In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

Many people today occupy themselves with discovering the authentic teachings of Jesus by distinguishing his words from the words and editorial of the Gospel writers. The Biblical scholars who participate in the Jesus seminar have made a career out of this activity. Following in the footsteps of other scholars who have gone before in a hundred year search for the historical Jesus. But it not just biblical scholars who pursue this task of discovery. The overwhelming popularity of the Da Vinci Code, Holy Blood and Holy Grail and the most recent discovery of the Gospel of Judas fires the imagination for ordinary people as well.

These authentic teachings are then often compared to the teachings of the founders of other world religions such as the Buddha or Confuscious. Karen Armstong’s new book the Great Transformation seems to follow this line of thought. Now focusing on the teachings of Jesus are important but this narrow focus often obscures the great work of God in and through Jesus Christ; not his teaching but rather the deed. The deed of death of resurrection. It is these twin themes that are front and center today.

Let us turn once again to our reading from Mark’s Gospel chapter 16 and hear the closing words, “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.”
What a letdown! What a disappointment?

Mark begins his Gospel with the announcement, “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” And he ends with; “they said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” In eight short verses Mark completes his gospel in a rather a surprising and abrupt fashion.No Hollywood ending here. Role the credits and turn up the house lights.

If you were following along in the pew Bibles you may have noticed that were more verses but most New Testament scholars agree that the earliest and oldest editions of Mark’s gospel ended at verse 8. As it is we have no account of the appearance of the Risen Lord, no gathering of the disciples in his risen presence- only fear trembling and silence.
Well, let’s take it as it is and start with a question.

Why would Mark end his Gospel in such an abrupt fashion?
Obviously, to begin with the women must have told someone what happened at the tomb, or there would not be any story at all. Maybe Mark ended the Gospel the way he did in order to make a point. Writing forty years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, Mark didn’t come to his faith in Christ by seeing the Risen Lord. And neither do we.
The resurrection story then provokes a decision on our part, either yes or no to the deed itself.

The women didn’t tell anybody of the events that transpired on that first Easter morning. So that means the ball is in our court. Mark gives us an opportunity to write ourselves into the story. What ending shall we give, will the answer be no to the resurrection. The story of Christ ended on that first Good Friday, it’s all over and done.
Jesus belongs to the past. Accessible only by memory, and even then only for so as those who are able to remember him are still alive.
The Episcopal priest Charles Perry writes of his experience visiting parishioners who had drifted away from the church. A number said something like this: “When my husband (or wife) died, I stopped attending church. I just didn’t believe anymore and no longer needed to pretend.” Jesus belongs to the past. Is that how the story ends for you?

Certainly that is what the women thought when they made their way to the tomb in order to anoint Jesus’ body. And it understandable. Jesus was dead and buried. There cannot be a happy ending for them. Death was the ultimate limit and boundary experience.
But they receive the shock of their lives. “Don’t be alarmed, you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen!

He does belong to the past. Don’t look for him in the tomb. Don’t seek him amongst the dead memories of the past. Jesus belongs not to the past but to the present and the future.
“He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

Now we have traditionally understood the resurrection to mean that we will go to heaven when we die in order to be with Christ. The Easter experience has primarily been about the promise of eternal life. And there is nothing wrong with that understanding from a theological perspective. But what does the Easter experience have to say to you today?

I know that you some of you are struggling with health concerns. Others are struggling with employment issues and family issues. Some of you are struggling to find a way to live our your faith in Christ more fully in your daily lives. What does the Easter experience have to say to you today? How will you finish Mark’s story?

For the resurrection is not just something that happens once out at the cemetery. That would be easy. The resurrection is something that happens on ahead of us, an experience that meets us in the world, in the ordinary moments of our lives. In Mark’s hands, the resurrection is not primarily a belief about life after death but rather our lives today.
In Mark’s Easter, we are not to so much focus on living forever while gazing upon the beatific vision but rather we are to follow Jesus where he goes now.
“He is going ahead of you”

He is the future and he leads us into it. He goes before us. We follow him into the future; we do not seek after the status quo. Christ’s cause is a dynamic one, not a static one. Life over death, future over past, movement over inertia. And it this choice that Christ offers us today.
Death or life? Past or future? Like the women at the tomb we must decide and fear and trembling is appropriate in this circumstance.

I have said to you many times before that the dead past has a powerful grip on us. We grip tightly to our security and comfort not wanting to let it go for the sake of the future. We come prepared for death like the women going to the tomb.

But Christ goes before us longing for us to meet him. I guess that is why I have such confidence and hope despite the monumental changes that are taking place in the church and our society. And I hope that you share that same confidence as well.

Now if the women won’t tell anybody what they have seen and heard will you? The women ran away from Easter. They were amazed, they were afraid, and they were silent. But you at least have come toward Easter, not running, but walking confidently, expectantly, and joyfully.

Mark’s story is written for us. Christ is not in the tomb. He lives. He goes before us into the future. Do not sit around, go. Do not be silent? Tell. Christ is risen today.
THANKS BE TO GOD AMEN.