Sisters Of Galilee

NLT

Early on Sunday morning,* as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

My Introduction

One of the Most Interesting things concerning the Culture Of the Church is the lack of celabration for the Sisters that was on the front Line with Jesus, To consider the way in which women where viewed in this culture and still we had sisters faithful to the cause.I wonder what type of flack they received being Jewish & following this new sect of Jesus freaks!! In the next few weeks we are going to look together at these powerful, faithful & encouraging sisters.We are going to Call This Boot Camp ( The Sisters Of Galilee ) We want to take a panorama view of the Gospel focusing on the Sisters. After all if it wasn't for you sisters sitting here we really couldn't have Church!! No shade on the brothers but even in this text you find the sisters are always the first to seek after Jesus.…

**We are " STRONGER TOGETHER"**

As I read the scriptures given the first verse really spoke to me; . Then I begin to think of the Power of two. Walking 2 by 2, Walking 2 by 2,  Noahs Ark .  Noah's Ark . As I thought about this scripture in the natural I begin to reminisce of my past. Ex:My 1st fist fight with girls (who tried to jump me) in a laundry room I had a few homegirls with me just in case the girls tried to jump me. (Sidebar-End result: Me-No bruises/in the cop car) Now in the spiritual realm when I am frustrated or going through and can't pray for myself I'll call a sister to pray with me.  Yes, I can pray alone, but there is something about two or three within the  Power of God. The bible says: “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. NIV For where two or three gather in my name, their am I with them.” NIV. In my opinion Mary Magdalena and the other Mary went to the tomb with expectations. I don't believe they walked hashing (not a word)  and heehawing (not a word) on the way to the tomb. Those ladies went all the way IN with their prayer request.

I envisioned it to be like this:

Mary Magdalena and the other Mary walking to the tomb praying, worshiping and praising God. I could even imagine the prayer being just like this: (Me praying)

Think about the Power of their prayer. We all say the scripture pray w/out ceasing; pray continually,  and  we also use the acronym  PUSH: Pray Until Something Happens. Mary Magdalena and the other Mary did just that PUSH. Look what happen in the next few scriptures, there was an earthquake and then the Angel appeared white as snow with instructions.

My God.... My God.. .Ladies..ladies...

We are "Stronger Together”

1.  A Woman's job is never done!

According to the Mosiac law one who dies must be buried on the same day.  The period of mourning after a death was seven days, and during this time mourners didn't bathe or anoint themselves.

Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary were one of the last women of Jesus's followers at the cross and the first at His grave.  Despite the fact that Jewish women didn't have a voice, they were accustomed to either staying in the house with their husband or their father-in-law's house.  They knew that after Jesus's crucifixion, his death, that He needed to have a proper burial.

After the Sabbath, which officially ended with sundown on Saturday, they were able to purchase spices and perfumes to anoint Jesus's body (Jews didn't practice embalming).  They believed in Jesus, and because He didn't treat them like they were accustomed to, they were persistent on getting the job done!  They didn't forget how Jesus treated them, and wanted to get the job done!!

Women today will do just about ANYTHING to get the job done.  Some of us will work two and three jobs, some of us will not consult our husbands with decision making or even God for that matter.

We as women because of our maternal instincts will act as the mother,  father, husband, sister and brother.  I can't imagine us now doing the things that the women did in the bible days. There's no way we would sit in the house all day,  or wear certain clothes, hairstyles, etc.

A woman's job is never done, nor is it easy, but when we relay on our Father, the Lord of Lord,  King of Kings, we know that EVERYTHING will be alright!

Just as the woman at the well, when Jesus read her her rights, and told her everything He knew about her, she immediately changed and told about a Man!!

We as women today, are telling our families, friends, coworkers, friend-enemies, about Jesus, by any means necessary, but in a loving, kind way.  Whether it be by social media, e-mail, face-to-face, we're getting the job done.

Our work is never done when it comes to the building up of God's Kingdom!!

2. Birthing A Movement!

These two women didn’t take what happened to Jesus lightly...they also never forgot what He did for them..How precious it must have been to finally be given a voice..to serve in ways that most women in their culture would  never be given the opportunity. These women were honored  to serve Jesus in this burial preparation.. They had no hidden agenda nor did they do what they did to be recognized.  They wanted to make sure their savior was given the proper burial. After all, it was His love and compassion  toward their deliverance they experienced that gave them the victory over what once held them captive. It took  an anointing and power no one could ever have known..but now they were given the privilege of showing how much they truly appreciated their new life that was given to them..

