The central component of the Christian faith is that of Jesus rising from the dead. In the history of the world, there has never been any other person who could claim to have raised Himself from the dead. The words which Jesus had spoken, "No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord, and if I lay it down, I have authority to take it up again" are proven true as Jesus rose from the grave. Unlike Lazarus, no one was standing outside the tomb, calling for Jesus to come out. In fact, with guards in place, stones rolled over the entrance and sealed, it seemed rather that everyone was determined to make sure that Jesus was dead and gone.
Yet, the first events of that morning likely served to only deepen the confusion surrounding Jesus than to bring clarity to what His life was about. There was the earthquake as the angel moved the stone away from the entrance to the tomb, which apparently happened as the women approached the tomb early that morning. The guards were terrified, and ended up running away, only to be told to say that the disciples had stolen the body (which happened to be the very thing that the guards had been put there to prevent). Some of the disciples came to the tomb, after hearing from the women, but found it empty except for the grave cloths. And only a couple of people, such as Mary Magdalene, had actually seen the resurrected Jesus.
It is interesting that the biblical accounts of that day don't really say a lot that happened until later that evening, then. It's likely that the rumors began to circulate in the city, with the Jewish ruling leaders wanting to cast the blame for the empty tomb on the disciples. Fearing the repercussions, they gathered together in a locked room, only to have Jesus show Himself to them. He gave them proof of His life by eating with them, and preparing them for the new journey that they would be undertaking. Jesus had come to forgive the sins of the world, and now they would be His messengers in that task. He breathed the Holy Spirit upon them, and told them that He was sending them as the Father had sent Him.
If anything, the first Easter did not have the joy and fanfare that you likely have celebrated already today. Confusion and fear seemed to be the most dominant things from that first day. Yet, the events of that day have truly served to change the world. After all, it's not every day that a man raises Himself from the dead.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Holy Week: Saturday
A majority of each of the accounts of Jesus' life spend a great deal of time describing the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. Each account spends multiple chapters on these events, and culminate with Jesus' body being taken down off the cross, quickly wrapped up, and placed in Joseph's nearby tomb. The tomb was then sealed up, all of which would have taken place before 6:00PM, as that marked the beginning of the special Sabbath day for the Jewish people.
Since Saturday was the day of rest, or Sabbath, very little happened that day. We are told that some guards came to keep watch over the tomb, as the Pharisees were afraid that the disciples would show up and steal the body, and then claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. But other than that, we are not told of anything else that happened on that Saturday.
Yet, since we live on this side of the cross and know of the events that followed the next day, many Christians have adopted the tradition of holding a vigil on the Saturday of holy week. It is a time typically spent in prayer, reflecting on what Jesus accomplished for us in His death, and then in His resurrection. It is a day to pray for the people of the world to know their God and Savior, and to pray for the message that will resound throughout the world the following day, as God's people celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with much trumpeting and fanfare.
In a way, holy Saturday can almost seem like we are holding our breath, simply waiting to let out the great triumphant shout that Jesus has risen, and that the foundation for our hope and faith has been secured. May that same hope reside with you as we observe this holy Saturday.
Since Saturday was the day of rest, or Sabbath, very little happened that day. We are told that some guards came to keep watch over the tomb, as the Pharisees were afraid that the disciples would show up and steal the body, and then claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. But other than that, we are not told of anything else that happened on that Saturday.
Yet, since we live on this side of the cross and know of the events that followed the next day, many Christians have adopted the tradition of holding a vigil on the Saturday of holy week. It is a time typically spent in prayer, reflecting on what Jesus accomplished for us in His death, and then in His resurrection. It is a day to pray for the people of the world to know their God and Savior, and to pray for the message that will resound throughout the world the following day, as God's people celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with much trumpeting and fanfare.
In a way, holy Saturday can almost seem like we are holding our breath, simply waiting to let out the great triumphant shout that Jesus has risen, and that the foundation for our hope and faith has been secured. May that same hope reside with you as we observe this holy Saturday.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Holy Week: Friday
How do you kill an immortal?
That is perhaps the most relevant question that faces Christians today. I know that my study of the Bible has led to greater understanding of the meaning of this Friday that we call "Good", and in many ways, that has helped me truly understand better the depth of what really took place on that cross that Friday on the outskirts of Jerusalem. An immortal, God Himself in human flesh, died. How can God die?
