It's my blog's second birthday! So to celebrate, another post in my series on responses to Easter, this time thinking about the apostle Thomas.
Thomas is known as 'the doubter,' but is this really fair? Although on several occassions in the gospels he is recorded as being cautious and possible sceptical about whether something really can or has happened he also makes one of the braver statements that came out of the apostles: "Let us go also, that we may die with him" (John 11, v16). Jesus, against the advice and warnings of his friends that the religious establishment were out to get him, was determined to set out for Jerusalem and Bethany, knowing what was eventually in store for him and determined to obey his father's will. Thomas is the one who voices the disciples' intention to stay with their teacher through thick and thin. Perhaps it shows his trust that Jesus is the one who will save them.
Of course, it didn't happen, and the disciples were scattered, frightened and ashamed. The first news of the resurrection must have just confused them more, adding to the uncertainty they felt. What were they to do now? Were they safe? Was they journey Jesus had led them on over? Had he failed?
Then he appeared to them, and they believed. He had not failed, he had risen. Their doubts and fear were swallowed up in joy- for now. But Thomas was not there, he missed it. He remained sceptical. Understandably, really. How hard do you find it to believe that someone you have seen killed has risen from the dead? Even if your friends tell you it's true? If you are a Christian, think how hard you would find it to believe this if you weren't, and maybe you'll be a bit closer to understanding how hard some people find it to comprehend the resurrection.
"Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." We often think this reprove applies only to Thomas. Yet the other disciples also believed because they had seen. Surely it applies to them as much as to him.
But Thomas and his doubt perhaps can help us see how Jesus responds today to those who have real doubts. Perhaps those of us who already believe forget quite how hard it can be to accept the truth about Jesus for the first time. Jesus sees that Thomas wants to believe, sees what is in the way of this belief- presumably his logical thinking that no one who was dead could be walking around alive*- and reaches out to him with a personal, even physical, response.
Today a lot of people still struggle to accept that the gospel account of Jesus' death and resurrection can be true, struggle with thinking that it's not logical, that it doesn't make sense, that it is against reason. And it is, except for one thing; that this is God we're dealing with, and God doesn't obey the same natural laws as the rest of us. But often- perhaps always- the only way for people to realise this, to overcome their logical reasons, is for God to step down into our world, as he did with Thomas, and meet them. Maybe not a physical encounter like with Thomas, maybe through a sense, a feeling, an experience. Maybe through a friend, a church service, a book, or a song. Something that makes you realise God is there, and that he's real. Perhaps you won't understand how it's real, but you'll know it is.
*Even though Thomas had presumable seen Lazarus raised from the dead. The disciples seem to have had quite short memories- but then would you or I do any better in the trust stakes? I don't think I would!
Showing posts with label Easter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Easter. Show all posts
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Easter responses: Mary
I get cross when people say that women weren't important in the early church; the very first person to see the risen Christ was a woman (and one with probably something of a shady- in the eyes of the religious establishment- past). I've heard that under Jewish law at the time the testimony of a single woman was not valid- yet it mattered to Jesus that the first people to see him were women.
The accounts given in the four gospels differ slightly in their accounts of who was there. Matthew says it was Mary Magdalene and 'the other Mary,' probably the one Mark and Luke describe as the mother of James, (one of the twelve). Mark adds in a woman called Salome, Luke ommitts her but includes a Joanna. All agree, however, that a group of women who had been followers of Jesus went to the tomb early in the morning on that first day of the week, to check on Jesus' body and to annoint it with spices as was the custom of the day, but which they hadn't been able to do before because of the Sabbath. They were grieving, probably afraid of the authorities- the male disciples are described as basically hiding- but they were devoted enough to risk danger to do this last service for their dead leader.
Matthew tells us how the women are greeted by an angel who tells them that Jesus is not there, he has risen! "Afraid yet filled with joy" they run off to find the disciples when they are met by Jesus himself. He comforts them, accepts their worship, and gives them a new task, to give the disciples a message. Luke tells us that the disciples thought their words seemed like nonsense. Well, they would to you, if someone told you that the person who you knew had been killed was now alive. The women were excited, joyful, so different to the grief and fear of a few hours before.
John gives an account which is slightly different from the others. He shows us an encounter between Mary Magdalene alone and Jesus, where she does not at first recognise who he is because of her grief. Not until he calls her by name does she recognise him and respond, "Teacher!" Again her grief and fear give way to joy. It's a beautiful little scene, and the detail of his calling her by name reminds me of the loving care God has for each individual.
