And the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.”

Matthew 28:5-6

One of the biggest hurdles for the people who lived to see Jesus time on Earth, before, during and after his death, was the issue of the immediacy of his teachings; Jesus actions corresponded with his words. His miracles served to confirm God’s authority behind his words. His actions served to demonstrate his character and compassion for people.

Even with all of those facts and their direct experience with Jesus, many of his followers had a hard time connecting his words to the application they had in their lives. As the angel explained to the surprised women at the empty tomb, Jesus was doing as he said.

Do we have the faith to accept that? When Jesus says “do not worry”, do we trust him to take on that teaching? When Jesus said, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light”, do we still choose other baggage of our own making? I hope, instead, we can all grow into accepting what he has said, just as he said.

Ethan Kirl

Originally Published November 13, 2021