+Jesus cracks me
up. Even in his resurrection glory his humanity still emerges. Today, in utter
exasperation with the dullards known as the disciples, Jesus says, in no
uncertain terms: “I told you so!” I told you I’d defeat death. I told you the
forces of darkness and evil wouldn’t win.
Five times, in
various Gospel accounts, including last week’s story of Thomas and this week’s
conclusion to the Road to Emmaus story, the risen Christ shows his friends that
the prophesies concerning his Resurrection were all true. That what he had
predicted had come to be:
He had been taken
away from them… tortured… crucified… died and was buried. And now, risen in
glory. He’s not a ghost. He’s living flesh and blood… he’s eating fish with
them! Yet, all instinct, reason and experience tells the disciples: The cross
had done its wicked work. What’s dead is dead… end of story. Yet here is Jesus
… to see, to hear, to touch.
It doesn’t make
any sense.
Even though we have the benefit of more than a
few Easters under our belts, this idea of life after death remains a profound
mystery that both challenges our
reason and defines our faith.
Right there this
“challenging our reason and defining our faith…” is what makes Christianity so
confounding and yet so glorious.
Theologians have
dedicated lifetimes to studying [the historical Jesus and searching for
evidence of his Resurrection]. Yet [they’ve] never established an absolute
empirical basis for the Resurrection that’s unsupported
by faith. And that, of course, is the whole point.
[We’re] called to
believe,
not to litigate the evidence. “The Gospels do not explain the
Resurrection; the Resurrection explains the Gospels. Belief in the Resurrection
is not an appendage to the Christian faith, it is the Christian faith.[1]” Our
faith as outlined in the Gospels hinge on this fundamental truth: we are an
Easter people, we are people of resurrection, we are people who believe that
death is dead and life is everlasting
Before,
not after, he went to the cross, Jesus said: I am the Resurrection and the
life. [Those] who believes in me, though [they] may die… shall live. And
whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. (John 11:25-26)
In a classic
“I-told-you-so” moment from this morning’s gospel, the risen Jesus reminds his
disciples: “You are witnesses of this truth---I died and rose again and from
now on, you---all of you---are to spread this Good News , to live this Good
News, to be this Good News to all whom you encounter.” These are our
marching orders, to wrestle less with
the “how” of the resurrection, and focus more on the truth of the resurrection:
that we all, each and every one of us, have our own personal Calvarys, our own
despair, our own darkness, our own doubt, our own fear, our own hurt but,
through our faith in Jesus Christ, through the outrageous love of our Creator
God, we are never alone in our difficulties, we are never abandoned into
darkness, we are lifted high above the muck and through the glory of our faith
are risen anew into the light and life of resurrection…time and time again.
You see, even though the reality
of Jesus’ Resurrection may be difficult to wrap our brains around, the truth of Resurrection is alive and well.
[2]In eight years of ordained ministry, and 20 years as a
practicing psychotherapist before then, in scores of treatment rooms, hospital
rooms, hospice rooms and living rooms I have
witnessed the glory of resurrection. Over and over, I have been privileged to
see people face the reality of their lives---the good, the not so good, the
glorious and the horrifying and I’ve seen them, strengthened through their
faith, emboldened by the love of God as given to us through Jesus Christ, make
amends and live into repentance. I’ve seen them accept the love of God which
surpasses all understanding. I’ve seen them move from the cross to the empty
tomb of their own lives. I’ve seen them live their own Easter story. Again and
again and again.
My
friends, there is a personal Calvary that awaits us all. The flesh succumbs.
But as Jesus shows us today, death is highly over-rated. The body eventually
fails… but the spirit? The spirit never ever ends. What Jesus tells the
disciples in these Easter gospels, what our faith tells us week in and week out
is that while the forces of darkness will never stop trying to trip us up, the
power of the Resurrection, as expressed by us and through us will always
prevail.
If you’re looking
for proof of the Resurrection, look nor further than right around you. We
are the Body of Christ. We are the living witnesses to
Christ’s love in the world. We are the empty tomb, we are the failed cross, we
are the victors over evil and despair. It’s no coincidence that Jesus came to
the disciples as they gathered around the table for a meal. He was in communion with them. They came
together for sustenance and strength and he was there to provide it.
And so as we come
each week to this altar for sustenance and strength… he’s here to provide it.
He’s in the broken bread and the cup that we share. He’s in the love that we
celebrate and He’s in the good works we do outside these doors.
The truth is, regardless
of our episodic doubt, regardless of those who think we’re fools, Jesus Christ IS Risen. Death IS dead, Love IS Alive
and by God’s grace, when we stand before him at the heavenly banquet Jesus will
enfold us in his arms and remind us, once again, “I told you so!” Amen.
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