April 14, 2023

Dear Road Church Friends,

Mark’s story about the three women who set out early Sunday morning to visit the place where Jesus had been hastily buried on the previous Friday evening is the earliest record of what happened Easter morning. These women who traveled with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem had watched as Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross, wrapped in a sheet and transported to a waiting tomb. These women were determined to give a proper burial to their beloved rabbi who meant so much to them. Other rabbis would not take women as their students. Jesus not only welcomed women, he counted them among his closest disciples. Their visit to Jesus’ grave was an expression their love to the one person who affirmed their equality and opened doors of new opportunity for them. Now he who gave them that gift was gone, and with him their hopes.

The story of their early morning mission to find a grave of a loved one holds a special meaning for me because it reminds me of an incident in my own life.  Join us Sunday morning to hear the rest of this story.

SCRIPTURE:  MARK 16:1-8        SERMON: Looking for a Grave

After the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices to go and anoint the body of Jesus. Very early on Sunday morning, at sunrise, they went to the tomb. On the way they said to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” (It was a very large stone.) Then they looked up and saw that the stone had already been rolled back. So they entered the tomb, where they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe—and they were alarmed. “Don't be alarmed,” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is not here—he has been raised! Look, here is the place where he was placed. Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: ‘He is going to Galilee ahead of you; there you will see him, just as he told you.’” So they went out and ran from the tomb, distressed and terrified. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

EASTER HYMN

Christ the Lord is risen today

Sons of men and angels say,

Raise your joys and triumphs high,

Sing ye heavens, and earth reply.

Love’s redeeming work is done,

Fought the fight, the battle won,

Lo! our sun’s eclipse is o’er,

Lo! He sets in blood no more.

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal,

Christ hath burst the gates of hell!

Death in vain forbids his rise,

Christ hath opened Paradise!

Lives again, our glorious king,

Where, O Death is now thy sting?

Once he died, our souls to save,

Where thy victory, O Grave?

by Charles Wesley 

Easter season blessing to you all, 

Pastor Norm

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