Through Christ's resurrection we are raised to newness of life
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series V, Cycle B
Theme For The Day: Through Christ's resurrection we are raised to newness of life.
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Acts 10:34--43 (C, RC, E)
Peter witnesses to the Roman officer Cornelius and his household concerning Jesus' earthly ministry, his crucifixion and especially his resurrection. Luke, the author of Acts, points to the Holy Spirit as the source of Jesus' power. The disciples of Jesus, those who communed with Christ, are witnesses to the resurrection. They are to proclaim that Jesus is the judge of the living and the dead. Those who believe in the risen Christ receive forgiveness in Christ's name.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:1--11 (C)
Against a background where some Christians were beginning to question the reality of the resurrection, Paul restates the essentials of the gospel, that which was of greatest importance, that is, Christ's sacrificial death, burial and resurrection. Paul claims that Jesus first appeared to Peter, then to the twelve (actually eleven), then to some 500 believers. This differs from the gospel accounts, where Christ first appeared to some women (the Marys). Why the women are not mentioned we do not know. We do know that Paul's narrative is the first written account of the resurrection appearances. The last appearance of the risen Christ was to the apostle himself (a reference to Paul's conversion experience).
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:1--4 (RC, E)
Paul argues that since believers have died (through repentance, faith and baptism) and have also been raised to newness of life in him, they should set their hearts and minds on the things above (spiritual things) and not the affairs of this earth.
Gospel: John 20:1--18 (C); John 20:1--9 (RC)
Mary Magdalene goes to Jesus' tomb early Sunday morning and notices that the stone at the entrance of the grave was pushed back. She runs to Peter with the news. Peter and John run to the tomb, go inside and find it empty. They return home perplexed as to what has happened. Mary lingers behind outside the tomb, weeping. A man appears whom she believes to be the gardener. She asks if he has moved the body. Then the man speaks and Mary recognizes Jesus' voice. Apparently, Mary reaches out for Jesus but Jesus instructs her not to hold him back, for he is soon to ascend to his Father. The Lord sends her as witness to the other disciples.
Gospel: Mark 16:1--8 (C, E)
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bring spices to anoint the Lord's body for burial, after the Sabbath has past. On the way to the tomb they are trying to figure out whom they might get to roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. On arriving, they discover that the obstacle is removed. They enter the tomb where they encounter an angel. They are filled with fear and awe but the angel attempts to quiet their fears. He then announces that they won't find Jesus here. He is risen from the dead. He orders the women to tell the news to the apostles and to Peter. Peter is specifically mentioned not only because he was the chief leader among the disciples but as a sign of God's grace to the man who denied, in the courtyard of Caiaphas, that he even knew Jesus. The women flee the tomb in fear and astonishment.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 118:1--2, 14--24 (C); Psalm 118:14--24 (E) - "I will not die but live, and proclaim what the Lord has done" (v. 17).
Psalm 117 (RC)
Prayer Of The Day
Living Christ, don't permit our celebration of your resurrection to become commonplace. As you amazed the first witnesses of your resurrection, so too fill us with awe and wonder as we confront your living presence in our daily lives. In Your name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Acts 10:34--43
No favorites with God (v. 34). Peter's encounter with Cornelius showed Peter that God loves all people and listens to the prayers of all who seek to do his will. Formerly, he thought that Jesus was only for the Jews. The Holy Spirit revealed that the Lord wants all people to be in his family.
Good news of peace (v. 36). The gospel of Christ shows us how we might have peace with God and with one another. God's plan was to effect peace through the death of his Chosen One. This very day a radical Islamic terrorist detonated a bomb on a crowded bus in the city of Jerusalem. He killed himself and five other passengers, while the blast injured many others. The intent of the organization he represented (Hamas) is to derail the peace plan between the Palestinians and the Jews. The terrorist brought increased division and hostility through his death, the opposite of what God accomplished through the cross of Christ.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:1--11
Here we stand (v. 1). Paul reveals that the good news of Christ's death and resurrection provides the foundation on which we stand. We must also take our stand on the gospel, as Martin Luther did almost 500 years ago. Otherwise, we are sure to fall down and away from the Lord.
Of first importance (v. 3). We sometimes get caught up in non--essential matters in the church (like the color of the narthex carpet) and we lose sight of that which is foundational to our faith, namely, Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection. If only we would get our priorities right and keep them before our face.
