April 8, 2012 Fearfully Wonderful

Fearfully Wonderful

Mark 16:1-8 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?”
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” 8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

ARE YOU fearful of life? Amid this the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the debilitating and freeing emotion of fear. These 3 women overcame fear then fear nearly overcame them.
As they arose that morning to go to the tomb, certainly they were afraid the Jewish authorities might stop them or arrest them. They were also afraid the stone would be too big to move. But they went anyway-no authorities, no stone-their fear was useless.
Then fear again. “He is risen!” Why do they flee in fear? They are overwhelmed with the reality that possibly Jesus is all who he said he is. And they are not ready to meet the Holy Savior, who said he will come again to judge the sin of the world.
As you consider your sin, as you consider Jesus, are you afraid of his judgment? Confess your sin to him. And know the joy of your salvation.

Pause and consider that the only real fear in your life must be the judgment of the Christ.