Pre-Easter People

Scripture Reading: Mark 16:1-8 

And when the Sabbath was past [that is, after the sun had set], Mary Magdalene, and Mary [the mother] of James, and Salome purchased sweet-smelling spices, so that they might go and anoint [Jesus’ body]. ²And very early on the first day of the week they came to the tomb; [by then] the sun had risen.³ And they said to one another, Who will roll back the stone for us out of [the groove across the floor at] the door of the tomb?⁴ And when they looked up, they [distinctly] saw that the stone was already rolled back, for it was very large. ⁵ And going into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting [there] on the right [side], clothed in a long, stately, sweeping] robe of white, and they were utterly amazed and struck with terror.

⁶ And he said to them, Do not be amazed and terrified; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.

⁷ But be going; tell the disciples and Peter, He goes before you into Galilee; you will see Him there, [just] as He told you. ⁸ Then they went out [and] fled from the tomb, for trembling and bewilderment and consternation had seized them. And they said nothing about it to anyone, for they were held by alarm and fear.

Key Verse:And they asked each other, Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb? (Mark 16:3)

Meditation: Too many people  live on the wrong side of Easter. They have never really experienced the resurrection life of Jesus. The two women  who trudged wearily towards the tomb of Jesus on Easter are typical of all pre-Easter Christians. They were preoccupied with the thoughts of death - not life. They were problem conscience and  not possibility thinkers. Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb? occupied their thinking. They knew the soldier's would certainly not open the Roman seal. What is most surprising is that they even went to the tomb in the first place.

The stone over the entrance of the tomb speaks to us of those formidable obstacles that confront all of us: “Oh, if it weren’t for _______.” Life may be going smoothly, then all of a sudden some “boulder” looms before  us and limits us forever, we think. Or the prognosis from doctor knocks hope right out of us and that leaves us numb. Others limit their horizon to the medicine bottles in the bathroom cabinet.

These women, like some of us, were living on the wrong side of Easter- the Good Friday side. Jesus, their beloved friend and teacher had died. How could they express their sorrow? 

Thought for the Day: A natural human emotion is sorrow at a personal loss. Christ has supernatural resources to reveal to us.



This another attempt of Satan trying to keep Jesus contained. 
 Any man- made boulders in your life? I personally have a few of those "If only I was not..." , " When my life is better then  I will ....."