With all the commotions and excitement around the elections coming, it is easy to overlook the message of Easter. Might there be some nuggets of wisdom and truth the Easter story can offer our election-frenzy country? Might there be some guidance we can draw from the lives that enter the Easter story? Let us explore the Easter narrative as told by Matthew in chapter 28 verses 1-10.
The sun has risen on the early Sunday morning, and we are told that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary have come to this tomb to see the body of Jesus. An angel meets them at the tomb, and invites them to come in to see where the Lord lay. Inside the tomb they are told Jesus has risen. The Bible then describes these women as having three distinct qualities that garnered them an audience with the Risen Christ as the story unfolds. The Risen Christ Jesus comes to choose them to be His messenger, and to carry His story to the others.
Let’s look at these three qualities that earns them the honor of being chosen. In only one verse the three qualities are revealed, “So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his Disciples”.
Leaving quickly, with fear and with great joy. In the previous verse we read, the angel instructs them “to go quickly’’ and they leave quickly. It is a simple act, but it represents an important quality. They are persons chosen because they do what they are told in the way they are told. There is a quality of obedience.
In our complex word today, obedience can be dangerous. The question must always be raised, to whom are you obedient? In this story, it is made clear they were obedient to an Angel. For those of us who are of the biblical faith, we know what the Angel represents. Not money, not fame, not evil, not corruption nor coercion. In biblical stories, the Angel always represents honesty, integrity, moral uprightness, and righteousness. The women are obedient to the instructions of an Angel. Their ultimate loyalty rests in obeying, and following the assignment of Angel virtues.
Moving on, we read that they “left quickly and with fear”. The word ‘fear’ might imply fear of God or fear of someone or something. Reading on in the story, it becomes clear that it is fear of someone or something because when they meet the Risen Jesus, immediately Jesus says to them, “Do not be afraid!”
It is the will of God that they should not fear. The fear they ran out with was facing the world with a story that has been unpopular and despised. Jesus is speaking to them now, and saying “be strong and not cowed by the social pressures around you”.
This is not easy to do in our world today, the external pressure from powers with vested interests and scrupulous agendas are all around.
These women are being given the charge of fearlessness and courage against the powers and principalities that seek only to destroy the good. The charge is to have the political will, if you will, to act on what is righteous and honest, and not to succumb to fear and compromise.
Finally, we read that they “left quickly with fear and with great joy”. They did not leave just ‘with joy’, they “left with great joy”. The emphasis on the joy being great underscores their sincere dedication to the assignment. There was fear, but there was more joy in their hearts to be servants of the task before them. They are showing an honest desire to perform their duties because they believe in what they do, and they do it for a cause beyond self-interest, self-preservation, and selfish intentions.
These were the qualities the Risen Jesus recognized in these women, and it earned them His choice of who was worthy to carry out His mission in the world. Perhaps we have something to learn from the Risen Jesus and this Easter story as we make our own choices in the coming elections. (Carlton “Cobbie” Palm)
