Unexpected Visitor

Mark 16:4-5

      Have you ever entered a room that you expected to be empty and found an unexpected guest? It can be unnerving to find someone where you thought there was no one. Sometimes it can be a good surprise. Sometimes, not so good. It might be someone you haven’t seen in years, someone who you have wanted to see. Or it could be someone you don’t know, someone you see as a threat to your life and limb. And the moment of surprise knows no difference. Your body reacts in that first instance in that fear reaction. There is the sudden jump, the racing heartbeat, probably a yelp, and the adrenaline pumped into your bloodstream. And all this takes place in a fraction of a second, without any conscious thought or choice.

      So why do I talk about this? Because that Sunday morning, as the women arrive at the tomb where Jesus body had been placed, they find the stone rolled away, something they hadn’t expected. Their first internal reaction was probably a startle reflex. Then their minds would have searched for explanations.

      Imagine walking into a graveyard, looking for a family member’s grave marker. But as you approach the place where you know the grave is, all you see is a large pile of dirt next to a large hole. You look around to make sure you are at the right place. The trees are in the right places. The graves next to the hole are the ones that should be there. But the grave you seek is open. Who would have dared to dig up this grave? What a disgrace! What happened to the casket? Where is Fred?

      These must have been some of the things those women felt and thought as they saw the opening to the tomb unexpectedly open. Well, maybe they wouldn’t have asked where Fred was, but otherwise, you know what I mean. There would have been all these questions running through their heads.

      And then as they step into the tomb, there is someone in there! Yikes! A young looking man, and dressed in dazzling white. Who is this strange looking person? Where did they get that white robe? I wish I could get my clothes that white. But what is he doing here? And where is Jesus?

      Mark makes an observation about which I am not sure what to do. Mark says that this man dressed in white was sitting on the right side, not the left, or in the back, or in any other place. What was it about the right side that was important to Mark? I think it had something to do with where Jesus’ body had been placed on that late afternoon. Either he was sitting where Jesus had been placed, or he was sitting where Jesus wasn’t placed. Either way, it pointed to the fact that Jesus wasn’t there any longer. He was gone. He wasn’t sitting on Jesus, and the other places were empty.

      The specifics mentioned in Scripture were important enough for the writers, and to the Holy Spirit, that they are there for a purpose. This unexpected visitor is seated in the tomb that should only be holding the dead body of Jesus. These women have come to say their final goodbyes, something they didn’t think they would be doing that Sunday morning. Things had moved so fast in the last five days. That final supper, the goodbye words, the walk to the garden, the agony in prayer, the arrest, the sham trials, the verdict, the beaten Jesus barely walking, the indignities, the spikes, the jolt into place, the mocking, the insults, the grace-filled interactions, the adoption of Mary, the final breaths, the end, the release, the hasty burial.

      And now the stone is out of place and a strange young man is here where only a body of Jesus is supposed to be. Too much to take in.

Walking Contradiction

Mark 5:6-8

      You’ve just concluded a long night of struggling with the sick children. Changing sheets,  PJs, washing bathroom floor, carpet, yourself, and being generous with the hugs and wet cloths to the forehead. And then the doorbell rings. At 8:00 on a Saturday morning the ambitious and pushing college age young man is standing at your door trying to sell you _______ (you fill in the blank.) Where was he at 2 in the morning when you really needed an extra pair of hands? This is not what you wanted to happen before you even had a chance to brew your coffee, let alone drink it.

      Life’s unexpected and often untimely stresses and strains can push even the best of us to the breaking point. Mine was eight months in Kuwait and Iraq on 2-3 hours of sleep a night. In some sense I am still trying to recover from that stress even 10 years later.

      Jesus and His disciples have had a rough night battling a storm, preceded by a day that just plain tuckered Jesus out. And they get out of the boat and the doorbell rings. The man demanding Jesus’ attention is out of his mind. He is possessed by demons and has been uncontrollable for some time. The people of his area have given up on him, and he has given up on himself.

      Notice that he sees Jesus from and distance and comes running. It is not the man in control, but the demons. Notice that they force the man to fall on his knees before Jesus, an obvious sign of submission. They know Jesus has the power, and they don’t. They know they are in danger. They are terrified. They force the man to scream at the top of his lungs.

      Notice what the demons say about Jesus. He is Son of the Most High God. This title, Most High God, was a title used by the Jews for the covenant making God of the Old Testament. It is the superlative form of address. You remember superlative, good, better, best. The demons recognize that Jesus is the Son of the highest God there is in the universe. And of course a Son is of the same kind as the Father, just like your kids are humans (most of the time!)

      And the demons know that Jesus had the power to judge them. They know that when the LORD’s judgment comes, it means torture to them. They probably learned this in demon preschool. They know judgment is coming and it won’t be pretty. They see Jesus and they think Judgment Day has arrived. Or at least their personal judgment day. And they are scared.

      And all this happens because Jesus is in charge. He begins to tell the demons to vacate the premises. And what is hilarious is that when they want Jesus to take an oath with God as the witness that He won’t judge them now. I think they must have been confused in that moment. They have had this man as their slave for some period of time. They aren’t used to having anyone challenge their right to torment him.

      Here Jesus is stretched to the max and another demand comes on Him. He is able in that moment to speak in His authority and not get flustered by the presence of this demon possessed man. I am sure we can deal with the diapers with dignity. Or the last minute deadline at work. Or the guy who just rear ended your car. The same power that was present with Jesus is present with you.