If you take your Bibles turn to Mark chapter 16. Mark chapter 16 this morning. We'll be reading from there in just a few minutes. Mark 16 but before we do that, Once you found, if you could look up here at the screen the there is a a way of witnessing called the Romans Road. If you've been in church from the time you were young, you probably heard of the Romans Road.

Way of taking verses primarily from the book of Romans and showing people their need of a savior that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and we often end with Romans ten nine which is up here on the screen that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Let me read that again. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Let's go to the Lord in prayer before we continue. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for your word.

Thank you Lord most of all for the gift of your son, your death on the cross in our behalf, and your resurrection from the grave that we celebrate today, that we serve a risen savior, a living savior, a savior who has forgiven our sins, prepared a place in heaven for us and one day, will come to take us home to that place. Lord, thank you for all that you have done. Thank you for the the hope and joy that is ours in Christ Jesus today. In Jesus name, we do pray, amen. Today, we are reminded as we should be every Sunday and for that matter, every day, as a child of God, that we serve a risen savior.

I I don't get don't really get as excited about Easter as maybe you think I would and that's because don't celebrate Christ's resurrection at Easter. I celebrate it every Sunday. Basically, every day, every day we have life in Christ is a day to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our savior. Jesus is that risen savior. His very name means the Lord is salvation.

That's what Jesus means. He came to save his people from their what? From their sins and he did so while hanging on the cross. Taking the punishment for those sins. Isaiah fifty three six says, all we like sheep have gone astray.

The Lord hath laid on him that is Jesus, the iniquity or sin of us all. For he came to die for the sins of the world. And that he did on that cross and when the price was paid, he cried, it is finished. And then he gave up the ghost, was taken down from the cross, and buried in a rich man's tomb. But that's not the end of it, is it?

No. That's just the what? That's just the prelude to the new beginning. Particularly for us who know Christ as savior. Why?

Because of his resurrection. His resurrection assures us that the price indeed has been paid by the sinless son of God that the wrath of God has been satisfied by him. That's what the resurrection does among other things. We can be assured that God accepted Christ's payment because three days later, he raised Jesus Christ from the dead. It says again, Isaiah fifty three eleven, he shall see his the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied.

Today, I can have joy and hope in Jesus Christ, forgiveness for my sins because God's wrath and justice has been what? Satisfied by Jesus Christ on the cross. Who then rose again. Who is seated at the right hand of the father, where he is my advocate on high, where he is preparing a place for me. Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead, is able therefore, to save, to keep, and one day resurrect all those who put their faith and trust in him and so the good news of the gospel is as Paul points out in first Corinthians 15, not just incomplete without the resurrection but holy without meaning, without the resurrection.

The only way we know that Christ's payment was accepted that he is the son of God who died for us on the cross is because he did rise. From that grave. For if he did not, what could a dead lifeless Jesus do for you? What assurance can you have of eternal life if the source of that life is still in the grave? But he's not in the grave.

Now, I visited a tomb in Jerusalem that might be the tomb where Jesus was laid but they don't know for sure. You know why? Because there is not a what? There is not a body. There's not a body to run a test on or DNA.

Because Jesus rose again and went back to heaven. And since Jesus is risen from the grave, we can have full assurance in the defeat of death and hell and in the resurrection and glorification of every born again believer in Christ Jesus. Let me read you a few verses just from first Corinthians chapter 15. First Corinthians 15, they say this, beginning beginning in verse 53, for this corruptible must put on incorruption. This mortal must put on immortality.

So, when this corruptible should have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, who himself got victory over sin and death and hell and Satan by his death and his what? And his resurrection.

We will not leave the resurrection out of our gospel message today. Just as Mark chose plainly not to leave it out of his either. So, let's read together if you would. Mark chapter 16. Mark chapter 16 beginning in verse one.

I'm going to read 15 verses. So, if you have a time to find it, find it and follow along with me. And when the Sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome had brought sweet spices. They that they might come and anoint him. That is Jesus' body.

