Sunday, April 4, 2010

Resurrection

This weekend I've been talking a lot with a friend about the appropriate emotional response to Easter. Like, when are you supposed to be sad? When is it okay to be happy? What if you have more than one emotion at once?

Maybe it sounds elementary. But, we've been wrestling with these questions since Wednesday's youth gathering.

Emotions in the Resurrection Story
When Jesus died, the bad guys were the only ones excited. And not even all of them. Pilate washed his hands symbolically, showing he did not agree with the crowd's condemnation. Herod wanted to see Jesus like a rock star or political figure. Maybe Barabbas was excited. The crowd surged at riot-level energy, clinging to jealousy and self-righteousness.

But Jesus did not walk to the cross laughing or cheering. Right before He was arrested, Jesus begged the Father's will be done and still asked for the cup to be taken from Him. (Luke 22) Nobody else understood the terrifyingly beautiful impact of what Jesus would do by dying on the cross.

Jesus' disciples were already "sleeping from sorrow" (Luke 22:45) while Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. How much more would that sorrow grow as they watched Jesus stop breathing on the cross?

Peter's bitter weeping came as a response to Jesus' prophecy over him: that Peter would deny Jesus three times. Incredible guilt. A heavy emotion, waiting for resolution that a dead friend can't bring.

After Jesus died, some responded with tasks. This is the grief-emotion I relate to the best. Joseph and the women quickly began preparing Jesus' body for burial, knowing that the Sabbath would force them to take a day of rest.

All this to say...every emotion was present at Golgotha when Jesus died.

And Easter morning, those emotions had not yet faded.

The women who first found the tomb empty are frantic to find the body of their Lord. They were not thinking "Oh, He must have come back to life." Then, when messengers from God come to share the Glorious News, the women are terrified! I would be, too. But once the women get the message...they remember. Suddenly it all makes sense! Suddenly they must go share the Glorious News.

Yet, as the women returned to the church of mourners and shared what they had seen, "these words appeared to  them as nonsense, and they would not believe them." (Luke 24:11) What an urgent message! How did these women feel when their account was considered "nonsense"?


But Peter and John wanted this to be true. So they take off towards the tomb and discover the body is gone. And they marvel.


Jesus starts re-appearing to His friends and followers. Suddenly, so much of what He said before the crucifixion makes sense to them. Some still respond in fear, in doubt, in amazement.


This morning, I rejoice that Jesus conquered death. I know how the story ended. He is risen! He is risen indeed! 


And I praise our God for bringing us through every emotion. He knows our hearts better than we do ourselves. He knows exactly how to show us that we need Him. Beautiful.


So how do we react? "And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,and were continually in the temple praising God." Luke 24:52 & 53

He is Risen!

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Ephesians 5

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:

“Awake, O sleeper!

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you!”

Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

hey guys