Mary is willing to accept the evidence of her experience, to believe that Jesus really has been raised from the dead. She knows that this is a special person, someone who she was devoted to in life and someone who she was willing to take risks for by going to the tomb. He had healed her in life (Mark 16 v9) and now he had done far more than that- although probably she didn't realise that yet- by dying on the cross. She responds to the resurrection in wonder, with excitement, with joy, with love, and above all with belief.
Do we ever feel these emotions when we think about the resurrection? Or are we so used to the idea that it has lost its wonder? How often do we get excited about what God has done? And how often do we respond with joy and with love and praise? I know I don't always. That's something to think about this Easter.
The accounts given in the four gospels differ slightly in their accounts of who was there. Matthew says it was Mary Magdalene and 'the other Mary,' probably the one Mark and Luke describe as the mother of James, (one of the twelve). Mark adds in a woman called Salome, Luke ommitts her but includes a Joanna. All agree, however, that a group of women who had been followers of Jesus went to the tomb early in the morning on that first day of the week, to check on Jesus' body and to annoint it with spices as was the custom of the day, but which they hadn't been able to do before because of the Sabbath. They were grieving, probably afraid of the authorities- the male disciples are described as basically hiding- but they were devoted enough to risk danger to do this last service for their dead leader.
Matthew tells us how the women are greeted by an angel who tells them that Jesus is not there, he has risen! "Afraid yet filled with joy" they run off to find the disciples when they are met by Jesus himself. He comforts them, accepts their worship, and gives them a new task, to give the disciples a message. Luke tells us that the disciples thought their words seemed like nonsense. Well, they would to you, if someone told you that the person who you knew had been killed was now alive. The women were excited, joyful, so different to the grief and fear of a few hours before.
John gives an account which is slightly different from the others. He shows us an encounter between Mary Magdalene alone and Jesus, where she does not at first recognise who he is because of her grief. Not until he calls her by name does she recognise him and respond, "Teacher!" Again her grief and fear give way to joy. It's a beautiful little scene, and the detail of his calling her by name reminds me of the loving care God has for each individual.
Mary is willing to accept the evidence of her experience, to believe that Jesus really has been raised from the dead. She knows that this is a special person, someone who she was devoted to in life and someone who she was willing to take risks for by going to the tomb. He had healed her in life (Mark 16 v9) and now he had done far more than that- although probably she didn't realise that yet- by dying on the cross. She responds to the resurrection in wonder, with excitement, with joy, with love, and above all with belief.
Do we ever feel these emotions when we think about the resurrection? Or are we so used to the idea that it has lost its wonder? How often do we get excited about what God has done? And how often do we respond with joy and with love and praise? I know I don't always. That's something to think about this Easter.
Friday, 2 April 2010
Easter responses: Peter
Peter is a disciple that many people find it easy to identify with. Certainly that's something I feel. Perhaps it's because he often doesn't get things right. One moment he's being told he is the rock on which the church will be built, the next he's being told 'get behind me, Satan!' He promises that he won't abandon Jesus, but before morning he's already denied his Lord three times. Like I said yesterday, it's all too easy to condemn the disciples without knowing how we would react to if we were in danger because of our faith. And Peter's story is one that can give us hope.
Peter's impulsiveness led him to be the first to make connections and declarations of loyalty, but it also got him into trouble. He fails Jesus on the night before his crucifixion, despite his earlier confidence in himself. He starts off well, daring to follow Jesus to the high priest's house, but once people notice him and start asking questions that could lead to his being arrested too he falls to pieces. (John 18, v15-18 and 25-27.) Matthew tells us that Peter "wept bitterly" when he realised what he'd done. I know there have been times when I've said or done something that denies Jesus' lordship of my life, and sometimes I've realised afterwards and deeply regretted it.
And yet Jesus forgives Peter and reassures him that he is still part of his plan. In John 21 we have a description of an encounter where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him, mirroring the three times Peter betrayed him. And each time Jesus gives him a commission to care for his 'flock,' for the church. And he hints at how Peter will serve him in the future. Peter, who had denied Jesus to save his own skin, would eventually be executed for continuing to spread the good news of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.
