This post is Day 4 in a series of studies about “Joy”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Joy – Day 4

Matthew 28:8

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples.

The Thought

There are understandable mixed emotions in this verse. The women were afraid, yet full of joy! Two opposite emotions, but which often go side by side. The women, who had faithfully followed Jesus throughout His ministry right up to His death were convinced that Jesus was alive, but yet afraid that maybe it was not the truth.

Were they dreaming? Had they seen the open tomb, when in fact they had wondered how they would get inside (Mark 16:3). Had they just had a conversation with an angel sitting on the stone which he had rolled away from the tomb? That is what he said (Matthew 8:6)!

Fear that a good thing may not be just as it seems has happened to most of us at some time or another. But nothing quite so amazing as this! As they were hurrying to share this amazing news with the disciples, they must have been remembering the cross. They had been there. They had seen Jesus carrying the weight of the cross on which He would die, witnessed His broken body, heard Him tell the thief at His side that they would be together in Paradise. But these women chose to believe their eyes. They had seen the open tomb, spoken to the angel and heard the most joyful news of their lives.

Action

Read Matthew 28 today and think about your own reaction to good news. Do you want to share it with others? Do you prefer to keep it to yourself? Who do you share your most joyful moments with?

What do you suppose happened to the guards who were paid to lie? Did they become believers? Did they feel guilty at taking that money (Matthew 28:12-16)? What would you have done in their place?


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