Episode 18: Mark 16:1-8

Translation: Common English Bible (CEB)

3 Questions:
What word, phrase or image strikes you in this text?
Toward what is God calling you in this text?
How will you leave the empty tomb?

Additional texts:
Acts 10:34-43
Isaiah 25:6-9
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
John 20:1-18

Transcript

00:01.65
Kevin Shock
Hello folks, it's time to tend I'm going to resist and announcing any particular words of praise. Even though this is the podcast episode when we are going to be talking about easter the resurrection of our Lord. Ah. But you you are probably listening to this if you are listening in the midst of holy week and I don't want to say any a words that might throw you off your game so we're just going to wait a little bit that you can all praise on Sunday together. Um, if you have no idea what I'm talking about It's really like insider churchy stuff. It's just about ah words that we don't use during lent. But anyway, um so today Nathan and I are going to be talking about a resurrection text. Ah Mark chapter 16 verses 1 through 8 from the common english bible. Ah, or any bible that you have on your shelf or on your phone that you can follow along with are 3 questions for today. What word phrase or image strikes you in this text toward what is god calling you in this text. And how will you leave the empty tomb.

01:12.16
nathanpile
Wow.

01:17.45
Kevin Shock
Um, thanks nathan I look forward to your um your reaction being a third question.

01:21.32
nathanpile
Well, that one's that one is ah that one I'm I'm I'm now curious how scripture and the holy spirit will work on me till that third question because I know I know now what I want to say but that's not it's more snarky than you know, anything else.

01:30.57
Kevin Shock
Cool.

01:38.80
nathanpile
So a disclaimer besides being snarky a disclaimer that we are snarky but we are also men who are married to women financially stable households white in our late 40 s college and seminary educated we work in the lutheran church.

01:39.19
Kevin Shock
Ah, yeah, yeah, why don't we.

01:43.40
Kevin Shock
But ah.

01:56.67
nathanpile
And we're born and raised in Western Pennsylvania all of this affects how we read scripture and discuss it. But none of this makes us better able to read and discuss scripture than anyone else. We believe that the wisdom of scripture is the whole community's compiled interpretation for life with god and one another and so we are. Ah, very interested to hear and know what you think about scripture and how it applies to life together and so we as always invite you to share that with us either at the. Ah, tend a bible podcast at gmail.com or on social media. All right? Our reading from Mark the sixteenth chapter versus 1 through 8 when the sabbath was over Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James. And Salom bought spices so that they could go and anoint Jesus' ' body dead body very early on the first day of the week just after sunrise they came to the tomb they were saying to each other who's going to roll the stone away. From the interest for the entrance for us when they looked up. They saw that the stone had been rolled away and it was a very large stone going into the tomb. They saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right side.

03:29.29
nathanpile
And they were startled but he said to them don't be alarmed, you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was Crucified. He has been raised. He isn't here. Look here's the place where they laid him go tell his disciples. Especially Peter that he is going ahead of you into galilee you will see him there just as he told you overcome with terror and dread they fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid. If you're meeting with a group you can pause the podcast now and and engage the questions on your own or you can listen on here as Kevin answers what word phrase or image strikes you in this text. Kevin.

04:23.45
Kevin Shock
Um, Jesus's dead body.

04:30.26
Kevin Shock
Um, that's all I think um I think that I can't remember I'm I'm looking at another version really quick. Um, yeah. Like the new revised standard version updated edition just says so that they might go and anoint him him. But um, common english bible renders. It? Um, so that they could go and anoint Jesus's dead body. There's something there about naming the fact that he is dead that.

05:02.25
nathanpile
Yeah.

05:04.75
Kevin Shock
Um, it just ah it it catches me in a good way because a because I think our society and perhaps it's always been this way. Humanity. Um, it's hard for us to acknowledge death and um.

05:23.46
Kevin Shock
And I'm a firm believer in using words like death dead. Ah he she they died ah because I I think all the euphemisms we use. Um. Though we know what they mean when we say it. It's just not.. It's just not plainspoken and um I The the way that this the way that this catches me today is that as I was listening to you read I was listening to the name of all the people. Well the 3 people who were there.

05:59.21
nathanpile
Oh.

06:01.33
Kevin Shock
Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James and salomi um, they bought spices so they could go and anoint Jesus's dead body and so for me what I heard when you were reading that is that these 3 women are deep in their grief that. I mean I don't know how else to say it. That's there they are grieving because Jesus has died and as far as they know he's not coming back. Um, and and with with his death their hopes and their dreams have died but but even more than that. They loved him deeply I and I can't I can't guess any other truth than that because they they love him enough to go and take their own money and buy spices so they can go and anoint his dead body. And that takes some level of devotion some level of love for this person who is now dead and no longer among us. So I just I appreciate that the common english bible names. That fact I mean we you know we hear it. Hear it elsewhere in other versions and probably even in the previous chapter you know that he you know breathes his last and again I don't know exactly what Mark says in the common english bible. But um, you know we know he's dead but to hear that today in that.