This encounter follows on from yet another miracle, (as if Jesus' appearance wasn't miracle enough!) that is reminiscent of one Jesus performed when he first called Peter. Perhaps it hints at a new beginning and a reminder of that first call to become 'fishers of men;' at how far the disciples have come and yet how far they still have to go. Perhaps it hints that from now on they must rely on God to provide for them, and at the presence of the Holy Spirit who will soon come to them and strengthen them. It is because they have the Spirit helping them that the disciples are able to achieve all that is done in spreading the gospel, and through the Spirit's help that many of them, including Peter, are able to stand firm in their faith and by martyred. His self-confidence had failed him- he knew now that he needed God's help.
It's through the Holy Spirit's help that even the most timid of us (and that's me!) can dare to serve Jesus, can dare to take risks to spread his good news. Risks in giving our money to charity or the church, risks in inviting friends to come to church or in talking to them about our faith, risks in practical service. In some parts of the world Christians still risk their lives just by believing. In this country we might be risking our reputation- our friends may think we're weird religious freaks, even that we're dangerous. But after what Jesus did for us, shouldn't we try to take those risks? But the best thing is to know that when we fail, he will, like with Peter, help us get up and start again.
Peter's impulsiveness led him to be the first to make connections and declarations of loyalty, but it also got him into trouble. He fails Jesus on the night before his crucifixion, despite his earlier confidence in himself. He starts off well, daring to follow Jesus to the high priest's house, but once people notice him and start asking questions that could lead to his being arrested too he falls to pieces. (John 18, v15-18 and 25-27.) Matthew tells us that Peter "wept bitterly" when he realised what he'd done. I know there have been times when I've said or done something that denies Jesus' lordship of my life, and sometimes I've realised afterwards and deeply regretted it.
And yet Jesus forgives Peter and reassures him that he is still part of his plan. In John 21 we have a description of an encounter where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him, mirroring the three times Peter betrayed him. And each time Jesus gives him a commission to care for his 'flock,' for the church. And he hints at how Peter will serve him in the future. Peter, who had denied Jesus to save his own skin, would eventually be executed for continuing to spread the good news of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.
This encounter follows on from yet another miracle, (as if Jesus' appearance wasn't miracle enough!) that is reminiscent of one Jesus performed when he first called Peter. Perhaps it hints at a new beginning and a reminder of that first call to become 'fishers of men;' at how far the disciples have come and yet how far they still have to go. Perhaps it hints that from now on they must rely on God to provide for them, and at the presence of the Holy Spirit who will soon come to them and strengthen them. It is because they have the Spirit helping them that the disciples are able to achieve all that is done in spreading the gospel, and through the Spirit's help that many of them, including Peter, are able to stand firm in their faith and by martyred. His self-confidence had failed him- he knew now that he needed God's help.
It's through the Holy Spirit's help that even the most timid of us (and that's me!) can dare to serve Jesus, can dare to take risks to spread his good news. Risks in giving our money to charity or the church, risks in inviting friends to come to church or in talking to them about our faith, risks in practical service. In some parts of the world Christians still risk their lives just by believing. In this country we might be risking our reputation- our friends may think we're weird religious freaks, even that we're dangerous. But after what Jesus did for us, shouldn't we try to take those risks? But the best thing is to know that when we fail, he will, like with Peter, help us get up and start again.
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Easter responses: the disciples- and us.
This is the first of a series of posts on the responses of different people to the events of Easter- to Jesus' death and resurrection. Hopefully thinking about how the different actors in the story responded will help us think about our own response.
It's easy to condemn the disciples. They were with Jesus continuously for about three years, heard him talk, saw his miracles, and yet when it came to the test, they failed. Badly. All of them.
They sat at the last supper, listening to Jesus' talk of what would happen to him without understanding. They followed him to the garden of Gethsemane, but they fell asleep. They talked big about their loyalty to Jesus- but ran away when the authorities turned up to arrest him.
It's easy to condemn the disciples for their stupidity, their lack of action. But would we be any better? I don't think so, really. Maybe some of us would. I'm not sure I want to find out what I would do in a life or death situation. But I'm no hero.
The difference now is that we know what happened next. Jesus didn't stay dead, he rose! Knowing that, we have less excuse than the disciples for not doing what we know we should for Jesus because we know that he won. And we have the holy Spirit to help us.
