A Blossom Bible Podcast
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A Blossom Bible Podcast
Mark 16:1-8 Dead Me Walking: Why Both the Cross and Resurrection Matter for Your Daily Life
Mark 16. And I thought I'd share this as not really an intro to the study, but just to me. I've been teaching for over 30 years. I've realized that this morning I did the math and yet, even amongst friends which is that, that's you guys even amongst friends, I still get nervous. And how do I know that? Because I have some of the craziest dreams between Saturday and Sunday. Sometimes I have dreams of guitars that won't stay in tune and notes that magically disappear, and I'm sure there's been a couple of them where I forgot to wear pants.
Speaker 1:But last night I was looking. I had a dream, I was looking for scripture. I got up here and I turned to where I think it is in the Bible and it does not exist. It's not there. My scripture is gone. It's like not in the Bible. And I started freaking out, you know, and like I would if that happened right now. I'd be like give me a second here. I got to get some glasses or something because it's not in here.
Speaker 1:You know, and it always causes me, those things always cause me to wake up and get right to studying, to wake up and realize that this, no matter how long I've been doing this, there's just, it's a spiritual thing. It's not something I can do in my own power. It's not. Even listening to God's word is not something we can do in ourselves. Listening to God's word is not something we can do in ourselves. And so, with that, let's pray again as we jump into Mark 16, if you would, god, we do realize that your word is a spiritual thing. God, you inspired those of old to write the things down that you wanted to be here in this book. But, god, even more than that, you want to work in our hearts. Nobody can work in the human heart. We can't even change our own hearts so many times. And yet, god, you want to do something. Even this morning, as we open up Mark 16, you want to do something in our hearts, special work for each one of us. So, god, I pray that your spirit would be in this time. God, you would help us to have soft hearts, to hear what you want us to hear, change what you want us to change, or just rest in what you want us to rest in. God, I pray that this would be a spiritual time as we get into your word. Thank you so much for being with us. Thank you for being faithful and good. In Jesus' name. We pray amen. All right, there we go, mark 16,. We're toward the end of the book.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you realize that this is the final chapter of Mark and we've already hit the cross and the resurrection is right in front of us Now. Every gospel account obviously includes the resurrection. Without the resurrection there is no gospel story, there is no good news. And so, as we jump into that, realize how important this passage is and this fact is. But let's read verses one through eight. Now, when the Sabbath was passed, mary Magdalene, mary, the mother of James, and Salome brought spices that they may come and anoint him. That's Jesus, his body.
Speaker 1:Very early in the morning on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen and they said among themselves who rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb for us? And they looked up and they saw that the stone had been rolled away, for it was very large. Then, entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe that would be an angel, sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. But he, the angel, said to them in true angel fashion do not be alarmed. You see Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. See the place where they have laid him, but go tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you. So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid. So it is the day after the Sabbath. The Sabbath had ended. Sabbath is Saturday and technically it ended the night before. We've seen in the Jewish reckoning of things, as the sun is going down, the next day is starting, but here the Sabbath is ended.
Speaker 1:Saturday has passed and these women were waiting to go to the tomb to continue to kind of prepare Jesus' body for burial. They brought spices and ointments, and it was really just in honor of him to keep the process of death from progressing as quickly, and so that was their intention. Now Jesus had been in the grave three days. Friday, around 3 pm, you'll remember, he breathed his last and they hurried to get him in the tomb before sunset and the sabbath. So he was in the tomb All day. Saturday, the Sabbath, he was in the tomb. Now, it's early Sunday morning and this qualifies as three days. So three days, and here three women traveled to the tomb to anoint Jesus. It's the same three women that were listed earlier in chapter 15, verse 40, mary Magdalene Mary we read here, the mother of James and Solomon and they come to anoint Jesus.
