Sermon Notes – The Five Most Important Days of Your Life

The Five Most Important Days of Your Life, Mark 15:40-16:8
J. Josh Smith, MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, attended April 4, 2010

We have a tendency at Easter to focus on one day but Easter points to other important days. These other days demand a decision. You have to respond and do something with these days.

1. Friday: a day of humiliation and darkness – the day Jesus died

He was mocked, beaten and absolutely humiliated. It was a day of darkness which was an outward symbol of an inner reality. Jesus inner reality was a darkened soul. He took upon Himself the sins of the world.

It points us to the darkness of the disciples also. They abandoned Him.

Mark 15:40-41 shows us two women standing there late Friday evening.

Mark 15:42-46 introduces us to Joseph of Arimethea who asked for the body of Jesus. It wasn’t uncommon for the body to be just left there. Many times the family requested the body. Family and friends are nowhere to be found at this point.

Friday ends with Jesus dead in the tomb.

Why is this Friday important to me? The only hope you have of having the wrath of God removed from you is to trust what Jesus did on that day.

Friday is one of the most important days of your life.

2. Saturday: a day of silence and defeat – Mark skips this day

We hear nothing from the crowd, the disciples or God. It is an eerie silence. Saturday was a day of confusion, disappointment and fear.

We see Mary Magdalene and Mary bringing spices later, when it wasn’t customary to do so, they were thus probably confused on Saturday. They also have no expectation when they go on Sunday so they are probably disappointed on Saturday.

The disciples are absent out of fear.

The defeat of Saturday was soon to be overshadowed by the joy of Sunday.

Why is this Saturday important to me? Because you must feel the pain of Saturday before you realize how much you need Sunday.

Have you ever felt the pain of Saturday? The inability to be faithful, overwhelmed by discouragement, fear and disappointment. Saturday is a reminder that no matter how bad Saturday is, if you are a believer, it is always followed by Sunday.

You have a choice to be child of Saturday, controlled by sin, or you can choose to be a child of Sunday.

Saturday is one of the most important days of your life.

3. Sunday: a day of astonishment and grace – a day of new life.

The bodies were usually anointed before burial but they came anyway to show honor and respect.

Mark 15:3 they realized they couldn’t roll away the stone.

Mark 15:4 they realized they didn’t need to!

In Mark 14:28 Jesus said He would meet them in Galilee. Here, in Mark 15:7, the angel confirms this meeting.

Amazed could be translated to mean absolutely terrified. Where is the joy? Whenever people encounter the power of God they are always astonished. (Mark 5:42, Mark 9:15) After seeing this angel they ran, overwhelmed by the power and glory of God. It was a day of astonishment!

In Mark 15:7 He says, “…go, tell his disciples and Peter…”. This seems a little redundant since Peter is a disciple. Remembering the earlier situation with Peter however it seems the emphasis is provided so that everyone will know that He loves Peter. Imagine the message, “By the way Peter, they specifically mentioned you!” His grace is sufficient for those who have denied Him time and time again. It was a day of grace!

Why is this Sunday important to me? It reminds us of the astonishing power of Jesus Christ over sin and death. It is also a reminder of His merciful grace. If even Peter is a recipient of that grace then certainly you will be also.

2000 years later these are three of the most important days of your life.

4. Today: a day that is a matter of life or death – today is the day of salvation.

The New Testament teaches us that if you are trusting and submitting to Jesus alone that today new life reigns in you. It isn’t just the removal of sins but the addition of a new man. (2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:9-11, Colossians 2:13-14) You have victory over sin and victory over death. This new life is not an absence of sin but a desire to get rid of it through the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament teaches that if you are not trusting and submitting to Jesus alone then you have none of these things. God’s wrath still abides on you. You are a slave to sin and unable to do anything that pleases the Lord. You have no hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Why is today important to me? Today is important because either life or death reigns in you. (Hebrews 4:7) The only hope you have over sin, death, and hell, is if today, and every day, you are trusting in Jesus Christ alone as the payment for your sins, and submitting to Him as the exalted King.

Today is one of the most important days in your life.

5. Someday: a coming day of judgment – a day of vindication or condemnation.

He is now at the right hand of the father waiting to come back. (John 5:24)

“…he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness…” Acts 17:30-31.

Why is “someday” important to me? For those who have trusted Him what a glorious day! For those who haven’t trusted Him it will be a horrible day of condemnation. If you don’t respond “someday” is always waiting. Don’t trust in yesterday, a prayer or walking the aisle, if there is no indication of newness of life. We are not saved from sin, death, and hell by a momentary declaration of faith but rather by a lifetime of faith. Remember, the righteous live by faith. Today, do not trust in a past experience; trust in Christ.

Is the resurrected life a reality in you. Do you long for the things of God? Do you long for the people and Word of God? Are you ready for “someday”? Submit to Him as King today. Today the world is divided into two groups of people. There are those who are trusting in Jesus Christ and living with Him as their Lord, and those who are trusting something besides Christ and are living with themselves as Lord. These two groups will be exposed someday. Those who are trusting in Christ will receive eternal life; those who are not trusting in Christ will receive eternal hell.

“Someday” will be one of the most important days of your life.

NOTE: These are my notes, taken as I listened to the sermon live. Any errors, misunderstandings or misinterpretations are my responsibility entirely and not the fault of the preacher.