Mark 16:1-7
[1] And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
[2] And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
[3] And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
[4] And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
[5] And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
[6] And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
[7] But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
- We begin at the early morning walk to the tomb
- 3 women were coming bringing spices
- They were coming to do the work of undertakers
- They worried about moving the stone at the tomb
- Unbelief is fertile ground for worrying
- There was no need to worry
- When they arrived it was already rolled away
- The 3 were commissioned by an angel
- They were to put away their fears: Christ was alive!
- They were to tell the disciples Christ had risen
- They were to be sure to tell Peter
- So why did Peter had to be told?
Peter needed to know that he was not forsaken – Mark (14:22-72)
- Jesus had prepared His disciples for what was ahead
- The crucifixion
- The persecution
- and His resurrection
- Peter vowed to never be offended, but broke the vow
- He needed to know that Jesus still loved him
- He needed to know that Jesus had kept this vow
- To fail does not make one a lifelong failure
- God’s love reaches out to those who have failed
- The cross and the resurrection guarantee that love
Peter needed to know that he had been forgiven
- He had followed Jesus from afar
- He had mingled with the enemies of the Lord
- He had warmed himself by the wrong fire
- He had denied the lord three times
- He didn’t want to be identified with Jesus
- Cursed and swore while denying he knew Jesus
In spite of all of this you still can be forgiven!
Peter was a broken man, without Christ his foundation was unsure
Luke 6:6-11
[6] And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
[7] And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
[8] But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
[9] Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
[10] And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
[11] And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
- His net was broken (Luke 6:6)
- His pride was broken (Luke 6:8)
- His partnership was broken (Luke 6:9-10)
- He left all to follow Jesus (Luke 6:11)
- Now he felt disqualified
- Peter needed to know he still belonged to the lord
1 Peter 1:5-8
[5] Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
[6] Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
[7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
[8] Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
- He called the resurrection his “Living Hope”
- He then knew that God had not given up on him
