Obedience and Love: Mark 16:1-4
God continues to do the impossible again and again throughout the remainder of history. It starts with the resurrection. It continues now. God continues to do the impossible in you and me.
Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, and Salome bring spices to the tomb. The job of taking the body off the cross and then burying it in the tomb had to be rushed to be accomplished before the Sabbath, so Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus weren’t able to complete the work fully. These women now return to the tomb once the Sabbath is over to ensure the job was properly done.
Listen to the love within this statement. Here is a group of women willing to go into a sealed tomb. That seal trapped all the odors a decaying body would produce within. There was no refrigeration except that which was provided by the earth within the tomb. No doubt the spices were brought to help combat the smell, but no amount of spice would help completely. These women came to the tomb to do a horribly smelling job simply out of love for Jesus. He was already dead; they wanted to make sure His dead body received the care it needed.
From one perspective, this seems utterly unnecessary. It’s not like Jesus needed the body anymore. He was dead – and they certainly didn’t know the resurrection was coming. But, these women aren’t working from the scientific end of life perspective. Rather, they are working from a perspective of gratitude and love. Jesus had changed their life. They were willing to tolerate the stench of death because of the love Jesus created within their soul.
These women start in love, but that love is naturally fulfilled in obedience. God proscribed ways for which a dead body should be cared. These women went to the tomb to finish the job God asked His people to follow. It was obedience to God’s ways and a love for the Son of God that brought them to the tomb.
There was a problem. The tomb had already been sealed to keep the smell of death within. These women came to the tomb to finish a job, but they had no way to get in. These women had no idea how they’d get the job done.
In Jesus, though, they saw God do the impossible. God did the impossible in their own lives. They know God can make things happen without explanation. Their job is to care for Jesus; unsealing the tomb is a problem beyond their ability to solve. The woman come; they trust God will provide.
God does not disappoint. When the women arrive at the tomb, the tomb is already unsealed. The women don’t yet know how, but God provided. God moved the obstacle standing in their way to obedience to His will. He doesn’t stop there. God continues to do the impossible again and again throughout the remainder of history.
