Category: Easter

What’s the Point??

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Compass shutterstock_558723724

We all have our Ecclesiastes moments—tho’ you may have never called them that—when it all seems so pointless.

In this continuing COVID-19 Stay Home/ Shut Down crisis, people are seeing the work of years undone in weeks. Many small businesses, for instance, have been decimated. What was the point of all that planning, work, and sacrifice? People living paycheck to paycheck are desperate. Where’s the hope when you want to provide for yourself, for your family, but you can’t?

Vanity of Vanities: It all seems so meaningless.

The Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes begins with a quote that may come from our mouths in dark days,

“Vanity of vanities,” saith the Preacher, “vanity of vanities; all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2 King James Version).

Another translation says, “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (NIV).

Vanity. Meaningless. Futility. Emptiness. In The Message, Eugene Peterson translates the word as “smoke.” The Hebrew word can be translated as breath, vapor, mist. In this context it expresses the intangible, ephemeral and passing nature of life in this world—apart from faith (see this concept also in James 4:14).

It’s fascinating that Solomon (the traditionally recognized author) wrote these words on the other side of success and fulfillment. (That is a subject for another time!) How much more do these words articulate our disappointment when our experience falls far short of our hopes.

Ecclesiastes Moments Dis-Illusion Us

Ecclesiastes moments didn’t begin with this new virus. They have been around since time immemorial.

The parents who invest and sacrifice for their children, only to be rejected;

The employees who give their best to their employer only to be placed second to profits;

The coaches who work to build a team only to be undercut by selfish players;

The teachers who equip students to think critically only to have students cheat to get by;

The medical personnel who care and counsel patients in the way of health only to be picking up the pieces for those who ignore their advice;

The pastors who… I’ll stop now!

You get the point—the point of the “pointlessness temptation.”

Experiences like these dis-illusion us. The prefix ‘dis’ means to separate, to pull away, to ‘rend asunder.’ The illusions and assumptions we counted on, built our life on, felt we deserved, get cruelly stripped away.

And that, while very difficult and painful, isn’t all bad.

Jesus’ Resurrection Gives us The Reference Point

The solution to our predicament of pointlessness will never be found in simply “getting back to normal,” whatever that means. Life will always be pointless if we fix on the improper reference point.

Imagine a mis-calibrated compass that points South when it should point North. The frustration would be beyond words. Yet the vast majority of people have no true compass. And Jesus’ followers too often forget to look at their faith-compass.

Jesus is our reference point and compass. The Scriptures are our map. The Everlasting Kingdom is our destination. And this life is, by faith in Christ, the first fruits of that Coming Kingdom.

The Empty Tomb Fills the Empty Life

Jesus’ resurrection changes the way we view life by shifting our reference point from worldly expectations to spiritual realities. That perspective shifts our immediate disappointment – and that disappointment is real and justified– into proper proportion with ultimate reality. Think back over hard times you’ve had. How do you interpret them now, with the passing of time? How do they look in comparison with your whole life up until now?

Jesus’ resurrection is God’s exclamation point on the value, purpose and meaning of life.

In my blog, Easter Changes How We View Death, I drew on the Lazarus story. I return to it again.

After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Lazarus stood at the entrance of the tomb, still wrapped in the grave clothes. Jesus then exhorted the family and friends, “Unbind him, and set him free” (John 11: 44).

Life’s illusions are like Lazarus’ grave clothes. Ecclesiastes moments expose the grave clothes that bind us.

We are bound by fear: fear of failure, of death, of what others will do to us, and even of what we will do to ourselves.

We are bound by worldly pursuits– but they will not fit in the coffin or the grave with us!

Bound by regret.

Bound by bitterness

What grave clothes wrap you?

Jesus’ words echo down the corridors of time. “Unbind them, and set them free.”

The Scriptures give us the assurance that life has a point when it points to Jesus.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless (1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT).

Easter Changes How We View Death

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View from empty tomb shutterstock_1031459059

After some experiences in life, you can never be the same: graduating from school, experiencing a major injury or illness; getting married, having a child, getting divorced; getting a major promotion, relocating to another part of the country, losing a job.

