Scripture Focus (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.”
I. The Devoted Journey (Mark 16:1-3)
A. Driven by love (Mark 16:1-2) – “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.”
B. Anxious with uncertainties (Mark 16:3) – “And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
The stone can represent all of the questions we have and obstacles we face as we follow Jesus in love & devotion
II. The Shocking Revelation (Mark 16:4-6)
A. God rules over what we worry over (Mark 16:4) – “And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.”
B. Heaven expects us to submit our emotions (Mark 16:5-6a) – “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…”
C. There is victory to be found in every testing (Mark 16:6b) – “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
God clears the way when we can’t. The empty tomb proves Jesus’ power over death and despair.
Resurrection means God can revive what feels lost—relationships, dreams, hope.
III. The Trembling Mission (Mark 16:7-8)
A. Everyone needs to hear (Mark 16:7) – “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.”
B. Consider the reasonable call to awe (Mark 16:8a) – “And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them…”
C. Proper words & proper timing are needed (Mark 16:8b) – “…and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”
A. Negative application – they were told to release resurrection testimony and were initially silent
B. Positively applied – they were so spiritually overwhelmed by the good news that they had no words