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.

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.

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!