Speaker 1:We see that Now, as they come in verse three notice, they're struck with something they haven't thought about and I think this is important. They're struck with this idea oh, the tomb. There's this gigantic stone in front of the tomb. How are we going to move that stone? Now, tombs were, in this case, joseph's tomb was carved out of the rock. Joseph owned the tomb, jesus was in the tomb. It was carved out of a rock and this giant stone, probably weighing about two tons, this round stone, was rolled in front of the door as a way to keep things all tight and everything. And they realized this and they began to stress right, it's a good, you know, it's a good idea. Here they have, how are we going to get this? And they start brainstorming right, I'm sure, maybe we can get a crowbar Anyone got a crowbar, mary, you got your crowbar, you know. And they start thinking how in the world might have to get one of the disciples to come. How are we going to get into the tomb Now? Stop there for a second. Get into the tomb Now. Stop there for a second. Practical application.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of things in our life that we worry about that really doesn't do us any good. In fact, as we see here, things we worry about that never become a problem. They were worried about the stone. The stone had been rolled away, probably being rolled away at that very moment. Well, studies, really quick studies here have shown the average person spends about one and a half to two hours a day worrying about things. Men a little bit less women a little bit more on average, little bit less women a little bit more on average. But we have a lot of different things that we worry about and over seven in 70 years of life, that can amount to check this out. Four and a half to five years of worry, right, and we stress about things like finances, family issues, politics, weather. We stress about a lot of different things and it affects our health. Studies have said that. Check this out. I got a lot of information today this morning. 10 to 15 major health issues are related to stress or worry so it's a vicious cycle are worried, so it's a vicious cycle, and we're reminded here. There's a lot of things we worry about that never are really a problem in the end. Anyways, they spend time thinking about how are we going to figure this out, and then they get there and it's already figured out for them.
Speaker 1:I want to read just a few verses from the Bible and just kind of let it be kind of some warm water over you, right To wash over you as I read it. Listen to these. I won't give the references, I'll just read them. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid nor be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? That's why I tell you don't worry about your everyday life, whether you have enough food or drink or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly father feeds them. Aren't you far more valuable than they are? What shall we say then to these things? If God is for us. Who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not, with him also, freely give us all things, cast all your cares on him, for he cares for you. So the bible is clear all the way from the beginning to the end.
Speaker 1:There's no point in worrying. God doesn't want us to stress he, he wants us to rest. It's kind of cool If you rearrange those letters, you can make those two words out the same letters, right, he wants us to rest in him. That's one of those things of life, I think. God just teaching us. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. And here they're worried and they're concerned. But look at verse four. But when they looked up, I think that's just great application. What do we need to do in worry? Look up, we look down, we look around, we look at all these different places, but a lot of times we forget to look up that God loves us and he wants to take care of us no matter what we go through in life. He'll be there.
Speaker 1:They looked up verse 4, and they saw the stone had been rolled away. It was very large and you know the story there in verse 5, as they look up, they see um, an angel. Here he's referred to as a young man and they're alarmed, right. And we look through this, what we read, and they're experiencing all sorts of crazy emotions. Right, they're alarmed, they're amazed, they're afraid. In verse 8, they're trembling, right. So all these different emotions are coming on these ladies. But the angel gives the angel greeting. Do not be alarmed. Yeah, right, you're an angel. We weren't expecting to see you there, don't be afraid. That's what angels always say Nice, try. But here he is. The stone is rolled away and he has this good news You're looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is risen. He's not here. See the place where they laid him, there in verse 6.
Speaker 1:Now, some would point out and it's worth looking at as we kind of pass by here that while Matthew and Mark say there was one angel, john and Luke mentioned two angels. So some would say this is a contradiction. Where there are two angels or one, the Bible can't get it straight. And this is an easy one to fix, right, because if there's two angels, then there's also one angel, right? Both are true, right? Maybe this one was the one with the message to say to the ladies. Maybe the other one just kind of sat there, maybe he rolled the stone away, I don't know. But the focus in Mark's gospel is on this one angel and it gives him that good news Now. Now, this is one of the most important Bible truths in all the Bible. Jesus is not dead, he's alive.
Speaker 1:Now we talk about the cross a lot right, in fact a little secret, here, even if it's not there. I tried to go to the cross once, a study, because the cross is where everything comes down right. Jesus takes our sin upon himself. Without the cross there would be no forgiveness, there would be no hope for us. If Jesus didn't die, we'd be stuck trying to earn our way to salvation in heaven, and it can't be done because we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3, 23. So we'd be doomed without the cross. If Jesus hadn't come and died on the cross, we'd be doomed. He took our sin, all of our failures, upon himself, all of our actions and our thoughts. Jesus paid the price 2 Corinthians 5.21,. He became sin for us there on that cross, and it's beautiful. Without the cross we'd be doomed, but without the resurrection we'd be equally lost. Now think about this. We'd be equally lost.
Speaker 1:Paul makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 5, 16. It's going to always turn there. 1 Corinthians 5, 16. He says this for if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen, and if Christ is not risen, our faith is futile and you are still in your sins. So if Jesus didn't rise from the dead, we would still be lost in our sins. The resurrection is necessary for salvation and check it out.
Speaker 1:Both the cross and the resurrection are essential for the Christian life, for the real Christian life. What do I mean? Come back Galatians 2.20,. Paul says I have been crucified with Christ. So what happens at the cross?
