The Gospel of Mark: A New Day

There are few things more traumatic in life than the death of a loved one, whether it be a family member or a close friend. The anguish is accentuated when you see that person struggling in their closing days. My father has been gone almost thirty years. He died of Leukemia. My mother has been gone just over twenty years. She died from Emphysema and its complications. Both of them really struggled that last weeks of their life, and your heart aches knowing that there is nothing you can do about it. Just a few years ago my sister-in-law, with whom we were very close, died from Pancreatic Cancer. Her faith was amazingly strong during her ordeal, and yet it was tough watching her go through it.

If you’ve been there, and most of you have, you can well imagine what the disciples are going through at this time. Their grief, however, is compounded by the guilt of their abandonment of Jesus in his greatest moment of need. And yet, in Jesus’ circumstance, all of this is part of divine providence. The Scriptures repeatedly assert the absolute sovereignty of God over every person and event surrounding death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. The Apostle Paul reminds us that none of these things happened by accident.

“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:1–4, NIV84)

Everything we see taking place in these closing days of our Lord’s life is an illustration of divine providence in action. It emphasizes God’s control and power over the desires and determination of people who hate Jesus, but who also love Jesus.

It’s easy for us with two-thousand years of hindsight and the revelation of the New Testament to help us understand that. Two-thousand years ago, eleven men and a handful of women knew only that a man they believed to be God’s Anointed One—Israel’s Messiah—had died the cruelest, and most humiliating death ever devised by men. They are deep in disbelief, confusion, and mourning. How could things go South so quickly? On Sunday the crowds are cheering him on, shouting “hosannas.” Five days later they’re shouting “crucify him.”

As we travel with the disciples through the experiences of each day, we learn a great deal about full scope of human emotions ... from despair to jubilation.

Let's turn to the events of the days surrounding Jesus' death. As we look at each day's experiences, perhaps we will come to the eventual conclusion that there is hope for a new day.

I. FRIDAY'S AGONY

1. Friday was a really bad day for the disciples

a. it was on that day Jesus was tried and crucified

1) it was a day of agony—certainly for Jesus, but also for those who loved Him

2. the fact that His disciples had fled in terror did not indicate they did not care

a. they certainly feared for their own lives, but they also ached in their hearts for Jesus

3. John, the beloved disciple, had made it to the foot of the Cross, along with Jesus' mother, Mary

a. there were others standing there as well

1) our text indicates that Mary Magdalene was there; also, Mary the mother of James the Lesser (one of the Apostles), and Salome was also there (she is the mother of James and John, and most likely the sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother)

2) while the Scripture do not explicitly say so, perhaps Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were there

b. all of these disciples are agonizing at the crucifixion of Jesus

1) with every blow of hammer upon nail, piercing flesh, they wince

2) as Jesus is raised up, and the crossbeam thuds into place they shudder

3) with every cry Jesus makes, they despair

4) when he gives up his spirit and dies they weep

ILLUS. More so than any text in the New Testament, the Prophet Isaiah gives us a sense of what is happening on this Friday. “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:3–5, NIV84)

5) do you hear the words? despised ... rejected ... stricken ... smitten ... afflicted ... pierced ... crushed ... wounds

4. but one did not have to be at the site of the crucifixion to feel the pain

a. those who had walked with Jesus for three years surely felt it keenly

1) even though the disciples are in hiding, they knew what was happening

2) they were all too familiar with execution by crucifixion

b. their hearts ached

c. their souls were wrenched with agony

d. the One they had followed, the One they had loved, the One they believed to be the Messiah, the One they were committed to with all their heart, was being brutally killed

5. they felt helpless and impotent

II. SATURDAY'S DESPAIR

1. Friday's agony gives way to Saturday's despair

a. on Friday afternoon Jesus dies at approximately 3:00 PM

1) Mark 15:33 tells us that Jesus died at the ninth hour after six hours on the cross

b. after the crucifixion, Mark’s gospel tells us that Joseph of Arimathea approached Pilate and sought permission to take Jesus’ body and bury it

“Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45 And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.” (Mark 15:43–47, ESV)

2. Joseph, who had been a secret disciple was now, very much, an open disciple

a. he is never mentioned in Scripture before this, and never mentioned again afterwards

1) we only know four things about him

a) he was wealthy

b) he was a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God

c) he had not consented to the Sanhedrin’s decision and action

d) he provided a tomb for Jesus to be buried in, and purchased a linen shroud to wrap Jesus’ body in

2) it is here that Nicodemus also shows up

“He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.” (John 19:39–40, NIV84)

3. it took a great deal of courage to do what he did for these two men to “out themselves” as disciples of Jesus

a. they literally took their lives in their hands by aiding Jesus’ family in the way they did

b. on top of all this, it was the Day of Preparation ... it is just literally hours before the Sabbath begins at 6:00 PM

1) to touch a dead body would mean Joseph and Nicodemus would become ritually unclean, and unable to participate in the Sabbath events

4. but watching Jesus die had undoubtedly done something to the man

5. Jesus was dead, and now, He was buried

a. that ended Friday's events

b. now Saturday, or the Sabbath, was upon them

c. nothing could be done on that day

1) it was a holy day

2) it was a day of rest

3) it must have been one of the longest days in the lives of the disciples

5. Friday's agony had given way to Saturday''s despair, and to be honest the Bible is silent concerning Saturday

a. only a few days ago the disciple had enjoyed the presence of Jesus fellowship ... things are looking up ... perhaps, soon, Jesus will openly declaim his Messiahship and God’s Kingdom will come

1) but now He was gone, dead, and buried

b. where would they go from here?