Very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came into the sepulchre at the rising of the sun and they said among themselves, who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they had looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away. For it was very great and entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in long white garment, and they were affrighted, afraid. And he saith unto them, be not affrighted. You seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified.

He is risen. He's not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples, and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee, and there shall you see him. And he said, as he said unto you, and they went out quickly and fled from the sepulchre, for they trembled and were amazed neither said they anything to any man for they were afraid.

Now, when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene out of whom he had cast seven devils and she went and told them that had been with him and they mourned and wept and they when they had heard that he was alive and had been risen of her, believe not. After that, he appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked and went into the country and they went and told it unto the residue neither believe they them. Afterward, he appeared under the 11 as they sat at meat for a meal and upbraided them, rebuked them with their for with their unbelief and hardness of heart because they believe not them which had seen him after he is risen and he said unto them, go you into all the world and preach the gospel, the good news to every creature, to every person. This is the good news. Jesus Christ is what?

Risen again and is alive forevermore. Having made the way of salvation through his own sacrifice. All who put their faith in him. Have eternal life. This is the good news of Jesus Christ.

Let's take just a few minutes and look at some of the details of the resurrection here we read in the book of Mark. There were three women who came to visit the tomb early on Sunday morning at daybreak. These are the same three women who stayed near the cross as Jesus suffered and died there. These were Mary Magdalene who seems to be sort of the leader of the group whom Jesus had delivered previously from demon possession. Another was Mary, the mother of James and Joseph.

This, it would appear as the mother of James, the son of Alphaeus, or the lasses he is sometimes called and then Salome who is the wife of Zebedee who is the mother of James and John the fisherman. These are the three ladies that are mentioned here. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is not mentioned by name here. Though she is mentioned in John as being at the foot of Jesus cross during his crucifixion. It's important to note that in a day that is when the Bible was written, that in a day when women were often overlooked, they were not overlooked by who?

They were not overlooked by Jesus. Or his disciples who included them often as both people to whom Jesus ministered and actually people who ministered to Jesus. You don't really read about the disciples ministering much to Jesus but there's a few places in the gospels where you read about women ministering to him. Mary and Martha and others. They are an have an important role in the ministry of Jesus.

They, some of them were in the upper room on the day of Pentecost that we spoke about in Sunday school. And they went forth as witnesses for Jesus Christ the same as everyone else. Praise God. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world, men and women and he calls us all in service to him. Then, These women could not bring their spices when Jesus was buried.

They had burial spices that they used to sort of embalm not the way Egyptians did but sort of embalm the body. Make it smell not so bad. At the time of burial but they couldn't do that because of the haste with which they took Jesus' body off the cross and put him in Joseph's tomb because it was nearing the time of the Sabbath and so they were in a hurry and the women could not apply their spices then. So, they came early on Sunday morning there to the tomb. They wondered as they approached the tomb.

How they were going to roll the large stone from the entrance. They may have been unaware. There was a Roman guard posted there. I don't know but they thought to themselves, how are we going to roll that huge stone away to get to the body? The the site, the grave that you visit when you're in Israel or one of them that you visit called the Garden Tomb is a fairly large opening, large enough.

You have to bend down just a little bit to get in it and there's a large stone to one side. They use these stones to roll in front of the grave in order to close it off. Grave usually wasn't used by just one person. If you were rich enough, well enough off in society to have a tomb like a in a cave type situation. They would take a body.

They would put it on a slab that was made for that inside the tomb. They would come back weeks, months later. They would take the bones then and they would put them in a bin that was under the slab and then when the next family member died, they would be put in the tomb and the same process was carried on time and time again and so this was the type of tomb that Jesus was buried in which was highly unusual for someone who was crucified but as Isaiah told us in Isaiah 53, he was buried with the rich and despite his crucifixion, he wasn't thrown in a common grave. He was put in Joseph Arimathea's tomb who loaned it to Jesus. But the women wondered how they were going to roll the stone away but when they got there, they found that was a new point, did they not?