07:29.27
nathanpile
Yeah.

07:34.30
Kevin Shock
Verse is an important thing for me that Jesus is dead and what does that mean for us, you know we all know the story. We all know the end of the story even though Mark does is not entirely clear about the end of the story which is another thing that we.

07:52.12
nathanpile
Ah, yeah.

07:52.94
Kevin Shock
We could address if we want to, but um, ah we know what happens after this. Um and so I think that it's It's helpful for me at least to think about how do I Um, how do I react to the news. That someone I have loved deeply ah is now dead and and I think that I don't want to lump my feelings onto Mary Mary and Salomi but but they were human and so I can only assume and they didn't Know. What was coming next on their way to the tomb and so I can only assume that they thought they thought that this chapter was closed and this is just the reality that they have to live into now that that their teacher their friend there I say this not in a.

08:32.71
nathanpile
Oh.

08:50.70
Kevin Shock
Not ah, not in a sexual way or relationship way, but their lover was now dead the one who loved to them and that's what I mean by Lover the one who loved them? Yeah, yeah, so.

08:57.10
nathanpile
Um, yeah, there you go? yeah.

09:03.00
nathanpile
So well, that's interesting. Um, it's interesting that that that's where you're at because I was ah fascinated by the relationship of those of Mary Mary and salom as well. That was the piece that that um, um.

09:12.91
Kevin Shock
A.

09:19.75
nathanpile
Ah, been reading a book for this week this upcoming weekend. We have ah our young adult belong retreat and so I've been working on ah a text to kind of help me program our event and um and the the book is about our technology and how. How much it has kind of come into our life and world. But um, and so it's put me in a very reflective mood the last probably 2 to three weeks of of not that we need to like I like technology I like the advancements that we've made in our society I benefit from all of those things. Um, but now it has left me with um the the you know this book has left me with kind of thinking about why do we do? what we do and so this idea of 3 people as you've. As you've articulated very well here 3 people who have been loved and who love Jesus? um, are going to do something that we are very far away from in today's society and in caring for a loved one's body.

10:33.22
Kevin Shock
A.

10:35.42
nathanpile
Um, that is left to the professionals. Um, and so there might be a viewing in in in most of our lives of a loved one Um and a funeral. But the idea of actually going and caring for those. Um for that person's body has been like we as society we've um I don't want to say that we've insulated ourselves. But. In some ways. Ah it does feel that way that we've insulated ourselves from that portion of death. Um, and so ah, I'm interested. Um by Mary Mary and sallom.

11:19.18
Kevin Shock
Um.

11:28.78
nathanpile
Or salomi um, this idea if yeah I don't know exactly either. It's you know it's one of those things folks. Um, it's our best ah say it with confidence. Um, if you're reading on Sunday just say it with confidence. Um.

11:29.80
Kevin Shock
Yeah I don't know how to say her name. Yeah.

11:37.76
Kevin Shock
Right? right? Ah yep.

11:46.68
nathanpile
But that idea of of coming and caring for the body and that it's it's not something that we do and and to be honest, there's a part of me in in some of the um, thinking and processing that I've done um, not that I want to. Be a funeral director in any way shape or form. But the idea of caring for my loved ones? Um, that's a bigger deal for me of of thinking about what are ways that I can care for my loved ones and so this idea of this passage strikes me today in that in that. Care something that that we have turned over as family members to a professional to do for the ah the family member that we love and hear um these these um 3 women have gone to care for.

12:32.13
Kevin Shock
Um, it.

12:43.46
nathanpile
Ah, Jesus in a way that um that is foreign to me and yet at the same time because of whatever because of the book and some of these other things that are going on in my life and world. There's a part of me that says how might I care for my loved ones? um.

13:02.00
nathanpile
In this intimate time you know I think you and I've talked about it before that. Um, that being with a family that has lost a family member that that a family member is dead is one of those holy of holy moments as ah as a pastor. In um, in a community to be with them in those midst. It's a very sad time. It's um, but it's it's also a holy time to see the love and the the compassion and the stories that they share with 1 another and how they care for each other and for their loved one. Um, this, you know this to me echoes that ah to a ah much higher degree. Um, because of that that care and so what does it look like today for us. How might we? what traditions could we? recapture. Not saying that necessarily. We want to become the funeral directors but what other connections could we recapture or bring um with us that help that intimate vulnerable moment when we care for our loved one to the end. Um.

14:18.30
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah, the yeah I'm yeah I'm I mean I'm fascinated by funeral practice and and and because I'm also fascinated at the way that we insulate ourselves from it. Um, but there are.

14:18.44
nathanpile
And what that looks like. So.

