Mark 16:1 – 3
16 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. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
Some women stood at a distance when Jesus died (15:40). We meet them again in the opening verses of this final chapter of Mark. After the day of rest for the Sabbath, they came to the tomb where Jesus’ body had been placed and “brought spices that … they might anoint him.”
These women provide us with great encouragement in serving our Lord. They served him with what they had, to what they saw as the end. Others had run away and were crippled by grief and fear, they continued to serve. The topic of their conversation as they approached the tomb was about how they might move the extremely large stone which had been rolled against the entrance. Nonetheless they pressed on serving, not knowing how they could finish their work; they did not stop because they knew of an apparently insurmountable obstacle. If that was their approach when all seemed hopeless, how much greater must our determination be to serve our risen Lord whom we know has gained us everlasting blessing by his saving work. It is all too easy to be discouraged and decide that our service doesn’t matter and that obstacles are dead ends.
David Johnston – Creek Road