Jesus Himself told about how it would happen. "No one takes my life from me; I give it up of my own accord." That's the essential meaning behind it. Nothing can kill one who is immortal. No amount of flogging or time spent up on a cross could do it. No deprivation of water or food could do it. (And on a side note, think how silly Satan looked, then, when he tried to tempt Jesus to change stones into bread in the desert. As though Jesus could starve to death.) That's just the thing. An immortal cannot be killed.
The only way for an immortal one to lose his life is to give it up of his own accord. "I will lay down my life, and I have authority to take it back." The fact that this particular immortal, Immanuel, God with us, would not only give up His life, but carry our sin and the weight of the curse of the world on Himself is not an act of defeat, but instead, one of triumphant victory.
That's why Friday of Holy Week is "good." The one and only immortal One to walk this earth did the most powerful and loving action possible. The immortal God lay down His life for His beloved creation, so that everything broken in it would die, and it could be raised to new life. Have a very "Good Friday."
That is perhaps the most relevant question that faces Christians today. I know that my study of the Bible has led to greater understanding of the meaning of this Friday that we call "Good", and in many ways, that has helped me truly understand better the depth of what really took place on that cross that Friday on the outskirts of Jerusalem. An immortal, God Himself in human flesh, died. How can God die?
Jesus Himself told about how it would happen. "No one takes my life from me; I give it up of my own accord." That's the essential meaning behind it. Nothing can kill one who is immortal. No amount of flogging or time spent up on a cross could do it. No deprivation of water or food could do it. (And on a side note, think how silly Satan looked, then, when he tried to tempt Jesus to change stones into bread in the desert. As though Jesus could starve to death.) That's just the thing. An immortal cannot be killed.
The only way for an immortal one to lose his life is to give it up of his own accord. "I will lay down my life, and I have authority to take it back." The fact that this particular immortal, Immanuel, God with us, would not only give up His life, but carry our sin and the weight of the curse of the world on Himself is not an act of defeat, but instead, one of triumphant victory.
That's why Friday of Holy Week is "good." The one and only immortal One to walk this earth did the most powerful and loving action possible. The immortal God lay down His life for His beloved creation, so that everything broken in it would die, and it could be raised to new life. Have a very "Good Friday."
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Holy Week: Maundy Thursday
One of the questions I seem to get asked every year is why Holy Thursday is called Maundy Thursdays. This traditional name derives from Jesus' mandate to the disciples after He had washed their feet at the Passover table. In John 13:1-15, Jesus washes their feet, and then asks if they understood what He had done. His example of serving His disciples is one that all of His followers are to follow, looking for ways to serve each other.
However, this is only part of what happened that Thursday as Jesus celebrated the Passover. This special celebration was a time for the Jewish people to remember how the LORD had freed them from Egypt. Part of this remembrance was a meal which the LORD had instructed them to eat each year. They ate unleavened bread (without yeast) because of the haste in which they departed Egypt. They ate a roasted lamb, whose blood covered their doorways, thus causing the Angel of Death to pass over them. They were to teach this meal and the meaning behind it to their children, and to observe it for generations to come.
This is the meal that Jesus celebrated with His disciples. Only, this time, Jesus showed how the LORD had prepared for an even greater exodus, an even greater way of serving His people. This time, Jesus would take the bread and announce that it was His very body, which would be broken for them. They would now receive the flesh of the Lamb of sacrifice in the bread, and that would bring them Jesus' gift of forgiveness.
In the same way, Jesus took the cup after the meal, and as the disciples drank it, He told them that this cup was now His blood. The blood of the Lamb would cover His followers, thus allowing eternal death to pass over them. In addition, God was lifting a restriction He had placed on His people much earlier. In Leviticus 17:10-17, God expressly forbade the consuming of blood, as it contains the very life of the creature. Now, in the cup which Jesus would give, the eternal, perfect life of God would be consumed by His people, bringing them that same gift of life.
What we truly see in the Passover, and then, in the celebration of Jesus' body and blood, is that the LORD is a God who serves His people. In washing their feet, Jesus paints a picture of how He washes all His people, through baptism and through faith. In giving His body and blood, Jesus serves as He gives the very means of forgiveness to those who receive. What a great gift from a God who truly seeks to serve His people.
However, this is only part of what happened that Thursday as Jesus celebrated the Passover. This special celebration was a time for the Jewish people to remember how the LORD had freed them from Egypt. Part of this remembrance was a meal which the LORD had instructed them to eat each year. They ate unleavened bread (without yeast) because of the haste in which they departed Egypt. They ate a roasted lamb, whose blood covered their doorways, thus causing the Angel of Death to pass over them. They were to teach this meal and the meaning behind it to their children, and to observe it for generations to come.