Pass it on (v. 3). Paul reminds the Corinthians that he merely passed on the facts of faith concerning Christ's death and resurrection which he had first received from others. All of us have received the good news of Christ from others. We are all called to pass it on. Christianity remains one generation away from extinction if we do not pass it on.
Gospel: John 20:1--18
Jesus misplaced. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb to find the grave open and empty. She thought that someone had moved the body; perhaps the gardener knew where it was. When the angels asked why she was weeping, she responded: "They have taken my Lord away, and I don't know where they have laid him" (v. 13). I wonder how many of us have misplaced Jesus? Well, he was right here when I left him five years ago. I've been too busy to keep in contact. Can anybody inform me as to Jesus' whereabouts?
A living Christ in place of a corpse. Of course, Mary Magdalene didn't misplace Jesus, nor did anyone else. God raised Jesus from the grave. Our God is not in a grave; our God is on the move! Unless you stay close to the Lord, you lose track of him.
Why are you crying? (vv. 13, 15) Both the angels and Jesus inquire of Mary as to why she is crying. It should be obvious. Isn't crying a natural part of the grief process? Nevertheless, it's good to examine why we are weeping. Are we weeping because the life of one whom we loved was taken before his time? Or, are we weeping because we know that life will now be more difficult for us? Perhaps our tears are brought on by the realization of our own death. Whatever the cause, crying seems out of place in the presence of the risen Lord.
Gospel: Mark 16:1--8
Why does the tomb have such a heavy door? On the way to the tomb, the two Marys were discussing how they might open the heavy door to the grave (v. 3). But why did the tomb have such a heavy door? And why do we bury corpses under six feet of dirt and place a large stone thereon? Is it the fear that someone will go into the grave? No, the fear is that the dead will leave their burial site. The object is to keep the dead separated from the living. No tomb could closet the risen Christ! No door could keep him in the netherworld of dark shadows.
When we look up, things happen (v. 4). As the women slinked their way to the tomb with downcast demeanor, they pondered how they might remove a major obstacle in their path (the dense stone door to the tomb). But when they looked up, behold, the obstacle was no longer there. So it is for us. When we look up to the living Lord, we observe that the obstacle has vanished and our way stretches endlessly before us.
He is going ahead of us (v. 7). The angels announced that Jesus was going ahead of them to Galilee, where they would see him. They would see their Lord again in the old familiar places. Since Christ was the first to rise from the grave, he always goes ahead of us. The risen Lord is always a step or two ahead of us, as he should be.
SERMON APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Acts 10:34--43
Sermon Title: All In The Family
Sermon Angle: Peter's encounter with Cornelius, a Roman officer, transformed his thinking; he now realized that the Lord wanted all people to be saved (v. 34). God opens the family door to all who sincerely seek to know him and do his will. Human distinctions do not matter; we're one in Christ. We're all in the family.
Outline:
1. Peter and the twelve had thought that the kingdom was only for Hebrews.
2. The resurrection revealed that the kingdom was transnational - for all believers.
3. Our mission is to show all people how they might all be part of God's family.
__________
Archie Bunker of All In The Family fame inhabited a very small world. Only people like himself were completely acceptable. Minorities were like aliens, women had to be kept in their place, and all whose political views varied from his own were communists. He treated his wife, daughter and son--in--law (his family) with disdain. Edith, Archie's wife, on the other hand, unselfishly served the needs of her family and sought to reconcile their differences. They were all different, but they were all in her family and they were all loved.
__________
Sermon Title: Dining With The Risen Lord
Sermon Angle: Peter states that he and the other disciples ate and drank with Jesus after he rose from the dead (v. 41). What a privilege that must have been! Yet we too are his disciples and Christ has accorded us the same privilege of dining with him. We call it Eucharist, the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion. Whatever we call it, dining with Christ is the greatest of privileges, for the One who is appointed judge of all (v. 42) bestows his forgiveness and his presence. It is just a foretaste of the feast to come.
Outline:
1. The risen Christ revealed himself to his disciples in eating and drinking.
2. By his presence he forgave them, empowered them and commissioned them to preach the good news (vv. 42--43).
3. We too are forgiven, empowered and sent out to witness.
4. Our feast is but a foretaste of the feast to come.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:1--11
Sermon Title: Hold Tight
Sermon Angle: Have you ever observed passengers on the back of motorcycles? They are holding tight to the driver in front or to the seat. Should they lose their grip, they might fall off and never get where they are going. Something far worse could also happen; they could lose their life! Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gospel which he has preached to them and which they have received. Unless they hold firmly to it, they might fall from the faith and never reach their eternal destination.
