Mark 16:1-9
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. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is 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 into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
8 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.
9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.
Mary was the first witness to Jesus’ resurrection. In that time, they didn’t give a lot of weight to the witness of a woman. They didn’t really listen to women. But Jesus changed everything. In Jesus’ eyes, all people are equal. Jesus comes to anyone who seeks Him.
Exodus 20:19
19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”
The people of Israel didn’t want to pay the price to hear the voice of God, so they told Moses that they would listen to him and that He could listen to God for them. But God wants each of His children to meet Him on their own.
To meet God, you must give up your sin. You must give of your time and your energy and your strength. Israel wasn’t willing to pay that price. They weren’t willing to give up their sin or their time to seek God. They knew that if God spoke to them face to face in their sin that they would die.
They could have heard God’s voice but they weren’t willing to purify themselves.
The wages of sin is still death. To meet the resurrected Jesus, we must purify our hearts. Obedience and holiness are the keys to bring the power of the resurrection of Jesus in your life. Holiness is separation from this world. Separation from ungodly influences, from ungodly music and books and people and teachings.
Let’s go back to Mary.
Mary was forsaken by society. She was possessed by seven demons. She was a woman. She was sinful. But after Jesus cast the demons out of her, she never turned back to her old sin.
Jesus revealed Himself to Mary first. She was the first witness to His resurrection. Don’t ever tell yourself that you aren’t good enough to serve Jesus or to be His witness. If Mary could become His witness, you can.
What does the church this day focus on? The crucifixion of Jesus. We sing about His birth and His death. We talk about His birth and death. We make a big deal about Christmas, celebrating it for the whole month or maybe two. We have party after party and keep the decorations up even into the New Year.
Compare that to our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. One day. We talk about resurrection for one day. And even at this time of year, we still spend a lot of time talking about how Jesus suffered and died. Churches have services to remember His suffering and His death. We fast and repent and mourn and cry.
Then we have one day when we talk about His resurrection.
When you think back on your life, you probably have many happy memories around Christmas. Can you think of any memories about Jesus’ Resurrection Day?
Satan has really distracted and deceived the church. He’s convinced us that dwelling on the death of Jesus is respectful and honoring. But it’s the resurrection that brings joy and hope and salvation. Jesus is alive. That is our power. That is our future. That is our hope.
What did the first church talk a lot about? Jesus’ resurrection.
We need to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus throughout the whole year.
We need to meet the resurrected Jesus. Jesus wants to reveal Himself to you. The first church lives with the knowledge that Jesus was with them everyday. That is what gave them the strength and power to live and die for Jesus.
Christians live in fear because they are holding onto the crucified Jesus. They are afraid to talk about Him or obey Him because they are holding onto the crucified Jesus. If you truly believe that Jesus is alive in power, you will not be afraid to tell other people about Him or serve Him with everything in your life.
Don’t be like the people of Israel, who were content to let Moses hear God’s voice for them. You have to have your own relationship with Jesus. You have to pay the price to have a personal relationship with Jesus.
When the disciples saw the resurrected Jesus they were very scared at first. Why? Sin. Unbelief.
Matthew 28:7-17
7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”
8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
They were scared because they knew their sin. They had run away from Jesus during the crucifixion. They had betrayed and abandoned Jesus. They knew their sin.
Some people didn’t believe that Jesus had resurrected.
John 20:24-31
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
We are blessed because we have not seen the risen body of Jesus, but we have believed in His resurrection by faith.
Satan has really distracted the church, making Christmas about Santa Clause and Jesus’ resurrection about candy, bunnies, and Easter egg hunts.
The first church focused on the resurrection of Jesus. The first church was called the “resurrection community.” They were ecstatic about the resurrection of Jesus and remembered it with communion every time they came together.
The first church knew that the resurrected Jesus was with them and that they could do all things. The church this day remembers that Jesus was born in a poor, hopeless place and that He died a sad death.
God wants everyone to meet the resurrected Jesus.
When you know Jesus as resurrected, you will walk in His power and strength and fire and life.
God bless you,
Pastor Sun East