14:34.59
Kevin Shock
So I appreciate you bringing all this up and and yes there are legal and medical reasons. Why why? you and I can't go and embalm or or anoint you know the body of a loved one? Um, but there are also you know we we just we live in a society where we.

14:42.96
nathanpile
Sure.

14:54.35
Kevin Shock
Um, we kind of farm out all of the services. You know we we pay other people to do work for us if we don't feel like we're experts at it and and that's and that's fine like again around funeral practice. There's a lot of laws that have to be you know both both around embalming and around or.

15:14.93
Kevin Shock
Or um, what I'm I'm blanking I think I'm thinking of another word that I don't want to say um, cremation cremation. That's the word. There was another word that came to mind that I'm like I don't want to say that in reference to a human being um, but anyway, ah, ah, the and and also around burial. Um, you know there are certain things that have to take place but what 1 thing that I think of in regards to this and it was something that um that I actually asked for at my own grandfather's funeral. Ah my my first grandfather who died back in 2006? um.

15:53.75
Kevin Shock
It it was after I mean long long story short The the um graveside service was all over and and we had ah there was family from you know, like all parts of the country or at least the the kind of Eastern half of the country. Who are gathered there and um, like we weren't We weren't in a rush to like get in our cars and drive back home and and we're standing there and you know my grandfather's body in his casket is still above ground and the the brother. The the monk who was um who had conducted the the committal service and the ah and the the the Vault guys the the guys who were actually doing the burying um were just kind of standing around waiting for us to leave because that's typical practice.

16:49.63
Kevin Shock
And it just didn't feel complete to me and so I went over to them and I said can we put his body in the ground and and they kind of looked at each other like why the heck would you want to do that. But then they did it and and the the family gathered around. And we watched hit the casket being lowered into the vault and I simply said the words of the um of ah Simeon you know Lord now you let your servant go in peace. Your word has been fulfilled. Um and that felt to me like there was.

17:24.86
Kevin Shock
Just a little more closure because we watched the casket being lowered into the ground like we knew that was where he was going to rest. Ah his body was going to rest for all of eternity and and so there's something here. Yeah about um.

17:43.10
Kevin Shock
I Think you know we would We would never we. We would never think in this day and age to go and um to a tomb that's already been closed and anoint a body now. The reason they're doing this is because he was buried.

17:59.83
Kevin Shock
They had to get him in the tomb because the day of preparation for the sabbath was almost over. They didn't have time to do it. They couldn't do that work on the sabbath so he was just kind of unceremoniously thrown into the tomb and um I mean not literally thrown but you know he put in there quickly and.

18:15.31
nathanpile
Very quickly now.

18:18.37
Kevin Shock
And they were coming back to finish that work the day after the sabbath. Um, yeah, so it it's something that was important to them. It was practice that still still spoke of their devotion to him and their love for Him. Ah, and I I Just don't think we get as much opportunity in this day and age to express that love in the same kind of way and people don't feel comfortable, expressing their love in those kind of ways either? Yeah, So anyway, that's ah, that's a really long I'm I'm glad that you've brought us around a funeral practice but um, in burial practice.

18:56.70
Kevin Shock
Nathan what about you? Um, what's what word phrase or image strikes you? Oh oh it was that that's the that's right, it was that it was the names. We just got back right? It was the first part of that same verse. Yeah okay, thanks.

18:57.61
nathanpile
So that was the names it was those it was the relationships. Yeah, that's right is the first but where which is that that piece of the the connection that they had so yeah when we do it a second time though.

19:10.38
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, okay, great. Well yep I will read it through for us from mark 16 when the sabbath was over Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James and salomi brought spices so that they could go and anoint Jesus's dead body. Very early on the first day of the week just after sunrise they came to the tomb they were saying to each other who's going to roll the stone away from the entrance for us when they looked up. They saw that the stone had been rolled away and it was a very large stone going into the tomb. They saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right side and they were startled but he said to them don't be alarmed, you're looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was Crucified. He has been raised. He isn't here. Look here's the place where they laid him go tell his disciples. Especially Peter. That he's going ahead of you into galilee you will see him there just as he told you overcome with terror and dread they fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid Nathan toward what is god calling you in this text.

20:21.96
nathanpile
I'm going to go tell Peter because nobody else has.

20:25.67
Kevin Shock
Ah, okay, okay, can you translate that into ah into modern modern terms.

20:32.87
nathanpile
Enter? Yeah, yeah, guy guess peter's dead. So I can't really go tell him? Um, but it's that idea of um and I again I Kevin and I are. Are are joking with each other here. Some of this is Mark's um very abrupt style um in in his writing um and and I have I have come to believe in my life at least in my system that Mark wrote this so that.

20:57.70
Kevin Shock
Um.

21:07.18
nathanpile
That we um ran from wherever we're we're at and go tell other people about it because the the um um the marys and um sallom did not according to Mark though that can't be true.

