Do Not Be Afraid

Matt 28:5b "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come see the place where the Lord lay."

 

There is so much in the angel's announcement to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. When they came to visit the tomb where Jesus was buried they encountered something that they did not expect. A bunch of soldiers laying on the ground as if dead and an angel there to greet them whose face was as bright as lightning and his clothes as white as snow. I guess that if I came up to a tomb and saw this scene, I would be pretty fearful as well.

 

Isn't it interesting that the announcement that the angel gave to the women at the tomb "Do not be afraid" is the same announcement that the angel said to the shepherds when Jesus was born: "Do not be afraid. I bring you good tiding of great joy which will be to all people." Luke 2:10

 

Fear is a paralyzing thing. If I am afraid of something, or if I am afraid to do something, or if I am afraid of a certain outcome I tend to avoid it. I would rather run away from it. I want to ignore it. It stops me in my tracks. God tells us, at the beginning and at the end and everywhere in between: "Do not be afraid." "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Fear should not even be in the believer's vocabulary. Why? Because Jesus came. Jesus lived. Jesus died. Jesus rose from the dead and we have hope. We have victory. There is nothing to be afraid of.

 

Realize this: When we seek the crucified One, He is not dead. He is risen. The proof is an empty grave and fear is gone. Nothing can or should hold us back. We have a risen, living Savior who right now makes intercession for us. Amazing.

 

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives all fear is gone. Because I know who holds the future and life is worth the living, just because He lives."