We often look for Jesus in all the wrong places. The modern “Historical Jesus” movement seeks to find him as a regular figure of history but not the messianic figure of the Old Testament. The women who came to anoint Jesus’ body were asked, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” As the Gospel of Mark tells the story, we get to eavesdrop on the conversation the women had as they made their way through the graveyard to the tomb in which Jesus’ body was placed. Mark 16:3 tells us, “They were saying to one another, who will roll away the stone for us and from the entrance of the tomb?” It was assumed that Jesus was dead. Of course, they were eyewitnesses to his crucifixion. At least we know that his mother, Mary, was. They expected to encounter a major problem in the accomplishment of their goal of anointing Jesus’ body for his death. They went to the graveyard expecting to find Jesus in his grave. They expected his body to need to be anointed. They worried about how they would get into his tomb.
We often worry about things we shouldn’t. I don’t know about you, but when I don’t have anything to worry about, I worry about that! Worrying can become a bad habit. George Mueller suggested that faith and worry are antithetical. If you’re in the midst of one, you are out of the other. Worry accomplishes nothing. It’s like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere. Like the two Marys, we often worry about things that we shouldn’t worry about. Mark 16:4 says, “When they looked up, they saw that the stone was already rolled away.” I love the last little comment, “It was very large.” Yep, faith in Jesus’ resurrection can solve a lot of life’s problems. Does death worry you? Jesus rolled that stone away. Paul argues that since Jesus did indeed rise from the dead, we, too, as he promised, will go to be with him when we die. He said, “Absent from the body means present with the Lord.”
The reality of Jesus’ resurrection solves the ultimate issue in life, death. But that truth works its way into our daily lives in this world as well. I have some very “large” problems! Don’t you? I have many “large” issues to deal with, don’t you? I have “large” relationship issues, don’t you? They are like alligators rising up to devour me! Who’s going to roll those stones away? Guess what! It’s already been taken care of. Jesus said, “…don’t worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” In the context of that verse in Matthew chapter 6, we read, instead of worry, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,” and all the things we worry about are already taken care of. As far back as the days of King David, we read about how faith in God solves our worry problem. The Psalmist tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” Psalm 46:1-3