trembling and astonished. “And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed” ~Mark 16:8. If you’ve ever heard about the resurrection you can understand that response. It’s not common news. Resurrection changes people. When confronted with the resurrection every person has to make a decision. If Jesus rose from the dead then He is Lord over life and death and eternity.

Later Jesus will appear to His disciples and rebuke them for their unbelief. “Afterward he appeared unto the eleven… and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen” ~Mark 16:14. Even they didn’t understand it at first. The resurrected Christ still does not leave us confused and fearful. Instead He commissions us.

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” ~Mark 16:15.

That command is for us as well. The resurrection is not information to analyze from the pew. Jesus calls us to proclaim the truth. Notice what comes next. The message will be clear: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” ~Mark 16:16. Notice the dividing line is faith. Christ is calling every person to put their faith in the gospel.

Mark concludes his Gospel by showing the disciples continued preaching after Jesus ascended. “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” ~Mark 16:19. Christ is exalted now. He rules. They preached everywhere, and Jesus worked miracles to confirm the message. “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them” ~Mark 16:20.

The resurrection is not the conclusion of the story. It is the foundation for the church’s mission. The power that raised Christ from the dead is still at work by the Spirit today. Paul later wrote “Christ died for our sins… he was buried… he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” ~1 Corinthians 15:3-4. Without the resurrection there is no gospel message. But because Christ lives our sins are forgiven, death has been defeated, and eternal life is available for all who believe.

What should the believer today receive from Mark 16? Let the empty tomb speak for Jesus. Fear doesn’t have the final word. Sin doesn’t have the final word. Death doesn’t have the final word. Jesus Christ does! The risen Savior sends His church into the world with the gospel calling sinners to repentance and faith.

The stone was rolled away long before the women arrived at the tomb. God had already acted on our behalf. And because Christ lives today He still calls sinners to see the empty tomb and believe.

What will you do with the King who walked out of death’s tomb? Tomorrow we will continue in Mark and dig deeper into this question.

Read / Listen

Numbers 16:41-18:32
Mark 16:1-20
Psalm 55:1-23
Proverbs 11:7

New Testament

Mark 16:1-20

Summary
The Resurrection
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples
The Great Commission

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Dr. J. Vernon McGee – Thru the Bible

Mark 16:1-4