Experiences– good and bad– can leave a lasting imprint on our lives. They can figure into almost every choice we make, every situation we encounter.

In matters of faith, however, we often move on to other things too quickly.

I invite you to linger at the empty tomb. To experience Easter. The empty tomb promises the full life we crave. The view from the empty tomb can transform how we view everything if we take time to understand and apply it to our lives. In my next few blogs, we’ll explore some of the ways Jesus’ resurrection changes how we view death, our lives, God, and each other.

Seven Funerals in Seven Years

Back to life-changing experiences: One such experience — or more properly set of experiences—that deeply changed my outlook on life was attending the funerals of my relatives when I was a young student. The first was the death of my Gramma Rumford when I was in sixth grade. I attended six additional funerals as I lost three grandparents, three aunts, and an uncle in the seven years from my sixth through twelfth grades. To this day the smell of certain flowers takes me immediately to memories of funeral homes.

I learned early on that death comes.

At my first funeral, I remember being uncertain what to do at the open-casket viewing (that was standard practice in those days) of Gramma Rumford who died at age 69 from cancer. Though it sounds macabre, I found myself staring at Gramma, expecting to see her eyelids flicker, looking for faint signs of breathing. I was puzzled by how death looked so much like sleep. I almost expected someone to say, “We were wrong! Look, your Gramma is alive!”

Impossible, of course. The wishful thinking of a child.

But wishful thinking can arise from the seeds of faith. Such was the case, not only on that first Easter, but with the account of Lazarus. The raising of Lazarus (John 11) helps us understand the implications of Jesus defeating death.

Jesus’ resurrection means we can never look at death in the same way.

The shortest verse in the Bible proclaims one of the greatest messages of the incarnation, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Jesus entered into our suffering. He grieved the heartache of his dear friend, Lazarus, feeling death’s cold hand close around him. He grieved the unspeakable ache of the family’s pain at their loss. Jesus grieved for all humanity subjected to the power of sin and death.

And perhaps Jesus wept the first of his Gethsemane tears…

But grief was not the last word.

Jesus told Martha, Lazarus’ sister, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25). Jesus’ words apply not only to the future, but to our present experience of life and death.

Eternal life starts now

Death has been defeated as the ultimate enemy. Death is not the end of the road. It is the exit ramp to a new way. We don’t dismiss the pain and struggle. We do, however, draw strength by looking beyond them.

We weep, like Jesus. We grieve. And we keep perspective.

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3 NIV).

Professor Leon Morris writes, “The moment a [person] puts their trust in Christ they begin to experience that life of the age to come which cannot be touched by death.”

Three days before posting this blog, we lost a dear friend and member of our congregation to COVID-19. My heart aches for his family and for all of us who loved and respected him. But we do not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). He has crossed the chasm of death on the bridge of the cross to Life Everlasting. And by faith, we will join him one day.

I draw great strength from the Good News the Apostle Paul proclaims in that great chapter on the resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:

“‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’

‘Where, O death, is your victory?

    Where, O death, is your sting?’

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:54-58 NIV)

As that final verse reminds us, Jesus’ victory over death also affects how we view every moment of every day—more on that in my next post.

 

Experiencing Jesus’ Journey to the Cross

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Jesus with Water shutterstock_254984161Now more than ever, we benefit greatly by stepping back from the day’s urgent demands to get God’s perspective on life and on our own experience.

Contemplation is not a luxury. In his book, The Active Life: A Spirituality of Work, Creativity, and Caring, Parker J. Palmer writes, “Contemplation… is a way of changing consciousness that may have more impact on the world than strategic actions can have… [because] the function of contemplation in all its forms is to penetrate illusion and help us to touch reality.” Reflection strips away illusion.

This blog will help us touch the reality of Jesus’ journey—and the disciples’ journey—to the cross. I will explain the significance of each day in Holy Week and offer a question for prayerful reflection. You may want to print this and keep it with your Bible and journal to consider for a few minutes every day.

