Mark 16:1-7 New American Standard Bible
The Resurrection
16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of [a]James, and Salome bought spices so that they might come and anoint Him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb for us?” 4 And looking up, they *noticed that the stone had been rolled away; [b]for it was extremely large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. 6 But he *said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; see, here is the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’”
Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
The Hope of the Resurrection
For many of us, the fear of our moment of death is our greatest fear. No matter how hard we try, maybe pray it away we won’t avoid death’s frightening reality.
Death seems like the last and greatest enemy.
But the good news is that in Jesus’ resurrection God has provided the solution to death and to the fear of death.
In our reading for today, what the women planned to do was not pretty, but it was an act of devotion to Jesus to see that he had a proper burial.
Because he had been crucified just before sundown on Friday, there hadn’t been time to properly anoint and prepare his body for his burial before their holy Sabbath day. So “when the Sabbath was over,” the women bought spices and went to anoint Jesus’ body, according to their custom.
But things didn’t go as planned.
Arriving at the tomb, the women were greeted by an angel, who told them something that quickly transformed their lives and changed the world.
“You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified,” said the angel. “He has risen! He is not here.”
In an instant their entire understanding of life and death began to change.
Jesus had gone from life to death to new life.
His resurrection became death’s defeat, and in the light of that, Paul could write, “Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).
Christ is risen—for you!
Do you still believe that in 2025?
Why Does the Resurrection Matter?
What if the resurrection isn’t just about what happens after you die—but everything about how you live right now?
If we’re in Christ, we know that one day, God will bring us to a renewed, eternal physical kingdom where we will experience a glorified and perfected version of every beautiful thing we love about the world down here.
1. Because of the resurrection, death has no more sting.
Death—whether our own or of a loved one—is life’s hardest experience because it feels so permanent.
But if the resurrection is true, it’s not permanent.
It’s temporary because Jesus took the sting out of death, its permanence.
This is why if our loved ones were in Christ, we don’t say things like, “I’ll never hold my baby again,” or “I’ll never see my wife again,” or “I’ll never hug my grandmother again.” Because in the new world, we will certainly hold, see, and hug them again, with our physical arms.
But what about our loved ones who weren’t saved?
That’s a hard reality to confront, and a question I don’t exactly know how to answer. What I do know is that in heaven, our capacity for love will increase.
I also know that Scripture says God will wipe away every tear from our eyes and make every sad thing come untrue.
With this in mind, I assume that somehow this means we’ll be at peace with the decisions that people made for themselves.
I don’t know how all that is going to work, but I’ve learned to trust Jesus in it.
In the meantime, I plead with everyone I know and love to come to Jesus.
2. Because of the resurrection, our worst pain is only light and momentary.
God promises that your pain actually becomes part of the beautiful thing he’s making you.
Paul writes that death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54).
When you swallow something, you digest it, and it becomes a factor in making you, well, you.
That’s what God’s going to do with our pain. It’s not just that we had pain on earth, and now we’re at the theme park of heaven and forget all about it.
No, in heaven, we’ll see how the pain we went through produced in us the incredible beauty and weight of glory we become.
Your situation may feel permanent, but it’s not.
Whatever situation you’re in—chronic pain, chronic illness, or disappointed dreams, a bad marriage, being alone—it’s all temporary.
Paul calls it light and momentary.
That doesn’t mean we make light of our pain or live charmed lives free from pain. Paul experienced some of the worst pain possible for us to experience—betrayal, abandonment, torture, loneliness, and chronic illness. “But,” he said, “even the worst of the worst is all light and momentary, compared to the weight of glory that’s coming to me in the resurrection.” In the meantime, we live with abundant hope and persistent prayer that God can and will heal us from all of our pain, now or in the future.
3. Because of the resurrection, we can press forward with risk-taking, trial-enduring, death-defying obedience to Jesus.
For every missionary who has walked away from family and fortune and friends to carry the gospel to unreached places, the resurrection says, “It’s going to be worth it.
Your sacrifice was only temporary. Jesus is going to repay you one-hundred-fold in the kingdom to come.”
Though it’s costly now, you’ll soon be home in eternity forever with Jesus and the ones you love. And you’ll be glad you gave your life so that other families could be there, too. Imagine what it will be like when you’ve been there for 10,000 years, knowing those who came to Christ because of your sacrifice.
You don’t know who they are now, but you will then.
So be bold, and death-defying in your obedience.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Authorized (King James) Version
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
4. Because of the resurrection, living for Jesus is the only thing that makes sense.
Every one of us has a soul and a body.
For those of you who die united to Christ, your souls will immediately enter the presence and joy of God as you await the glorious resurrection of your bodies.
For those of you who die apart from Christ, your souls will immediately enter the judgment of God as you await the resurrection of your body.
But make no mistake, this resurrection isn’t unto eternal happiness, but eternal judgment and misery.
Jesus said in John 5, “The hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” (vv. 28–29).
Friend, I cannot emphasize to you enough the utmost importance of what you do with Jesus.
He offers his resurrection to you if you repent of your sin and submit to him as Lord and Savior.
For those of you in Christ, this world is as close to hell as you will ever come.
For those of you outside of Christ, this world is as close to heaven as you’ll get.
Which resurrection do you want to be included in?
The resurrection to judgment or the resurrection to life?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Praying …
Psalm 19 Authorized (King James) Version
Psalm 19
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language,
where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven,
and his circuit unto the ends of it:
and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul:
the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:
the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
and in keeping of them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors?
cleanse thou me from secret faults.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright,
and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,
my strength, and my redeemer.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 