Speaker 1:We've talked about it, but that old person that we used to be, the old person lost in sin, the way that we acted, the way that we thought, the way that we acted, the way that we thought it was crucified with Jesus on the cross. Now the old me is dead. If I'm a believer, I've come to the cross. I said you died for me. That's essentially me there, the old person that I was dying on the cross. Here's the problem that I find I'm always bringing back that dead me right, as a Christian, we struggle with the cross. Here's the problem that I find I'm always bringing back that dead me. Right, and as a Christian, we struggle with the flesh, we struggle with the things that we used to do and the ways and the attitudes that we used to have. It's just part of being human, right.
Speaker 1:But there is a point where sometimes we need to look at our life and what our life is all about and ask ourselves have we really been crucified with him on the cross? Because it's so easy just to like come forward and say a prayer. It's so easy to just say, well, I'm a Christian. But then we look at our life and it's no different, right, I believe in God. James says even the demons believe in God and they tremble. So it's not just about saying something or believing something, it's a changed life, it's a package deal. So if we look at our life, we go. I'm really no different than I was before I came to Christ.
Speaker 1:That's a hard part about growing up in the church. For me it was a hard part. That's a hard part about growing up in the church. For me, it was a hard part Because what does my old life look like? Right, I'm a good guy, I go to church and I do churchy things and everything, but to realize that there's this line in the sand where we say I don't want to be that person anymore. We come to the cross, we see Jesus dying and we realize I'm essentially up there with him, who I was, the attitudes that I have, I don't want to be that anymore. That's repentance. It's this idea of going the opposite direction and it's important. Now we'll struggle with that. Again, like I said, don't think you're going to be perfect once you do that. You're going to struggle with it, but you won't like it right and you won't live that way. You can't live that way because it's not who you are. So the cross is important to the Christian life, that we relate to Jesus in his death. I've been crucified with Christ. But here's the other amazing part we're also relating to Jesus in his resurrection, and that's the new life that God has for us.
Speaker 1:Let's turn to Romans 6. We go here often, I know, but it's so just straightforward and perfect, I think. Romans 6, 1. Romans 6, 1. And in Romans 6, paul's going to use the idea of baptism to show what the Christian life is like. Notice verse 1. What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin? That grace may abound? Certainly not. How shall we who've died to sin live any longer in it?
Speaker 1:Now stop there for a second. I love baptisms right Now. Baptism doesn't save you, but it's a good show of what's going on in your heart. Now check it out. I love to be a part of that. It's such an honor to be a part of it where someone comes down and God's done a work in their heart and I'll always flash back to my times at camp, where I'll get down there's some little junior hire or something you know. Get down and I'll say why do you want to be baptized? Because God's just so good. That's neat, and I would explain.
Speaker 1:We're going to go under the water. Under the water is a picture of Jesus' death and you were crucified with him. So we're going to go under the water and you're going to say I don't want to be who I used to be. I want to be different. I don't want to live like I used to live, just ruled by sin. I want to be different. You go under the water, but don't worry, I'll bring you up out of the water. Right, I would never leave you down there long. It'll be easy Now you come out of the water and notice what happens here.
Speaker 1:Look at verse four. Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism, into death. That, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. So it's the whole package deal, right, crucified with Christ, but raised to a new life. And God says here, it is a brand new existence. Who? I was dead and gone, but a new creation in Christ. That's amazing Good news, isn't it? For those of us that have made plenty of mistakes in our life and continue to make plenty of mistakes sometimes, you know, we look back and we go. I'm not that person anymore, all the guilt that goes with it. I don't have to carry All the frustration it's. You know, I run to Jesus in this and he says here's a new life, a brand new existence. We're a new creation in Christ, and that's the truth of the resurrection. We're meant to live like him, to walk like him, even look like him in some ways. Right, that's why they were called Christians. Little Christ, you're just a little carbon copy of that teacher. Jesus, you're a Christian. And the Christians would say all right, it's working. You know what I mean, and that's what we are newness of life with him. If both hadn't happened the death and the resurrection we'd be lost and incomplete. Now Consider this the resurrection is a well-proven fact, more evidence than a lot of historical facts. Right, the empty tomb proves it.
