Easter: The Rock Story VS The Big Bang Story

Today’s Gospel Reading: Mark 16:1-7

Today’s Gospel reading brings us to Mark’s account of resurrection morning. Mark’s description of resurrection morning is priceless. My favorite moment is in verses 3-4:

They were saying to one another, “And they were saying to one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”'And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—it was very large.”

They were saying to each other, “Who will roll away the stone?” And verse 4 gives us insight to the why of their question: “Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away.” That means their heads were down as they asked the question. If they would have come with their heads up, they would have seen it was done already. They were asking for something already accomplished.

I think this lesson is significant. Looking up may already give you your answer. One of those wrong-look questions goes like this: “I wish God existed and He was easily proven.”

Look up is what I want to say!

David says God’s creation is always talking to us about the One who created it. It’s pouring out speech to the planet. Look up, it’s talking, it’s saying something: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1-2).

2One paraphrase of the scriptures says it like this: “God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening. Their words aren’t heard, their voices aren’t recorded, but their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere” (Psalm 19:1-4).

Why is this important? Because people are looking in the wrong places and ending up with the wrong conclusions about God’s existence.

Romans 1:20 tells us, “Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Paul is saying that God’s creation clearly shows God. We don’t need a “made by God” stamp underneath every rock.

His workmanship is so clear that God says there is no excuse for anyone not to believe. The issue is not that it’s see-able, but that humans refuse to look and believe.

Let’s look at Romans 1:19: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.”

Sounds a lot like a big rock story. The big rock story is like the Big Bang story.

If you don’t look correctly, you end up with the wrong conclusions. When you see creation you end up with a big God not a big bang. The science community is divided on this and not slanted. Many would make you think that there are only a few crazy creationist scientists and all the others figured it out. It’s not that way in science. Scientists are looking up and seeing a big God.

When you look up, you may see more than you bargained for. This is how Isaiah explains it:

Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and the justice due me escapes the notice of my God?” Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:26-31)

Isaiah says that if we lift up our eyes, we may see something pretty Awesome about God. The women at Jesus’ tomb lifted up their eyes and saw that God is stronger than death and He doesn’t lie, He rose from the dead.

Lift up your eyes when you pray for something. God may have already done it for you.