Now What?
Resurrection of Our Lord – Narrative Lectionary 2
March 27, 2016
Grace, Mankato, MN
Mark 16.1-8
Someone talked. Someone had to have talked otherwise we wouldn’t be here today. This abrupt and deeply unsatisfying non-ending of Mark’s has been hotly debated for centuries. Early transmitters were so uncomfortable they added not just one but two endings. Mark’s ending reminds us of the season ending TV show cliffhanger that leaves us frustrated. If Mark were to submit this manuscript today, modern day editors would do the same, if it was accepted at all. Of course, as modern day pundits might posit, it would be accepted if Mark would make it a trilogy. But, as someone observed, this is no way to run a resurrection. There is no fanfare or pageantry, just three women running away in fear. Their faithfulness seemed so promising, but in the end they stumble like their male contemporaries.
I can’t prove it, but I think they finally found their voices because someone told and that gives us a hint about Mark’s ending. It’s incredibly important to our life of faith to remember that life is not solved in 30-60 minutes or even over several episodes and there is no such thing as closure in life. I think closure is the worst idea that has been foisted upon us these days. We need to remember that resurrection isn’t an ending; it’s a beginning. When we think about it, this story is as real as it gets. These people, who stumble, are us. And the story is told so shabbily it must be true. You just can’t make this stuff up, so we can relate to the open-ended, messiness of life.
One of my favorite commentators of all things biblical, David Lose, reminds us that resurrection isn’t a conclusion; it’s an invitation. It’s an invitation to live resurrection lives, which doesn’t mean that our lives are tied up like a nice bow. The resurrection life means that God beckons us to be a part of God’s work in the world. Resurrection means that, as we’ll see in the book of Acts, we’ll be making it up as we go. Resurrection means that we’ll stumble and fail just as spectacularly as those first men and women followers of Jesus, but that Jesus promises to meet us anyway and show us the way.
Yet, we must be careful not to think it’s up to us. It’s not up to us; it’s up to God working in, with, and through us. Most importantly, Mark’s story in general and the ending in particular shatters our expectations about Jesus and how he works. Remember, this is a Jesus who sides with the poor, oppressed, marginalized and outcast. This is a Jesus who says that true life is found by giving ourselves away. This is a Jesus who overthrows the politics of fear. This ending shows us that neither the tomb nor the ending can contain Jesus and neither can we. The good news is that that God can neither be shut in nor shut out of the world.
This non-ending in Marks tells us that there is hope because Jesus cannot be contained by a tomb and God can be trusted to finish what God has begun. And when we look at the pain and suffering in our world we see that this is even better news. Why? Because the good news is that God isn’t done yet and God is inviting us to help. One of the things I love about Grace is that we are learning to ask, “Now what?” We’re learning to be nimble and move wherever the Holy Spirit is leading us. God isn’t asking us to solve it all; in fact, God isn’t asking us to solve anything at all. God is inviting us to look for places where we can make a difference, to work for peace and justice in the world.
What I want you to know today is that, no matter what is going on in your life, God is there working to bring resurrection life. Christ is risen from the dead and as you go from here today, may you be part of that new life that God so graciously offers. Amen
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