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Easter Sunday
Jesus’ Victory Over Death
March 23, 2008
TEXT: NKJ Mark 16:1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the
mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb
when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away
the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" 4 But when they looked up, they saw
that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.
These women would have normally tended to the body of our Lord the day He
died—but because of the Passover—they had to wait—Jesus died at 3 o’clock in the
afternoon—the ninth hour in the time of their day—and the Sabbath starts at 6
o’clock—sundown is the beginning of a new Jewish day—they had to be in their
homes for the Sabbath at 6 o’clock
Their obedience to the instructions of God the Father—delayed their attendance
to God the Son—they honored the Sabbath Day
Now the Sabbath is ended—and they approach the grave to rub spices into the
body—they openly displayed their obedience to God—and their love for Jesus—that
love and obedience separated these women from even the most learned of the
Pharisees and scribes
No one knew more about the instructions of God than the Pharisees and scribes—if
anyone should have seen Jesus clearly—it should have been them—we can look back
to when they asked Jesus to show them a sign
NKJ Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying,
"Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." 39 But He answered and said to them,
"An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given
to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 "For as Jonah was three days and
three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three
days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
I’m sure every Pharisee—and every scribe—and probably every Jew—knew about
Jonah—they knew Jonah was the unwilling profit of the Lord—Jesus wanted them to
recognize Him as the Great Prophet of the Lord spoken of in Scriptures—the
Prophet promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the Prophet recorded in the Books
of the Law by Moses
NKJ Deuteronomy 18:18 'I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among
their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them
all that I command Him. 19 'And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words,
which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.
Jesus probably chose the prophet Jonah because he was well known—and because he
and Jesus had similarities that could be recognized by the well-trained
Pharisees and scribes—we remember—when Jonah tried to run away—the Lord produced
a huge storm—Jonah offered to give up his life to save the others in the
boat—Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sake of all mankind
After spending 3 days in the belly of the great fish—Jonah preached the message
of salvation to Nineveh—and the people were saved—when Jesus came forth after 3
days in the tomb—the people are saved
Jonah offered himself as a sacrifice for the people on the ship—that sent him
for 3 days and 3 nights into the belly of the great fish—Christ offered Himself
as a sacrifice to save mankind—that sent Him for 3 days and 3 nights into the
belly of the earth—a stark cold grave hewn into the rock
Jesus makes this comparison with Jonah—perhaps for simplicity—perhaps because of
the people’s familiarity with the story of Jonah—Jesus wanted the people to
understand He was the promised Messiah—not necessarily for those particular
Pharisees and scribes on that day—but for all believers—at that time—in the
future—and all the way to eternity
That’s why in his Gospel—John recorded the dilemma of these Pharisees and
scribes
NKJ John 11:47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and
said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 "If we let Him alone
like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away
both our place and nation." 49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that
year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, 50 "nor do you consider that it is
expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole
nation should perish." 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but
being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,
52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one
the children of God who were scattered abroad. 53 Then, from that day on, they
plotted to put Him to death.
Many times over the years—I have wondered how these men—these first-hand
witnesses could have been so blind—they were there for the miracles—they saw the
sick healed—the dead rise up—the lame walk—they heard witnesses speak of the
walking upon the waters—the taming of deadly storms—they had seen the miracle
feedings—yet these Pharisees and scribes denied that Christ was the promised
Messiah
Even these first-hand eye witnesses of Jesus were not as fortunate as us
today—we are the most fortunate people in all of history—because we have the
whole story—God carefully guided men to write what He inspired—those men
recorded for us the story of salvation
These Pharisees and scribes had the Old Testament—and they were eyewitnesses to
the Christ—yet they were blind to the facts—refused to recognize the Savior even
though they were speaking to Him
We today have the whole story—from beginning to the end—both the Old and New
Testaments—yet many are still blind to the facts—and refuse to recognize the
Savior—we turn to our text
TEXT: NKJ Mark 16:1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the
mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
Mary Magdalene—the one to whom Jesus would reveal Himself first—a notorious
sinner—the 17th century commentator Johann Gerhard says she is the one described
in Luke
NKJ Luke 7:36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went
to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city
who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's
house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet
behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped
them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with
the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he
spoke to himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and
what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." 40 And
Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he
said, "Teacher, say it." 41 "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.
One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 "And when they had
nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore,
which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the
one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged." 44
Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered
your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with
her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 "You gave Me no kiss, but
this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 "You did
not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant
oil. 47 "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she
loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." 48 Then He
said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
What remarkable compassion was displayed by the Lord—perhaps Mary Magdalene
represents all repentant sinners—she is the first to bear personal witness to
our risen Lord
NKJ John 20:12 And she [Mary Magdalene] saw two angels in white sitting, one at
the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then
they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they
have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." 14 Now
when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did
not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir,
if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take
Him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!"
(which is to say, Teacher).
Notice that she didn’t recognize Him—until He spoke—just as Jesus taught us in
John chapter 10 “My sheep hear My voice”—Mary Magdalene was the first of several
women who came to the tomb
Salome: Mother of
the apostles James and John—cousin to John the Baptist
Mary the mother of James:
Sister to Mary the mother of Jesus
There were other women—but not all are included in our text—nor necessarily in
the Scriptures
TEXT: NKJ Mark 16:2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the
week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among
themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" 4
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it
was very large.
The tomb is empty—the stone rolled away—the angels await the women—the Lord is
gone—the stone rolled away has little to do with Christ’s escape from the
grave—Jesus had the ability to enter or leave without regard to doors or
walls—we read from John’s account of the events later that evening
NKJ John 20:19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week,
when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the
Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."
The stone was rolled away for us to see into the grave—not for the Lord’s
escape—but to view the victory over death—just as prophesied by the prophet
Hosea
NKJ Hosea 6:2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise
us up, That we may live in His sight.
We will also be victorious over death—we too will be raised on the third
day—just as Christ—our redeemer and our example—the first day is our time on
earth—our time of suffering and passion—then we die from this earth—and take our
Sabbath Day’s rest in the earth awaiting our resurrection—the third day is
Judgment Day—when we will be resurrected to spend eternity with God in
heaven—this was demonstrated for us in Scripture—when Christ arose—so did many
of the saints
NKJ Matthew 27:52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who
had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His
resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
NKJ 1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even
so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
What is there to fear about death? We have the promise of the
resurrection!—Death no longer has any power over us—we are promised eternal
life—and here is the evidence of the promise—the saints walking around Jerusalem
chatting with old friends—oh death where is thy sting—indeed—Jesus destroyed
death—in accordance with the Scriptures
NKJ 1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
Paul is so confident in this promise of the resurrection—he speaks as if it has
already taken place
NKJ Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with
which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive
together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up
together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7
that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His
kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
It all started with the women heading to the tomb—looking for the body of one
they loved—and finding the ever-living Son of God—their sadness turned to
gladness—that’s what Easter is all about—the celebration of victory over
death—gladness—not sadness
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD! HE HAS RISEN INDEED!