April 21st, 2025
by Pastor Luke
by Pastor Luke
The Power of God's Word in Times of Panic, Ignorance, and Unbelief
Have you ever experienced a moment of sheer panic? That heart-pounding, mind-racing feeling when something unexpected occurs and you're left grasping for answers? Or perhaps you've found yourself in a situation where your lack of knowledge left you feeling lost and confused? These very human experiences are not new - in fact, they're beautifully illustrated in one of the most pivotal moments in Christian history: the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Let's take a journey back to that first Easter morning. Mary Magdalene and another Mary arrive at Jesus' tomb, expecting to find His body and properly prepare it for burial. Instead, they're met with an empty tomb. Can you imagine their panic? Their minds must have been racing, trying to make sense of what they were seeing. It's a feeling not unlike a parent frantically searching for a child who's wandered off in a store.
But in this moment of panic, something remarkable happens. An angel appears and redirects their attention to the words of Jesus Himself. "Remember how He told you," the angel says, reminding them of Christ's own predictions about His death and resurrection. In their panic, they had forgotten His words, but the angel gently guides them back to the truth.
This pattern repeats itself throughout the resurrection account. We see it again with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They're walking along, discussing recent events, when they're joined by a stranger - Jesus Himself, though they don't recognize Him. These disciples are caught in their own ignorance, unable to see the bigger picture of what God has done. And once again, we see Jesus redirecting them back to Scripture, explaining how all of the law and prophets pointed to Him.
Finally, we see it with the gathered disciples. When Jesus appears to them, they're initially filled with unbelief, thinking they're seeing a ghost. And how does Jesus respond? He invites them to touch Him, to see His wounds, and then He once again turns their attention to the Scriptures, opening their minds to understand.
Do you see the pattern emerging? In each instance - whether it's panic, ignorance, or unbelief - the solution is the same: a return to God's Word.
This truth is just as relevant for us today as it was two thousand years ago. When panic sets in, when we find ourselves ignorant of God's ways, or when unbelief creeps into our hearts, the answer isn't found in our own understanding or coping mechanisms. It's found in the living, active Word of God.
Think about it: has anxiety ever truly solved a problem in your life? Has ignorance ever led to breakthrough? Has unbelief ever brought peace? Of course not. But the Word of God has solved countless problems throughout human history. It has brought clarity to confusion, peace to panic, and faith to unbelief.
This is why it's so crucial for us to be people of the Word. We need to know Scripture, to hide it in our hearts, so that when those moments of crisis come - and they will come - we have a firm foundation to stand on. The disciples had heard Jesus predict His death and resurrection multiple times, but in the heat of the moment, they forgot. How often do we do the same?
But here's the beautiful thing: God doesn't leave us alone in our forgetfulness. Just as He sent angels to remind Mary, just as Jesus Himself walked alongside the disciples to Emmaus, God sends reminders and revelations to us. Sometimes it's through a friend's encouragement, sometimes through a timely sermon or song, sometimes through our own reading of Scripture. The key is to be open to these reminders, to allow God to redirect our hearts back to His truth.
There's another powerful lesson we can learn from these resurrection accounts: the personal nature of our God. Jesus didn't just rise from the dead and immediately ascend to heaven. He spent time with His followers. He ate with them. He invited Thomas to touch His wounds. This is not a distant, impersonal deity, but a God who desires intimate relationship with His creation.
Some of us may be holding God at arm's length because of past hurts or disappointments. Maybe we've projected our experiences with fallible humans onto a perfect God. But Jesus invites us, just as He invited His disciples, to come close. To touch, to see, to know that He is real and He is good.
As we reflect on these truths, let's ask ourselves: Where do we turn in moments of panic? What do we do with our ignorance? How do we handle our unbelief? Are we trying to solve these problems on our own, or are we allowing God to redirect us to His Word?
Remember, crossing from this life to the next is not a choice, but the destination is. We have everything to gain in Jesus Christ. His Word is not just a historical document or a set of rules - it's a living, active force that has the power to transform our lives, to bring peace to our panic, understanding to our ignorance, and faith to our unbelief.
So let's be people who dive deep into God's Word. Let's be people who, like Peter, are willing to run to the tomb to see for ourselves. Let's be people who, even in our confusion and doubt, are willing to walk with Jesus and let Him explain things to us. And let's be people who, when we encounter the risen Christ, are forever changed.