Because it was already rolled away. You may be here today and wondering how you are going to face another day. Pain or depression or frustration or addiction or you fill in the blank. You may be wondering if Christ, his word, and his church today have the answer for you. You may be wondering yourself if Christ is alive and powerful and able to save you and change your life and eternity.

Well, we are here today to tell you that you have come to the right place. We have come to tell you unequivocally and unashamedly and without any doubt that our savior is risen from the dead. His body was not in that tomb as we will see and that savior who died and rose again can help you, can deliver you, save you, you have come to the right place. That place is not Missouri Avenue Baptist Church so much as it is to Jesus Christ. We can't save you today but he can and we're glad you have come so that we could tell you about him.

So, when they got to the tomb, they found they found the stone was stone was rolled away and what? Who was inside? An angel appeared as a young man with long white garment and one of the gospel, it tells us there were actually two but only this one spoke. And what did he tell him? He said, Jesus' body, you can see for yourself isn't what?

It isn't here. Why? Because he's he's risen from the dead. Did you think the angel rolled the stone away so Jesus could get out or do you think the angel rolled the stone away so Mary and Mary and Salome could see in? I think it's the latter.

Jesus didn't have to have somebody roll that stone away for him to come out. I think they rolled that stone away so others could see in. You know, the Lord has given us his spirit, given us his word, given us the gospel so that we might be able to what? So that we might be able to see in today. See into his word.

See into his heart. Know that he is a risen savior, a loving savior, a willing savior. And so I pray he rolls a roll, rolls away any blindness or misunderstanding that maybe clouding your vision today. That you might see him for who he really is. The body wasn't there.

The angel further explained Christ was headed before them in the Galilee where he would appear before his disciples. You know, Jesus had not forgotten his disciples. He hasn't forgotten you either. Have you forgotten him though? The Bible says, he came unto his own and his own what?

Received him not. They were all excited, anticipating the coming of the Messiah and when he came, they didn't recognize him. When he came, they yelled out, crucify him and when he rose from the dead, they wanted to have nothing to do with him. Or his disciples who told them the good news. I hope that's not you today.

He loves you. He died for you. He rose again. He's in heaven pleading with you. Would you come?

The women did not immediately tell anyone what they had seen or heard but they straightway went to the disciples to tell them. Not long after the other gospels tell us Peter and John came running to the tomb. Not because they were entirely convinced Jesus had risen from the dead. They wanted to see it for themselves. What?

The case was. And they found a very similar situation there when they came. What they did not find was a body. They found grave clothes neatly laying there because Jesus didn't need those anymore. And then Jesus appeared unto them.

He died, he rose again, and he appeared unto them. You see, we don't believe in a risen savior just become the because the tomb was empty. We believe in a risen savior because that risen savior showed himself to many different people after his resurrection from the grave. And he showed himself to me. You say, so pastor, you saw Jesus.

Not physically but with eyes of what? With eyes of faith. I was nine years old. I was nine years old when God opened my eyes that I could look into that empty tomb and that one day, I would see Jesus and one day, I will see him as he is. I will see him with new eyes that he has given me but today, I see him with eyes of faith.

When I was nine, I sat in a service. God opened up my heart and I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior. I hope you have done. The same. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene at first.

She thought he was the gardener. She thought he was the gardener. Just reminds us the humility of our savior. He appears to Mary and he came as a servant to die for the sins of the world. But he opened up her eyes to see who he really was.

And so she worshiped and praised his name. She went to tell his other's disciples but they did not initially believe. He appeared to two disciples in another gospel. It tells us more about them of painting on the in the hallway, on the back, in the foyer, and it's the painting called the Road to Emmaus and I'm not much into paintings and that sort of thing but I found that one in a Christian book that was closing down and it's one of my favorite paintings and in it, you have Jesus walking along a dirt path back to a town called Emmaus. Two disciples with him and he was talking with them and showing them all about how the savior must die for the sins of the world and rise again and they didn't even recognize him till they got to the place they were going and then he opened their eyes to see who he really was.

