What is a life-changing encounter that you’ve experienced?  How did it change your life?  What emotions did you experience?

Think of the range of emotions the disciples experienced  during the last week of Jesus’ life.  His triumphal entry into Jerusalem was met with a welcoming crowd,

The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!”  (Matthew 21:9)

His followers were filled with a great sense of anticipation!  The long awaited Messiah had come,  now their hopes and dreams would be fulfilled.  Within one week however, their expectations would be turned into devastation as their Messiah was placed in a tomb,

And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.  (Matthew 27:66)

How do you respond when your dreams have been shattered?  The story of Easter is a story of hope.  We see on that first Easter morning several of the women went to the tomb,

And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.  (Matthew 28:2)

It is significant to realize that the stone was not rolled away to let Christ out, but to enable the disciples to go in.  The angel told the women to go and tell the other disciples and as they were going they met Jesus,

Then Jesus *said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”  (Matthew 28:10)

Notice the instructions Jesus gave to the women:

1. Do not be afraid – Fear is an emotion based upon our perception of an event.  It can be thought of False Evidence Appearing Real.  Bill Hull notes that there are 366 commands in the Bible for you to not  be afraid.  What are some fears you face?  Sometimes the Lord calms the storm and sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child.

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’  (Isaiah 41:10)

Plato wisely observed that we can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark but the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.

2.  Go and tell others – The word to tell others is a compound word literally meaning to “announce from”.  It was used of a messenger who brings news or reports of information.  Its basic meaning is to report or proclaim.  The women went from a feeling of devastation to an act of mobilization as they went with a mixture of fear and great joy to tell the other disciples.

Have you had an encounter with Jesus?  Consider the disciples, they had spent three years with Jesus.  But after His death they were scattered and forlorn.  Knowing about Jesus and seeing Jesus as God are not the same.  It seems there are many people who know about Jesus but have never seen Him for who He really is.  But once you have had an encounter with the resurrected Christ and seen Him for who He is, you will never be the same.   God’s goal for you is a total life transformation,

Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.  (Acts 4:13)

Jesus has given His life so that you may have life in abundance.  May people recognize you as one who has been with Jesus.

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

Follow me on twitter:  rickhiggins5