The women who
went to the tomb that Sunday, to anoint the body of Jesus with spices
(according to custom), still weeping over their loss, were wondering how they
would ever get past the huge stone that had been placed in front of the entrance.
However, they found the stone had already been rolled back. Then they were
told, by this mysterious figure in white, not to be alarmed, because something
wonderful had happened. The women heard that their friend Jesus, who had been
crucified, is no longer here in the tomb, because, “He has been raised”. These
women were told to go and tell the disciples all about this!
But would
they? We are informed, in the Gospel of Mark, that, at least for a while, these
women said nothing!!! The women didn’t roll on … they hesitated. The reason
given for this silence … was fear. Fear of what? The unknown? Change?
I guess we
would concede that what had happened, over the last few days, was all a bit
terrifying. It was, to them, all so unexpected. Their beloved Jesus had been
tortured, and then killed on a hideous Roman cross, just a couple of days
earlier. No-one can be fully prepared for something like that. His body had
then been entombed, with a big heavy stone protecting the entrance. They had
found so much love, acceptance and hope in Jesus, and then this was all dashed.
They felt a deep sense of disappointment and loss.
What were
they expected to believe?! They were expected to believe that Jesus had been
raised from the dead, had gone ahead of them to Galilee, and wanted to meet up
with all his followers there. Pretty amazing! And many of us have come to know
that this is TRUE! This is exactly what happened. These women, and all the
other disciples, would spend the next 40 days with Jesus, asking questions and
dealing with their fears and doubts. And as we read the New Testament, we
discover how truly convinced they became about Jesus, many giving their lives
over to sharing their faith.
Now it’s over
to us! We have had around 2,000 years to get used this idea. And Christians
across the centuries have indeed come to believe that God raised Jesus from the
dead. The perfect sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, was vindicated in his
resurrection. The worst that evil could throw at God, crucifying His Son, was
incredibly transformed into the path of forgiveness and salvation. As Jesus
forgives us and cleanses us from the cross, he draws us, in his resurrection,
into a new experience of life. Jesus has beaten death, and opened up all sorts
of new life possibilities for each of us. Death does not have the final say.
Death is now but a thin line on an eternal journey.
But the
question is, how do we experience this NEW resurrection life? What do we need
to do?? Faced with the truth of the resurrection of Jesus, do we go on the same
way as we have always done, or, do we consider what ‘new life’ might look like
for us? Are we thinking that things could very well be better for us?
Especially if we had a friend like Jesus on-board! I invite you to consider
various areas of your life that might need a re-tune!
Do we need to
jump off the fence, and give our life over to Jesus? What does this even mean??
It means accepting that what Jesus did on the cross was for me. Jesus took my
burden of guilt to the cross and dealt with it there. There is a gift there to
be received and unwrapped … just like you have to unwrap the foil off the
Easter egg … to get to the nice chocolate. So, if I put up my hand, and accept
this act of mercy on my behalf, I’m then ready for God to start working in my
life. The old gets stripped away, and the new begins to emerge.
Sometimes,
this all seems too good to be true. Too easy! Too out-there!! But it’s real!!!
Sometimes, we
have given up, and we think things can’t change (for the better).
Unfortunately, this means that the message of new life can become too easily
rejected, or, be missed altogether. Our ears can be blocked to positive
possibilities. People stay where they are. The great possibilities of change
could be lost. We listen to the wrong voices. The problems remain, the burdens get heavier … and they often
still have to be handled alone. In some ways, the Jesus-following life is not
easy, because all the issues don’t resolve themselves overnight (as much as you
want them too). But then, on the other hand, all you have to really concern
yourself with … is one step at a time, with Jesus by your side.
Sometimes
people, for many reasons, have become hardhearted or heavily distracted by
material things. Sometimes, the old accustomed way of life, is just more
comfortable … like some of our favourite old clothes. But we would have to
think seriously whether this is getting us anywhere, or are we wasting our one
chance of life on earth. Day after day … same old issues, disappointments
linger, hurts abound, bitterness develops (to seriously worrying levels). There
is another way!!
[So sadly,
some people have suffered much abuse and trauma, or suffer under tremendous
physical and emotional difficulties. God is reaching out in compassion to you,
whether you feel that right now or not, and the resurrection of Jesus has
brought hope closer.]
Referring
back to those who were around at the time of the resurrection – the early
followers of Jesus. They were all seriously deflated and distraught at Jesus’
death. The disciples had scattered. But, when they came to understand the
magnificent thing that had happened – for them, this turned defeat … completely
into victory. They had not understood why Jesus had to die. We know now
it was about our salvation. But back then, they just knew, that what had seemed
all over and lost, had now been put back right. Their dear friend who had been
killed on a cross, was back amongst them – and there was hope in the world again.
This was a dramatic turnaround that they came to celebrate, and then gave their
lives completely over to.
The risen
Jesus is waiting for us, arms wide open. Jesus wants to rescue us, hang out
with us, guide us in life, give us NEW purpose. And this is not just for us to
enjoy personally. The resurrection of Jesus is much bigger than that. The power
of Jesus’ resurrection is intended to reach into every sphere of society and
culture. N.T. Wright has written these words:
The message of
the resurrection is that this world matters! That the injustices and pains of
this present world must now be addressed with the news that healing, justice,
and love have won. Easter means that in a world where injustice, violence and
degradation are endemic, God is not prepared to tolerate such things—and that
we will work and plan, with all the energy of God, to implement the victory
of Jesus over them all.
Today,
resurrection Sunday, is all about the ‘new’! A bit like ‘new year’, but a whole
lot better; because it packs a much bigger punch … with all sorts of power and
possibilities behind it. In fact, the full capacities of the God who created
the heavens and the earth and everything everywhere (out of nothing) … is
available to us! This beautiful magnificent setting, we are in today, reminds
us of God’s brilliance. If God can make all this, and also raise Jesus from the
grave – what can he do for me, and for us!!
Many of us
here, will be able to say, that the resurrection of Jesus is the greatest event
in world history! This can be proved … as it makes such a dramatic difference
in the lives of so many people today.
“Living God, may we have the eyes to see, the ears to
hear, and the hearts to believe. May we know that Your love has been poured out
over the events of Easter. May we see that our burdens have been lifted at the
cross, and that we can gain new life at the empty tomb. Show us Lord Jesus how
we might respond to your resurrection today, so that we might best participate in
your plans for the world. Amen.”
No comments:
Post a Comment