Outline:
1. We are saved through the gospel into which we were baptized if we hold firmly to it in faith (v. 2).
2. If we stop believing in the risen Christ, our former faith will have been in vain.
3. As you travel with Jesus through life, hold tight to him and the gospel. (Suggest some ways of holding tight - worship, prayer, bible study and so forth.)
Sermon Title: Priority Preaching
Sermon Angle: We have priority mail, which means that it is supposed to receive special handling so that it reaches its destination before the other mail. Paul claims that the news of Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection is a priority in preaching (v. 3).
Gospel: John 20:1--18
Sermon Title: The Resurrection Run
Sermon Angle: When Mary observed the open tomb on the first Easter, she was so frightened that she ran to tell Peter. Hearing the report, both Peter and John ran as fast as they could to the Lord's grave. Most of us are also running, running for our lives. Only we're trying to run away from the grave, not to it. We're running as fast as we can to enjoy all that this world has to offer, to garner every trophy available to us. But like a nightmare, no matter how hard and fast we run, the mighty winds of mortality keep pushing us back ever closer to the grave. Christ's resurrection has changed all that. We don't have to be afraid of death. We don't need to flee from the grave because it is merely an open door to eternal life.
Sermon Title: Don't Hold Back The Dawn
Sermon Angle: When Mary finally realized that Jesus was raised to life, standing beside her, she reached out to Jesus in joy as she cried "Rabboni!" Jesus told her to not hold him back (v. 17). Mary probably thought that things would be like they had been. Not so! God was doing something new! Instead of returning to the old days, Mary was to tell his disciples of a the dawning of a new day. It was her mission to lead others into the light of that new day. That remains our mission as well.
Outline:
1. Mary came to the tomb just before the dawn of a new day.
2. She was still mourning the good old days.
3. Jesus appeared to her and she wanted to hold on to him.
- Mary thought that resurrection meant returning to the old days.
- Jesus informs her that a new day has dawned.
- Her mission was to announce the dawning of the new day.
4. Our mission consists of proclaiming a new day which God is ushering in through Christ's resurrection.
Gospel: Mark 16:1--8
Sermon Title: Left Standing On The Resurrection
Sermon Angle: Mark's resurrection account leaves us in the lurch. The risen Christ makes no appearance. Instead, the women come to the tomb and find the stone rolled back. Upon entering, the two Marys are scared out of their wits by the presence of an angel sitting where the body had lain. The angel attempts to soothe their fears, telling them that Jesus has risen. They are commanded to tell Peter and the other disciples that Jesus will meet them in Galilee. This account leaves us standing on the proclamation of Jesus' resurrection. As the women leave the tomb, they are filled with fear and terror. Like the women, we are left standing on news that Jesus has defeated death and that he will appear to us in the familiar places of our lives (v. 7).
Outline:
1. The other gospels recount appearances of the risen Christ.
2. Mark's gospel leaves us standing on nothing but the empty tomb and the proclamation that Jesus is risen.
3. The proclamation of the resurrection is the only place we have to stand.
4. The risen Christ promises to meet us where we live.
Sermon Title: The Resurrection Turns Our World Topsy--Turvy
Sermon Angle: The two women leave the tomb trembling and bewildered (v. 8). You would think that the good news of the Lord's resurrection would fill them with joy. But the empty tomb and the announcement of the resurrection changed everything, the way they looked at life and death. Change of any sort is upsetting to many people. Life means change and transformation and eternal life opens up a whole new dimension of being beyond the earthly. The resurrection of Christ turns our world topsy--turvy because now we have to render an accounting of our lives, now we have to become new creatures in Christ.
__________
A young police officer pulls a van over on a routine traffic stop. He's a rookie; he has only been on the Omaha Police Force for a year, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He's engaged to be married and for him life stretches to the distant horizon. He is young, strong, and committed to making his community a safer place. Before he can exit his car, several shots ring out and he slumps into a fatal swoon. Three life--hating thugs race away in a brown van. The officer is rushed to the emergency room but all they can do is preserve his organs for harvesting. This story presents us with another example of a person who gets up in the morning with every expectation of confronting life but instead is ambushed by death. Mark's tale of the resurrection of Christ describes the experiences of two women who go to a graveyard, expecting to encounter death, but instead are suddenly face to face with life. It was such a shock that their initial reaction was to run away in terror. Are we like them? Death we can deal with; we've encountered it before, but life, eternal life, scares us silly!
