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There's a trend on social media of making prank videos. You'll find people pulling pranks on their friends, parents, spouses, and even their children. You've probably seen some of these. A guy dressed up as a plant out on the street jumps out at people as they walk by. A girl who keep throwing ping pong balls off her boyfriend's head, trying to make them bounce into a cup until she finally throws an egg, which breaks all over his face. A dad who shaves off his beard and jumps out at his daughter, who's never seen him without it before. A husband who fills his house with clowns knowing those are his wife's greatest fear. The list goes on. 

While the style of the videos and the pranks themselves are different in each one, there's one thing they all have in common. That's the reaction of the person being pranked. Usually, there's an initial shoock, which includes a physical jump as they react in surprise. They often clutch their chest and sometimes even scream. Then they usually devolve into a fit of nervous laughter once they realize there's no real danger, and everything's meant to be one big joke. 

If you've ever been the subject of a prank yourself, then you most likely have experienced that same shock and surprise for yourself. Now, imagine you go to visit a loved one at the graveyard only to find them up and walking around as if nothing ever happened. 

Read Mark 16:1-8. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome had been followers of Jesus for some time. They had come with Him and His disciples when they came to Jerusalem. They were present at the crucifixion. They witnessed Jesus' death on the cross, and at least two of them, the two Mary's, saw where Jesus' body was laid in the tomb and that a stone had been rolled against the entrance. 

So, on Sunday, the third day after Jesus' death, they came back to His tomb with spices to anoint His body. This was something that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had already done. So, why would they come to do it themselves? Perhaps they were so lost in their grief they didn't know what else to do. After all, that's the only reason they had come, to grieve. They weren't expecting anything else. they certainly were not expecting the resurrection. 

However, when they arrived, they found the stone over the entrance rolled away and soon went inside to find that Jesus' body was no longer there. Mark wrote that they were "alarmed." The Greek word used to describe the women's reaction is used by Mark two other times in his Gospel. The first is when Jesus returned from His transfiguration (Mark 9:15). When the people saw Him returning, Mark wrote they were "overwhelmed with wonder." The second time Mark used the word was when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Mark described Jesus as being "deeply distressed and troubled." These other two instances help give us a better idea of what these women were feeling. There was a sense of wonder and amazement, but also trouble and distress. That's what it meant for them to be "alarmed."  In other words, they were shocked and surprised. 

Adding to their alarm, the angel not only told them that Jesus wasn;t there because He had risen, but he also told them to go and tell Peter and the other disciples. Yet when they left, Mark wrote they didn't say anything to anyone because of how afraid they were. 

Well, they certainly had reason to be afraid. After all, it was fear that had caused the other disciples to flee or deny Jesus. Just a couple of days before this, the whole city was chanting to crucify jesus. Who knew what they might want to do to His followers now? But that wasn't the only reason for their shock and surprise. you see, in the resurrection, they were witnesses to possibly the greatest display of God's overwhelming power. If we're not careful, we can miss that. We've all heard this story so many times that we unintentionally sanitize the awesome display of God's complete dominion that is shown in his raising of Jesus from the dead. 

It was this power, God's power, that produced the trembling, astonishment, and fear in these women. But they didn't stay afraid. Eventually, their shock gave way to joy, and we know from the other Gospels that they did go and tell the disciples, and their telling of this good news spread throughout Jesus' followers. But it didn't stop there. The good news spread through them throughout the world and on down through the ages to us. And now that good news continues today as we tell it to others!

 

Something to think about:

 

1. What is so shocking and surprising about Jesus' resurrection?

 

2. Why do you think it produced fear in both the Mary's and Salome?

 

3. How can we work to stay more aware of God's power at work in the world around us and our own lives?

Content from "Alive Again" by YM360