As we celebrate Easter this year we also mark a full year of living during a pandemic. We have all encountered new difficulties because of COVID. Many have been through COVID, others have watched as loved ones have suffered, sadly some of us have even lost friends and family to COVID. Yet, there is one aspect to the pandemic that I believe is common to our experience and that is fear. To one level or another we have all feared the ramifications of the pandemic in our lives and the lives of our loved ones.
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- Some fear getting sick and the complications of COVID
- Some fear death
- Some fear for their parents, their children or their spouse
- Some fear for the financial ramifications of the pandemic
- Some fear the loss of contact with family and friends
- Some fear if life will ever return to normal
Unfortunately, fear is common to the human experience. You can’t live in this world and never experience fear. Sadly many people allow their fears to control their lives. When we fail to understand our fears and respond to them properly, they can cause great damage to our spirits and to the way we live our lives. Fears not dealt with lead to depression, anxiety, loss of relationships, inability to function normally at work or school.
The question for us is not how to avoid fear altogether but rather how to respond to it correctly. As we look together at the story of Easter and at the truth it presents we can find a unique solution to our fears, one that has the power to calm our hearts, cure our anxieties, and give us a deep joy and hope for the future.
Fear is a central part the gospel story
The truth is that fear played a role in the lives of many in the gospels.
There was fear at Jesus birth
- Both Joseph and Mary feared when an angel appeared to them
- Zacharias also feared
- The Shepherds were terrified
- Herod was troubled by the news of Jesus birth
There was fear during Jesus ministry
- The disciples afraid when Jesus walking on water because they thought it was a ghost
- Peter James and John terrified when they saw Jesus in his glory and heard the voice of God the Father
- The Pharisees feared Jesus power and popularity
There was fear at Jesus crucifixion
- The disciples ran in fear when Jesus was arrested
- The Pharisees arrested Jesus at night because they feared the people
- Pilate also feared public opinion
- The centurion who was guarding the cross was terrified by the earthquake and said, “surely he was the Son of God!” Mat 27:54
The disciples’ fear continued after the crucifixion right up until Jesus appeared to them and calmed their fears. Let’s look closely at one of these encounters from Matthew 28.
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
Mat 28:1-10
Faithfulness in the face of fear
We must not overlook the actions of the women here. At first Peter didn’t go to the tomb, nor did John or James or any of the other disciples. Instead they allowed their fears, their disappointment, their worries to overcome them. Their fear was too big of a barrier to overcome. These women on the other hand show us the power of simple faithfulness to God and dedication to doing the right thing.
Just like Peter, James, and John, these women had also lost their beloved Rabbi, their teacher, their leader, and the one in whom they put their hope. I don’t believe the women knew exactly what would happen next but one thing is true, they were not content to sit on their hands and do nothing. They didn’t know how and they didn’t know when but they knew God would do something and they knew they must not remain inactive. Their faith was simple but it was also strong.
Friend, the worst thing you and I can do in our fear is nothing. God wants us to keep moving forward. He wants us to keep believing Him, to keep trusting Him, to keep expecting that He will somehow, someway come through the darkness.
These women didn’t yet understand the truth of the resurrection but their simple faith led them to do something right, it kept them from sitting alone and feeling bad for themselves. They were on the right track, they hadn’t lost their faith despite the significance of the tragedy. They were moving forward knowing that God would do something! And later we will see that God did come through and God did reward them for their simple faith!
I believe in the minds and hearts of these women were the promises of the prophets to God’s people.
Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on their God.
Isa 50:10
These women were in the dark and yet they trusted, they believed enough to go to the tomb. Maybe you are in a dark period of your life. Don’t let it kill your faith in God, keep moving forward, trust the only One who knows your future. He is good, He is God, and He is going to do something.
[Eze 34:12 NIV] 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.
What a beautiful picture the prophet Ezekiel gives us. We have a promise, God as a shepherd will rescue us on the day of clouds and darkness. Jesus applies this prophesy to himself in John chapter 10 when he says:
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Jhn 10:11
Possibly these words were also on the minds of the women as they came to the tomb. They were slowly coming to the realization that Jesus had done just that, he had laid his life down for them. Now what? How would God take care of them? They didn’t know exactly how but I think they did believe that he would do it.
Fear without faith
We also catch a glimpse here of how terrible it is to face things without faith in God. We briefly see the reaction of the guard’s who evidently didn’t have faith.
And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.
Mat 28:4
What did fear do to the guards and what might it do to us in the absence of faith?
Fear literally made them like dead men. They ceased to function properly, it paralyzed them and kept them from their normal activities of life. Unfortunately there are people who have lived for years in this state. Afraid of sickness, afraid of socializing, afraid of the opinions of others, afraid of failure, afraid of change, afraid of relationships, afraid of the unknown. They live and yet they don’t live, they are like deadmen unable to function because of fear!
Why did they fear?
