Death has been defeated.
Today the world (or at least the best part of the western world) is celebrating Easter.
Earlier today I was sat in a pub at Spring Harvest, in the company of good people; (Sam Shaw, Suzie Bostock, Laura Piekos, ect) watching the football and drinking a pint, but what brought us here together was far more than fondness of a drink or football rivalry. We come together to follow, worship and live in the kingdom community.
Easter: "The most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church" What does it mean to you? is it merely a chocolate egg? the end of lent where you thought, for traditions sake I'll give up chocolate or try and diet and then forget a couple of days later? Because for me, it is celebration of the greatest miracle to have ever happen to humanity. In fact, its the celebration of the greatest miracle to be happening to humanity.
The google definition of Easter (as shown above) says Easter is "celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
C.S Lewis said "Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important."
(The end of Passover) Resurrection!Imagine it; you're Peter. πέτρος. You decided to give up your life, your career, your entire future, you drop everything to follow a man claiming to be the Son of God, who, at the time was very convincing. You've given your life to him and then all of a sudden, he is killed, betrayed by a fellow follower, a close friend and as a result is put to death on a cross, hung on a tree. You watched your master suffer pain and humiliation like no other and even found yourself rejecting you're love for him, separating yourself from him out of selfishness and embarrassing, denying him. And now he's dead. What is there left? You gave up everything to follow this man, he was never supposed to die. At least, not before you.
1-2 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him." 3-10Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.
11-13But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?"
13-14"They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him.
15Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?"
She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."
16Jesus said, "Mary."
Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"
17Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.'"
18Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.
He is dead. You're whole life has been shattered. Will you go back to fishing? Even after everything you've seen?
You went with another follower "the one who he loved" to his tomb and find it empty. EMPTY. You only went to try and prove something to the other disciple and then you find this, this nothingness.
Like you hadn't already had reason to give up. Now his body's probably been stolen. Grim. Disheartened and hopeless you go home.
Mary, a woman that your old master was friends with. I repeat: a woman, that he was friends with, who he cleansed of demons, who was supposedly a prostitute runs into your home. Walks straight into the room you and your friends, your male friends will be sleeping that night and claims she saw him. That he was alive. That he is alive.That he came to her outside the tomb.
Really?
There wasn't anyone there except you and the one that he loved earlier. He certainly wasn't there. He is dead.
But.. still, you've seen him at work. You know, or, rather, you once knew what he was capable of. That he could heal the sick, turn water into wine, you even walked with him on the sea once. You'd seen him raise the dead, but could he raise himself?
If anyone could...
Call the disciples together. We NEED to talk this over.
(Later that day)
19-20Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." Then he showed them his hands and side. 20-21The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you."
22-23Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said. "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?"
24-25But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master."
But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it."
He couldn't understand at first. I mean, you were skeptical too when Mary came to you, but this time it was basically everyone, all the guys, but he couldn't understand, Thomas that is. You told him. YOU saw him. He didn't even open the door. He was just there. He spoke. He was the same, but different.
Despite the wounds in his hands and sides, despite the torture, the death! he was calm. You were calm too. You weren't even excited. You were just... Peaceful. What is this "holy spirit" that he spoke about? It rushed in like a wind and everyone, was peaceful. You felt guilt when he first appeared, remembering to the day of his trials, telling everyone you didn't even know him. I would have too. But when he spoke it was like he was speaking to you. Forgiveness. The Holy Spirit.
Stupid Thomas. Stupid doubting Thomas. You never really doubted. Not like Tom. It's understandable though, he was in the same situation as you wasn't he? As all of the followers.
(Eight days later)
26Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you."
27Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe."
28Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"
29Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."
30-31Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.
You started to doubt yourself during those days. Was it just hope? Wishful thinking? It felt like the more you tried to convince Thomas the stupider you sounded. He was dead. He came into a locked room. Breathed peace and then left. What?
Part of you would have been happy if that was the end. You'd never been so excited. So satisfied to the highest point imaginable. This changed everything. He came back though. You knew he would. Thomas needed saving from disbelief. He said something to Thomas, you thought it unusual, "Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing"
Did you need to see it? Do you need to see it?
He beat death. He rose. He is risen.
This changes everything.