It is something when God steps into  a woman’s  life  and changes the course we once were on.  We find ourselves like the woman at the well beckoning others to come and see a man who told us  things about ourselves that no one else could have ever known, a man who healed my broken place like the woman with the issue of blood  who touched the hem of his garment.  Forgiven like the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. Jesus started a movement for women that shook the men that were following Him and it shook those that were looking for reasons to doubt the work that Jesus did in His time.. It is still shaking the nations today..

For one group of women it didn’t change their love and compassion for being set free...they were determined to finish what was started… they wanted to show their love and appreciation to the one man who only asked that they give up what was hurting them for a life that was knew and filled with hope.

I can imagine their walk to the tomb was full of memories of miracles they saw Jesus perform in their lifetime. I can imagine them seeing His smile when he healed the sick, raised the dead and caused women just like themselves to come from darkness into a new life.  I can imagine the hurt they felt to know He is no longer there.. But the impact He made on these women will never be forgotten.

3. You heard the message, now go!

According to the Jewish laws, it wasn't new for the women to not have a option to give her opinion or advice in those times, that was their custom for women to be home with their spouse, they were not allowed to learn the scriptures or allowed to testify in court.

In spite of the rules that were In placed back then, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary set out to go early to where they laid Jesus' body.  I don't know what they may have been thinking on their way to the tomb, maybe remembering what Jesus had done for them but; when they arrived there was a violent earthquake and the angel rolled the stone away so everyone can see that Jesus was not there.  Of course being there when this happened put some fear into these women, but the angel said unto them Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified."

When we keep reading the angel also gave them good news, that Jesus is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  He said to them to come and see the place where he lay.  But the angel also gave them a message in verses 5-7: he said Don't be afraid, he is not here, come and see; and go quickly and tell. Do Me A favor and tell your neighbor this is boot camp baby don't be scared go Quickly

How many of us today are willing to go to the streets and love on a sister you don't know and bring them to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose again with all power to conquer any situation any sickness any disease, any type of stress or anxiety, depression, thoughts of  ending your life, marriage isn't working, sexual identity issues, pressure of life, not knowing how to make ends meet, family problems, your body isn't feeling well, seems like everything is trying to make you lose your mind, that's when we need to connect with our sisters and pray and fast until change happens in the lives of our sisters.

Mary and the other Mary were assigned a task to complete.  The angel gave them precise directions to go and tell the disciples that Christ has risen from the dead.

Now in their state of being afraid, this could have gone two ways either they could have started out towards the men and something could of come to distract them from there mission because distractions do come to keep us from completing our tasks for Christ.  The word tells us in says:" Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

These two women were faithful and going quickly and doing the job of telling that our risen savior has conquered the death and the grave and is alive and is seated at the right hand of the father, loving us as women, and appreciating us for who we are as women, we are not afraid to be given an assignment and following through no matter what comes to meet us where we are/stand.

When we are given an assignment/tasks remember that God is with us and you heard the message what will you do with it when it's your turn? Tell your neighbor go quickly

4. Go even when no one knows your name

The two Mary's where on the same assignment.

And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” 

It didn't matter to the angel what brought her to the tomb. She showed up for her assignment. She could have easily thought “ why would they listen to me",  I'm just a follower.  She could have said Mary Magdalene you go, they'll listen to you. People will believe you...

The assignment:

 The Mary's had to convince people who just saw Jesus being crucified that not only was he NOT in the tomb but and angel actually spoke to them and gave them an assignment.  As they moved from faith to faith not only did they encounter the angel but Jesus himself .... 

Listen the moment you say yes to your assignment you will encounter God on a greater level!

Mary Magdalene had her experience to lead with. She was known as the women who was healed from 7 demons. 

The other Mary had to have enough courage to go, even though she was just "the other Mary"

The assignment: 

The assignment doesn't change no matter what room you are standing in. 

We are going to go places where people don't know our name.  We have to be convinced to be convincing to someone who don't know us or Jesus! 

