Just heading back from Kings CU... was speaking on Mark 15:40-16:8... here are some of my thoughts:
It's been a rollercoaster of emotion in the passages leading up to this... as Mark reaches the high point, the climax in his Gospel... and yet at the same time we see Jesus go through betrayal, his friends run away... he's arrested, handed over to a council acting as judge, jury and executioner... his people shout "crucify"... he beaten, spat on, nailed to a cross, takes God's judgement... dies!
As we reach the climax of what Mark has been persuading us of since verse 1 of chapter 1 - that Jesus is the Christ... yet at the same time, we reach the lowest point for Jesus, humanly speaking... as we see him give his life for a proud, arrogant, fickle, betraying bunch of followers...
And so we reach the end of Mark's Gospel... verse 8:
And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had
seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
and the screen fades to black... and the credits start to roll...
what a flop ending... or so we might think...
Mark uses two character types... Joseph who pledges absolute total allegiance to Jesus, no matter the cost to his reputation, social standing, career... alongside the women, who run away scared... not saying a word.
Mark is leaving us the question - which are we going to be like? Jesus has done enough - he's proved himself to be who he says he is... and we're left with the question - am I gonna be bold and confident like Joseph - no matter the cost; or am I gonna flee scared, keeping quiet like the women.
The good news is of course that we're all like the women much more than we are like Joseph... after all, Jesus came for the sick, not the healthy; he's told us we all have a heart defect that means we don't life for Jesus perfectly - that's why he had to come and offer his life as a ransom for many...
And so, the angel in the tomb says "go tell his disciples, and Peter"... and Peter... Peter who after just a little questioning from a servant girl says that he doesn't even know Jesus...
And so, right at the end of Mark we get the great reminder of who the Gospel is for.... weak failures... weak failures like Peter, like the women... weak failures like you and me! What a box office smash!
Gotta love the good news... the gospel... of Jesus the Christ!