21:13.80
Kevin Shock
Um.

21:24.77
Kevin Shock
No, no, it actually can't be true. Yeah.

21:26.36
nathanpile
Because this because everybody else has the story like we have the story. So um, but there's a part of this that that we're to go and tell the message we're to go and tell um Jesus story of who.

21:45.28
nathanpile
Who you know Mark has written 16 chapters. At this point that's later on that we give date and we gave chapter in verse to it so we could find things easier but Mark writes a ah gospel document that tells the story of Jesus and we as the hearers as the listeners.

21:52.69
Kevin Shock
Friend.

22:02.59
nathanpile
Are now called to go and do that I firmly believe that is Mark's um way of it's a very simple way of writing ah a gospel narrative. It's the first gospel all of the other ones are a little bit more eloquent and and they they even have ah um. Ah, more sophisticated theology to them that are articulated but Mark is kind of a ah quick and um, here you go here's the next thing if you if you're actually to look at the Greek. It's a but much more basic Greek. It's and and and immediately kind of begin every sentence. Or because all he's doing is kind of writing in a very hurried fashion and and so all of this plays into Mark trying to tell us the story in as quick a way as possible so that we know that the story but Mark's goal for us is to go and tell god's story in Jesus. To everyone that we encounter and so out of this. Um, this end of the gospel of Mark though. It's not It's not if you were to look it up in most of our bibles. There's a few more verses there but the critical um those that kind of look at. Um, bible verses and decide. What is most likely the original text that they come down that this verse 8 of chapter 16 is actually the end of Mark's gospel and not everything that comes after it and so the.

23:31.80
Kevin Shock
Um, yeah.

23:36.45
nathanpile
The the first time that the gospel was written down this was the end of the story and because of that we marks Mark's literary device and and Kevin I'm sure can give us a more explicit as ah as a english. Ah, connoisseur um, or expert. Ah he'll give us a little bit more but there's this is his this is his way of motivating us to go out and tell this story it just ends abruptly and we're gonna work we to kind of be like what? no we have to go tell this story and so then we're.

24:06.50
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

24:13.51
nathanpile
Forced out to go and tell the story of Jesus um, the christ and the the way that he has brought a new way of living um to the world and so um, yeah, so that's my my piece is to go and tell Peter and whoever else. Hasn't heard the word um about Jesus who who Jesus is what Jesus has done and what god has done in Jesus.

24:43.32
Kevin Shock
Yeah, great. That's a good response I think um and and and I don't have anything to add as a language connoisseur I I mean I think I think you said it just just fine Nathan that yeah this is all of the other endings of Mark.

25:01.28
Kevin Shock
Where it's made clear that Jesus did rise that you know he um that he was resurrected that um he went and talked to the disciples who were becoming apostles. Ah but all of that right? All the all the earliest editions are as as the. The ceb footnotes say in most critical editions of the Greek new testament. The gospel of Mark ends at 168 just like you said Nathan and the thing the the literary device I mean that that is the That's what I enjoy about Mark is that Mark employs literary device where he doesn't overexplain things but he writes in such a way to like kind of get our blood flowing and and urge us towards some kind of response to to evoke some kind of response in us.

25:50.99
nathanpile
Yeah.

25:55.66
Kevin Shock
And the other thing that I love you know? ah the end certainly does that but this end ah book end for um yeah for the for the gospel according to Mark is a mirror in my mind of the beginning bookend of the gospel mark.

26:15.59
Kevin Shock
Gospel begins this is the beginning of the good news about Jesus the son of god and or Jesus of nazareth they might say um and when at least the way I interpret it and I think I've heard scholars talk about this too that that phrase. Not saying. It's not just saying this is the beginning of this book that phrase is saying this whole book is the beginning of the good news which then implies that the good news continues with the people who have read this book and go and tell just like you said Nathan.

26:41.82
nathanpile
Oh.

26:50.98
nathanpile
Yeah.

26:54.56
Kevin Shock
So so so we are we are still engaged in the work of good news that Mark began and and Mark Mark gives all of the information we need to then evoke that response in us to go and tell. So yeah, that.

27:00.68
nathanpile
Yeah.

27:12.74
Kevin Shock
I mean I really I really appreciate Mark's writing style. It's not the most. It's not the most eloquent but it does but but I think in a lot of ways we can. We can say maybe not objectively. But I think that it's the most evocative writing style in the gospels that this is this is.

27:17.77
nathanpile
It's not. It's definitely not the most element now.

27:31.88
Kevin Shock
Mark wants you to do something when you read this gospel and the other glory of the gospel according to Mark is that you you can sit down and in the span of a couple hours read the whole thing from beginning to end. Yeah yeah, and um, honestly might not even take a couple hours so it's 16 relatively short chapters that all go pretty quickly. Yeah.

