All is Possible

Mark 16:5-8 As 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. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” 8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. 
 
THE stone is rolled away! That’s what the women wanted! But Jesus is gone! What’s more this man said, “He is risen!”
   Why are the women trembling and afraid? The angel’s words were triumphant. Jesus had overcome death! There was no dead body to anoint, only good news to hear and tell.
   Instead of powerful and life-changing, the announcement first disturbed everything the women knew. In response to the angel’s instructions, they fled from the tomb. Perhaps they were afraid some new plot was underway to harm them.
   But the young man they had never seen before had been very specific. “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”  Luke then tells us the women began to understand: Luke 24:6 “Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.
   Now the women began to believe the most magnificent truth of all. The women and the disciples had not understood or believed Jesus then. But now the truth of the risen Christ is opening their minds. Amazed in this new truth in their lives, the women continued on their mission to announce, “He is risen!”
   Maybe they also remembered Jesus’ promise, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) Jesus spoke this to assure his disciples that God has the power to completely change lives. We love to quote this when we encounter something difficult. Do we believe it?
   How can we not believe? The heavens and the earth are impossible without God. Your existence is impossible. Anything you’ve done is impossible because God is the author and perfector of life. Indeed, with God, the void becomes full, the sinner becomes saved and the dead come to life.
   Each time we think or say, “With God all things are possible.” our minds should first remember, “He is risen!”