Speaker 1:Now, if you remember, we talked about the hard-hearted religious leaders. They got afraid around Saturday, there on the Sabbath, and they said Pilate, you've got to give us a guard there on the Sabbath. And they said Pilate, you've got to give us a guard, you've got to seal up that tomb, give us a guard and make sure that his disciples don't come and steal the body. Because you'll remember, they said that deceiver said before he went to the cross that he would die and he would rise again in three days. Crazy that they understood that right. And so they say Pilate, give us a guard. And so a guard was set. Now Jesus rose. The guards passed out. It's no fault of their own, it's kind of rough when you see a couple angels there. But Jesus then rose again, came out of the tomb. The tomb was empty.
Speaker 1:Now they still put that same argument out there. The religious leader said we'll just tell him that his disciples stole the body, which is a crazy thought. Right, because they had posted a Roman guard in front of the tomb. Here's the disciples the night before. You know they're in the garden, you know they couldn't even use a sword successfully, you know, no less. You know, fight off a Roman guard. But his disciples would never have been able to do that. No guard would let them do that because it would have meant their death. So the disciples coming and stealing the body, that wouldn't have made sense.
Speaker 1:Some say and we won't get into all the ideas but some say Jesus just sort of passed out, he never really died, just sort of passed out. He never really died. And in the cool of the tomb, you know, he revived, pushed the stone aside after being beat up and crucified and spear stuck in his side, pushed the stone aside, fought off the Roman guard, stumbled into the wilderness and died. That's actually a theory that's put out there it's known as the swoon theory Doesn't make sense. No Roman guard would allow that. No crucified Jesus would be able to fight off that Roman guard.
Speaker 1:And yet these ideas are put out there and yet the tomb is empty. Well, maybe they came to the wrong tomb and that's really why Mark lets us know that they saw where the tomb was there at the end of 15, that they saw where the tomb was. It was Joseph's tomb and the religious leaders had put a seal on it. It would be so easy to point out well, here's the right tomb. Let me show you. Jesus is here. He's still dead, and yet the tomb is empty. And that is the most wonderful truth of all, because it means that Jesus really did rise from the dead.
Speaker 1:Paul says this about that proof in 1 Corinthians 15, 3 through 6. I delivered to you first of all that which I received, that Christ died for our sins, according to scriptures, that he was buried and he rose again on the third day. This is 1 Corinthians 15, verse 4, right now. And he was seen by Cephas, that's Peter, then by the twelve After that he was seen by over 500 brethren at once. So Paul here says not only was the tomb empty, but people saw him. Right, those women saw him. Peter and John you know Peter there saw him. And then Jesus just appeared to them over the next like 40 days, appeared to them at random times. Right, there's the two walking on the road to Emmaus. There's the disciples who are freaked out and sitting in the room and Jesus appears in the midst of them and says don't be afraid, it's me. And then he appears a little later to Thomas, who wasn't there, but he appears to him, and Paul here says that over 500 people at once saw Jesus alive. Quite an amazing proof here that could have been debated.
Speaker 1:And yet check this out. All of the disciples, minus John, who made it through a lot of persecution, but all of the disciples died martyrs. They died for this one fact that Jesus wasn't dead. He was alive. Why would they do that? Because they actually believed it, they knew it was true, they couldn't deny it.
Speaker 1:And that's great news for us, because the resurrection tells us we can get new life in Christ. We don't have to live the way we lived in the past. We don't have to be under sin. We're a new creation. The old has passed away. All things become new.
Speaker 1:But here's the thing. All of that is true, but we have to come to the cross. We can't just say it, we can't just think nice thoughts. We have to come to the cross. It's just us and God, and understand. I don't want to be who I used to be. I don't want to live like I used to live. The keys to my life they're yours. You come to the cross and you go. I died, I got no rights, and in that, our sin is taken care of, our flesh is being dealt with every day, and then we're offered this new life, man. That's good New life, fresh life in Christ, not who we used to be, but who God wants us to be. And that's the Christian life. But you have to take it personally. I think it starts in your heart. You believe in your heart, you confess with your mouth. There's a change of life on the outside, but it's a free gift that God gives and offers each one of us a package deal new life in Christ.
Speaker 1:So, god, I know I could talk about this all day long, and yet that's not the point. The point is that we understand that we're lost without you, god. The point is that we don't want to live the way we used to live. We don't want to live for ourselves, but we want to live for you, god, to really receive what you've done for us and to really realize that you're our Savior. But you also want to be our Lord, and that is so important. God, I just ask that each one of us would know that in our hearts what that means and that we've done it, god, in that that we would also rest in this newness of life, god, that where we were selfish, maybe before, you want to help us to sacrifice the same way you did. You want us to love others when we used to take advantage of others. God, I just pray that you would help this work to happen in each one of our hearts, that we would know you in a personal way. In Jesus' name, we pray.