And yet the disciples were forgiven, were accepted back into Jesus' friendship and given the task of building the church. Even Peter (more on that tomorrow). Despite their failure (and presumably the knowledge that they might fail again) they were still willing to take risks for Christ. In the same way God forgives us for all the times we let him down, all the times we pass up on an opportunity to stand up for him. Thank God for that!
It's easy to condemn the disciples. They were with Jesus continuously for about three years, heard him talk, saw his miracles, and yet when it came to the test, they failed. Badly. All of them.
They sat at the last supper, listening to Jesus' talk of what would happen to him without understanding. They followed him to the garden of Gethsemane, but they fell asleep. They talked big about their loyalty to Jesus- but ran away when the authorities turned up to arrest him.
It's easy to condemn the disciples for their stupidity, their lack of action. But would we be any better? I don't think so, really. Maybe some of us would. I'm not sure I want to find out what I would do in a life or death situation. But I'm no hero.
The difference now is that we know what happened next. Jesus didn't stay dead, he rose! Knowing that, we have less excuse than the disciples for not doing what we know we should for Jesus because we know that he won. And we have the holy Spirit to help us.
And yet the disciples were forgiven, were accepted back into Jesus' friendship and given the task of building the church. Even Peter (more on that tomorrow). Despite their failure (and presumably the knowledge that they might fail again) they were still willing to take risks for Christ. In the same way God forgives us for all the times we let him down, all the times we pass up on an opportunity to stand up for him. Thank God for that!
Sunday, 28 March 2010
This joyful Eastertide
It's nearly Easter again. I like Easter for many reasons. For a start, a few days off is always welcome, and it seems a long time since the Christmas break. Also things seem less rushed that at Christmas- you feel under less obligation to visit every relative you possibly can in a week and to go back to work feeling tired and full of turkey- probably you've enjoyed the Christmas season, but part of you is glad to get back to normal routine.
There's less pressure surrounding Easter, fewer expectations, less hype. I find it easier to celebrate the Easter season for its' own sake, for the meaning behind it, than I do at Christmas. That's not to criticize Christmas- in many ways it's a festival I love celebrating. But there's something to be said for the more relaxed way of celebrating that is demonstrated at Easter. And of course the weather's usually nicer at Easter- three years ago I remembe having a barbecue and egg hunt in a friend's garden on Easter Sunday. The following year, however, it snowed!
You might not realise it from popular culture, but Easter is at least as important as Christmas in the Christian calendar. Some reasons why I think it's not so popular I've already talked about on this blog. While at Christmas we think in wonder of the powerful God, huge beyond our imaginations, who chose to become a vulnerable, dependent baby born to a poor woman in a strange town, at Easter the mystery is different. And humanity doesn't come out of it so well.
On Good Friday we think in wonder about how God's son allowed himself to be tortured and killed by us, the people he created. It's the second part of the mystery of God becoming one of us that we celebrate at Christmas. Saturday is a day of anticipation and waiting, of thinking of how the disciples, the men and women who had followed Jesus, must have felt when he had gone and they were alone.
And then on Easter Sunday we think about the greatest miracle- that Jesus rose from the dead. We praise him for defeating death, for providing a way for us to get rid of the consequences of our selfishness and all the times we put ourselves before God. It's a time for joy and celebration. It always seems a shame to me that there are very few Easter 'carols' and that singing (in public, in services, in schools) isn't as common as at Christmas. There are Easter hymns, but they're nowhere near as well known as their Christmas counterparts. I expect the Victorians are to blame somehow.
So I'm looking forward to Easter. I've been struggling a bit with my faith and things lately. Christmas wasn't a relaxing time for me, and a few days now where I can focus on God- and in fact on my own needs, rather than trying to push myself to the side as I think and worry and pray about other people. I find it quite hard to pray for myself. Maybe this Easter I'll get a chance to work on that- as long as I don't get bogged down into feeling lonely as most of my friends celebrate time off with their partners or go back to their parents.
But most important of all, Easter is a chance to focus on praising God. Maybe this year I'll make it to the sunrise service at church, or maybe I won't. But I will spend some time trying to focus on God, praising him for the most awesome moment in history- the time when he gave himself to rescue us and shatter the power of our selfishness.
