Fighting What Seems to be a Losing Battle

Mr 15:47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary [the mother] of Joses beheld where he was laid.

In the face of apparent defeat, there is still ministry to be done!  These ladies had seen several risen from the dead by the hand of Jesus.  They knew the promise of the resurrection just as much as the twelve did.  When they saw their Savior buried behind a large stone, who knows what they felt. No doubt, there were mixed emotions.  The men had all fled.  They were held up in a safe house.  Once Christ was taken, all but John scattered.  They never even stood by and watched His death.  But these two ladies did.  They waited and watched.  They watched Jesus give up the ghost.  They watched as Joseph of Arimathea begged the body of Jesus.  They followed the pall bearers as they prepared and took his body, buried it hastily for the sake of the Sabbath, and left the buried body of Christ without proper preparations.  They beheld were he lay because someone had to come back and perfume the body.  Someone had to come back and pay the remains proper respect.  Even though the Savior appeared to be gone, there was still ministry to be done.

It reminds me of one of the truest believers I will ever have the privilege of calling a friend.  A church was dissolving.  The reasons were wounds self-inflicted by the congregation and a failure to make biblically based plans for growth.  The doors were closing.  Yet, this man was tasked with closing those doors.  There was still ministry to be done.  There was still a job to do.  And, it took great character to do what he did.  More character than most people whom I have ever met.  To me, this man, and the ladies mentioned above, are true heroes!  They are the ones who will stand at the judgment seat of Christ and hear those words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!”   These are the kind of people who stand at the forefront and provide cover for others as they safely retreat.  They are the ones that clean up messes that others leave behind.  These are the saints that never quit.  They never throw in the towel.  There are always there!  There are always busy!  They are doing whatever needs to be done, no matter how little or big!  These are the saints that are indispensable!  These are the ones who behold were they lay him!

These ladies continued their ministry because they had character.  They didn’t continue ministry because of some perceived or hoped-for return!  Perfuming the body of Christ would not have brought Him back.  Respecting the body of Christ would not reassemble the disciples. What they were about to do would not have meant a whole lot to the future of the ministry.  But, it was ministry.  And it had to be done.  As the LORD’s coming draws nearer and nearer, and the results of our efforts become less and less dramatic, integrity and character is what will keep us faithful.  It won’t be numerical results.  It won’t be a growing membership.  It won’t be baptismal waters stirring or Sunday school classes busting out the walls.  It will be integrity and character that keeps us soul-winning, coming to church, giving, and ministering.