Originally preached to Ekklesia Churches by Dan on 01/04/26.
• The kingdom of God flips the “haves vs have-nots” instinct: insiders are those who recognize what they lack and trust Jesus as what they truly need.
• Mark contrasts spectating from a distance with courageous discipleship, with the unexpected actions of Joseph of Arimathea, as he risks reputation, security, and wealth to honor Jesus.
• The burial and empty tomb emphasize that Jesus was truly dead and then truly raised from the dead. It was not resuscitation, but bodily resurrection “just as he said.”
• The women’s fear and silence expose how weak faith can be even in Jesus’ followers, and why we need the Holy Spirit to comfort, convict, and empower obedience.
• Mark’s abrupt ending presses the hearer: if Jesus is the Son of God, the suffering servant who rose on the third day, how will you respond to that? Will you choose to believe and confess?
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