“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.” Mt. 28:1-10
When the angel of the Lord told Mary Magdalene and Mary that Jesus Christ, crucified on the cross to pay the death, hell, and lake of fire penalty for the sins of all of humanity, enabling all who repent and place their faith in Christ, committing their lives to God and His ways, to receive forgiveness by God and the promise to be in fellowship with Him now and forever in heaven, he gave them something to do. How they responded makes me wonder – about me and you.
The angel told the women to go tell the disciples Christ was risen from the grave, and they obeyed with “FEAR” (fear and reverence), with “GREAT JOY,” and RAN to share the most amazing news in the universe.
Every Christ follower, destined for forever in heaven, is commissioned to share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with others to help build God’s Kingdom of followers, yet can you and I honestly say we FEAR God, and revere Him, that we experience GREAT JOY in sharing the Gospel message with others, and that we RUN to share it? That we live for Christ and to tell the world about Him? To help people find and follow Him? Or do we fear how people will respond, do we revere ourselves, this world, and Satan instead? Would we rather tell others about anything and anyone other than Christ? For those who tell others about Jesus, do we do so begrudgingly, hesitatingly, by obligation, like it’s a chore, a burden, a yucky assignment we need to fulfill before returning to what we really want to do? In reverence to God, are we running joyfully to tell the world about Jesus Savior of the world, or are we running the other way?