27:55.88
nathanpile
Yeah, yeah, um I read I reiterate your like Marcus is is my favorite gospel I spent a lot of time with it in seminary and um and um.

28:10.19
nathanpile
Nerded out and and translated the whole gospel the whole gospel from Greek to english one semester just because I thought it would be fun. Um, did it with other classmates I didn't do the whole translation myself but did it with other classmates but it was like.

28:29.63
nathanpile
You know like I like I like reading all of the different gospels but marks has always been since seminary has always been my favorite. Um, um, as ah as I've dug into it over the years so yeah

28:42.78
Kevin Shock
Um, yeah, yeah, great. Yeah um I think the the the thing that I arrive at is ah to to walk through any.

28:45.64
nathanpile
All right anything else. Oh you? How about you what toward toward What has God called you in this passage.

29:00.70
Kevin Shock
Passageways that God opens up for us for me. Um, and and it's in what I'm referring to is back to the the stone. Ah, you know when who's going to roll the stone away from the entrance for us.

29:07.85
nathanpile
Yeah, you know.

29:15.41
Kevin Shock
And then when they looked up which also I you know I don't know what that means exactly when they looked up. Um you know I imagine that they're talking to 1 another, they're they're not focused on the tomb at this point and then they all turn to the tomb and they see that the stone had been rolled away. And it was a very large stone as the c renders it um and what do they do? They don't like you know it's not like some kind of ah like teenage horror film where you know they? Um, they're very hesitant about going towards this you know I mean after all there's a dead body in there.

29:48.20
nathanpile
Grant right.

29:51.81
Kevin Shock
And and the stone The the tomb is no longer sealed ah and there's a mysterious young man in a white ropes inside of it. It does say they were startled but what they clearly do is that they go into the tomb they go into the tomb to see what's going on.

30:06.81
nathanpile
Right.

30:10.63
Kevin Shock
And I just the the courage of those 3 women to walk into there because they know something is not right and when they the courage that they have to go in there and see what's going on.

30:20.12
nathanpile
Right.

30:29.50
Kevin Shock
Then leads them to a you know to a to a different kind of passageway go and tell go tell his disciples. Um, yeah I Just feel like that that that courage is something that um I maybe I could use more of but also to to pay attention in. My own life in the in the life of the church. The life of the world. What are the passageways that God is opening up and then how do I enter into them. Yeah.

30:57.43
nathanpile
Well, and and again I Love the the piece of of the bravery that it takes to walk into those spaces the courage that it takes to walk into those spaces and or and on those pathways. Whatever they might be. Um.

31:20.80
nathanpile
Because there there would be lots. Um, you know it doesn't say that it takes them 20 minutes or half an hour to get up enough kind of like they just do it. They just walk into the space. Something's not right and yet they still have. The the courage to say this one who has loved us means so much to us. We're going to find out what's going on. Um, um, whether it you know.

31:46.86
Kevin Shock
Um, yeah, yeah.

31:53.45
nathanpile
In the midst of fear you know I think about our world and how how afraid we can be at times. Um, you know I know I get afraid reading the news watching the news about all sorts of things and in our of our day and time. Um, and yet out of out of there. Um, and maybe it's out of their deep loss like they like you can't get any worse but it could like the body could have been stolen or.

32:24.30
Kevin Shock
No yeah.

32:29.12
nathanpile
Um, and they don't know where their person is like um you know like to say well you know they they were already. You know Jesus was dead. So what could what could possibly have been worse. Well, there could have been worse news walking in into that space. Um, that was delivered to them. Um.

32:30.27
Kevin Shock
Right.

32:46.25
nathanpile
But they weren't like they they met those fears that I'm sure welled up as they do for all of us as as human beings. There's things that make us afraid um they they lived into that Moment. Um. And then as you said so articulately it opened other Pathways God God then showed that there's other things that still need to be done. Um, and though they came to deliver spices. They're now going to deliver words to others.

33:22.10
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

33:23.86
nathanpile
Messages to others. So now.

33:27.56
Kevin Shock
Yeah, oh there was a lot I was thinking about in just listening to your thoughts but nothing that nothing that stuck with me. So yeah, yeah I know there was something that I wanted to highlight but now I can't even I can't think of what it was.

33:36.82
nathanpile
Okay, yeah.

33:47.36
Kevin Shock
Yeah, that's okay I mean yeah yeah, that's true, all right that that does happen to me a lot. So yeah, do you want to go ahead and read it.

33:49.69
nathanpile
Um, maybe it'll come to you when we do it a third time.

