Mark 16:1-8

 1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and
Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2Very early on
the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb
3and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of
the tomb?” 4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very
large, had been rolled away. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man
dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6”Don’t
be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.
He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his
disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him,
just as he told you.’ “ 8Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled
from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

Meditation
1. Jesus’ resurrection is totally different from what these ladies experienced
and expected. Therefore when the angel told them that Jesus was indeed
risen from the dead, the ladies were “[t]rembling and bewildered, the
women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone,
because they were afraid.”(v8)
2. Often we are just like the women at the tomb. When we experienced God’s
wonderful, unexpected work in our lives, we would be totally astounded.
This means the end of our familiar life and the beginning of our unknown.
No longer am I doing something for God; he is doing something for me. No
longer am I drawn by my needs to God; he is drawn by his compassion to
me, whether I’m ready for him or not, whether I feel anything for him or not.
That means you and I are not in charge; he is.
3. There can’t be a resurrection without a death. What area of my life is God
perhaps trying to put to death that I am trying to keep alive? What would
happen if I relinquished control of it and simply let ie die? What new life
might come out of it? What new faith? What new hope, new love, new joy?

Personal Note:
The areas I would like to put to death are the struggles with money, sex, and power.  I am going to give a workshop in TC with those three areas.  I am trying to keep alive with the attitudes and thoughts of more money means more power and success.  As much as I want to put to the temptations of lust to death, I am trying to keep it alive through current media and past images.  I am trying to put to death the desire for approval from people and to be recognized as powerful.

What if God wants me to put to death the desire to rely on money, relinquish control of wanting more power and using lust as escape and thinking that I am in control.  The new life that might come out of it is true freedom.  I would be free from the bondage of sin and I can freely be used to serve God for His glory.  I would have a stronger faith in God.  I would have hope.  I would love with truth and Spirit, and I can rejoice.