There's less pressure surrounding Easter, fewer expectations, less hype. I find it easier to celebrate the Easter season for its' own sake, for the meaning behind it, than I do at Christmas. That's not to criticize Christmas- in many ways it's a festival I love celebrating. But there's something to be said for the more relaxed way of celebrating that is demonstrated at Easter. And of course the weather's usually nicer at Easter- three years ago I remembe having a barbecue and egg hunt in a friend's garden on Easter Sunday. The following year, however, it snowed!
You might not realise it from popular culture, but Easter is at least as important as Christmas in the Christian calendar. Some reasons why I think it's not so popular I've already talked about on this blog. While at Christmas we think in wonder of the powerful God, huge beyond our imaginations, who chose to become a vulnerable, dependent baby born to a poor woman in a strange town, at Easter the mystery is different. And humanity doesn't come out of it so well.
On Good Friday we think in wonder about how God's son allowed himself to be tortured and killed by us, the people he created. It's the second part of the mystery of God becoming one of us that we celebrate at Christmas. Saturday is a day of anticipation and waiting, of thinking of how the disciples, the men and women who had followed Jesus, must have felt when he had gone and they were alone.
And then on Easter Sunday we think about the greatest miracle- that Jesus rose from the dead. We praise him for defeating death, for providing a way for us to get rid of the consequences of our selfishness and all the times we put ourselves before God. It's a time for joy and celebration. It always seems a shame to me that there are very few Easter 'carols' and that singing (in public, in services, in schools) isn't as common as at Christmas. There are Easter hymns, but they're nowhere near as well known as their Christmas counterparts. I expect the Victorians are to blame somehow.
So I'm looking forward to Easter. I've been struggling a bit with my faith and things lately. Christmas wasn't a relaxing time for me, and a few days now where I can focus on God- and in fact on my own needs, rather than trying to push myself to the side as I think and worry and pray about other people. I find it quite hard to pray for myself. Maybe this Easter I'll get a chance to work on that- as long as I don't get bogged down into feeling lonely as most of my friends celebrate time off with their partners or go back to their parents.
But most important of all, Easter is a chance to focus on praising God. Maybe this year I'll make it to the sunrise service at church, or maybe I won't. But I will spend some time trying to focus on God, praising him for the most awesome moment in history- the time when he gave himself to rescue us and shatter the power of our selfishness.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
New-creation people
Have a look at Tom Wright's Easter article in the Times Online.
I really like Tom Wright's way of putting things. His book "Simply Christian" is a great explanation of what the Christian message is actually about (and if anyone would like to borrow it ask me). It's not about going to church, it's not about being good or even about making sure we go to heaven. It's about this new, Easter hope that he talks about in this article:
Interesting to look at the comments on the article and see that the person who evidently didn't agree with the article or its message says that this message (new life, new creation, justice, beauty, love) has no content. It's sad to see his opinion is so far from mine. It's sad too to see evidence of how the church has, as Tom Wright hints, lost the plot and not presented Easter in its full glory, and the effect this has had on people's views of it.
But there's no time to blame each other for this- we've got to get on with the real task that we are called to- being "new-creation people."
On another celebratory note, I've just noticed that my blog is a year old. Happy Birthday to it!
I really like Tom Wright's way of putting things. His book "Simply Christian" is a great explanation of what the Christian message is actually about (and if anyone would like to borrow it ask me). It's not about going to church, it's not about being good or even about making sure we go to heaven. It's about this new, Easter hope that he talks about in this article:
"Easter gives Christians a double vocation. They are themselves to be part of that new creation, plunged into Jesus’ death and finding new life in his resurrection. But, second, they are to be agents of that justice and beauty, planting signposts in the Easter soil which point forwards to the renewal of all things. Conversion, symbolized in baptism (which the Church associates with Easter), isn’t just about "me being saved". It’s about all of us being given our various instructions as new-creation people. "
Interesting to look at the comments on the article and see that the person who evidently didn't agree with the article or its message says that this message (new life, new creation, justice, beauty, love) has no content. It's sad to see his opinion is so far from mine. It's sad too to see evidence of how the church has, as Tom Wright hints, lost the plot and not presented Easter in its full glory, and the effect this has had on people's views of it.
But there's no time to blame each other for this- we've got to get on with the real task that we are called to- being "new-creation people."
On another celebratory note, I've just noticed that my blog is a year old. Happy Birthday to it!
