“Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.[a] Mark 16.8
Now, who would blame them? First, who would believe them? Even if they had given testimony that Jesus had risen, would they have been believed? The scripture says they said nothing to anyone, but a few verses later, Mary Magdalene does, in fact, tell the disciples. Maybe she changed her mind!
If you had just been confronted by Jesus’ resurrection, you too would be “trembling and bewildered.” It’s not something that happens every day. Even Jesus himself only raised a few people from the dead — but nowhere else is this recorded.
Not only was Jesus missing, but an angel announced this news to them. It’s easy to sit here and casually read the story, but to be there in person, hearing the news, seeing the empty tomb, and not being certain of what really happened would have been shocking. So it’s natural for them to be afraid.
This just goes to show that God’s ways are not our ways. He works in mysterious and supernatural ways. And God has won the victory. Although the world and the demons seek to discredit the Lord and his saving grace for humanity, they have lost. God has won. Even recent cultural attacks upon the gospel (like what happened at the Olympics in Paris with the mockery of the Lord’s Supper) do not deserve the attention they are getting.
Paul writes in Philippians 3, “For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Those who live as enemies of the cross have chosen their own destruction. “Their glory is in their shame.” How true! But our glory is in the resurrected Christ. We come from the empty tomb trembling and bewildered but believing. We serve a mighty and powerful God. And as Paul says, “our citizenship is in heaven.” We do not put our trust in men or women, presidents or kings. Our hope is in the Lord God to save us, redeem us, and return us to himself.
“O Lord God, I thank you for the cross. I thank you for the women who met at your tomb to honor you and your body, but you were not there! You rose from the grave to give us life. Thanks be to God. Come now, let us live into the power of the Gospel and the strength of your Spirit. Let us not shy away from the threats of this world but boldly stand for you. I love you, Lord, and praise your name. For you are good, and your love endures forever.” Amen.