Come, See, Go, And Tell - Part I
June 2020 |
“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.” —Matthew 28:5-7
The disciples thought their whole world had been turned upside down, and they had lost most of what was important to them. In John 20:13, the angels asked Mary Magdalene why she was weeping, and in Luke 24:17, Jesus asked the two disciples why they were sad. They and the other disciples were grieving because it looked as if they had lost their purpose, their hope, and their courage.
Jesus had called them from their previous occupations and told them He wanted to make them into “fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19). What an exciting three and one-half years it had been. They not only saw but participated in the blind, deaf, and lepers being healed, the dead being raised, and the feeding of the five thousand. But now what? They were perplexed (Luke 24:4), confused, feeling sorry for themselves, troubled (Luke 24:38), and even a little angry.
They had put all their trust in Jesus (Luke 24:21), and now He had let them down. They had hoped that He was the Messiah who would deliver Israel from bondage to the Roman Empire and reestablish the kingdom of Israel. However, their expectations were dashed when He allowed His crucifixion without even putting up a fight. They did not understand, and now they were left holding the empty bag. They were overwhelmed. Not only were they disappointed and let down by Christ, but now they had lost all confidence and were about ready to give up and quit. Not only were they helpless, they were also hopeless because they did not have any confidence that things were ever going to get any better.
They were like Israel when they were “discouraged because of the way” (Num. 21:4). They had lost all strength to face danger or opposition. They were defeated before they even started. What was the use in even trying?
There are many people who feel as the disciples felt because they are facing financial losses, bad health, relationships that have broken down, or spiritual problems that are getting worse instead of better, and they do not know what to do. The disciples may have been overwhelmed, and they probably felt as if they were all alone and no one cared; but God was not through with them. In fact, this was a new beginning for them.
“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (I Cor. 2:9). Not only did things get better for the disciples, but what God was going to do in and through them exceeded all of their expectations, fulfilled their purposes beyond their greatest goals and dreams, and empowered them above anything they could ask or think (Eph. 3:20). Travel with these disciples through their fears, doubts, worries, and into their miraculous futures, that will be some of the topics discussed in upcoming issues of The Evangelist.
If you’ve knelt beside the rubble of an aching, broken heart
When the things you gave your life to fell apart
You’re not the first to be acquainted with sorrow, grief, or pain,
But the Master promised sunshine after rain
To invest your seeds of trust in God in mountains you can’t move
You have risked your life on things you cannot prove
But to give the things you cannot keep for what you cannot lose
Now, that’s the way to find the joy God has for
Hold on my child joy comes in the morning
Weeping only lasts for the night
Hold on my child joy comes in the morning
The darkest hour means dawn is just in sight.
Yes the darkest hour means dawn is just in sight
|
|
