Mark 16:1-6

Mark 16:1-6  When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.  Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.  As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen! 

When the Sabbath was over, when the day of rest was completed, early in the morning the three women went to the tomb of Jesus to anoint his body. There they met an angel who said, He has risen!  What is the significance of all this for us today?  Why is the cross important?  Why is the resurrection important?  The resurrection validates who Jesus said He was, but why the cross?  Why not just a painless death and then resurrection?     God's plan of salvation is so magnificent, so incomprehensible, it rivals our understanding of the structure of space and its billions of galaxies.  Only a marvelous God could have devised such a plan.  Listen carefully, Jesus came to set us free from sin and death by totally emptying himself for us and becoming nothing.  He literally experienced separation from his Father, the Almighty God.  He walked the pathway of "DUST TO DUST," for all human remains will eventually turn to dust or nothingness.  All awareness of life will be gone.  Time will cease into eternity.  Our existence will be gone.  

Jesus took on the form of man, and in that form he experienced all the temptations and vicissitudes of life that flesh experiences, even death.  BUT God would not allow his Son to decay in the grave.  And because of Jesus' act of shedding his blood for the sins of the world, death and the grave were overpowered by this sacrificial act of the godhead.  Jesus who possessed faith in God and who lived that faith was risen first; He became the first fruit.  Then all of us who are in Christ by faith are risen anew in Him, born again--an act of the Creator, the mother God so to speak.  In Christ all things become new.  We no longer serve God through rules and regulations of the past.  We no longer serve him by implementing the shadow of heavenly things here on Earth.  The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming — not the realities themselves.  For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.  (Hebrews  10:1)  We no longer serve him by observing special days, months,  years.  Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.  But now that you know God — or rather are known by God — how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles?  Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?  You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!  I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.  (Galatians 4:9-10)   

Although Paul spoke these words of correction to the Galatians, showing the foolishness of keeping certain laws, the heart of his message applies to all people.  We don't serve God by observing the shadow of spiritual realities; we are NOW in the presence of God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  We don't observe a special day as our Sabbath, for we have entered into our day of rest, Jesus Christ, because of his sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection from the tomb.  Daily we minister before the Lord God in the name of Jesus his Son--the only name where we find salvation and life eternal.  We now enter boldly into the Holy of Holies and come face to face with God, crying, "Abba Father," for we know we are home at last.  The cross and Jesus' subsequent resurrection brought life to the lifeless and eternity with God as part of HIS FAMILY.  We have been made higher than the angels, for we have been BOUGHT BY THE BLOOD OF GOD, not that of sheep and goats or any other observance.  What a creative plan, greater than the galaxies made by his hands, greater than the universe spoken into existence.  WHAT A PLAN!  This was the message of the early church and it is our message.  Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.  These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.  (Colossians 2:16-17)  Stand fast in the freedom of the cross of Jesus Christ and live a resurrected life!