Humanity had done
its worst. Those who had killed Jesus had brought darkness across the land.
They had tortured and crucified an innocent man. Jesus was laid in a tomb and
left among the dead. All Jesus could have been accused of was upsetting the
apple cart. People too set in their ways, too hard of heart, too attached to
their privileged positions, or just too proud … rejected Jesus and put him on a
cross. Yet ironically and majestically this was actually a case of self-giving
… of self-sacrifice to the greater good. God would never have allowed this
unless it was going to make a difference for good in the world.
We look at the
sealed tomb where Jesus is. What happens from here? For some, hope had been
dashed. Others were lost as to what they should do. The ones who hated Jesus
were glad it was all over (or so they thought). Kind and good hearted Joseph of
Arimathea had gone against his misguided colleagues and provided a dignified
resting place for Jesus. Women were available to anoint Jesus’ body. What would
we expect to happen next?
God sent his
beloved Son Jesus into the world to forge a path toward salvation. Jesus
willingly took on this mission of love and grace. If we are able to find it
within us to humbly admit that our life is messed up and we need forgiveness,
then Jesus has done all that is required for us to receive that forgiveness.
Jesus took all our burden of guilt and shame to the cross with him, and dealt
with it all for us. So, we find forgiveness; but the question remains – how can
we maintain a life of freedom and joy (on our own) … how can we make life work
for us? How will our life be ‘set apart’ or different? It would actually be too
hard to try to make it on our own!
So, the answer is
… forming a relationship with God. And this would be a growing relationship, so
that we might come to appreciate the quality of this relationship every day.
Where we once filled all the time on our hands with things that took us
nowhere, we would now fill our lives with God … which takes us everywhere. A
quality relationship with God means that we continue to learn, grow into our
full potential, experience peace and joy, find supportive community,
effectively help others – generally finding purpose. Often people can look
back, and feel a sense of waste about parts of their lives so far. What God is
offering through the events of Easter Sunday is a new start, where nothing in
the past is held against us, and nothing in the future will be wasted.
The further
question then, is whether we stay with the closed tomb of death, or, on the
other hand, approach the open tomb of life. It’s a matter of how we respond to
the question, “Why do you look for the living among the dead” (Luke 24:5)? We
are unlikely to find a way forward in life, if we dwell in our past and present
negativity. Old tombs of bitterness. Looking for answers down dead paths. If
any of us is feeling defeated, then we should listen for what, first the women,
and then Peter, discovered on Easter Sunday.
The text we read
(from the Gospel of Luke) started with the body of Jesus (wrapped in cloths of
linen) being laid in a rock-hewn tomb and a stone being set across the
entrance. This text concluded with an open tomb, where the linen cloths
(previously around the body of Jesus) lay by themselves. This changed
everything.
The women in this
narrative had prepared spices and ointments to anoint Jesus’ body, but when
they came on Sunday found the body missing. These women were understandably
perplexed. Questions arose. They would have been talking amongst themselves.
Had his body been stolen? What was going on? The women then hear the voices of
reassurance, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? [Jesus] is not
here, but has risen!” Yes, that’s right! These women remembered
that, yes indeed, Jesus had talked about something happening on the third day
(after his crucifixion)! The women started to believe that something fantastic
had happened.
So, they went and
told the disciples all about what they had found out. In listening to the story
in Luke, I think I can sense the women’s excitement building … they were
becoming convinced … there is no other conclusion to be drawn – Jesus had risen
from the dead. Now this could make total sense! Jesus was innocent after all,
and he was God’s servant, and he did heal many other people over the last 3
years – he did a lot of good for many people. Jesus’ friend Lazarus rose from
the dead. Could not the Creator of the universe recreate life at will! If Jesus
was God’s Son then of course death would not be the end.
But these women
got a bit of a wet blanket response. Don’t you hate that when you have good
news to share! At first the disciples thought this news was a bit of an “idle
tale” – it couldn’t really be true, could it. But one of them, Peter, was more
willing to listen. He must have sensed that these women were so sure! It’s hard
to deny that something is true when those who believe it are so deeply
convinced!! And we know that one of the best proofs of Jesus’ resurrection is
the fact that his first disciples were subsequently all willing to die
defending the reality of this. Not only this – how their lives changed! Fearful
and hesitant seekers transformed into courageous and competent leaders.
So, Peter, with
hope beginning to bubble up within him, decided he would check it out. The
Gospel of Luke says, “Peter got up and ran to the tomb” (24:12). The thoughts
that would have been going through Peter’s head, as he ran!! All the lessons
Jesus had taught him. How Jesus’ whole three year ministry had made such a
difference. The power of God that Jesus had shown! And this strong assurance
Jesus had … that going to the cross was the right thing to do; and that God
would not leave things there, but rather set them right. “On the third day I
will rise again”, possibly began to echo in Peter’s ears! When Peter got to the
tomb, he discovered that the clothes in which Jesus was buried had been laid
aside. Wow!
Peter then went
home in amazement, expectantly waiting for what would happen next … there had
been such a dramatic turn of events. Later Jesus would join his disciples to
spend some more time with them before he moved on (returning to God). Jesus was
surely alive! Death could not hold the mighty Son of God. Evil cannot
beat God. The resurrection, attested to by so many witnesses, proves that Jesus
was who he said he was: the Son of God. Jesus’ resurrection proves that his
death was absolutely effective in securing the forgiveness of sin (for those
who believe). Jesus had risen to lead Peter, the other disciples, the women,
and all of us … into an experience of new life.
The apostle Paul
famously wrote these magnificent words, “So if anyone is in Christ [Jesus],
there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has
become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17)!
Peter ran to the
tomb to discover that his future lay in following the risen Lord Jesus. The
crucifixion and resurrection are the most magnificent acts of love – God’s
love. Through this we just know that God has his arms open wide to give us his
love. We may lack all the evidence we want, but when we see how it has worked
for so many others, and when it makes so much sense that we are not here
on this earth just randomly for no reason, we should run into the open arms of
our loving creator. At the same time, this will be a step of faith for each one
of us, a conviction that we each come to ourselves … as we are open to a new
experience of God.
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