This is the meal that Jesus celebrated with His disciples. Only, this time, Jesus showed how the LORD had prepared for an even greater exodus, an even greater way of serving His people. This time, Jesus would take the bread and announce that it was His very body, which would be broken for them. They would now receive the flesh of the Lamb of sacrifice in the bread, and that would bring them Jesus' gift of forgiveness.
In the same way, Jesus took the cup after the meal, and as the disciples drank it, He told them that this cup was now His blood. The blood of the Lamb would cover His followers, thus allowing eternal death to pass over them. In addition, God was lifting a restriction He had placed on His people much earlier. In Leviticus 17:10-17, God expressly forbade the consuming of blood, as it contains the very life of the creature. Now, in the cup which Jesus would give, the eternal, perfect life of God would be consumed by His people, bringing them that same gift of life.
What we truly see in the Passover, and then, in the celebration of Jesus' body and blood, is that the LORD is a God who serves His people. In washing their feet, Jesus paints a picture of how He washes all His people, through baptism and through faith. In giving His body and blood, Jesus serves as He gives the very means of forgiveness to those who receive. What a great gift from a God who truly seeks to serve His people.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Holy Week: Wednesday: Doom and Gloom
As we continue walking through Holy Week, and joining Jesus on His journey to the cross, we are reminded that the Gospel accounts weren't written to tell us a day by day, this is what Jesus did kind of thing. Instead, they were written to convey a message of what Jesus had accomplished in His life, His death, and His resurrection. Thus, we have only a few things that we know happened on certain days during that last week in Jerusalem.
Today, I want to focus for a few moments on some of Jesus' words which can seem rather gloom and doom-ish (okay, maybe I just made up that word, but I like to make up words!). If you read through Matthew chapters 24 and 25, you get a fairly significant set of sayings of Jesus, especially which tell of the time when He would re-appear to judge the world and claim His own.
Now, as you read through these two chapters, it can seem that Jesus is a bit of a gloom and doom kind of guy. Wars, rumors of wars, famines, plagues, destruction, false prophets, and judgment are all things that we tend to find rather depressing. Yet, Jesus prepares us to realize that these will be constant in the world that we live in. In fact, as we get closer to the time when He re-appears, He seems to indicate that such things will get worse and worse.
In a way, Jesus isn't telling us these things so that we can know the details of when He will re-appear. Instead, He is giving the reminder that we need to always be ready, since He can re-appear at any time. That's the meaning behind the parable of the virgins and the parable of the talents. Some were caught unaware and unprepared, and faced the consequences. Others were ready, and so were welcomed into His kingdom. Rather than giving us a timeline, Jesus gives a warning: Be ready, and always be ready.
As you think about Jesus and His death and resurrection for you, how ready are you for His reappearance? How do you remain vigilant, knowing that He can re-appear at any time?
Today, I want to focus for a few moments on some of Jesus' words which can seem rather gloom and doom-ish (okay, maybe I just made up that word, but I like to make up words!). If you read through Matthew chapters 24 and 25, you get a fairly significant set of sayings of Jesus, especially which tell of the time when He would re-appear to judge the world and claim His own.
Now, as you read through these two chapters, it can seem that Jesus is a bit of a gloom and doom kind of guy. Wars, rumors of wars, famines, plagues, destruction, false prophets, and judgment are all things that we tend to find rather depressing. Yet, Jesus prepares us to realize that these will be constant in the world that we live in. In fact, as we get closer to the time when He re-appears, He seems to indicate that such things will get worse and worse.
In a way, Jesus isn't telling us these things so that we can know the details of when He will re-appear. Instead, He is giving the reminder that we need to always be ready, since He can re-appear at any time. That's the meaning behind the parable of the virgins and the parable of the talents. Some were caught unaware and unprepared, and faced the consequences. Others were ready, and so were welcomed into His kingdom. Rather than giving us a timeline, Jesus gives a warning: Be ready, and always be ready.
As you think about Jesus and His death and resurrection for you, how ready are you for His reappearance? How do you remain vigilant, knowing that He can re-appear at any time?