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Acts 10:34--43 (C, RC, E)
Peter witnesses to the Roman officer Cornelius and his household concerning Jesus' earthly ministry, his crucifixion and especially his resurrection. Luke, the author of Acts, points to the Holy Spirit as the source of Jesus' power. The disciples of Jesus, those who communed with Christ, are witnesses to the resurrection. They are to proclaim that Jesus is the judge of the living and the dead. Those who believe in the risen Christ receive forgiveness in Christ's name.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:1--11 (C)
Against a background where some Christians were beginning to question the reality of the resurrection, Paul restates the essentials of the gospel, that which was of greatest importance, that is, Christ's sacrificial death, burial and resurrection. Paul claims that Jesus first appeared to Peter, then to the twelve (actually eleven), then to some 500 believers. This differs from the gospel accounts, where Christ first appeared to some women (the Marys). Why the women are not mentioned we do not know. We do know that Paul's narrative is the first written account of the resurrection appearances. The last appearance of the risen Christ was to the apostle himself (a reference to Paul's conversion experience).
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:1--4 (RC, E)
Paul argues that since believers have died (through repentance, faith and baptism) and have also been raised to newness of life in him, they should set their hearts and minds on the things above (spiritual things) and not the affairs of this earth.
Gospel: John 20:1--18 (C); John 20:1--9 (RC)
Mary Magdalene goes to Jesus' tomb early Sunday morning and notices that the stone at the entrance of the grave was pushed back. She runs to Peter with the news. Peter and John run to the tomb, go inside and find it empty. They return home perplexed as to what has happened. Mary lingers behind outside the tomb, weeping. A man appears whom she believes to be the gardener. She asks if he has moved the body. Then the man speaks and Mary recognizes Jesus' voice. Apparently, Mary reaches out for Jesus but Jesus instructs her not to hold him back, for he is soon to ascend to his Father. The Lord sends her as witness to the other disciples.
Gospel: Mark 16:1--8 (C, E)
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bring spices to anoint the Lord's body for burial, after the Sabbath has past. On the way to the tomb they are trying to figure out whom they might get to roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. On arriving, they discover that the obstacle is removed. They enter the tomb where they encounter an angel. They are filled with fear and awe but the angel attempts to quiet their fears. He then announces that they won't find Jesus here. He is risen from the dead. He orders the women to tell the news to the apostles and to Peter. Peter is specifically mentioned not only because he was the chief leader among the disciples but as a sign of God's grace to the man who denied, in the courtyard of Caiaphas, that he even knew Jesus. The women flee the tomb in fear and astonishment.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 118:1--2, 14--24 (C); Psalm 118:14--24 (E) - "I will not die but live, and proclaim what the Lord has done" (v. 17).
Psalm 117 (RC)
Prayer Of The Day
Living Christ, don't permit our celebration of your resurrection to become commonplace. As you amazed the first witnesses of your resurrection, so too fill us with awe and wonder as we confront your living presence in our daily lives. In Your name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Acts 10:34--43
No favorites with God (v. 34). Peter's encounter with Cornelius showed Peter that God loves all people and listens to the prayers of all who seek to do his will. Formerly, he thought that Jesus was only for the Jews. The Holy Spirit revealed that the Lord wants all people to be in his family.
Good news of peace (v. 36). The gospel of Christ shows us how we might have peace with God and with one another. God's plan was to effect peace through the death of his Chosen One. This very day a radical Islamic terrorist detonated a bomb on a crowded bus in the city of Jerusalem. He killed himself and five other passengers, while the blast injured many others. The intent of the organization he represented (Hamas) is to derail the peace plan between the Palestinians and the Jews. The terrorist brought increased division and hostility through his death, the opposite of what God accomplished through the cross of Christ.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:1--11
Here we stand (v. 1). Paul reveals that the good news of Christ's death and resurrection provides the foundation on which we stand. We must also take our stand on the gospel, as Martin Luther did almost 500 years ago. Otherwise, we are sure to fall down and away from the Lord.
Of first importance (v. 3). We sometimes get caught up in non--essential matters in the church (like the color of the narthex carpet) and we lose sight of that which is foundational to our faith, namely, Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection. If only we would get our priorities right and keep them before our face.
Pass it on (v. 3). Paul reminds the Corinthians that he merely passed on the facts of faith concerning Christ's death and resurrection which he had first received from others. All of us have received the good news of Christ from others. We are all called to pass it on. Christianity remains one generation away from extinction if we do not pass it on.
