April 29, 2025

Day 120 What’s Next | Mark 16:6-8

Day 120 What’s Next | Mark 16:6-8
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Season 2

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The empty tomb stands at the center of Christian faith, yet Mark's gospel ends with a jarring cliffhanger that has puzzled readers for centuries. Women flee in fear and silence. There's no celebration, no appearances of the risen Christ. Just bewilderment and an angel's strange message.

This episode of Wisdom for the Day examines what scholars believe was Mark's original ending at verse 8 and why this abrupt conclusion might be exactly what we need. Far from being a literary failure, Mark's unresolved ending creates space for us to enter the story ourselves. We explore how the women's very human reaction—fear and silence—reflects our own struggles to comprehend divine mysteries without the Holy Spirit's help.

The resurrection isn't simply an event to observe from a distance but a living reality that demands our response. The angel's words that "Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee" offers a powerful metaphor for our spiritual journey. Christ always goes before us, preparing the way into new territories of faith and service. As we sit with Mark's uncomfortable ending, we're challenged to ask: How has the risen Jesus impacted my life? Where is he leading me next? Join us as we discover how this ancient text's unfinished quality might be its greatest gift to modern believers seeking to live in the continuing story of resurrection.

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Chapters

00:00 - Welcome to Wisdom for the Day

00:57 - Mark 16:6-8 Scripture Reading

01:36 - Understanding Mark's Abrupt Ending

03:00 - Reflection and Closing Prayer

03:44 - Episode Wrap-Up and Resources

Transcript
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Welcome to Wisdom for the Day, your daily source for spiritual refreshment and guidance.

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I'm Rick.

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Join me as I dive into God's Word to find clarity and strength for life's challenges.

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Let me help you embrace each day with faith and wisdom, ready to feel inspired.

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Let's get started.

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Today is day 120.

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What's next?

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From the Gospel of Mark, chapter 16, verses 6 through 8.

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From the New Living Translation but the angel said Don't be alarmed.

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You are here looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified.

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He isn't here.

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He is risen from the dead.

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Look, this is where they laid his body.

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Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee.

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You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.

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The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.

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The final verses of Mark's gospel are some of the most puzzling in the Bible.

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While many Bibles include additional verses after verse 8, most scholars agree that those endings were added later and aren't found in the earliest manuscripts.

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So we're left with rather I don't know an abrupt scene.

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The tomb is empty, the angel speaks and the women flee in fear and in silence.

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It's not the joyful, triumphant ending that we might expect.

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Where's the celebration?

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Where's the bold proclamation of the risen Lord?

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Mark's ending doesn't wrap things up neatly.

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Instead, it leaves us sitting in shock and mystery.

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Of the first resurrection morning.

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The women are stunned, overwhelmed really, and without the help of the Holy Spirit who would be given weeks later, at Pentecost, their reaction was very human fear and silence.

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But maybe that's part of Mark's purpose.

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His gospel invites us into the continuing story.

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The resurrection isn't just an event to observe, it's a story to enter.

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Mark challenges us to ask ourselves what will I do with the news that Jesus has risen?

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How am I going to respond?

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The good news is that the risen Jesus keeps going ahead of us.

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Just like the angel said, and through the Holy Spirit, he now walks with us too.

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Now walks with us too.

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Today, I want you to take time to reflect.

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How has the risen Jesus impacted your life and where is he leading you next?

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Pray with me.

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Lord Jesus, thank you for meeting us in our fear, our questions and our awe.

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Help us to step forward in faith and follow you wherever you lead, amen.

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Well, that's all for today, but I'll be back tomorrow with more of God's Word.

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To listen to past episodes, go to wisdomforthedayorg For free Wisdom of the Day merch.

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Go to buymeacoffeecom.

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Slash renewedmindsets and consider becoming a community member.

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The executive producer for Wisdom of the Day is Kimmy Shirley.

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Quality control engineer is Yelena McClellan.

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Intro and outro music by Weston McCurry Until tomorrow, I'm Rick.

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I love you, see ya.