Easter Sunday Sermon Notes...

I really loved our Easter Sunday worship service. The sermon was great. Here are a few notes. The title was "The Unfinished Gospel?" All four gospels end with the resurrection. Mark presents a unique set of problems..the oldest manuscripts stop at vs 8 of the last chapter. Verses 9-20 appear to be words and phrases pieced together from the rest of the gospels. Early Christians may have found the end at vs 8 unsatisfying--Mark's gospel is really Peter's story. Mark became Peter's scribe--it is the outline Peter would have used when he told the gospel. A double ending to a gospel was nothing new. It happened in John also. Why did Mark end the story abruptly in vs 8--as an incomplete narrative? The lack of resolution turns the story back on the reader--the reader is suspended. The fear and trembling of the women in no way calls into question the vindication of the cross or the triumph of Christ. Their emotions need to catch up.. "it takes your breath away." Mark wants to draw us into the story. He wants us to be engaged insiders in the sotry and make it our own. The question is, "Will you go and tell others the story?" Mark's Gospel has a deeply ironic ending. Mark loves puzzles and surprises. Jesus wanted to keep his messianic nature a secret until the time was right. The Jews needed to understand that death and resurrection IS the messiahship. At the resurrection, it was TIME to tell the story, resolve the tension, and bring closure to the story. Mark calls on us to supply the missing ending. Did the resurection really happen? The romans were professional killers--Mark names the women as the ones there witnessing the death and now the witnessses of the resurrection. A woman's testimony was not valid in court in that day! But God uses the women as the witnesses. We can thank Jesus for raising the status of women . The writing is counter-conventional. The stories teach a transformed body when he rose physically from the grave. This story was the only messianic story that did not end at the grave. The resurrection is an historical fact. N.T. Wrght said "historians have no option but to conclude that the resurrection was fact." The New Testament uses the resurrection to prove other things. What doe it mean to you and me? Jesus has triumphed. The resurrection is God's YES to all of creation. It is Gods hope for this world. Whatever is broken, sick and dying. Jesus can put it right. The whole creation will be re-made by Jesus. Through Jesus, YOU can change, THE WORLD can change, and every tragedy becomes a triumph. DO NOT BE AFRAID. At the resurrection, fear turns to faith and confidence! Death works backwards! Go tell the story! Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost! Amen.