"Do not be alarmed; He is risen!” Resurrection Day 2025

20. April 2025

The Resurrection of Our Lord

Mark 16:1-8

He said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid (Mk 16:6–8).

This is the Word of the Lord that came to me, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in His + Name. AMEN.

Jesus picks the most unlikely of preachers: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. These are the same women we heard last week, “who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem” (Mk 15:41) and also, “observed where He was laid” (Mk 15:47). Jesus chose these women to be the eyewitnesses to His death and burial, and today, the eyewitnesses of His resurrection.

You may find women preaching to be awkward. They’re not being ordained in the public preaching office, as He elsewhere bestowed on His disciples. So if you prefer, for the sake of sensibilities, let’s say they are given to proclaim the Gospel. Don’t squirm, this is all part of His grand reversal! The first woman was deceived by the Serpent in Eden, and old Adam failed to preach the truth for repentance and forgiveness. Now, the new Adam, Christ Jesus, the Great Gardener, preaches forgiveness to restore all the daughters of Eve and sons of Adam. He comes to heal His broken family, calling prodigals home, and forgiving the adultery of idolatry. By one man, now by One Man, so also, by one woman, now by many women!

As Christ comes to retrieve His bride, the Church, we can’t help but hear the story of Jacob and Rachel. “Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban […] that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban […] Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept” (Ge 29:9–11). Now again the stone is rolled away and our Jacob comes forth for you, His bride, the Shepherd for His sheep. Rachel’s weeping is over and her bridegroom has come. “Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

We have spent the Holy Week together, watching and waiting for our Redeemer, hearing again what this ransom cost Him. The Sinless One took all the sins of the world into His flesh. He suffered the just penalty for all our transgressions. He died our death on the tree of the cross. And now, on the third day, He burst forth from the grave, alive. Death could not hold Him any more than the lions' den could hold Daniel. Indeed, Jesus is the one who set the prophets of old free!

So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed. Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel [that’s Jesus!] and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God” (Da 6:16–23).

Now Christ chose these women, the Holy Myrrhbearers, to witness an even greater salvation. And you, too! From the right hand of God, Christ’s angel proclaims His victory over sin, death, and the devil. “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen!” (Mk 16:6). See where He had been laid. And don’t worry or be afraid! He goes before you to Galilee. You will see Him again, just as He had said to you!

Just as He said to you, do you remember? It was on the night He was betrayed.  Jesus told them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee” (Mk 14:27–28). Maybe Peter and the rest forgot to tell the women? The memo didn’t get passed around. Why didn’t they remember? No matter, now they hear it for themselves. And what astounding good news! So awe-inspiring that it’s unbelievable.

And therein lies the problem. It doesn’t matter who is given to speak this Good News. It’s unbelievable! Thus, St. Mark gives us that abrupt ending. “They went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were [floored]. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid” (Mk 16:8). They cannot believe, despite hearing the voice of God’s angel. They can’t believe that all that Jesus spoke and did for them is fulfilled. And the greatest miracle of all is that the Father raised Him from the dead, just as He said. But as the proverb goes, “Something too good to be true usually is.”

Thus, these women failed to preach, proclaim, speak, or choose their verb. It wasn’t a weakness unique to them or a deficiency in women. No, the Gospel is so amazing, fantastic, and true beyond our imagination that no one can believe apart from faith given by the Holy Spirit through preaching. The message must be heard, received, and faith worked by the Spirit. Faith may happen all at once, or it may take decades as the Spirit wills.

And Jesus will not leave these women waiting and wondering. He comes to Mary Magdalene later in the garden and reveals Himself when He calls her by name. He will reveal Himself to the disciples in Galilee as His Word commands an incredible catch of fish. He will reveal Himself to the disciples on the road to Emmaus in catechesis and the breaking of the bread. And we’ll hear more ways He gives the nations to believe in the days and weeks to come.

And today and now Jesus sends His angel to you to open your eyes and heart through a fantastic proclamation, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen!” (Mk 16:6) Jesus has accomplished everything He promised to do for you. And now He gives it to you freely and fully in His Holy gifts by Word, water, bread, and wine. Your sin is forgiven. The devil is defanged. Your grave is opened. There is now life where there was once only death. Today is the start of a new life, with it a proclamation, “Christ is risen!” He is risen, indeed, Alleluia! This new life is not just for you, but for your children, for those near and those far, for as many as our LORD God will call.

If you know of any who are not yet baptized, bring them to this sacrament. Easter is the perfect day to call those who are baptized but have gone away from the Church to return to Christ. And to all, share the Easter joy with your neighbors. Tell your friends and neighbors about God's love, stronger than death. If Christ chose those holy Myrrhbearers to be proclaimers, He can choose you, too. And that for those who believe in Christ, all earthly griefs become temporary, and life will never end, because death no longer has power over us. Blessed Easter to all of you! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia.

This is the Word of the Lord that came to me, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in His + Name. AMEN.

Rev. Christopher R. Gillespie
St. John Ev. Lutheran Church & School - Sherman Center
Random Lake, Wisconsin