- They feared because of the shocking nature of it
- They feared because it was an unknown power to them
- They feared because they sensed the holy presence of God
What was the response?
- They trembled and were as dead men (Neither the angels nor Jesus said anything to the guards because there’s no sense in speaking to dead men.)
- They fled to the city (Mat 28:11)
- Instead of seeking truth, they took money to remain silent (Mat 28:12-15)
What happens when I am motivated by fear?
- I easily compromise my value system
- I walk away from Christ in difficult times
- I can be held in bondage by destructive behaviors
- I have difficulty making making wise decisions
- My faith is weakened
Without faith it is impossible to overcome these fears. Fear may be the first reaction but our faith determines the outcome. If you have fear today then take a look at where your faith is. God invites us to place our faith in Jesus. He is the only one who can truly calm our fears.
From fear to faith and joy
When we put our faith in Jesus our fears aren’t just calmed but they are actually turned into something better. We see this happen as the women encounter an angel at the tomb and then Jesus himself.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Mat 28:5-8
- Fear as emotions needs to be calmed
- When we are terrified we can’t be reasoned with, what we need to be comforted before we can be counseled.
- Both the angel and Jesus begin by saying “do not be afraid” These few words should bring us great comfort. God doesn’t want us to live in fear. He wants us to experience the joy and peace that only he can give. However, before we can even focus on the truths that will aleve our fears and give us hope we just be comforted.
- The truth of Jesus’ resurrection is what really calmed their fears.
- They realized that Jesus hadn’t left them
- They put together his statements of death and resurrection
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
Jhn 10:18
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
Jhn 11:25
- Although there is a remnant of fear now their faith is taking over and it is producing a growing joy.
- Afraid yet filled with joy
- They ran to tell the disciples
Faith produces worship
A faith filled heart is always a heart of worship and we see this as Jesus greets the women.
Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Mat 28:9-10
- They worshipped Jesus because they now fully believed his claims to of deity
- They worshipped Jesus because he had conquered death
- They worshipped Jesus because he had conquered their fears
Jesus’ response to them is also helpful for us.
- Jesus greets them with “chairete” literally – “rejoice”
- Jesus also comforted them before he instructed them. A sign of his love, concern and heart for them.
- Jesus gives further instruction. He doesn’t want them to nor the other disciples to be immobilized by their fears.
Artist: Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov (1806 – 1858) – Painter (Russian) Born in Russia, Moscow. Dead in Russia, St.Petersburg.
Title: Русский: Явление Христа Марии Магдалене после Воскресения, Christ’s Appearance to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection
Date: 1835
Medium: oil on canvas oil on canvas
Dimensions: Height: 2,420 mm (95.27 in); Width: 3,210 mm (10.53 ft)
Things to notice:
We see both fear and faith in this painting
Fear
- Fear is in the very dark nearly black left side of the canvas, yet this is behind Mary now
- Fear in the hands of Mary stretched out to Jesus asking for his help, his comfort
Faith
- Faith in Mary’s direction, she is turned to Christ
- Faith in Mary’s position, she is kneeling to worship Jesus, she recognizes that he is LORD
- Faith in Mary’s eyes, looking with not so much with shock but with anticipation
- Faith in the light between Mary and Jesus, which also indicates the direction she needs to go, “go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee”
In Jesus we also see a combination of seemingly contradictory aspects, as if he is saying both, “come” and “wait”
One hand is raised with his palm facing Mary indicating she should stay where she is and come no closer.
The other hand is lower, gently beckoning Mary with an open hand as if saying, “Mary, come put your faith in me!”
One foot points away from Mary indicating that he must go to the father
The other foot is slightly raised almost as if he could take a step closer to Mary reminding us of his promise, “I am with you even to the end of the age”
His gaze is fixed on Mary, showing her that he sees, her, he knows her and he will care for her
However, his body is obviously in the process of turning away from Mary, indicating that he is going to prepare a place for her.
This is the tension that we live in, the already, not yet.
- A time when we may experience fear because we are not yet in heaven
- A time when we know that even in our fears God is with us
- A time when we can choose to live in our fears or live in the faith of the risen Savior, Jesus Christ!
We all struggle with fears in one way or another. We think, “What will happen if…
- I get sick?
- I lose my job?
- I don’t get married?
- He or she rejects me?
- I lose someone close to me?
We live in the “already, not yet world!”
God has already given us hope but we are not yet in heaven. God wants us to trust him in our fears. He doesn’t want us to be like dead men, he wants us to be like living and shining beacons of hope. He wants us to go and tell!
Hope in Jesus Christ is the only hope that can truly overcome all our fears because only Jesus has overcome sin and death. The Apostle Paul puts it this way.
[1Co 15:55-58 NIV] 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
The truth of the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ was what transformed the disciples from fear filled to fearless.
What about you? Have you trust in Jesus? Have you looked to him like Mary did? Turn to him now and you will see your fears turn to joy!
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