We can tend to get caught up looking through our natural eye about a supernatural assignment. It's not in our name where the power is coming from.  

The Bible says old things past away! We have to walk in our NEW! 

Our faith sets the tone to how far we will go in our Yes to Jesus! So if we are standing next to our sister Mary who has a mighty testimony, we still have to go!  Even when no one knows your name

5. Stay Focused

The latter part of verse 7 says “Remember what I have told you..” Distraction’s are going to come, But stay focused. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? Don’t let your “other Mary” become a distraction. Sometimes we need to evaluate the people around us. Are they pushing us toward our assignment or pulling us away from my assignment? Are they going the same place I’m going? Could you imagine if these 2 women would have got tripped up on something minuet. Something that could’ve caused them to loose focus on the assignment. These 2 women had to be in a place in their own faith, that nothing else around them mattered. Their main focus had to be filling the God given assignment. Because this assignment was so much bigger than them. NLT "let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. As women our assignments is so much bigger than us. When you look at Mary Magdalene and the other women, they played such an important part of Jesus Ministry. It is said that they finances Jesus in his missionary activities as he went from place to place doing the work of His Father. Somebody’s destiny is counting on you to fulfill your assignment.

Can God Trust you with this assignment to move quickly, you have to evaluate your circle, you have to know that it’s bigger than you and someone is counting you!

Conclusion: Nosey by Nature

See we are said to be nosey by nature. I would like to say we are just curious  Starting with Eve why was she wondering around the garden talking to the serpent? Well nothing has changed today. So when the angel came down from heaven and told the women that Jesus isn't there he's been brought back like he said he would. See this is just like us women we always need confirmation. It's not enough that Jesus told us He was coming back He had to send one of His boys to confirm. Ladies you know how we do we won't just take their word for it. See even the angel knew what was coming next with our nosey I mean "curious" selves we want to see for ourselves (investigate) so the angel says come see the place where he was lying. Ok I look at it like this... we are talking about sisters right? So let's use the analogy SIS this sums us up ladies S(ee) I(nvestigate) S(ay) We want to make sure we are bringing the correct news. Yes it was an angel that met the women but before they go and tell the disciples to head to Galilee they wanted to make sure what they were saying was accurate. Listen you know how we "used" to be. We hear something bad about our man we don't bring it to him right away so he can have time to think oh no we gather all the information we could to convict his butt. We investigate. So I take it that they saw the empty tomb and went to tell the disciples but wait you know how we get women we start second guessing what we saw with our own eyes. Ok say this were you and I yes we saw the tomb but we began to think maybe this was a set up should we tell the disciples and they could have just moved Jesus' body? You know how we do ladies. So boom

the Bible tells us that suddenly Jesus appeared himself (he didn't want anytime for second guessing) the women went up to Him bowed down to worshipped Him. Now Jesus told them to go and tell His disciples. Now they are confident and will definitely tell what has happened because it came straight from the source. Why am I saying this you ask? Well I'm saying this to the woman that God has given instructions to but you're second guessing yourself and waiting on confirmation. Jesus confirmed it! You know what you see you know what you were told. He came to you directly. See He sought out the disciples and no disrespect to the men but we are the seekers!!! Two women went to the tomb looking. Jesus could have appeared to His disciples but He didn't He appeared to the Mary's. Seek and you will find. We are not nosey by nature for nothing. There are things that God wants us to find but are you seeking? Do you think that Jesus would have appeared to them if they weren't seeking? Channel your inner Mary today no matter who gives you credit no matter if you're apart of the team or not, continue to seek God. No Mary didn't have her own Bible chapter nor was she named as one of the twelve but guess what we are talking about her now she walked closely with Jesus and after resurrection who did Jesus appear to? Come on now that right there is enough to motivate you. So I speak to the Mary in you the no matter what I will seek God no matter how I feel I will search for him no matter what I'm told I will continue to look because if I don't He won't appear to me!!! Verse 10 tells us that Jesus told the Mary's to go to Galilee and if they don't they won't see Him. How many of you are being directed by God to do something and haven't done it and because you haven't someone isn't seeing God? My God!!! Mary rise today go forth because you have been directed to.

Alter Call: Pastor K. B. Smith