Life Breeds Life
“So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” (Matthew 28:8)
Excitement is a glorious thing. You don’t have to be around it long to get caught up in it. It’s funny how we are. A long stay around a person who is depressed will bring you so low you could parachute off the edge of a dime. On the other hand, if you are around those who are excited, all of a sudden your inner being is transformed and you are floating on a cloud. Scary? You bet it is! These two women were scared to death at the thought of Jesus resurrecting from the dead. They were “afraid yet filled with joy.”
Put yourself in their place. For about three years they had listened to this man called Jesus. They had witnessed people coming to Him and watched His healing hand as He touched them and made them well. They saw the evidence that God was in the flesh, working among men. They heard the crowds cheer and rave about this great man they knew as Jesus. At the same time, they heard the threats and the plots of the Jewish religious leaders to destroy Jesus and stop His influence. For three years they had ridden this emotional roller coaster high over the hills of joy and low into the fear of death. They had been to Calvary. They had seen the Savior die. They watched their dreams vanish away into what they thought was oblivion. Their hopes for the future had ebbed away as they watched the blood drain from His body.
Sorrow filled the homes of all those who followed Jesus. There was nothing exciting about their Saturday, no more hope.
Boom! Sunday morning begat life! Their hopes came alive! Their dreams reappeared! Their life was suddenly worth living again. He is Risen! He is Risen! They scrambled to their feet. Half in fear, the other half in great joy. Running to the tomb, they had to see for themselves. He was gone! He had broken the chains of death. Swooning in their emotions the disciples groped to get a handle on their lives, their emotions running wild. Jesus appeared before them. “Suddenly Jesus met them. `Greetings,’ he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, `Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’ “
Joy did it! Excitement did it! They ran. No longer could their feet stand still. No longer did they drag in desperation. They were excited and because they were excited they told the world of the resurrected Christ. Every time they repeated the story others got excited. Excitement is contagious. LIFE BREEDS LIFE.
What does it take to get us excited? What does it take to make us walk on a cloud, thrilled to our inner beings that we are children of God? How can I not tell someone else what Jesus has done for me if I am truly excited about it?
God’s people have more reason than anyone on earth to live in joy. We have salvation. We have been justified. Though we will die, we will live. There is nothing that can ever tie us down.
Do you have anything that is worth sharing? Go and tell it today.