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
An Easter hero
I've been so busy lately running around that it's only really hit me today that Easter is nearly here. It's the opposite of Christmas, when there's so much build up that the holiday (in the sense of holy day, where I presume the word comes from) is almost disappointing after all the anticipation. With Easter, there's so much less preparation but the time itself has, for me, the potential to be much more special.
Public knowledge about Easter is almost laughably woeful as this article (admittedly a year or two out of date now) shows. It's not surprising in some ways- the Christmas story is one you can easily make 'nice' for children- the long journey, the tired travellers, the kind and unkind innkeepers, the nasty king, the nice shepherds and wise men- a story in which the strangers and the poor are made into the heroes, while the authorities come out as the villains. Very nice. Heartwarming. Very modern, actually.
But Good Friday and Easter are harder to sanitize. The crucifixion is not a nice story. Again, you've got your lower class hero versus the evil authorities, (even better, oppressive religious authorities too, that's really popular) but the hero refuses to fulfil all the qualifications- not only does he not start a rebellion against the occupying forces, he submits himself to them. He allows them to kill him (note 'allows them'. Jesus knew what he was going into and he voluntarily allowed it to happen- see Matthew 26 vs 53-54.)
And then he dies. The hero of the story dies! That's not supposed to happen, is it? What's going on?
The disciples must have wondered that too. All they had seen- was all that over? Was it all for nothing? So much that he'd said they didn't understand. They were confused and scared.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE END OF THE STORY!
Jesus was resurrected. Not 'reborn' as the Sommerfield press release said. Not resuscitation, where someone is brought back to life, the same life as before, only to die again later. This is different. Because Christians believe- I believe- Jesus conquered death and sin, and now death- the penalty for sin that we all have to pay for the times we put our own selfish desires before God- has been defeated, has, as the old hymn says, lost its' sting. We, like Jesus, can have new life.
That's what Easter time is about. We thank God that Jesus came to die, we remember his sufferings and repent of the things we do that caused him to suffer. But then we praise God that Jesus is alive, and so alive- that death has been defeated, that we don't have to be afraid of it. We look forward to the time when we will be like Jesus- raised with a new body to praise God and celebrate his glorious victory.
Christmas and Easter are part of the same story- the story of Jesus' mission to save us, to save the world. But even that is part of a bigger story- of God's love for and faithfulness to humanity. I hope that sounds exciting to you. I hope it makes you want to praise God along with me this Easter.
Public knowledge about Easter is almost laughably woeful as this article (admittedly a year or two out of date now) shows. It's not surprising in some ways- the Christmas story is one you can easily make 'nice' for children- the long journey, the tired travellers, the kind and unkind innkeepers, the nasty king, the nice shepherds and wise men- a story in which the strangers and the poor are made into the heroes, while the authorities come out as the villains. Very nice. Heartwarming. Very modern, actually.
But Good Friday and Easter are harder to sanitize. The crucifixion is not a nice story. Again, you've got your lower class hero versus the evil authorities, (even better, oppressive religious authorities too, that's really popular) but the hero refuses to fulfil all the qualifications- not only does he not start a rebellion against the occupying forces, he submits himself to them. He allows them to kill him (note 'allows them'. Jesus knew what he was going into and he voluntarily allowed it to happen- see Matthew 26 vs 53-54.)
And then he dies. The hero of the story dies! That's not supposed to happen, is it? What's going on?
The disciples must have wondered that too. All they had seen- was all that over? Was it all for nothing? So much that he'd said they didn't understand. They were confused and scared.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE END OF THE STORY!
Jesus was resurrected. Not 'reborn' as the Sommerfield press release said. Not resuscitation, where someone is brought back to life, the same life as before, only to die again later. This is different. Because Christians believe- I believe- Jesus conquered death and sin, and now death- the penalty for sin that we all have to pay for the times we put our own selfish desires before God- has been defeated, has, as the old hymn says, lost its' sting. We, like Jesus, can have new life.
That's what Easter time is about. We thank God that Jesus came to die, we remember his sufferings and repent of the things we do that caused him to suffer. But then we praise God that Jesus is alive, and so alive- that death has been defeated, that we don't have to be afraid of it. We look forward to the time when we will be like Jesus- raised with a new body to praise God and celebrate his glorious victory.
Christmas and Easter are part of the same story- the story of Jesus' mission to save us, to save the world. But even that is part of a bigger story- of God's love for and faithfulness to humanity. I hope that sounds exciting to you. I hope it makes you want to praise God along with me this Easter.
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