Gospel: John 20:1--18
Jesus misplaced. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb to find the grave open and empty. She thought that someone had moved the body; perhaps the gardener knew where it was. When the angels asked why she was weeping, she responded: "They have taken my Lord away, and I don't know where they have laid him" (v. 13). I wonder how many of us have misplaced Jesus? Well, he was right here when I left him five years ago. I've been too busy to keep in contact. Can anybody inform me as to Jesus' whereabouts?
A living Christ in place of a corpse. Of course, Mary Magdalene didn't misplace Jesus, nor did anyone else. God raised Jesus from the grave. Our God is not in a grave; our God is on the move! Unless you stay close to the Lord, you lose track of him.
Why are you crying? (vv. 13, 15) Both the angels and Jesus inquire of Mary as to why she is crying. It should be obvious. Isn't crying a natural part of the grief process? Nevertheless, it's good to examine why we are weeping. Are we weeping because the life of one whom we loved was taken before his time? Or, are we weeping because we know that life will now be more difficult for us? Perhaps our tears are brought on by the realization of our own death. Whatever the cause, crying seems out of place in the presence of the risen Lord.
Gospel: Mark 16:1--8
Why does the tomb have such a heavy door? On the way to the tomb, the two Marys were discussing how they might open the heavy door to the grave (v. 3). But why did the tomb have such a heavy door? And why do we bury corpses under six feet of dirt and place a large stone thereon? Is it the fear that someone will go into the grave? No, the fear is that the dead will leave their burial site. The object is to keep the dead separated from the living. No tomb could closet the risen Christ! No door could keep him in the netherworld of dark shadows.
When we look up, things happen (v. 4). As the women slinked their way to the tomb with downcast demeanor, they pondered how they might remove a major obstacle in their path (the dense stone door to the tomb). But when they looked up, behold, the obstacle was no longer there. So it is for us. When we look up to the living Lord, we observe that the obstacle has vanished and our way stretches endlessly before us.
He is going ahead of us (v. 7). The angels announced that Jesus was going ahead of them to Galilee, where they would see him. They would see their Lord again in the old familiar places. Since Christ was the first to rise from the grave, he always goes ahead of us. The risen Lord is always a step or two ahead of us, as he should be.
SERMON APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Acts 10:34--43
Sermon Title: All In The Family
Sermon Angle: Peter's encounter with Cornelius, a Roman officer, transformed his thinking; he now realized that the Lord wanted all people to be saved (v. 34). God opens the family door to all who sincerely seek to know him and do his will. Human distinctions do not matter; we're one in Christ. We're all in the family.
Outline:
1. Peter and the twelve had thought that the kingdom was only for Hebrews.
2. The resurrection revealed that the kingdom was transnational - for all believers.
3. Our mission is to show all people how they might all be part of God's family.
__________
Archie Bunker of All In The Family fame inhabited a very small world. Only people like himself were completely acceptable. Minorities were like aliens, women had to be kept in their place, and all whose political views varied from his own were communists. He treated his wife, daughter and son--in--law (his family) with disdain. Edith, Archie's wife, on the other hand, unselfishly served the needs of her family and sought to reconcile their differences. They were all different, but they were all in her family and they were all loved.
__________
Sermon Title: Dining With The Risen Lord
Sermon Angle: Peter states that he and the other disciples ate and drank with Jesus after he rose from the dead (v. 41). What a privilege that must have been! Yet we too are his disciples and Christ has accorded us the same privilege of dining with him. We call it Eucharist, the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion. Whatever we call it, dining with Christ is the greatest of privileges, for the One who is appointed judge of all (v. 42) bestows his forgiveness and his presence. It is just a foretaste of the feast to come.
Outline:
1. The risen Christ revealed himself to his disciples in eating and drinking.
2. By his presence he forgave them, empowered them and commissioned them to preach the good news (vv. 42--43).
3. We too are forgiven, empowered and sent out to witness.
4. Our feast is but a foretaste of the feast to come.
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:1--11
Sermon Title: Hold Tight
Sermon Angle: Have you ever observed passengers on the back of motorcycles? They are holding tight to the driver in front or to the seat. Should they lose their grip, they might fall off and never get where they are going. Something far worse could also happen; they could lose their life! Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gospel which he has preached to them and which they have received. Unless they hold firmly to it, they might fall from the faith and never reach their eternal destination.
