Assuming that the book of Mark originally ended after verse 8, this is the most unlikely endings that we’ll ever find! It makes no sense to us. Throughout the whole book, Jesus continually tells people not to tell anyone who he is, yet people could not shut up about him. Now, finally Jesus has risen from the dead and the women who come to the tomb are commissioned to go and tell the others. So, of course they go out and tell everyone, right? Nope. It says in v. 8 that they told no one, because they were afraid! And then the book, at least in its original form appears to end! How can you end a book like this? This has to be the worst ending ever!
Or is it? I think this is an ingenious ending. It makes us angry by asking, ‘How could they not tell anyone?’, but eventually forces us to ask ourselves, ‘How could we not tell anyone?’ We start off by wanting to change the ending of the story, but end up wanting to change the end of our own stories. Rather than remaining silent about the risen Messiah, we are challenged to overcome our fear and go share the Good News with everyone! We are challenged to share in both word and deed, knowing that the resurrected life has changed us completely!
So do you want to change how this story ends, or will you let this story change how your story ends? Choose to share the resurrection in all that you do.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Day 39- Mark 15:42-47 (Saturday, April 3)
The first Saturday after the resurrection was a day of great sadness and fear. The followers of Jesus were living in great fear and did not know what to think. The one who they had thought to be the Messiah was now dead. Everything they had trusted in and believed in for the past three years had been shattered. But only for another day.
Our pre-Easter Saturdays are probably much different now. We look forward to Sunday with great anticipation, knowing how the story ends. We start to get excited about worshiping our risen Savior together, as we also look forward to our own resurrection when Christ returns! We eagerly await the day when Christ will restore the earth to the way that he has always wanted it to be, and comes and lives amongst us again forever!
But let us remember this journey of Lent and what it has taught us. Let us not forget the sacrifices we have made so that we could rid ourselves of distractions and sin. Let us celebrate the change in our hearts and attitudes that this type of discipline gives to us! And let us not forget to share this wonderful, life-changing message that comes from the empty tomb!
Our pre-Easter Saturdays are probably much different now. We look forward to Sunday with great anticipation, knowing how the story ends. We start to get excited about worshiping our risen Savior together, as we also look forward to our own resurrection when Christ returns! We eagerly await the day when Christ will restore the earth to the way that he has always wanted it to be, and comes and lives amongst us again forever!
But let us remember this journey of Lent and what it has taught us. Let us not forget the sacrifices we have made so that we could rid ourselves of distractions and sin. Let us celebrate the change in our hearts and attitudes that this type of discipline gives to us! And let us not forget to share this wonderful, life-changing message that comes from the empty tomb!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Day 38- Mark 15:21-41 (Friday, April 2)
Amidst all of the mocking that Jesus endured both on his way to the cross and while he was on the cross, Mark only records Jesus saying one thing: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus was using this as a way of pointing us to Psalm 22, which is also a fitting read for today. In it, the Psalmist starts off by stating how dire his situation appears, but yet ends by placing his trust that God would ultimately prevail.
What strikes me throughout the whole trial and crucifixion of Jesus is his silence. It is almost painful. When we read some of the accounts, we almost want to put words in Jesus’ mouth, so that he wouldn’t just hang there and say nothing. Yet there is something very powerful about his silence. It shows that ultimately he was trusting in God to bring about vindication, but also that he refused to retaliate.
As we strive to allow Jesus to live through us, let us remember that we don’t need to retaliate against the words and actions of others. We can simply trust God to bring about his vindication in due time. Ultimately, our responses only bring about more damage. However, when we remain silent, not only does God allow our lives to shine before others, he also molds us into people who are more like him.
What strikes me throughout the whole trial and crucifixion of Jesus is his silence. It is almost painful. When we read some of the accounts, we almost want to put words in Jesus’ mouth, so that he wouldn’t just hang there and say nothing. Yet there is something very powerful about his silence. It shows that ultimately he was trusting in God to bring about vindication, but also that he refused to retaliate.
As we strive to allow Jesus to live through us, let us remember that we don’t need to retaliate against the words and actions of others. We can simply trust God to bring about his vindication in due time. Ultimately, our responses only bring about more damage. However, when we remain silent, not only does God allow our lives to shine before others, he also molds us into people who are more like him.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Day 37- Mark 15:1-20 (Thursday, April 1)
It is truly painful to read how Jesus was treated by the people that he came to save. The way he was continuously mocked and slandered, beaten and insulted can make us very angry. How easy it is for us to shout out, ‘How could you!’, without recognizing that we probably would have been just as easily swayed by religious leaders of the day.
When I was growing up, my Dad portrayed Jesus in our church’s Easter musical. It was a very demanding job for him to get crucified 6 times in one weekend! As intrigued as I was by his role, I was equally intrigued by the role of the crowds in the play. In one scene, they all cheered on my Dad as he portrayed the triumphal entry. However, just a few scenes later, they also had the responsibility to shout out ‘Crucify him!’ as he was on trial before Pilate. It was interesting to see how people who had never played that role before really struggled initially to shout those commands against Jesus, even though it was just a musical. But when they did, it often brought tears to their eyes, as it made it so real to them how responsible we all are for the death of Jesus!
We are all responsible for Jesus’ death on the cross. It was our sin that put him there. But let us also remember it was God’s plan all along. In spite of our wicked hearts, Jesus still chose to give freely of himself for our salvation. Let us remember our own responsibility in all of this, but let us not forget that God brought something wonderful out of this! Just as Peter says in Acts 3:15, “You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead!”
When I was growing up, my Dad portrayed Jesus in our church’s Easter musical. It was a very demanding job for him to get crucified 6 times in one weekend! As intrigued as I was by his role, I was equally intrigued by the role of the crowds in the play. In one scene, they all cheered on my Dad as he portrayed the triumphal entry. However, just a few scenes later, they also had the responsibility to shout out ‘Crucify him!’ as he was on trial before Pilate. It was interesting to see how people who had never played that role before really struggled initially to shout those commands against Jesus, even though it was just a musical. But when they did, it often brought tears to their eyes, as it made it so real to them how responsible we all are for the death of Jesus!
We are all responsible for Jesus’ death on the cross. It was our sin that put him there. But let us also remember it was God’s plan all along. In spite of our wicked hearts, Jesus still chose to give freely of himself for our salvation. Let us remember our own responsibility in all of this, but let us not forget that God brought something wonderful out of this! Just as Peter says in Acts 3:15, “You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead!”
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