Because He Lives, I Can Face Tomorrow

1. Because He Lives, I Can Face Tomorrow Expository teachings from the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 16

4. 16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.[a]

5. Specialty of Mark 16 - In the different gospels we see the following: Resurrection Resurrection Worldwide Ascension of Reports Appearances Mission Jesus Mark--------I John -----------------------------I Matthew ------------------------------------------I Luke ----------------------------------------------------------------------I

6. Three woman prepare to anoint the body (Vs. 1 – 2) Very early in the morning after the sunrise, they make their way to the tomb. But they were late, they did not realize that as the Sun had risen, the Son had also risen. “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.” Malachi 4:2 Who Will Roll Away the Stone? (Vs. 3-4) The word for large that is used in Greek is “Megas”. They had no answers for these difficulties and as per logic they should have come prepared with some men. Yet these feeble but bold women went to see their Lord and Messiah.

7. The Young Man (Vs.16: 5) Their next surprise comes when they enter the tomb. Instead of finding Jesus’ body, they find a young man the greek work used here is “neaniskos” seated at the right side of where Jesus’ body has been lying, presumably. That young man represents “US”, common people who will announce the Good news to the world. The Resurrection Announcement (Vs.16: 6) There is no Christ of faith who is not Jesus of Nazareth, nor is there a risen one who is not the crucified one. The crucified one, now raised, has left the tomb and precedes the disciples into Galilee .

8. Because He Lives, Always Expect the Unexpected. This is called Jesus’s Resurrection Laws, which says that “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28. This means that things that should go wrong, will not, because Jesus lives. This is directly against the Murphy’s laws: • If anything can go wrong, it will • If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong

9. If anything just cannot go wrong, it will anyway. • If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which something can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop. • Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse. • If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something. • Smile . . . tomorrow will be worse. • Everything goes wrong all at once. • Matter will be damaged in direct proportion to its value

10. In nature, nothing is ever right. Therefore, if everything is going right ... something is wrong. • Nothing is as easy as it looks. • Everything takes longer than you think. • Everything takes longer than it takes. • If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway. • You cannot successfully determine beforehand which side of the bread to butter. • The chance of the buttered side of the bread falling face down is directly proportional to the cost of the carpet.

11. The women were worried about the stone, but the stone was rolled away. The women would have thought about the guard’s but they had disappeared. They expected the Dead body in the tomb but a heavenly man/angel welcomed them with the news that “He is Risen”. Everything bad that could have happened did not happen and they were in a state of shock.

12. The invitation to Galilee (Vs. 7) The word “you” is used 3 times in this one verse. It means it’s speaking to the disciples, the 11, the women who saw and were with Jesus and this “YOU” means us also, all disciples of Jesus. 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.17 And these signswill accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;they will speak in new tongues;18 they will pick up snakeswith their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands onsick people, and they will get well.”

13. The Silence of the women: (Vs. 8) Mark is portraying that the men have failed miserably and even the women have failed. Today we can sense the risen Christ telling us: • Live and Share My Story We need to live it first before we share it only then people will believe it.