Outline:
1. We are saved through the gospel into which we were baptized if we hold firmly to it in faith (v. 2).
2. If we stop believing in the risen Christ, our former faith will have been in vain.
3. As you travel with Jesus through life, hold tight to him and the gospel. (Suggest some ways of holding tight - worship, prayer, bible study and so forth.)
Sermon Title: Priority Preaching
Sermon Angle: We have priority mail, which means that it is supposed to receive special handling so that it reaches its destination before the other mail. Paul claims that the news of Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection is a priority in preaching (v. 3).
Gospel: John 20:1--18
Sermon Title: The Resurrection Run
Sermon Angle: When Mary observed the open tomb on the first Easter, she was so frightened that she ran to tell Peter. Hearing the report, both Peter and John ran as fast as they could to the Lord's grave. Most of us are also running, running for our lives. Only we're trying to run away from the grave, not to it. We're running as fast as we can to enjoy all that this world has to offer, to garner every trophy available to us. But like a nightmare, no matter how hard and fast we run, the mighty winds of mortality keep pushing us back ever closer to the grave. Christ's resurrection has changed all that. We don't have to be afraid of death. We don't need to flee from the grave because it is merely an open door to eternal life.
Sermon Title: Don't Hold Back The Dawn
Sermon Angle: When Mary finally realized that Jesus was raised to life, standing beside her, she reached out to Jesus in joy as she cried "Rabboni!" Jesus told her to not hold him back (v. 17). Mary probably thought that things would be like they had been. Not so! God was doing something new! Instead of returning to the old days, Mary was to tell his disciples of a the dawning of a new day. It was her mission to lead others into the light of that new day. That remains our mission as well.
Outline:
1. Mary came to the tomb just before the dawn of a new day.
2. She was still mourning the good old days.
3. Jesus appeared to her and she wanted to hold on to him.
- Mary thought that resurrection meant returning to the old days.
- Jesus informs her that a new day has dawned.
- Her mission was to announce the dawning of the new day.
4. Our mission consists of proclaiming a new day which God is ushering in through Christ's resurrection.
Gospel: Mark 16:1--8
Sermon Title: Left Standing On The Resurrection
Sermon Angle: Mark's resurrection account leaves us in the lurch. The risen Christ makes no appearance. Instead, the women come to the tomb and find the stone rolled back. Upon entering, the two Marys are scared out of their wits by the presence of an angel sitting where the body had lain. The angel attempts to soothe their fears, telling them that Jesus has risen. They are commanded to tell Peter and the other disciples that Jesus will meet them in Galilee. This account leaves us standing on the proclamation of Jesus' resurrection. As the women leave the tomb, they are filled with fear and terror. Like the women, we are left standing on news that Jesus has defeated death and that he will appear to us in the familiar places of our lives (v. 7).
Outline:
1. The other gospels recount appearances of the risen Christ.
2. Mark's gospel leaves us standing on nothing but the empty tomb and the proclamation that Jesus is risen.
3. The proclamation of the resurrection is the only place we have to stand.
4. The risen Christ promises to meet us where we live.
Sermon Title: The Resurrection Turns Our World Topsy--Turvy
Sermon Angle: The two women leave the tomb trembling and bewildered (v. 8). You would think that the good news of the Lord's resurrection would fill them with joy. But the empty tomb and the announcement of the resurrection changed everything, the way they looked at life and death. Change of any sort is upsetting to many people. Life means change and transformation and eternal life opens up a whole new dimension of being beyond the earthly. The resurrection of Christ turns our world topsy--turvy because now we have to render an accounting of our lives, now we have to become new creatures in Christ.
__________
A young police officer pulls a van over on a routine traffic stop. He's a rookie; he has only been on the Omaha Police Force for a year, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He's engaged to be married and for him life stretches to the distant horizon. He is young, strong, and committed to making his community a safer place. Before he can exit his car, several shots ring out and he slumps into a fatal swoon. Three life--hating thugs race away in a brown van. The officer is rushed to the emergency room but all they can do is preserve his organs for harvesting. This story presents us with another example of a person who gets up in the morning with every expectation of confronting life but instead is ambushed by death. Mark's tale of the resurrection of Christ describes the experiences of two women who go to a graveyard, expecting to encounter death, but instead are suddenly face to face with life. It was such a shock that their initial reaction was to run away in terror. Are we like them? Death we can deal with; we've encountered it before, but life, eternal life, scares us silly!
