Following Jesus: Beyond the Empty Tomb

Bible Text: Mark 16:1-8 | Preacher: Pastor Mark Verbruggen | Series: Easter Sunday | From the parade on Palm Sunday to the journey to the cross on Friday, to this new morning on
the first day of the week: Following Jesus leads us on a path that brings us to New Life in a New
Creation. This is what Easter Sunday is all about: New Life in a New Creation!
If a dead man walked out of the tomb as the Lord of life, then this is a very good day. This is a
good time to be alive, following Christ. Jesus comes to proclaim the arrival of God’s Kingdom
and this remains the heart of the Gospel message. The Creator of all things is making all things
new. If you have followed Jesus to the cross, will you now also have the courage to move on to
the empty tomb and beyond? Maybe we don’t think about this as much as we should. What is
it like to follow Jesus to the tomb and beyond? Do we understand the implications for such a
journey? Are we willing to let ourselves, our worldview, our values, hopes, and dreams be
shaped by what we find? Just what were those women expecting to find when they journeyed
to the tomb of Jesus all those years ago?
Mark 16:1-8 is the shortest version of the Resurrection Story found in the gospel accounts. In it
we hear a three point sermon declaring 1) Do not be Afraid, 2) Come and See, 3) Go and Tell.