Mark 16:1-8 - March 31, 2024 - Easter Sunday

Do you know anyone who offers unsolicited advice to the characters on TV? (I saw some eyes dart toward some significant others.) “Don’t go in there! Turn around! What are you doing!?”

I feel like that with the women in our Easter story. I want to instruct them, talk to them, give them some pastorly advice about their journey. 

See, these women had watched the whole thing – Jesus being nailed to the cross, the crowds mocking him, his final breath and death, Joseph placing his body in a nearby tomb. These women had seen it all. 

And so, early on the day after the Sabbath, they went to the tomb, wishing to support and care for their teacher one more time. And as they are walking along, they start to wonder, “Who is going to roll away the stone?” 

Why didn’t they think of this before? Yes, I know grief can do funny things to people, and maybe they got too wrapped up on which spices to take, but still, you need to plan. But whatever the reason for lack of foresight, now they’re in a pickle. How would they be able to roll that stone away? They’ll never get in the tomb. 

Which is what I would’ve told them if I were there. I’m pretty good at planning. I would have thought through the whole thing, made arrangements, kept a level head. Not to worry. 

But that’s the difference, I suppose, between reading a story and being in it. 

Then they turn the corner and see that the stone has already been moved! What has happened?!

A guy in a white robe gives them the surprising, comforting, Good News: “Do not be afraid. Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified - he has been raised!” The impossible is suddenly possible! The unimaginable is achievable! What cannot be suddenly IS. The women who came wondering about who would roll the stone away are greeted by the news that the one constant thing in our lives and experiences - death! -  has been interrupted, defeated, destroyed! Christ is risen! Alleluia! 

And more than that - this Jesus who is raised, he goes ahead of you, just as he said. You will see him, greet him, be with him again! Wow! 

… And then the women respond. It’s another “shake your head” moment. They flee the tomb. They tell no one. 

Again, I just want to scream at the TV. What are you doing? You just heard some amazing news, and this is how you respond? By not telling anyone? Someone needs a pep talk. 

But if I acquiesce a little bit, the fact that they flee the tomb in terror and amazement makes a good amount of sense. They had come to the tomb looking for a dead body and instead were greeted by a young man dressed all in white telling them that the impossible had happened.

All in all, it’s pretty confusing, pretty outrageous, pretty world-disrupting – so, yeah, I can see them fleeing in terror and amazement - at least at first. It did seem, though, like this guy in white knew a good bit about them and their situation. He was pretty specific. So then you expect them to calm down, get a grip on themselves, and share the message.

But they don’t – and that’s what’s disturbing – they don’t say a word to anyone.

So, what’s going on? Are these women the first Lutherans? You know, they hear the good news but can’t imagine sharing it? With WORDS?!

Are they failures? Did they not catch the “good news” signal or did they misunderstand the pretty clear directions? Are they worried that this is a hoax of some sort? 

Because, again, talking to the TV, if we were the ones who got the message about Jesus being raised from the dead, surely we would go and share it, tell it, do something about it. But that’s the difference, I suppose, between reading a story and being in it. 

And that’s how the Gospel of Mark ends. With failure - failure of these women disciples, failure of the men disciples two days ago, failure of those closest to Jesus. 

But that’s not anything new. Throughout the entire story, the people who should’ve known what was going on - like the disciples - they don’t have a clue. Jesus predicts this death and resurrection three different times, and yet, they still don’t understand; are surprised by it; and flee, desert, and deny when things start to come true. The latest examples are these women who “went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them.”

So, here we are. All the people who should know, should understand, should share, don’t. It appears once again we’re in a bit of a pickle. Except…  except there is one other person who has seen and heard everything Jesus has said and done. One other who heard Jesus’ predictions and then watched as they came true. One other who listened to the amazing news at the empty tomb and heard the call to go and tell. Do you know who that person is? It’s you. And me. And all those who talk to the TV screens giving unsolicited advice on this Easter morning. 

Mark tells this open-ended gospel that threatens to end in failure precisely to place the responsibility for sharing the good news on our shoulders. You know how we’ve been correcting these women, trying to direct them, tell them how we’d do it if we were there? Well, now’s our chance. 

That’s the difference between only reading the story and God putting you in it. Because through Jesus’ resurrection, God’s story of love and life conquering all that keeps us away is still being written - and will forever be written. We are characters in that story, picking up where these women left off. We get the chance to go and tell of Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, who has been raised, and how he meets us, just as he promised. 

We are not just readers, listeners, or viewers of this story; we are active participants in God's unfolding narrative of love and redemption. Despite our fears and failures, Jesus goes ahead of us, and meets us in our lives, in our relationships, and in our worship. Jesus meets us in water and Word, in bread and wine, in story and song. And then he invites us to share the world-changing news that he is alive, and because he lives, we too will live a new life. 

This is the news we hear today. So let us go from the tomb, not with fear or hesitation, but with grace and joy, proclaiming to all that Christ is risen! Alleluia!