Then, he appeared unto all his disciples 11 at first and then Thomas later and he rebuked them for their unbelief and not believing right away that he had risen as he told them he would. You see, this shouldn't have caught them by surprise several times in the gospels. Jesus said, I'm going to go to Jerusalem. I'm going to be arrested, mistreated, crucified, and then I'm going to what? Rise again but his disciples didn't want to hear the, I'm going to be arrested and I'm going to be crucified part.

So, I think they court have put their hands over their ears. No, no, no. I don't want to hear that. And they didn't hear the last part. I'm going to what?

I'm going to rise from the dead. He told them and he did just as he told them. Jesus is risen from the dead, body and all, for there was no body to be found in the tomb, only the grave cloth he had left behind. You like his disciples may come in this morning to church on this resurrection day unsure about Jesus Christ but I'm here to tell you and show you from God's word. He indeed is risen and he is alive.

The empty tomb testifies to it. The enduring church of Jesus Christ testifies to it. If you know Christ, you testify and I testify. We are his want, his witnesses. He saved us, changed us, and made us his what?

His children. Praise the Lord. The word of God testifies to it and the 500 plus who saw him after his resurrection testify. To the risen savior. The Holy Spirit also testifies to our risen savior because when Jesus Christ went back to heaven, as we learn in Sunday school, he sent who?

The Holy Spirit. If you know Christ as savior, he lives inside your heart and assures you every day that you serve a risen living savior and one day, every eye shall see and one day, every knee shall bow before Jesus Christ as Lord Lord and yes, this same Jesus who is live and well today offers salvation to you also. Pardon for sin and eternal life to all those who repent and place their trust in him. Come on to me all you that labor and heavy laden and I will give you rest. For he that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.

Is he talking to you? Did he die for you? Did he rise again for you? Is he seated in heaven pleading with you today? To come to him.

But you must believe. You must believe. It isn't enough that he died and rose again and isn't enough that I believe, you must believe. First Corinthians 15 again, if you want to turn there, I'm just going to read the first few verses. This in this passage, Paul's explains the gospel.

What is the gospel? What is the good news? Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you which also you received and wherein you stand. By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you unless you have believed in vain, for I delivered unto you first of all, that which all I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures and that he was seen of Cephas, that's Peter, and then of the 12. After that, he was seen of above 500 brethren at once of whom the greater part remain unto this present but some are fallen asleep.

After that, he was seen of James. Then, of all the apostles and last of all, he was seen of me also. So, on the road to Damascus, as one born out of due time. Paul knew of what he spoke because he saw Christ on the road that day. The risen savior glorified in heaven.

He didn't see him for long because the moment he looked up to see Christ, the glory of God blinded his what? Blinded his eyes. His eyes which were days later opened. And he began his ministry. The persecutor of Christians became the witness for Jesus Christ.

What is the good news? The good news is this, Jesus Christ died for our sins. According to the scriptures foretold, he was buried and he rose again on the third day as the scriptures foretold. And one day, he's coming back to take his children home. Are you one of his children?

As many as received them, him, as many as received him, to them gave you power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Will you dare to put your trust in the risen son of God and savior of mankind today? Or will you choose to walk away? That choice is yours.

It is yours. He will not force you. He will not do it for you. You must choose. You must put your faith in him.

The invitation you hear today will not be forever. You could meet God before this day is out. What then will you have to say? Will you heed the call? Before it's too late.

The same Jesus is coming again and he's either coming to reward you and take you home who know him as savior or he's coming to execute judgement and justice upon the unbelieving, unbelieving. When he comes back for you, which will it be? That may all depend upon your choice today. He that believeth on him is not condemned. But he that believeth not is condemned already.

Because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten. Risen. Son of God. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord.

We could be here to be reminded today that we serve a risen savior. And Lord to share with others that have come to join us What you did for them and what you have to offer them an eternal life and forgiveness for all their sins. What you bore on the cross in order to buy them that precious gift that you offer today. If they will but receive it by faith and we pray Lord if there's one here today that is yet to trust Jesus Christ as Lord that they would come as we sing this hymn of invitation In Jesus name, amen.