33:56.90
nathanpile
no no I'll read it one more time when the sabbath was over Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James and salom bought spices so that they could go and anoint Jesus's dead body very early. On the first day of the week just after sunrise they came to the tomb they were saying to each other who's going to roll the stone away from the entrance for us when they looked up. They saw that the stone had been rolled away and it was a very large stone. Going into the tomb. They saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right side and they were startled but he said to them don't be alarmed, you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was Crucified. He has been raised. He isn't here. Look here's the place where they laid him go tell his disciples. Especially Peter that he is going ahead of you into galilee you will see him there just as he told you overcome with terror and dread they fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid so Kevin ah, how will you leave the empty tomb.

35:29.84
Kevin Shock
Um I I don't know I don't know Nathan I I yeah I mean I hope you can tell Nathan that when I write these questions I don't write them already having answers and ah I mean the thing that I love about this is that the woman the women are. I mean I don't I don't love it for them. But they're they're terrified. They're terrified and and it says they said nothing to anyone because they were afraid afraid of what I don't know afraid of what? um maybe they were afraid of you know the young man that had spoken to them. Ah, who. You know who they didn't really understand who that was ah maybe they were afraid because they received this news that they're the um, the the dead body that they went to annoit is now undead which you know I'm not really undead, but but I don't know. I don't know what's going through a ah first century. Ah, brain whenever you know you hear that the person who had died is um, he has been raised. He isn't here. Ah I love the way that.

36:29.41
nathanpile
Um, he's been raised right? right? like they would have they would have have had enough life experience to know that just doesn't happen.

36:42.57
Kevin Shock
You're right right? right? Or if it does. It's some kind of maybe some kind of even demonic spirit that is involved in that. Um you know I mean there were well not in ah, not in Mark. Yeah yeah, um.

36:48.66
nathanpile
They would have Lazarus They would have the example of Lazarus I guess but but not in Mark I understand not in Mark Mark

37:00.21
Kevin Shock
Anyway, Yeah, so I you know it doesn't surprise me that they're terrified but like I come I come into it the same way you do that if the story if the story really does end here. They eventually said something to somebody um because somebody found out and. And ah, you know, ah you know they go back to the community. Oh How how did the anointing go today. Well ah you know, ah eventually they're going to let the cat out of the bag. Um I Yeah I.

37:30.10
nathanpile
Right.

37:38.30
Kevin Shock
I think I guess I think about um I think about the same courage with what they went into the tomb. Um and and they and I think God must have planned that that replanted that courage in them sometime after they left the tomb. Um.

37:55.36
Kevin Shock
To be able to say to somebody else. This is what we saw without without fear of being labeled like you know like they've lost their minds or something like that. Um, or at some point that courage.

38:09.72
nathanpile
Um.

38:13.22
Kevin Shock
Broke through their being overcome with terror and dread. Ah, and I guess ah I guess it's really a mirror of my answer to the second question and that is I I want to leave the empty tomb courageously ready to say something. Um. And I think that's that's really hard for it's really hard for modern day. Christians I mean it's it was hard for you know people it was hard for his followers back then? um I'm in a lot of ways. Maybe even hard I'm certainly harder but when we you know I'm envisioning.

38:52.15
Kevin Shock
What happens whenever I I leave the worship service on Easter Sunday. What do I say to people after that and you know and I mean unfortunately the answer is probably. Nothing at least nothing about the worship service but but then I have to ask myself this ah this text is forcing me to ask myself. Why why wouldn't I say anything and and not and not just that what am I afraid of.

39:24.19
nathanpile
Um, what am I What am I afraid of.

39:29.65
Kevin Shock
And then and then also what do what do I have to say um what has God given me to say to other people who need good news. Um, and so those are things that.

39:49.15
Kevin Shock
Walking away from the empty tomb walking away from ah worship on easter Sunday um, and and I don't want to limit it to those 2 things but you know there's there are other opportunities as well. What do I have to say and. What am I so afraid of those are the kind of the questions I'm left with thinking about the empty tomb and and the good news that that we've been given. Ah yeah I mean what about you? Nathan what.

40:18.65
nathanpile
Now.

40:25.40
Kevin Shock
How will you leave the empty tomb.

40:27.13
nathanpile
Um I I'm I'm with you I would um I would hope and pray that I have the courage to proclaim the.

40:43.17
nathanpile
What God God is able to do the impossible.

40:50.16
nathanpile
Um, the thing that um, you know we talked a couple of weeks ago about um, being fools for Christ and I think sometimes in our own society and world our culture. Um, the idea of believing in um, the son of god coming and dying on a cross I think people can think um, that's kind of a foolish thing to believe um I don't have any problems believing what I believe at this point. I think um, the the place that ah where I'm in doubt is in in my own ability to kind to to tell the world but to be to be courageous enough to tell the world.

41:46.90
nathanpile
Hey this god has done what no one else can do um and um and god does it in Jesus in that Jesus is dead and now is raised to life and so that idea of resurrection of life.