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Holy Week: Tuesday
Did you ever have story-time when you were growing up? Maybe it was a time when your parents or teachers read stories to you, or when you picked up books and would read about the exciting tales and adventures from places that only our minds could ever come up with. Story time was a time filled with joy, and typically, it seems that there was always some kind of point to the story that you were supposed to learn.
We're not told which particular days of the week on which Jesus spoke particular things during that week leading up to the crucifixion. But one of the things that Jesus did was to tell stories. Not just random, made up stories, but stories with a purpose and meaning. He would tell the story of a group of people who rented out a vineyard, but refused to pay their rent to the landowner. They beat his servants and even killed a few of them, causing the owner to send his own son. Then, the renters conspired against the son, thinking that they would get to keep the inheritance for themselves if he were no longer in the picture. (Read Luke 20:9-18 for this particular story.)
Jesus loved to tell stories. They would describe God's kingdom or what He came to do, but would do so in a way to make people think about what He said and arrive at their own conclusions, even if they didn't like those conclusions. Take the story above. The religious leaders didn't like what Jesus was saying because they understood that He was saying that they were the renters and were scheming against God's Son. In the verses right after that story, it says that they got angry and really started looking for ways to get rid of Jesus.
Stories are powerful. Jesus told powerful stories, talking about who He is, what He came to do, and why He did what He did. Overall, the whole Bible tells the story of God and His interaction with a broken, fallen, sinful world. God's point: that He loves that creation and wants to make it new, and did so through Jesus and the cross.
We're not told which particular days of the week on which Jesus spoke particular things during that week leading up to the crucifixion. But one of the things that Jesus did was to tell stories. Not just random, made up stories, but stories with a purpose and meaning. He would tell the story of a group of people who rented out a vineyard, but refused to pay their rent to the landowner. They beat his servants and even killed a few of them, causing the owner to send his own son. Then, the renters conspired against the son, thinking that they would get to keep the inheritance for themselves if he were no longer in the picture. (Read Luke 20:9-18 for this particular story.)
Jesus loved to tell stories. They would describe God's kingdom or what He came to do, but would do so in a way to make people think about what He said and arrive at their own conclusions, even if they didn't like those conclusions. Take the story above. The religious leaders didn't like what Jesus was saying because they understood that He was saying that they were the renters and were scheming against God's Son. In the verses right after that story, it says that they got angry and really started looking for ways to get rid of Jesus.
Stories are powerful. Jesus told powerful stories, talking about who He is, what He came to do, and why He did what He did. Overall, the whole Bible tells the story of God and His interaction with a broken, fallen, sinful world. God's point: that He loves that creation and wants to make it new, and did so through Jesus and the cross.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Holy Week: Holy Monday
If you read through the four accounts of Jesus' life, you will find that there is a great deal of each account dedicated to what Christians now observe as Holy Week. For example, Jesus entered into Jerusalem in Matthew's Gospel in chapter 21, which means that 25% of his account of Jesus' life is dedicated to Holy Week. The same is roughly found in the other three accounts, with perhaps the largest amount of time in John's Gospel, where Jesus enters Jerusalem in chapter 12 of 21 chapters, almost half.
Yet, if you were to look through those same readings, you will not find it written in a "Here's what happened on Monday" kind of way. Instead, what you would find is that Jesus spent a great deal of this time teaching. Some of this time was simply spent out teaching in public, such as what you would find in Matthew 23:1-36. At other times, He taught His disciples, such as all of Matthew 24 and 25. While He would stay at Bethany, a nearby town, during the night, He made His way back into Jerusalem each day to continue to speak God's Word faithfully and truly to the people.
Over the next couple of days, we'll take a look at some of what Jesus taught, who it was directed toward, and why He may have said what He did. For today, you may want to read Matthew 21:18-22 to get a small idea of what likely took place that Monday as Jesus journeyed to the cross.
Yet, if you were to look through those same readings, you will not find it written in a "Here's what happened on Monday" kind of way. Instead, what you would find is that Jesus spent a great deal of this time teaching. Some of this time was simply spent out teaching in public, such as what you would find in Matthew 23:1-36. At other times, He taught His disciples, such as all of Matthew 24 and 25. While He would stay at Bethany, a nearby town, during the night, He made His way back into Jerusalem each day to continue to speak God's Word faithfully and truly to the people.
Over the next couple of days, we'll take a look at some of what Jesus taught, who it was directed toward, and why He may have said what He did. For today, you may want to read Matthew 21:18-22 to get a small idea of what likely took place that Monday as Jesus journeyed to the cross.
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