WOMEN'S TRIP IN ISRAEL
Missionary Debra is taking a group of five college ladies on a tour of Israel, for the purpose of making each one a disciple of Jesus. Debra begins, "How many of you want to be missionaries for Jesus Christ?"
Everyone raises their hands.
Debra continues, "OK, how many of you would like to be a fearless witness for Jesus?"
Everyone looks at each other, waiting for the first person to raise a hand. Sarah, wearing the flowery dress lifts her hand up.
Debra smiles, "Do we have any more bold witnesses? Why do we need multiple witnesses?"
Everyone raises their hands.
Ruth reads, "One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." (Deuteronomy 19:15 NIV - New International Version)
Debra speaks, "Who were the women who fearlessly stayed at the cross witnessing the crucifixion among the Roman soldiers?"
Marie reads, " Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home."
(John 19:25-27 NKJV - New King James Version)
Debra says, "Jesus' mother Mary, her sister Salome, Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Clopas, and John the apostle.
Susanna adds, "These women were fearless standing by the cross."
Debra continues, "What caused the women to back away, and watch further away?"
Evie speaks, "Was it the three hours of darkness?"
Sarah adds, "Could it have been the large earthquake that shook the cross, and tore the curtain in two at the Holy of Holies?"
Marie reads, " Now many women were also there, watching from a distance. They had accompanied Jesus from Galilee and had ministered to him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons."(Matthew 27:55-56 ISV - International Standard Version)
Debra adds, "There are many fearless women watching Jesus die. They watched him being pierced, taken off the cross, saw Jesus's body prepared and place in the tomb."
Evie reads, "So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen, and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb." (Matthew 27:59-61 HCSB - Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Debra smiles, "Do you realize the Jesus saw the tomb from the cross. And there was a garden between the cross and the tomb?"
Evie comments, "Is that garden symbolic of the Garden of Eden?"
Debra asks, "Who were the first fearless witnesses early Sunday morning?"
Sarah speaks, "I would be scared going to the tomb before sunrise, carrying bags of spices. What if the Roman soldiers thought we were going to steal His body?"
Susanna adds, "Who's going to roll away a stone that weighs 1 1/2 tons?"
Debra speaks, "These were fearless witnesses of Jesus."
Ruth reads, "So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.
The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”
Then they remembered that he had said this. So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened." (Luke 24:3-10 NLT - New Living Translation)
Ruth adds, "Joanna, is the wife of Chuza, Herod Antipas's household steward."
Debra speaks, "Fearless women weren't afraid of the dark, or the spears of Roman soldiers. They didn't flee when the aftershock of the earthquake rolled the stone away. Some saw angels and Jesus who told them to tell all the disciples and go to Galilee."
Marie adds, "On the road to Emmaus, there was a disciple named Cleopas who unknowingly talked to Jesus. Did Mary the wife of Cleopas, one of the witnesses walk with him too?"
Debra concludes, "What if the women didn't come to the tomb at the time of Resurrection? Who would be God's witnesses?"
Susanna replies, "The Roman soldiers made terrible witnesses. They were bribed to tell the lie, that the disciples stole Jesus' body."
Debra continues, "Fearless women were God's witness to Jesus Christ's death, burial and resurrection. If you want to be a missionary, will you be a fearless woman for Christ?"