42:05.72
nathanpile
Um, it can seem impossible. It can seem Foolish. We can be skeptical about it and and personally as a one who is called to preach that word because of the. Promises I made at my ordination. Um, it doesn't mean that I'm always brave enough to proclaim it I'm brave enough to proclaim it in a church setting all the time but I'm not I'm um.

42:35.61
Kevin Shock
Yeah, right? Yeah yeah, yeah.

42:43.94
nathanpile
Because I I don't like the the sandwich board preacher or a soapbox preacher screaming at me telling me Jesus is alive. Um I don't do it that way. But but what are ways that I can be courageous enough to proclaim that in the communities where i.

42:49.94
Kevin Shock
Um.

43:03.44
nathanpile
Live and um, you know I think for the most part at at Camp I do it when I'm in a congregation I do it. But how do I do it beyond those safe spaces. Um, how do I leave the empty tomb.

43:22.80
nathanpile
Um, with the belief that I have but being brave enough to vocalize it in settings where where people might say what you believe in that are you serious? um.

43:29.71
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah.

43:37.67
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, oh man. Yeah, you're yeah, you're making me think of a situation pretty recently that I um was in that. Ah, there have been a couple of situations recently that I'm sorry I don't want to interrupt you if that.

43:52.24
nathanpile
I was done I was done. You're good. You're good.

43:55.25
Kevin Shock
Okay, okay, um, just a couple of situations where I kind of have half joked about um that as a pastor I like to fly under the radar. Ah um, and that's not true. That's not true in every case that's you know I I was making a a visit in a.

44:14.60
Kevin Shock
Nursing care facility today that you know I'd never been in before and um so I wore my collar because I didn't want to fly under the radar I wanted if I had a question I wanted someone to pay attention to me I wanted to be able to get get in the in the room that I need to get in that kind of stuff. Yeah.

44:27.82
nathanpile
Ah, sure get in get where I needed to my help.

44:33.51
Kevin Shock
but um but a few weeks ago um I went I would ah one of my birthday presents to myself was I I got a tattoo. Um, it's not not my first but what I've been thinking about for a while and went to a place where I had never been before and you know and. Talk to the one of the artists there and and set up a time to do it. So um, when we were when we were sitting down and he started. We weren't 5 minutes into the session before he said so what do you do for a living. I like oh man here he you know I have to sit I have to sit with this guy for the next hour and a half and he asks me 5 but it's it. So I said I said well I'm a pastor and nice and I just kind of like jokingly said um I normally don't lead with that because either. Ah.

45:06.22
nathanpile
Um, I been in right.

45:24.26
Kevin Shock
People want to ask me all kinds of questions that I don't have the answers to or it immediately stops conversation and he he kind of chuckled at that you know I mean this you know the young guy with you know tattoos all over his face. His neck is old body like you know, not.

45:41.49
Kevin Shock
Not your not your typical looking kind of church goer. But then what it got me thinking about is um, ah you know he didn't he didn't ask a lot of questions and I didn't offer a lot of information about that specific thing but we did continue to have conversation. We talked for most of the session. Um. And what it got me thinking about is that good news. The core of the good news for me is that Jesus Died and was raised from the dead so that we too all of us who die might also have new life. Not just not just in the age to come not after we die. But right now right now in this world that new life is is for us.

46:18.43
Kevin Shock
And um, but I don't I don't tend to always package it that way because that that might not be comprehensible to people who don't know the story and but what it got me thinking about with him as I was talking to him is that like.

46:29.28
nathanpile
Yeah.

46:36.48
Kevin Shock
Just the way that I engage with him can be good news and and there there are certainly ways that I engage with people that I'm striving to live out the good news as I engage with them even if I don't mention Jesus.

46:37.83
nathanpile
Bright. Sure.

46:54.14
Kevin Shock
Jesus is still at the center of what I'm doing and I think sometimes we get so afraid that we don't even want to. We don't even want to do engage with people. Ah you know because we're afraid of what might come up or you know or. Or it or it takes it does take energy I recognize that I'm I'm ah I'm so I fall slightly on the introverted side of that introvert extrovert spectrum. Um, which is a surprise to most people I know but um, i.

47:28.52
Kevin Shock
Yeah, but I just it got me thinking about like you know that as I was talking to him this is like there are multiple ways this conversation could go and I think my role here is to be a a speaker of good news. Whether I say the name of Jesus or not. To engage him in such a way where this is a positive interaction for both of us overall and and where where even if even if I never see this guy again. Although I really like his work. So I think I am going to see him again. Um. that that um that some kind of relationship was forged even if even if it's a momentary relationship that doesn't continue. Um, yeah, that that's what I think about good news I think about.

48:14.40
nathanpile
Um, sure.

