Fear The Flu Virus or Obey God: You Decide – SundayThought For The Day

Matthew 27:61 tells us: “And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.” (KJV) I can imagine the two Mary’s sitting across from the tomb; weeping and feeling fragile, perhaps in a state of of shock from the savagery they had just witnessed. And while they may not have been the last to leave the tomb that evening, Matthew tells us 28:1 (KJV), that they were the first to return back at the tomb the next morning.

As they arrived back at the tomb “there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from Heaven…and rolled back the stone from the door” of the tomb. The angel was found sitting outside the entrance of the tomb, that the two Mary’s had sat across from only hours before. The difference being, now the tomb was empty.

In that moment, as the women no doubt entertained their worst fears, the angel commanded them to not be afraid – that Jesus had risen from the dead as He said He would. The two women were then told to “Come;” see that the tomb was empty, and “go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead.”

The instructions the angel gave them that early morning is the same message we are to share today, and I don’t mean just on this Sunday that we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Which brings me to the Sunday thought for today.

If we say that we are Christians, but have told more people to stay home because of the Covid19 flu virus and to maintain social distancing, than we have told people that Jesus Christ lives, we are disobedient to God.

This Easter, this Resurrection Day, Christians have the message the world desperately needs to hear. The message we are called upon to specifically at this time is that Jesus lives and that through Him we can live also. Contrary to what people may want to hear and/or believe we are going to die one day should the Lord tarry.

The message Christians must be sharing, is to not fear dying from a flu virus, but to fear dying without Jesus Christ as our Savior.

The angel instructed Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, to share the good news of the Resurrection first with Jesus’ disciples who were also His friends. How many of us have shared the need for salvation through Jesus Christ with our friends? How many of us are ashamed to share Jesus Christ with our friends, but revel in sharing fearful and fretful jeremiads invoking fear of a flu virus that 98 to 99 percent of those becoming ill with same will recover from. But, 100 percent of the unsaved people who die, spend eternity in hell.

How can we fear a flu virus more than we fear God? How can we surrender to a flu virus and the dictates of godless men, but willfully and boldly disobey God? This Resurrection Day many of our friends will be separated from their loved ones. Do we want them to also be separated from God for all eternity, when we had the opportunity to tell them about Jesus but didn’t? Even for those who of us will spend Resurrection Day with our family, do we want to let those family members die without our having shared the salvation message of Jesus Christ?

My friends, Easter, i.e., Resurrection Day, is about more than the risen Lord. It’s about our personally understanding that the tomb is empty because Christ arose; and it’s about telling others that He arose for us.

READ:

Matthew 28:1-9 (KJV)

1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.