"So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word."  -Matthew 28:8

     Mary and the women who went with her to visit Jesus' burial site were not expecting the reception they got at the tomb. They had come at dawn to put spices on their Friend's body -- not knowing how they would get into the tomb. But as they came near the grave, they were startled to see that the hugh stone had been rolled away from the opening. Even more incredible, they saw an angel sitting on it.

     It's no wonder that they felt a sense of awe and fear. But they also felt great joy after the angel invited them to look inside the tomb, and then he told them to go and tell the other disciples that Jesus had risen.

     Nearly 2000 years after that initial proclamation, we who are Jesus' followers also have mixed emotions about sharing such good news. We feel great joy that Jesus is alive, but we feel uneasy about telling other people about Him. The woman felt a sense of awe from seeing and hearing an angel by an open grave, but our fear is different. We fear what people might think of us when we tell them that Christ is risen. But like Mary and the other women, we have a responsibility to tell others the good news. God's spirit will give us ourage to overcome our fear and share our great joy.

OH, what joy -- the Lord is Risen! Death is conquered by God's Son; Grant us courage, Lord to tell it; Lead us to some seeking one.

The Good News of the resurrection is too good to keep to ourselves.

     Bro. Don