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It Is Always Darkest Before The Dawn

Mark 16:1-8         

There can be a 1:1 discipleship ministry at U of M

Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 8-1-11

Mark 16:9 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was   crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”

      Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome were faithful women who had cared for Jesus’ needs and who now wanted to anoint his body with spices. But when they arrived at the grave, they found the stone rolled away. When they entered, they saw an angel and were alarmed. He told them, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid them” (6). As he promised, Jesus rose on the third day. He was crucified to death and buried. But death could not hold him because he is sinless and he is God. He is not in the tomb. He has risen and returned to his kingdom. These women are witnesses of the fact. 

     I can see here that there is hope after death. Just as Jesus died and rose again, so too I, and anyone who is in Jesus, will rise again to eternal life. I also know that even when things are so bad that it seems that it can not get any worse and that all is lost, there is resurrection and there is victory and there is life. Jesus suffered beyond belief, physically and emotionally. He felt pain and was abandoned by his faithful followers. He even felt the pain of separation from his Father in heaven. How can it get any worse? It can not. But as it is always darkest before the dawn, so too is the resurrection eminent when death seems to take over.

     God so often waits until the times are the darkest and all hope is lost. He waits until we give up striving in our own puny human efforts and begin to trust in Jesus alone and pray. Then he comes through with deliverance and with new life. He resurrects our dead hearts. He delivers us from impossible situations and conditions of heart.

     There is application in Christian ministry. Sometimes it seems that ministry has no hope. But it seems that at the darkest moments, there is absolute hope. God is moving in some peoples’ hearts. I am praying and waiting for Jesus to reveal himself in life giving ways and start raising disciples amongst us.

     “Lord, I know that You are the resurrection and the life. Thank you for bringing new life to our ministry lately. Thank you for helping me to realize that it is always darkest before the dawn. Please reveal your resurrection power among us.”

       I also realize that I have eternal life in Jesus. No matter how hard things get, I will be resurrected from the dead. I will have eternal life. There is nothing that can take away the ultimate victory in my life. I thank God for the assured victory that Jesus gives to all who believe in him.




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