48:25.54
Kevin Shock
Good news, good news really for us for us Christian people us followers of Jesus um begins and ends on the cross into the tomb and and when the stone is rolled away. Like that's the that's the whole of it and and it's not the that's all that needs to happen so to speak for us to have good news. Um, but there's so much else. Good news in the world that is a sign of Jesus's resurrection even before he died ah and certainly long after he died. That resurrection is continuing to resonate and reverberate throughout all of creation and and we're a part of that the good news of Jesus continues with us and we don't have to tell the story the the exact way that Mary Mary and salomi told it. We can tell it in our own way through our own experience and um and we can. We can let we can let the doors be open where other people can tell it to through their experience. Um, and that and all of that is good news in my mind. It's all good. News.

49:37.57
nathanpile
Yeah, yeah.

49:44.29
nathanpile
Well I appreciate um, appreciate your reflection in reminding all of us that it doesn't have to be that the that the interaction that shows new life doesn't have to be hey Jesus loves you? Um, it can simply be. It can be.

49:57.57
Kevin Shock
Yeah, it can be but at the yeah yeah.

50:01.80
nathanpile
Can be absolutely but it can also just be um, 1 human caring respecting having dignity for another human being and and their interaction together.

50:14.72
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah I Really I really become I'm becoming more aware and I think you know like like we say for so many other things. Ah Covid really exacerbated this. Um.

50:31.41
Kevin Shock
Think people are overlooked all the time and I think they feel that way all the time and so when when anyone takes a moment to engage with somebody else in ah in a healthy positive way that can add a lot to.

50:50.79
Kevin Shock
A a most um, most practically to the to the dignity of that person that someone else sees them and recognizes them and acknowledges them. But I trust that the holy spirit in the midst of that. Also. Is telling them if this person cares enough to pay attention to you then think of how much God cares about you and pays attention to you? yeah.

51:14.64
nathanpile
Yeah, yeah.

51:22.81
Kevin Shock
That it's a big stretch. But again I'm trusting in the holy spirit to do that work. Not me. So.

51:36.22
Kevin Shock
Well Nathan anything else to add on this third question or any other reflections all right? Yeah, the additional text there are quite a few since this is ah for easter Sunday which is the.

51:41.53
nathanpile
No, ah think we can talk about the additional texts.

51:51.36
Kevin Shock
Ah, chief celebration in the church of Christ. Um, so the first one is from acts chapter 10 verses 34 to 43 and that's the story of god raising jesus on the third day ah isaiah chapter 25 verses 6 through 9 talks about the feast of victory psalm 181 versus 2 and 2 and 24 I'm sorry 14 through 24 this is the day that the lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it and. First corinthians chapter 151 through eleven talks about witnesses to the risen Christ and ah John chapter 20 verses 1 through 18 is an alternate gospel text and that is seeing the risen Christ um, particularly there in John's gospel it's Mary Ah Mary the tower mary magdale magdale um however we want to run to her name and call her It's Mary Magdalene um who goes into the garden and ah thinks that Jesus is the gardener. But in fact, it's her it's her teacher

53:06.86
Kevin Shock
What did I say before her teacher her friend her lover. Yeah, the one who loves her so those are the all of the additional texts that have plenty of things for you to think about and and ah and explore and discover ah through scripture and the spirit and with others.

53:08.77
nathanpile
No one who loves her.

53:26.50
Kevin Shock
Um, just a quick mention a shout out to 1 of our 1 of our listeners Sam who responded to our request asking for ah stories of how Jesus has revealed himself to us and and.

53:41.43
Kevin Shock
Ah, shared with us a ah very touching story about her daughter and um and herself and um and kind of coming back to the the community of of Jesus um, and and I I know Sam and her family personally. And and it was it. It was a touching story for me to for me to read and and knowing them I know her sincerity. So ah, we really appreciate that it's not our story to share. So so maybe we'll have to have same on the podcast someday and have her share this story. Um, but ah.

54:19.38
Kevin Shock
Which is you know Nathan and I continue to talk about those things and we ah we we do have plans to do that in some way somehow once we find some time to make that happen. But yeah, um, yeah, right? Um, ah.

54:25.60
nathanpile
We do come up plan and make it work. So.

54:34.92
Kevin Shock
So anyway, thank you Sam and as always we welcome your reflections your thoughts. Um your words of appreciation and and I suppose your words of critique too. We welcome those also ah by sharing at um, sending an email to Tend Dot Bible Podcast at gmail.com or um, ah, what's the other way. Oh on Facebook at Tend Facebook and Instagram at at Tend bible podcast. Um, if there's one way that you want to um, share some good news. Ah you can really help that and you don't even have to talk to anyone else. Ah, simply rate and review us on Itunes or Spotify and that will help spread spread the work of this podcast. Um, and um and get the word out about hopefully the good news of Jesus so we um, we always.

55:11.82
nathanpile
Ah yeah.

55:27.69
Kevin Shock
Look forward to hearing your reflections Nathan thank you for your reflections and we hope to tend our faith with you again soon. Grace to you.

55:35.14
nathanpile
And peace.