Jesus is risen – Be Still…

Mark 16:1-20 – He is Risen!

Sometimes shorter is better, and other times we are thankful for a longer version of a story to tie up the loose ends. In either case, the book of Mark has a unique ending that can leave us pondering. Perhaps the earliest followers wanted more from Mark, and so they improvised with an alternate ending to give more details that line up with other texts. If it’s part of the Holy Scriptures at all, I trust it to be there by God’s hand, even if the change in style seems obvious.

Even the short ending gives us the only message we need. The angel told the women, “He is risen from the dead!” Imagine hearing those words when you were expecting to be preparing Jesus’ dead body for proper burial. There hadn’t been time on the day of his crucifixion, but apparently it was no longer necessary. Continue reading “Mark 16:1-20 – He is Risen!”

John 20:1-31 – How We’re Set Apart

Read John 20:1-31

As believers, we’re set apart by the promise from our risen Savior. We “will have life by the power of his name.” This Resurrection story beautifully recounts what happened to Jesus’ followers just days after he was brutally killed. Jesus’ death was on purpose; it had to happen because God loved us so much. Because Jesus was God, He could not stay dead. The impact of his resurrection from the dead is huge, and without it our faith would be meaningless. The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.”

This was a long reading, and there are so many nuggets of truth and wisdom for us to meditate on. We see Mary and his disciples at the tomb, angels, several appearances of Jesus, a doubting disciple, and so much more. Can you imagine how hard it would have been to make sense of what had happened that weekend? Jesus had died, and then he was back. The fear of association, the doubts, would have been crippling. And yet everything Jesus had told them was coming true. We can all learn from this that Jesus’ word is to be trusted. Continue reading “John 20:1-31 – How We’re Set Apart”

Mark 16:1-8 – The Empty Tomb

Read Mark 16:1-8

When is an ending not the end? When death ends in a victorious resurrection! The tomb was empty! Jesus is alive!

You also noticed that Mark’s gospel abruptly ends (in most ancient manuscripts) with verse 8. The sentences that follow here are thought to have been added to help bring a better closure to this climatic ending.

Luke 24:1-12 – An Empty Tomb

Read Luke 24:1-12

He is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

I love how Luke’s version of this magnificent story puts the women at the tomb. After all, the last scene closed with them preparing the burial spices and then waiting. They must have been longing for more time with their friend, Jesus, even if he was no longer alive.