Strange Ending

Christ is Risen, Alleluia! He is Risen indeed! (Mark 16:1-8)

Imagine watching an engaging film. You are on the edge of your seat, caught up in the story. And then it ends. Unexpectedly. Awkwardly. You wonder, What will happen next? Mark's gospel this Easter morning ends more with a whimper than a bang, like movie that abruptly stops.

Three women see a mysterious figure who tells them that Jesus was alive. The women are filled with awe, trembling and joyful at the same time. Then the gospel ends with these words: " The said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid" (Mark 16:8)

He is Risen! Alleluia! He is Risen indeed!

One of the strange aspects of Mark's is that there is no resurrection appearance of Jesus. And this is the point: we do not need a dramatic appearance of our Lord to affirm the resurrection. Instead, for Mark, faith comes through remembering Jesus' words. The mysterious figure in the tomb tells the women to remember Jesus' promise that he is going to ahead of them to Galilee (Mark 14: 28; 16:7).

Resurrection faith springs from remembering Jesus' words of promise, not receiving dramatic visions. Today we have no spectacular, triumphal appearance of the risen Christ. But we are given something more profound: God's covenant of life. When we have failed, when the forces of death and hate have done their worst, then Mark says, Remember the promise our Lord gives you. He is raised to a new life, and you are raised with him. Jesus' words of promise make all the difference for us; they usher us into a future that belongs to God.

Mark's strange, abrupt ending is the beginning of our new life in Christ. The Risen One is our future: creation transformed, death swallowed up, God's love without end. This resurrection movie does not end, but only continues through us and our brothers and sisters throughout the world. God has joined us all to the story, to the living, breathing body of Christ.



The decoration of our sanctuary at St. Paul Lutheran Church at Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan on Easter. For more pictures and listen to sermons, click here or the picture.