Go and Tell
Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024
“The women fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” The end? Is this the end? Really?
The Easter Gospel story that we most often read is from the Gospel of John. You know the story: Mary Magdalene discovers the open tomb and runs to tell the disciples. Peter and an unnamed disciple, probably John, race to the tomb, see the graveclothes and then go home, not knowing what to think. But Mary stays in the garden by the tomb crying. When Jesus asks her why she is weeping, she mistakes the risen Christ for a gardener. But when Jesus calls her by name, she recognizes him. Jesus then tells her to go to the disciples and share the good news. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke have slightly different accounts, but all of the Gospels report one or more interactions with the risen Jesus. Except Mark. The Gospel of Mark officially ends with an empty tomb, a man in a white robe and women who are so frightened that they won’t say anything to anyone.
I say officially, because scholars all agree that the last words that Mark wrote in his Gospel are the ones we read today. There are “alternative endings” that were likely provided by scribes who took it upon themselves to “fix” the problem of the ending - probably because they simply could not stand the non-ending of Mark’s gospel. But the style and the substance of these “endings” don’t fit with the rest of Mark’s writings and scholars agree that the alternative endings were simply borrowed from the other Gospels to make Mark’s ending feel more complete.
So, the question remains: why would Mark choose to end his Gospel with the words: “they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” It isn’t because Mark doesn’t believe. Mark begins the Gospel with a profound statement of faith: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” It’s a strong beginning – so why the odd ending?
I heard a story the other day about a composer, Franz Liszt. He was a prolific composer–but he found he could not go to sleep until the musical piece that he was working on was just right. When at last he was done, he would fall asleep in the middle of the night or the wee hours of the morning and then sleep late, sometimes even into the afternoon. This drove his wife crazy. It was hard for her to run the house and manage the children and do her work when he was sleeping. She desperately wanted to find a way to help him work “normal hours” like everyone else. But nothing seemed to help. They set alarms – he slept right through them. She let the children run through the house and play loud games – he was oblivious. She had them bang on the pipes - nothing seemed to disturb her husband’s sleep.
One day as she was carrying a load of laundry through the living room, she noticed his piano with his latest completed composition was sitting on top of it. Suddenly, she had an idea. She set down her laundry and went over to the piano, sat down on the bench and began to play - loudly. She played and played until she was nearing the end… and then just before she got to the last note… she stopped. She pushed the piano bench back and then innocently returned to doing her laundry. A few minutes later, Franz rushed in and went over to the piano, sat down on the piano bench and played the last note.
After that, every morning, Franz’ wife would play one of her husband’s pieces all the way through – except for the last note 1 and that would wake her husband up enough to play that note – and to be on time for breakfast with the family.
We can smile at Franz Liszt’s clever wife, but don’t we all crave resolution, completion, and to have the end of the story make sense?2 Personally I can’t stand it when a show that I am watching ends the season with a cliff-hanger. And I don’t think it is just me and composers. If you don’t believe me, try singing the first line of our opening hymn – but leaving off the last note. “Jesus Christ is Risen today, A a a a le a lu u” Isn’t that frustrating? There is something in us that needs closure, that needs to resolve the last note.
And maybe Mark knew that. When you read a good book, and you come to the end of the story, you close the cover and put it on a shelf. It is done. But, like the composer who had to get up to play the last note of his song, Mark wants you to know that the story of Jesus is not done…
And unlike the composition … there are many more notes to play.
Again, the first verse of Mark’s Gospel says: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Mark, our shortest Gospel, is not an all-inclusive story of the life of Jesus. Instead, Mark is telling us that this is just the beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, Son of God.1 The story isn’t over. It isn’t over after the resurrected Jesus meets Mary Magdalene and the disciples. And it isn’t over when Jesus ascends to heaven. And it isn’t over now. God’s story, the Good News Story of Jesus Christ is still active and is ongoing even today.
I once heard the Gospel of Mark recited from beginning to end… and when the preacher got to the end of our Gospel for today, he turned to the crowd and said… ‘Who will tell the story?”
The women at the tomb were afraid… but somebody talked. Somebody told the story… otherwise we wouldn’t be here. Just as the last note must be added to the song, so the story of Jesus, the story of God’s great love must be told – for it is God’s story. And it is GOOD News.
Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, like Paul, you are invited to help share the Good News of Jesus Christ with other people – just as it has been shared with you. For that’s how the story is shared… I heard the story from my grandmother who heard it from her father who heard it from his friend who heard it from… and so it is, as Paul passed the Good News on to the Corinthians and they passed it on to their children and to their neighbors, so we, with joy and gladness can tell the story of the Good News of Jesus Christ, God’s son and our Savior. Maybe you tell it to your children or children’s children. Or maybe you invite a friend to an event at church.
Who will tell the story? We can tell the story. Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, another way you can tell the story is through singing God’s song. We just can’t sing Jesus Christ is Risen today without the full Alleluia. So - sing it with me: Jesus Christ is Risen Today, Alleluia! Go and share the good news. Amen.
Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane
Endnotes
1https://asermonforeverysunday.com/sermons/c18-easter-sunday-year-c/ Amy Butler 2016
2 https://asermonforeverysunday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Jim-Somerville-Easter-4-4-2021.pdf
3 David Lose in the Meantime 2020 https://www.davidlose.net/2020/11/advent-2-b-beginnings/