Easter Sunday Sermon Outline — Dr. Franz Pieper
Mark 16:1-8
Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! (Ps. 87:3). And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh (1 Ti. 3:16) It is proclaimed of the wonderful, infinite love that drove the only begotten Son of God into the greatest torment, into death and to the grave. Also today we have something especially glorious to say. The resurrection of Christ from the dead shows the completion and the glorious keystone of the Christmas and Passion history. Whoever grasps it in faith rejoices today: 1 Co. 15:55-57; I Pt. 1.3; LSB #467 st. 3. We seek to recognize
The Glory Of Christ’s Resurrection
when we consider:
1. How and under what circumstances Christ’s resurrection took place
a. The resurrection took place in a closed tomb—(Just like Christ was born a true man of a virgin, Is. 7:14; went through closed doors, Jn. 20:19; so He also rose in a closed tomb. Compare Mt. 28:2. If Christ had first risen after rolling away of the stone, after the report “an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door,” words like this would follow: “and Christ arose.”
b. with a great earthquake, Mt. 28:2 (The earthquake being an outward sign of the great and glorious deeds of God. See Haggai 2:7; Mt. 27:52)
c. with the appearance of angels, v. 5; Mt. 28:2; Jn. 20:12. Compare Lk. 2:9,13.
d. with the fear and fleeing of the guards, Mt. 28:4 (Compare Numbers 10:35: The Ark of the Covenant=Type of Christ)
2. How the resurrection was at first preached
a. who preached it, v. 5, 6 (Angels are the first messengers of Christ’s resurrection, as well as at other great deeds of God, Lk. 1:26; 2:9 ff; Acts 1:10-11. The resurrection is a truth confirmed by heavenly messengers);
b. what was preached, v. 6
α. The angel points back to Christ’s suffering and death (“You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified”), and then
β. Preaches the resurrection (the resurrection is only rightly understood in connection with the suffering and death. In Christ’s death we were condemned; in Christ’s resurrection we are absolved, Rm. 4:25; 8:34)
c. to whom this sermon applies
α. To people in general (As by His resurrection Christ brought to light for all people a righteousness that avails before God, Rm. 5:18-19, so also should it be preached to all people, Mk. 16:15,
β. In particular to the believers who think that God must reject them on account of their great sins, v. 7 (“But go and tell His disciples—and Peter.” In their fear of men, the disciples had forsaken Christ, and Peter had denied Him three times with cursing and swearing. They had to believe that Christ wanted to know nothing more of them, being completely unworthy.)
From: Magazin fuer Ev.-Luth. Homiletik, vol. 3 pg.111