On this wonderful day, I want to take you through a quick look at the picture of the resurrection in Mark’s gospel (Mark 16:1-8). Like all of the gospel accounts of the resurrection, Mark gives us a reasonable look at the events which occurred–events and reactions that point us to the truthfulness that Christ was raised.

Many people have tried to imagine how difficult that sabbath must have been. We have a hard time imagining their sorrow. They experienced true disappointment and genuine sorrow and must have been emotionally spent.

In spite of this the women–who were with Jesus at the cross and in the garden when he was buried–were there on Saturday evening when the market place would open after the sabbath (Mark 16:1) and early the next morning at the tomb (Mark 16:2).

As they journeyed they wondered about the very large stone that sealed the tomb. They asked each other who would roll away the stone for them. Matthew supplies the answer of “who” would roll the stone away: “There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow” (Matthew 28:2-3).

Remember, the angel had to remove the stone not to allow Jesus to get out (John 20:19,26) but to allow these women as well as Peter and John to get in and see the wonder of the empty tomb.

When they entered they saw exactly what would be expected–a young man in a white robe. Those who have read the Scripture are not surprised for an angel to appear to humans in human form and express himself in human language.

Mark’s gospel account ends abruptly with the women leaving the tomb in the grip of fear and astonishment. While we might wish that they would have taken Jesus’ teaching about His resurrection more seriously, can anything be more clear about their expectations? They expected to anoint a dead body; they did not expect a living Lord.

Neither do people today. It is still hard for people to believe. That’s why what happened next is so important. Though they were rendered speechless, they still carried out the instructions to tell His disciples and Peter to go to Galilee where they would see Him.

That’s exactly what they did and exactly what we should do. Let us be faithful to live for a living Christ who has been raised as the firstfruits of the resurrection.

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