Sunday: Rejoicing in the Resurrection
Daily Lesson for Sunday 22nd of September 2024
Read Mark 15:42-47; Mark 16:1-6. What happens here, and why is this story so relevant to the resurrection narrative?
All the Gospel writers agree that Jesus died on the day that they identify as the “preparation” (Matthew 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:14,31,42). Most commentators understand this as a reference to sunset Thursday through sunset Friday. Jesus died late on Friday afternoon and was then quickly buried before sunset.
Image © Providence Collection at Goodsalt.com
During the Sabbath, the Lord rested in the grave, and all of Jesus’ disciples rested, as well. “And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment” (Luke 23:56, NKJV), a rather strange action if, in fact, Jesus had lessened, at least in their minds, the obligation to keep the fourth commandment.
On Saturday night, the women bought spices, and on Sunday morning, they went to the tomb with the desire to complete the typical burial process. Of course, Jesus was not there!
As early as the second century, Christians saw significance in the fact that Jesus rose on Sunday. This became the basis for Sunday sacredness. But is that what the New Testament teaches?
Read Colossians 2:10-12. What is the New Testament memorial of Jesus’ resurrection?
Not a word in the Bible hints at Sunday sacredness as a memorial of the Resurrection. That memorial is baptism. “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4, NKJV).
Regardless of the false theology regarding Sunday worship, as Adventists we must rejoice in the Sunday morning resurrection of Jesus. Jesus has triumphed over death, and in His resurrection, we have the surety of ours.
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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3, NKJV). Look at the certainty Paul had about the resurrection of Jesus. How can we have that certainty, as well? |
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Some Christian Churches make quite a feature of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. Easter Sunday is often regarded as a special day. And the whole idea of Sunday worship is based on the day of resurrection. Further, there are a couple of competing sites in Jerusalem, which, depending on which Christian group you belong to are regarded as Jesus' tomb.
Christianity is not really about the veneration of events. I have seen arguments put forward against Christianity because we do not know the exact date when Jesus was born or crucified. Such arguments miss the point that Christianity is not vindicated by celebrating critical events at the right time. Christianity is a living thing.
Even Isaiah understood this and recorded this message from God:
He goes on to say what our religion should look like:
The real celebration of the resurrection of Jesus is that we honour him by caring for one another. We lift the risen Saviour up when we lift one another up.
Well said thank you for your post!
Sabbath morning as I was leaving to go to church I ran upstairs to say goodbye to my brother’s friend who lives with us. And to give Him a gift…was his 42nd birthday. He was rolling a cannabis joint, his face was ashen and he said his belly hurt. He told me he was watching more of his “Bible studies”….Every Sabbath (seems significant that he doesn’t watch this any other day of the week that I’m aware of) he watches YouTube videos with an online group researching supposed discovered Greek texts that say that Jesus was a part of child trafficking in Jerusalem, was a drug user, was engaged in group immoral acts with His disciples in Gethsemane , etc. Truly horrific, Satanic, blasphemous lies.
My heart was so painfully moved by this that when I arrived at church I asked my faith family to pray with me for him right away. Like the women bringing a whiff of fragrant spices into the deathly tomb, we begged God to break through M’s cloudy mind being filled with filthy images, prayed that God would bring new life and 2nd birth to M on his birthday.
So when I read the gospel today, it stands out to me that the women saw “a young man closed in a long white linen cloth sitting” in the tomb (Mark 16:5). I think it’s usually interpreted that this was an angelic figure. But for a moment share with me the symbolism of this.
Remember before Jesus death?… The arrest scene in the Garden of Gethsemane with the soldiers and religious leaders grabbing Jesus …. and there was a young man who they caught also, but he ran away naked, leaving his linen cloth behind (Mark 14:51-52)
Now….. and again, I’m seeing this symbolically, not literally as the same young man from earlier in the garden…But here in this resurrection scene, we see a young man wearing a white cloth, telling the good news that Jesus is alive.
Symbolically, a young man fled… And now a young man is sitting calmly (Mark 16:5). Before a young man was naked and afraid and runs from his white robe. Now a young man is clothed in Christ’s righteousness and in his right mind and sharing good news. The place of death is now empty. The young man says do not be alarmed…He is not here…He is going before you and you will see Him, as He has promised” (Mark 16:6-7) That’s his testimony. ”Jesus went before me, He led me out of the rotten stench of death, He’s promised to do that for you too.“
I pray this with my whole heart for M and for my brothers and for all those caught in the webs of Satan’s lies. Please pray with me if you have any room in your prayer list. That they will be drawn, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit, out of darkness into the light. Out of hiding and nakedness into a deep love relationship with Jesus. Praying that they will surrender their lives to Jesus and receive all that He offers us. That soon we will join with the women, praising God, and trembling in amazement and joy (Mark 16:8) over the victories He is winning in the lives of our precious loved ones. 🙏🏻
Hi Esther, please include my brother M who is in a similar situation living with his mom. Quite challenging at times. We pray for God to one day break those chains and set them free. I think the Spirit opened your eyes and heart to that symbolism re the young man in the garden and in the tomb. I know this will be my brother’s testimony and also your brother’s friend.
Amen, praying for your brother M too, Michelle! I know in that moment God opened my eyes to the reality of the situation too, because often to cope I think I turn a blind eye.
God is able and we will continue to put them before Christ
Thank you, Sister Ceceile.
Praying for your concerns 🙏. Let's keep in touch with Him all the time.
We’ll definitely pray for the Ms and the likes each time on Fridays from 11am-1pm that our prayer group meets.
