Brave Men,🤠 Really! 🙄

 Mark 15:40 (KJV) There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; Another look at this “afar off” There were some women that also were looking at afar off distance too. But we do not read of them associating themselves with any that were for the crucifixion of Jesus. Neither do we read later of these women going out and weeping for their actions. Many times women are more courteous than men. Maybe you think not; we’ll just mistreat one of their children and you’ll see a side of that mother you have never seen, and it won’t be good. My wife, the mother of our three children, is a very kind and loving woman. I have seen more than once her kindness turning into anger because someone miss treated one of her children. Our children are all grown and have children of their own but I assure you that even today if they were mistreated that same action would reappear. Maybe these women couldn’t get any closer. But here’s my thinking: they didn’t want to get any closer. Because they didn’t want to see how bad the man they loved was mutilated. We as humans can be so cruel. We can see that as we read of what they did to Jesus, it was bad and it was awful and unbelievable. Another reason is that three days later, early in the morning afterJesus crucifixion. We read of  these women who stood afar off now coming to anoint Jesus with sweet spices. Mark 16:1 (KJV) And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.These women set out on a mission with great faith. Why? Because their purpose was to anoint the body of Jesus not knowing how they were going to get to the body. There was a large stone covering the entrance way. But they went on anyway and as they traveled they asked this question. 

Mark 16:3 (KJV) And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? The problem ahead didn’t slow them down; they went on anyway and we read no more about them talking about the problem ahead. These were strong women; how many women do you know of that would head off to the cemetery in the dark to anoint a dead body? When they got there the stone was rolled away. You know many times we worry about things we never have to deal with at all. Well would you look, this problem solved! 

Mark 16:4 (KJV) And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. There stood Peter and the other disciples. Oh no they were not there at all, not one of those brave men who said they would die for Jesus. No, not one! You know there’s very few that will even go to a cemetery at night. My dad has been in heaven for 37 years. His favorite times of the year were Thanksgiving and Christmas. He passed away two days after Christmas isn’t God good. On the first Thanksgiving after his death that night at my moms house I went out in the front yard and began to think about my dad. As I stood there thinking and remembering all by myself I decided I would go to the cemetery where he was buried. I jumped in the car and didn’t tell anyone where I was going and drove about 5 miles to the cemetery. Now I had to wait to get into the cemetery because there was a long line of other people doing the same thing. Are you kidding! I was the only person there, people just don’t go to the cemetery at night. You know what? No one even knew I had left and I never told anyone. It was just one of those  private moments and I wanted to be as close to my dad as possible. I know he wasn’t there but neither was Jesus when these women went. Take this the way you like but the next time we read the words afar off it’s in the book of Luke and it isn’t good.

Luke 16:23 (KJV) And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Keep standing afar off and  you won’t have to worry about a cemetery in the dark. You'll be with the dead in the dark. Jesus says “come unto me” Matthew 11:28 (KJV) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Jesus didn’t say keep your distance.