Pastor Tom Johnson, April 8, 2012
Our reading from Mark ends a little abruptly: “They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” I believe this is exactly how Mark wanted to end the story. There is a clear thread tying this whole passage together: fear. Our story is rife with fear. Fear of religious authority makes the women wait until the end of the Sabbath to go anoint the body of Jesus. To touch a dead body would make them ritually unclean. Fear of the heavy stone covering Jesus’ tomb and their lack of human strength make them question how they will overcome that obstacle. Fear comes when they see the stone already rolled away. Even more fear comes when they do not see the body of Jesus but, instead, a young man dressed in a white robe.
“Do not be alarmed—do not fear,” the angel says, “You look for Jesus of Nazareth. He is raised from the dead! Go and tell the disciples and Peter. He is going ahead of you to Galilee.” But “they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” Fear almost keeps them from realizing the wonderful truth of what has happened. Fear almost prevents them from discovering the empty tomb. And, at the very end, fear seizes them—paralyzes them—holds them in a headlock so they cannot do what the angel tells them to do.If we are painfully honest, the three women are not very different from us. Fear is doing its dirty work in our lives. Fear takes hold of us. Fear debilitates and paralyzes us from living the lives God wants us to enjoy. Fear may come from religious authority and tradition—like the women who feared touching a dead body during the high feast of Passover and doing “work” on a Sabbath day. Jesus said, “Humans were not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for humans.”
Religion should not bind us and make us live under the fear of being judged by others. Our faith community should be a place that sets us free from fear. Christ has not called us to judge one another and put legalistic burdens on one another. He has called us forgive one another, pray, and serve one another…just as Jesus “came, not to be serve, but to serve and give his life for many” (Mark 10:45).
Fear comes from powerlessness to overcome obstacles. Like the women who fear the prospects of a heavy stone they cannot roll away, there are things that make us confront our powerlessness—a dread of things that we cannot fix by our own strength: broken relationships, addiction, illness, resentment, anger, anxiety and many other things. But Jesus says, “What is impossible for mortals is possible with God.” (Lk 18:47).
Fear even comes when we witness the impossible like the women who see the stone rolled away and the angel sitting there—when we hear what seems to be too good to be true. Maybe fear overcomes us because we have grown so cynical. A lot of advertisements and sales pitches are too good to be true. Nothing is free. There is always a catch with a good offer. Fear of being disillusioned again keeps us from believing the story of Jesus that is good news, free, and where we are God’s catch.
Fear, not doubt, is the enemy of faith. Doubt is part of true and living faith. But fear—fear will keep us from going on that faith journey. Fear will prevent us from considering the claims of Christ. Fear will end our pilgrimage before it even has a chance to begin.
Fear also comes when something great is expected from us. The angel tells the women, “Go and tell the disciples and Peter the good news.” Responsibility can be scary—especially for these women in a patriarchal culture. It can be frightening when people entrust us with important things. We don’t feel worthy. We can’t control how people will respond. We fear failure. The Apostle Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth.” It does not depend on us. Yes, God wants us to participate in what he is doing. But we can leave the results up to him. Don’t miss those powerful words from the angel: “Do not be alarmed,” he says, “[Jesus] is going ahead of you to Galilee—the risen Christ precedes you.” He goes before us and makes a way. He overcomes all our fears.
Scripture says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 Jn 4:18). God loves us by sending his Son to die and rise again to deliver us from evil, guilt, condemnation, and the power of fear itself. “Do not be alarmed,” the angel says, “You look for Jesus of Nazareth. He is raised from the dead!” Jesus lives! Even though we may have our doubts—even though unanswered questions remain, there is no reason to be afraid. He goes ahead us—he will safely bring us to the next part of our journey.
Whom shall we fear? Christ has overcome death. What is that great stone but a grain of sand for God? The empty tomb says it all! Death and fear no longer have the power to seize and paralyze us. Jesus has given us the victory. We have the assurance of his forgiveness. We have the certainly of eternal life. Do not fear. He goes before you. Christ is risen!
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