Yes dear sister Esther. We are praying and for all those - whether in or out of church - who are entangled in the web of satanic lies and delusions. GOD our wonderful Heavenly Father is able.
Thank you for your deep spiritual insights and for GOD Who called you out of the darkness of satanic lies into His wonderful light of truth and love.
Thank you for the reminder, dear Sister Marcia, that even in the church we can still be blindsided by the lies of the world. And yes, thanking God with you that He is able to finish the good work He has begun in each of His precious children.
The disciples did not believe Mary Magdaline. They had to see for themselves. Peter and John were extraordinarily bold and went running to the tomb of Christ. John was more physically fit and ran ahead of Peter. John bent over and peered into the tomb and saw it empty. Peter caught up with John and said I am going in, and he did also find it empty. Remember Peter was the brave one, or show off I presume. Then John seeing everything was safe went into the tomb too, finding Christ gone with the linin folded neatly. They now believed even though they did not know that the scriptures said Christ must raise from the grave. I am sure that Christ message to the disciples rang between there ears like a light bulb coming on all of a sudden. "After three day I will rise." They left all to tell the disciples. And then all went went out from the upper room where they were hiding and to own their homes.
We have a lot to rejoice over, He has risen.
I Corinthians 15:3-4 NKJV
[3] For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
On the day Jesus died, it was a day of making preparation to celebrate and tell the story of deliverance. A story to be told again and again, from generation to generation, a child would ask, Why is this night different from all other nights. This night was different from all other nights, the Father of all creation was lying lifeless in a tomb that was not His own, it was my tomb. that realization changes a man. It's not just a story we tell our children, it's the fulfillment of a covenant promise which was
made when God began to create. I'm a sinner, from birth I walked contrary to my Father's grace. My rightful place is in that tomb.
Though death had a rightful claim on my life, my life is wrapped up in His life, and in His life all the covenant promises are yes and
amen. The life of Jesus stands as a witness, in life He walked perfectly according to the covenant promises, because of His life I live, though there is nothing about me that could change my destiny with death. He took my place. If I didn't believe this I would be as I formerly was.
Death couldn't hold Him, there was no record condemning Him to death, with His death the hold that death had on the descendants of Adam has been broken forever. If I didn't believe that, I of all people would be most wretched. It's the power of the resurrection that gave me life, that breathed into my lifeless body the breath of life. And now I no longer experience living as a dead man walking, but I walk in the life I was created to experience.
Every day of my life is an experience in the resurrection of Jesus, the newness of life, I anticipate each day with the excitement of a child, to explore with my Father the blessings He has stored up for me for this day, that I may experience the newness of life with the dawning of every day, as Jesus is resurrected in my being. as this is my experience I can't hold it in, as the tomb couldn't hold Jesus, so my being can't contain the blessings of this resurrected life, It must be shared with all who have been prepared to receive it.
each one of us has walked a different path, but all paths will ultimately lead to the cross and the resurrection, our Father is amazing, beyond what words can describe, the gift of life is beyond what words can describe. This comes from one who experienced in life all that death has to offer, and has been blessed to walk in the renewed life of Jesus.
Shalom my friends.
Amen! 🙏
This comment brought me to tears
Greetings and blessings to you Joshua,
I am sure you know.
Friday Christ died and taken to grave just before sundown.
On Seventh-day-Sabbath, He rested in the grave
Sunday Morning, He rose from the grave
I am sure you know, less than 72 hours time elapsed.
I too have been brought to tears, and with last week's lessons also. What thrills may heart is He died for us all, for through our tears there is hope.
Thank-you for all your words.
Upon Jesus' declaration of 'It is finished,' Satan's control over the events leading to His resurrection ceased. His burial marked the final humiliation, yet it also signified the start of a shift towards a more exalted state. He was placed in a new, specially reserved tomb, indicating the supernatural nature of His redemptive work that weekend two thousand years ago.
With the Godhead's meticulous attention to detail, Jesus' burial was carried out with utmost care, providing an irrefutable proof of His resurrection. His body, taken down by devoted friends in full view of His foes, was placed in a specially selected cave, sealed off with an enormous stone and under the watchful eye of Pilate's soldiers, eliminating any possibility of fraud or deception.
So like Jesus, when we find ourselves in our darkest moments, with seemingly no hope in sight, it is crucial to resist the urge to give up, as joy can unexpectedly appear at dawn, brought forth by an unanticipated source. (In the case of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea.) This is due to the fact that God is in control, utilizing all circumstances for His glory and our benefit.
If Jesus had not been resurrected, nothing we are doing here would make sense. Looking to the cross can help us admire His love for us more and more. But being sure of His living intercession now gives us the hope that will carry us to the end. The cross is empty, but His glory is fulfilling day by day!
I understand the intent of this lesson, that adventists should properly understand the meaning of the resurrection through the scriptures and the attenuating metaphores. As Christ was raised into Everlasting life, so will the faithful be raised. This day - Sunday, or more correctly, the first day - however, does not change the Lord's day - the Sabbath! Caution must be made here that adventists don't construe celebrating the day of resurrection with legitimizing Sunday Worship! The devil may make some think it is okay to worship and honor God on both days! Remember, Sunday is not in God's Commandments, and Sunday is not the day we are told to remember!
I understand your concern, but the early church actually worshiped God every day. It is not wrong to honor God on Sunday any more than it is wrong to honor him at a Wednesday night prayer meeting. The issue is not Sunday as much as forgetting Sabbath. And if we truly see Jesus as Lord of the whole Bible, I don't think we'll do this.
Thank you, for your contributions. Please, as you pray in your homes, remember me.