Mark 16:1–2 (ESV)
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.
Why do you think the women went to the tomb despite their fear?
What does their willingness to move toward Jesus—while afraid—teach us about how courage and obedience often precede seeing God’s miracles?
What does it look like to “move toward the tomb” in our own lives?
After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the people of God finally entered the promised land by crossing the Jordan River…
Joshua 3:14–17 (NLT)
So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. 15 It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, 16 the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.17 Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.
In the resurrection story, just like in this story, God moves after His people take a step. Where might God be calling you to take a first step before you see His power?
Mark 16:5–6 (NLT)
When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, 6 but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.
Do you remember the story of Gideon? The Midianites had invaded the land, and everyone was terrified…
Judges 6:11–12 (NLT)
Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. 12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”
I think these two stories kind of go together. The similarities are pretty obvious. What do you think? how are they similar?
How does God often meet fearful people with supernatural encouragement?
Mark 16:1 (ESV)
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.
1 John 4:18–19 (NLT)
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.
What role does love play in overcoming fear?
The women came because they loved Jesus deeply. How does love for Christ move us past fear into obedience?
Decades before they finally arrived in the Promised Land, the Israelites had the opportunity to take possession of the land. Moses sent some men into the land to check it out ahead of them. After exploring for 40 days, the men returned with a mixed report. The land itself was beautiful and fertile… But the people there were huge and fearsome…
Numbers 13:30–33 (NLT)
But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
31 But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” 32 So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. 33 We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”
The Israelites started crying like babies, and out of fear they refused to enter the Promised Land. That whole generation missed the miracle all together.
Compare Israel’s refusal to face the giants with the women courageously approaching the tomb. What caused one group to retreat and the other to move forward?
Why do you think God chose women—who had little social standing—to be the first witnesses of the resurrection? What does that tell us about God’s heart? (think also about who he seems to very often choose.. Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, shepherds in the field, etc.)
Psalm 27:1–3 (ESV)
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
After reflecting on these stories, what is a practical act of obedience, faith, or courage—large or small—you can take to position yourself to experience God’s presence and power more fully?