Who Will Tell the Story?

How many of us have ever played or watched a team sport? Doesn’t really matter the sport—could be hockey, basketball, baseball, football, soccer—but if time is running out, and you have the opportunity to try and win the game…in whose hands do you want the ball? Have you ever found yourself in this position before? Can you imagine if you were? What emotions would you be feeling? What would be your thoughts?

I bring up this idea of a last shot, play, or a Hail Mary because this sort of seems like what Mark is trying to do with the ending of his gospel story. Almost all serious scholars believe that Mark’s story originally ended at verse 8.“…So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone for their were afraid.”

That’s it. The game is ending. Something amazing has happened, but will anyone ever find out?! The crowds have given up on Jesus, his disciples have betrayed, denied, and abandoned Jesus, and now, the last hope, the women who have followed Jesus from Galilee, providing financial and material support for the ministry, and remained faithful even to the cross and grave. Who is left? Who remains that knows what really happened on Easter morning at the tomb?

Us. You, me, and everyone who has ever read or heard the Gospel of Mark.

Time is running out on the clock and people need to know that all of Jesus’ promises of new life remains true. Who will tell our desperate, hurting world? This is both the brilliance and the in-your-face challenge of Mark’s gospel ending for Easter morning. We cannot just put it down like a great book we finished or a beloved series where we watched the finale. We have to get involved!

And get involved you have! People worshipping, volunteering as ushers, communion servers, acolytes, livestream techs, Maundy Thursday disciples, scripture readers, youth palm pageant actors, altar preparers, providing food for gatherings (bread & dessert w/soup, Easter Brunch), assisting ministers, bathroom faucet replacers, Easter/Holy Week artists, and probably a ton more than I’m missing. And yet, Easter continues. 49 days. A week of weeks. How will the saints & sinners of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church continue to share the good news that all is not lost, we are not hopeless, and that Jesus was, is, and always will be our good and sure future? Take the shot. God has put the ball is in our hands. – Pastor Jim