Just a note of warning, this video contains some graphic images of the suffering of Jesus Christ. It is a powerful video, but I advise you - if violence bothers your conscience, please do not watch it. Use your best judgment.
This is what Christ went through to pay for my sins and for yours. In reality, what you've just seen in this video is likely just scratching the surface of that suffering - the agony Christ endured to take God's wrath for our iniquities is not something I can describe with words.
At the end of Mark, something astounding happens. It's the ultimate cliff-hanger. Jesus has been buried, and the women of faith who had been followers in Jesus' life went to prepare His body for burial. They expected to have to ask some of the Roman soldiers to help them roll the stone away from the door. They expected to find Jesus right where He'd been left, wrapped in linens and awaiting His burial. They expected to have to prepare His body with the traditional burial spices. They expected to say their goodbyes to the man they'd followed in faith, hoping and praying that He was who He'd said He was - the Son of God. They'd expected Him to take the Throne from Rome, to assume His position on the throne and institute the Kingdom of God in their midst. They'd expected Him to live. They'd expected so much, and now all they had left was to expect a dead body buried behind a stone.
How often does God take what we expect of Him - and blast to pieces our expectations with who He actually is?
Where they'd expected a heavy stone securing the entrance of the tomb, they found a gaping hole - for the stone had already been rolled away. Where they'd expected Jesus' body to be, they found a young man sitting there in white clothing, beside Him neatly folded were the linens their Lord had been wrapped in.
Who was this young man? Where had he come from? What had he done with Jesus?
The young man said to them that they shouldn't be afraid, and that the Lord wasn't there - the Lord had risen. "He's going ahead of you to meet the disciples in Galilee. Go and tell them that."
The women left, terrified out of their minds at what they'd just seen.
...The End.
...!?!!?!?!?!?!?!
Really!? That's how the story ends? He's not here, see you in Galilee, G'bye? Best of luck to you?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?! This isn't some season finale to our favorite sitcom THIS IS THE STORY OF JESUS RISING AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY SO WHERE THE HECK IS HE!? Are you kidding me!?
What happened? Why did the story end this way? Did Jesus rise from the dead like He said He would? Is He coming back for us? Who else found these questions circulating in their heads upon the abrupt ending of this story? I'll be honest and say I was a bit frustrated at the ending. But I think the author did this to us on purpose.
We have all of the information those women did at that point. We've seen Jesus do amazing things - cast out demons, perform miracles, teach amazing lessons about how to live for Him...we've seen Him be beaten and scourged on our behalf...we've seen Him nailed to the cross, drawing His last breath through gritted teeth and a blood-soaked face. We've seen these things. And now we have a choice to make. Is it enough?
All of the signs and wonders and teachings that Jesus gave to His people in His time on the earth wasn't enough for some. For the Pharisees, nothing could soften their hearts to Jesus - no sign was enough. For some of the crowd the miracles, the wonders, they were all great, but they were parlor tricks. Not enough to merit a lifetime commitment to Him. It wasn't even enough for Judas. All that He'd said and done and proven wasn't enough for them.
But it was enough for Peter. It was enough for His apostles. It was enough for His disciples. All that they'd seen and done - it was proof enough for them that God is who He says He is, and therefore Jesus is Lord.
And so, dear reader, I ask - is it enough for you? We have all of the evidence we're going to get from the gospel of Mark to make that choice. The rest is up to you - will you be counted among those with faith? Or those without? Because if the tomb is empty, we have a serious question to answer within ourselves. Where is Jesus? If the tomb is empty - Jesus is Alive. And He is who He says He is. And He can do all of the things He promised He can and will do.
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