III. SUNDAY'S HOPE

1. have you ever thought why, as Christians, we call Good Friday, Good Friday?

a. the disciples did not see anything good about it, whatsoever

1) the problem, of course, is that they did not yet have the benefit of hindsight

b. they didn’t know that Sunday was coming

2. it’s Sunday that puts the ‘good’ in Good Friday

3. Friday's agony had given way to Saturday's despair, but thank God Saturday''s despair gave way to Sunday's hope

a. it is summed up in the opening sentence of chapter 16, "And when the Sabbath was over ..."

1) Friday's agony had come, but it had passed

2) Saturday's despair had come as well, but it would soon be dispelled

b. now, a new day was upon them

1) the Sabbath was over

2) Sunday had come—and with Sunday, hope was waiting to be discovered

4. early on that day, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices to the tomb where they thought they would anoint Jesus'' body

“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?”” (Mark 16:2–3, NIV84)

a. just as soon as light is visible on the eastern horizon, the two Mary’s and Salome had made their way to the tomb

b. they were concerned, being three women, as to who would roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb

1) it typically took three large men to remove such stones

5. but when the arrived, they found something amazing indeed

a. although the stone was extremely large, it had already been rolled away

1) the guards were gone—they’re off to the Sanhedrin reporting a miracle (and being bribed to keep quiet about it)

b. they entered the tomb, and there they saw a young man wearing a white robe

1) now ... what they saw was an angel of God

v. 6 "And he said to them, ''Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He is risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.''

c. this must have been the most amazing event of their lives

1) they could hardly believe their ears—yet, there they were, standing in an empathy tomb with an angel telling them He is risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him

2) the other gospels tell us that the shroud of Jesus was buried in was now just an empty shell

d. the angel continues in vs. 7, "But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ''He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He said to you.''

6. their minds now begin to race and the words of Jesus begin to echo in their thoughts

a. Jesus had spoken to them about being raised from the dead

1) was it true?

2) could it really have happened?

3) Yes! It must be true!

7. after experiencing Friday's agony and Saturday's despair, what an exhilarating experience this must have been

a. they were thrilled and afraid—they were terrified and in ecstasy

b. there was no time to talk—they must get back and tell the others ... and, believe it or not, that’s where Mark’s Gospel ends

IV. THE LESSONS OF Mark 15:40-16:8

A. LESSON ONE: The agony of life is that life frequently seems out of our control ... but it’s not

1. all of us has sometimes felt like our lives were our of control

a. we sometimes feel that way because they are out of control

b. the force of circumstances pressing in on us from every side, circumstances about which we can do nothing, bring us face to face with our own impotence

2. all of us like to feel in control—especially us guys

a. we all like to feel we have the power to direct, and control our own lives

b. but the truth is, sometimes we cannot control either the events that transpire around us or the actions of people

c. sometimes, instead of taking charge, we are taken charge of

3. the disciples felt Friday's agony, and they could do nothing about it

4. life may frequently be out of our control, but it is never out of God’s control

ILLUS. Joseph’s life."As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. 21“So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." (Genesis 50:20-21, NIV)

B. LESSON TWO: Feelings of despair can be real—we should not deny them

ILLUS. In the ancient world, the following epitaph has been found on many Roman headstones and tombs: "Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo." It translates as, "I was not; I was; I am not; I do not care.”

1. have your ever felt that way?

ILLUS. Remember Hannah, Samuel’s mother? 1 Sam. 1:10 says that she was greatly distressed and that in her prayers before the Lord she wept bitterly.

a. the Bible is very honest about the feelings of some of the great people of faith

2. it’s OK to feel—and even express—our despair before the Lord

b. God does not ask us to give up our reason, our intelligence, our knowledge, our faculty to judge, nor our emotions, our likes, our desires, our instincts, our conscious and unconscious aspirations, but rather to place them all in God's hands, so that he may direct, and use them

ILLUS. The motto of the city of Edinburg, Scotland is "Without the Lord, everything fails."

3. it’s alright to feel despair, but put that despair in the hands of God

C. LESSON THREE: The resurrection of Christ reveals to us that the Lord is in charge

1. the resurrection reveals to us that there is hope because God is in charge

a. divine providence is seen throughout the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus

b. from the indifference of the soldiers to the loving saints around his cross, to the spiteful religious leaders, to two men who come out as true believers and take charge of Jesus’ body, God reveals that all things are working to good because God is in control of every detail bringing to pass His purposes precisely

2. and the One who came alive on that first Easter Sunday is still alive, and He lives today to bring life to us

Con. In 1971, Bill Gather wrote one of the enduring hymns of our day. You’ll recognize it by the chorus:

Because He lives I can face tomorrow,

Because He lives all fear is gone,

Because I know, I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living, just because He lives.

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