With Easter behind us, I wanted to share with you something that occurred
to me as my husband was preaching on the resurrection this past Sunday.
There are noteworthy women who witnessed the death of Christ that I’d
like us to learn from. Once again, Luke shares with us some important
details concerning this particular group of ladies as we turn to chapter
23 and begin reading in verses 46-49…
“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy
hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly
this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that
sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and
returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from
Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.”
No doubt witnessing the death of Christ had to be a powerfully moving
experience! The tremors of the earthquake and the darkening of the sky
certainly contributed to the emotions that flooded the hearts and minds
of those standing at the foot of the cross. Observing the suffering of
the Savior and hearing His cry of “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken
me!” must have strongly stirred each spectator in a very personal and
memorable manner. If you were among the women beholding these things,
how would you have felt having heard and seen such a happening? What would
your response have been to the death of Christ as He breathed out His
last words and gave up the ghost?
As we skip on ahead to verses 53-56 of the same chapter, we see that,
in love, Joseph had gone unto Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. As
he took it down from the cross, the same women were there watching…
“And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre
that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day
was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. And the women also, which
came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre,
and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices, and
ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.”
Having viewed the death of Christ from beginning to end, and the manner
in which Jesus body was laid in His grave, the women automatically returned
home to lovingly prepare spices traditionally used to embalm the dead.
Spices were aromatic substances used as flavors or fragrances and would,
to a certain degree, preserve the deterioration of the body and cover
the stench that inevitably would arise from a dead body. However, because
of the impending Sabbath, Christ received only a hurried burial and the
women were forced to rest according to the commandment, unable to apply
the spices they had dutifully prepared until the first day of the week…
Luke 24:1-3, “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning,
they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared,
and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from
the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord
Jesus.”
As I read this account, I couldn’t help but wonder what happened to the
spices when these women entered the sepulchre and found not the body of
the Lord! In my mind, I pictured these ladies dropping their jars of precious
homemade ointment in great alarm. Though I do not know all of what is
involved in preparing spices used for burial, I am sure that the process
must have taken some time for the strength of odor required to embalm
the dead to reach it’s full potential.The earnest efforts of these devoted
women were brought to nothing in the face of the resurrection…
Ladies, the fact that these women who had followed Christ brought along
burial spices proves that they did not expect to find Jesus alive. How
guilty we are of the same thing when we face complex situations! Even
though Jesus had informed those who followed Him that He would rise again,
His words had been forgotten in the face of His death. What are you most
focused on Christian woman – death or resurrection?? Like us, these women
were all too prepared to live in defeat. We look to find our Savior clad
in graveclothes and set out to take care of things without Him… What special
concoctions have you whipped up in order to preserve your own situation?
You cannot properly maintain anything by your own efforts. Praise the
Lord these ladies were confronted with some alarming circumstances! It
is a great lesson for us… We must leave it to the Father to embalm that
which we cannot secure! You see, God’s power is unrealized in our lives
when we view our state of affairs without hope of new life. We would save
ourselves much sorrow and effort if we remembered His Word and trusted
His power! Are you leaving it to the Lord to fulfill His own promises
His own way and in His own time, or do you presume some of your spices
need be applied to the crisis? How many times have you approached certain
situations thinking you could improve things? I believe the Lord, through
the timing of Christ’s death, kept these women from applying their spices
to the body of Christ so that resurrection credit went fully to Him and
not to man’s efforts at all. These women came prepared yet found nothing
needed to be applied – God had taken care of everything – without their
spices! No human hand was upon the preservation of Christ. Yes, their
efforts were sincere, but still unnecessary. What a humbling awareness
of the power of God should come upon us as we stop and consider the resurrection
of Christ! I am ashamed of the times I have not believed the Lord was
capable of turning things around for me as His Word promises. I am ashamed
to think He needed my remedies when it was I who needed His all along.
In closing, it is good for us as women to experience times when we are
much perplexed. Though some may be alarming, they are opportunities for
us to remember and apply God’s Word to our lives, in so doing relinquishing
any attempt to hold life together by our own influence or understanding.
Vs. 4-6, “And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout,
behold, two men stood by in shining garments: And as they were sore afraid,
and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek
ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how
he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee.”
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2002 Pamela A. Iannello
