過了安息日，抹大拉的馬利亞，和雅各的母親馬利亞，並撒羅米，買了香膏，要去膏耶穌的身體。七日的第一日清早，出太陽的時候，她們來到墳墓那裡。彼此說，「誰給我們把石頭從墓門滾開呢？」 那石頭原來很大，她們抬頭一看，卻見石頭已經滾開了。她們進了墳墓，看見一個少年人坐在右邊，穿著白袍。就甚驚恐。那少年人對她們說，「不要驚恐。你們尋找那釘十字架的拿撒勒人耶穌，他已經復活了，不在這裡。請看安放他的地方。」（馬可福音16:1-6 ）
兩千多年前，主耶穌復活的清晨，首先見證耶穌復活的，卻是幾位姐妹，她們代表著所有忠心事主的人，明知主耶穌被釘死在十字架上，被埋葬在墳墓裡，但仍忠心的敬拜事奉，就如過去一樣。她們「買了香膏，要去膏耶穌的身體。」她們走向耶穌的墳墓，因為她們愛耶穌，與耶穌關係親密；她們以跟隨主耶穌為最大的心願，以服事主耶穌為最大的滿足，以在主耶穌身邊、聽主教誨為最大的福分。這些在社會沒有地位的婦人，也不貪圖名分地位財富，神卻讓她們首先見證了主耶穌復活，並託付她們傳福音的職責，福音書偏偏記下了她們的名字。說明傳福音的職分，自有神的揀選，神讓那些不為名的人反得大名。
她們來到墓前，一路商量著誰能將墓門滾開呢? 她們當然沒有這樣的能力，但卻有這樣的信心，相信能夠進入墳墓裏，親手膏抹耶穌。直等到她們驚奇見大石頭已經滾開，她們本以為大石頭是為她們滾開的，其實不然，石頭是為了見證耶穌復活才被滾開的，她們要膏抹耶穌的計畫，從此要改變，神帶領她們事奉的道路，要改變她們們服事的方向與職分，她們意想不到的事奉要擺在她們面前。認識主、敬拜服事主的人，必須順從主耶穌的帶領，自己的計畫，要讓位於主耶穌要她們做的聖工。
儘管她們沒有看到心中期待的，卻看到了活人，她們驚呆了，天使卻說: 「不要驚恐。你們尋找那釘十字架的拿撒勒人耶穌，他已經復活了，不在這裡。請看安放他的地方。」 耶穌從死裡復活，鋪設了一條從絕望到盼望的福音路，因為耶穌戰勝死亡，使我們得救重生，脫離絕望，進入永生! 願我們真實在神面前悔改，事奉復活的主，順服主帶領新的事奉，活出復活的確據與盼望。感謝主耶穌，祂已經復活了!
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:1-6)
More than two thousand years ago, in the early morning of the Lord Jesus’ resurrection, the first witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus were several women. They represented all those who were faithful to the Lord. They knew that the Lord Jesus was crucified and buried in the tomb, yet they still worshipped and served faithfully just as in the past when Jesus was alive. They "bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body." They walked to Jesus' tomb because they loved Jesus and had a close relationship with Jesus; their greatest desire was to follow the Lord Jesus, and their greatest satisfaction was to serve the Lord Jesus. The greatest blessing was to be around the Lord Jesus and listen to the Lord’s teachings. These women who were lowly in society did not desire status, fame, or wealth. However, God let them become the first witnesses of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and entrusted them with the responsibility of spreading the Gospel. The Gospels recorded their names. It tells us that the office of preaching the Gospel is chosen by God, and God allows those who do not want fame to gain fame.
On the way to the tomb, they discussed who could roll the stone of the tomb away. Of course they didn't have the power, but they had the faith to enter the tomb to anoint Jesus with their own hands. They were surprised to see that the big stone was rolled away. At first they thought that it was rolled away for them, but in fact it was rolled away to testify that Jesus has risen! Their plan of anointing Jesus changed from then on. God led them to a different way of serving Him; He changed the direction and position of their ministry. The unexpected ministry was placed in front of them. Those who know, worship, and serve the Lord must obey Jesus' guidance; they have to put down their own plans and do the holy work the Lord Jesus wants them to do.
Although they did not see what they expected to see, they saw a living person. They were stunned, but the angel said, " Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.” The resurrection of Jesus laid a Gospel road from despair to hope, because Jesus defeated death and saved us from despair and we may enter eternal life! May we truly repent before God and serve the resurrected Lord, obeying the Lord as He leads us to a new ministry and live out the assurance and hope of the resurrection. Praise the Lord Jesus; He has risen!
～ Rev. Benguang Du 都本光牧師～
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