In a world full of anxiety, misinformation, and skepticism, we have access to the ultimate source of truth and peace. May we never take that for granted, and may we always be ready to redirect our hearts - and the hearts of others - back to the life-changing power of God's Word.
stay salty. be bright.
Pastor Luke
Let's take a journey back to that first Easter morning. Mary Magdalene and another Mary arrive at Jesus' tomb, expecting to find His body and properly prepare it for burial. Instead, they're met with an empty tomb. Can you imagine their panic? Their minds must have been racing, trying to make sense of what they were seeing. It's a feeling not unlike a parent frantically searching for a child who's wandered off in a store.
But in this moment of panic, something remarkable happens. An angel appears and redirects their attention to the words of Jesus Himself. "Remember how He told you," the angel says, reminding them of Christ's own predictions about His death and resurrection. In their panic, they had forgotten His words, but the angel gently guides them back to the truth.
This pattern repeats itself throughout the resurrection account. We see it again with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They're walking along, discussing recent events, when they're joined by a stranger - Jesus Himself, though they don't recognize Him. These disciples are caught in their own ignorance, unable to see the bigger picture of what God has done. And once again, we see Jesus redirecting them back to Scripture, explaining how all of the law and prophets pointed to Him.
Finally, we see it with the gathered disciples. When Jesus appears to them, they're initially filled with unbelief, thinking they're seeing a ghost. And how does Jesus respond? He invites them to touch Him, to see His wounds, and then He once again turns their attention to the Scriptures, opening their minds to understand.
Do you see the pattern emerging? In each instance - whether it's panic, ignorance, or unbelief - the solution is the same: a return to God's Word.
This truth is just as relevant for us today as it was two thousand years ago. When panic sets in, when we find ourselves ignorant of God's ways, or when unbelief creeps into our hearts, the answer isn't found in our own understanding or coping mechanisms. It's found in the living, active Word of God.
Think about it: has anxiety ever truly solved a problem in your life? Has ignorance ever led to breakthrough? Has unbelief ever brought peace? Of course not. But the Word of God has solved countless problems throughout human history. It has brought clarity to confusion, peace to panic, and faith to unbelief.
This is why it's so crucial for us to be people of the Word. We need to know Scripture, to hide it in our hearts, so that when those moments of crisis come - and they will come - we have a firm foundation to stand on. The disciples had heard Jesus predict His death and resurrection multiple times, but in the heat of the moment, they forgot. How often do we do the same?
But here's the beautiful thing: God doesn't leave us alone in our forgetfulness. Just as He sent angels to remind Mary, just as Jesus Himself walked alongside the disciples to Emmaus, God sends reminders and revelations to us. Sometimes it's through a friend's encouragement, sometimes through a timely sermon or song, sometimes through our own reading of Scripture. The key is to be open to these reminders, to allow God to redirect our hearts back to His truth.
There's another powerful lesson we can learn from these resurrection accounts: the personal nature of our God. Jesus didn't just rise from the dead and immediately ascend to heaven. He spent time with His followers. He ate with them. He invited Thomas to touch His wounds. This is not a distant, impersonal deity, but a God who desires intimate relationship with His creation.
Some of us may be holding God at arm's length because of past hurts or disappointments. Maybe we've projected our experiences with fallible humans onto a perfect God. But Jesus invites us, just as He invited His disciples, to come close. To touch, to see, to know that He is real and He is good.
As we reflect on these truths, let's ask ourselves: Where do we turn in moments of panic? What do we do with our ignorance? How do we handle our unbelief? Are we trying to solve these problems on our own, or are we allowing God to redirect us to His Word?
Remember, crossing from this life to the next is not a choice, but the destination is. We have everything to gain in Jesus Christ. His Word is not just a historical document or a set of rules - it's a living, active force that has the power to transform our lives, to bring peace to our panic, understanding to our ignorance, and faith to our unbelief.
So let's be people who dive deep into God's Word. Let's be people who, like Peter, are willing to run to the tomb to see for ourselves. Let's be people who, even in our confusion and doubt, are willing to walk with Jesus and let Him explain things to us. And let's be people who, when we encounter the risen Christ, are forever changed.
In a world full of anxiety, misinformation, and skepticism, we have access to the ultimate source of truth and peace. May we never take that for granted, and may we always be ready to redirect our hearts - and the hearts of others - back to the life-changing power of God's Word.
stay salty. be bright.
Pastor Luke
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