RESURRECTION

The cycle of nature repeatedly demonstrates resurrection to renewed life. Darkness turns to dawn. The new day begins. The ebb tide of the ocean turns and flows into fullness. The cocoon breaks open and the butterfly emerges as a different creature from its former state. Tiny seeds produce plants, bushes and trees, which in their turn drop more life-giving seeds.

The history of the world reminds us of the rise and fall of civilizations, and their replacement by new movements, new leaders, new attempts to discover and establish new forms of government and societies.

The literature of humanity explores people’s propensity for destruction, and their search for hope and meaning. There is a search by authors for ultimate justice, healing and resolution despite tragedy, crime and despair.

The choice that faces us is between fatalism, and destiny. We are either victims of a cosmic hoax, “a  mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14), or we are designed by God for an eternal purpose.

The Bible tells the story, not merely of an impersonal universe, but a creation which is going somewhere. There is a storyline, a meta-narrative, that makes sense of it all. It is a story of a creation that needs to be rescued from itself. It is a story of people who need to be liberated from their circumstances. It is a story of second chances, new beginnings, resurrection and renewal.

It is the story of Abraham, the father of us all, who believed that God would give him back Isaac, even if he were killed and died. God would continue his line so that the promise would be fulfilled that his descendants would be as numerous as the sand on the seashore and the stars in the sky.

It is the story of Job, who lost all that he had except his life and his wife. He lost all his possessions, his children and his health. He longed for death. Yet God restored him and gave him a new life in rich abundance.

It is the story of the Israelites who are enslaved in Egypt, being liberated and given the Promised Land. It is the story of the nation of Judea being conquered by the Babylonians and taken away as prisoners into exile for seventy years. There, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers Ezekiel saw a vision of a valley of dry bones. As he looked the Lord breathed on them, they became whole, and came to life. “Then the LORD said to me:’ Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘this is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.’” (Ezekiel 37:11-13) This prophecy was fulfilled when they returned from exile to build a new nation.

Of course that is a selective reading of Biblical history. How we interpret history, our own, our nation’s, or the events of the Bible determine how we see reality. Each of us decides for oneself what interpretation of life is ours. It is our belief system. It governs our understanding of life, and gives us the resources we need to manage the challenges of our lives.

When death, and disease, and disappointment, enters our world we have to meet it with an interpretive lens. When a loved one is afflicted, or we face loss of control, or we need answers to life’s questions, we have to resort to some philosophy or religion. How do we know what is true, what will work for us?

Paul the apostle changed his mind on what he believed. He had persecuted the followers of Jesus, and supervised the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death. But he had experienced an encounter with the resurrected and ascended Christ when he was on his way to Damascus to continue his persecution. His whole world had been turned upside down. The former zealot for bigotry had been transformed into a loving and caring missionary for Jesus.

He wrote to the Corinthians and reminded them of the word he had announced to them: that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time. Most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

He claimed that the historical resurrection of Jesus from the dead on the third day was verified by his appearances to hundreds of people, who were alive to authenticate their experiences. The tomb was empty, no one could produce the body (and the authorities were undoubtedly trying to locate it), the disciples were transformed from being fainthearted to being fearless, and they changed their day of worship from the time-honored, sacred Sabbath of the seventh day, to the first day of the week, the day of resurrection.

How does seeing the reality of the resurrection of Jesus as a fact of history affect us today? It makes unique claims for the importance of Christ. He calls us to follow him and confess him as our Master and Lord. (Romans 10:9) He calls us to receive the Spirit that raised him from the dead so that we too may experience resurrection life. (Romans 8:11)

There are many theories of the after-life. Reincarnation is in vogue. Interest in fantasy and the occult is booming. The media portrays fictitious accounts of those who die and live on, or come back to earth in a different form. Suicide bombers are guaranteed entry into Paradise by their martyrdom. There is a deep desire to perpetuate oneself as a counter to nihilism. What should we believe?

I first experienced death in my family when I twelve years of age. My beloved grandmother had died suddenly. One day she was alive, and then next day she was dead. I found it hard to believe it could happen. How can life that is so significant be exterminated? There is illogicality about extinction of life. Can something so important simply disappear?

The Bible tells us ‘no’! The book of Daniel records, “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will wake; some to everlasting life, others to shame, and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:2,3)

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25)

What does it mean to live and believe in Jesus? It means following him, seeking first his direction for our lives. It means opening our lives to him and his Spirit, so that he lives in us and through us every moment of every day? It means coming to his Cross to seek forgiveness and the strength to change your life for the better. It means trusting in Christ for this life and the life to come. It means giving up control of your life to Christ – control of your agenda, your ambition, your possessions, and your heart. It means seeking to love God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. It means being a witness to the truth. It means being humble enough to serve others.

It is simple to live and believe in Jesus, if you are willing to die to self-centeredness, and live to a new life. That is what happened to me two years after my grandmother died, and I have never regretted it. When Jesus rose from the dead on the third day he changed the world. From then on no one could look at life or death the same way.

When walking on the beach at sunrise a beam of light shines directly on you. Wherever you walk the sun reaches out to you and follows you. On one side there is the sunlight that shines on you, and on the other side there is your shadow stretching out across the sand. You can walk forward indifferent to the sun. You can look at the shadow side. Or you can face into the sun as it pours its golden rays onto you.  Turn toward the Risen Son of God and follow his light.

(Ted Schroder, SOUL FOOD, Volume 1, pp.255-258)