Holy Week was developed in the fourth century by Christians in Jerusalem. “The aim of Holy Week is to make the life of Christ real for the worshiper. Enacting Jesus’ last days and entering into His experience was a way of offering worship to Him” (Robert Webber, Worship Old and New).

Palm Sunday (also known as Passion Sunday) celebrates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem for Israel’s Passover celebration. As Jesus rode down the steep road from the Mount of Olives, a large crowd cut down branches and spread their cloaks on the road, making the equivalent of a “red carpet” (such as celebrities and dignitaries walk). They shouted, “Hosanna (which means, ‘Lord, save us’) to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:6-9).

They did not realize Jesus’ throne would be a cross, nor that the enemy to be defeated was not Rome, but the powers of darkness. Nor did they anticipate the victory would be over sin and death.

Prayerful Reflection: Lord, how have I preferred my own agenda and missed your message for me?

Holy Monday – While returning to Jerusalem the next day, Jesus noticed a fig tree that had many leaves, but no fruit. He cursed the tree, and it withered. This is a powerful image of God’s goal for our salvation.

It’s likely Jesus had this fig tree in mind when, in the Upper Room, moments before his betrayal, he said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16).

Prayerful Reflection: Lord, where am I all leaves, and no fruit? Hear my confession.

Holy Tuesday – Church tradition focuses this day on the religious leaders’ conspiracies to trap Jesus. They formed a very unusual three-party collaboration of the theologically conservative Pharisees who opposed Rome, with the theologically progressive (liberal) Sadducees who accommodated and benefited from Roman rule, and with the Herodians, who had little religious interest but supported Herod.

Jesus warned the crowds and disciples about hypocrisy and unbelief, pronouncing seven condemnations (“Woes”) against the false religion that is abhorrent to God (Matthew 23:13-33).

Prayerful Reflection: Lord, how have I held fast to my “politics” at the expense of your claim on my life?

Holy Wednesday focuses on Judas Iscariot’s offer to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious council. There are many possible explanations for Judas’ betrayal—it’s complicated! (Read Luke 22:3-6 and John 12:4-8) Ultimately, self-love overpowered devotion.

Prayerful Reflection: Lord, where am I vulnerable to letting my desires eclipse my 100% devotion to you?

Maundy Thursday includes three major events:

Washing the Disciples’ feet: Note the spelling is ‘Maundy,’ not ‘Maunday.’ The name comes from the Latin word maundatum, which means ‘commandment.’ Jesus said to his disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34 NIV). Maundy Thursday commemorates Jesus’ experience with his disciples in the Upper Room, washing their feet and celebrating ‘the Last Supper,’ which is the basis for our celebrations of what we call ‘The Lord’s Supper,’ ‘Communion,’ and ‘Eucharist’ (meaning Thanksgiving).

Prayerful Reflection: Lord, how am I loving others in such a way that they see Jesus in me?

Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane: Following supper Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray and surrender fully to God’s will. His hour had come. Do not dismiss or diminish the reality of Jesus’ struggle.

“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18 NIV).

Prayerful Reflection: Lord, how can I daily surrender my short-sighted desires to accept Your blessed and, ultimately, fruitful will?

Being put on trial: Jesus, having been betrayed by Judas, was arrested in the garden and went on to endure multiple sham trials before the chief priests, Pontius Pilate, and Herod (Luke 22:54–23:25). But perhaps Jesus’ greatest heartaches were Peter’s denial and the other disciples’ desertion.

Prayerful Reflection: Lord, when have fear and others’ opinions overwhelmed my faith and witness?

Good Friday – Then came Good Friday, when Jesus was crucified. Why is it called ‘good’? The original designation was “God’s Friday.” Like the phrase “Good-bye,” which originally was “God be with ye,” the pronunciation was contracted over time, with ‘Good’ being substituted for ‘God.’ Traditionally, this is a day of fasting and reflection for Jesus’ followers.

The disciple Peter explained the cross,

“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:18-19 NLT).

Prayerful Reflection: Lord, how have I surrendered to a culture that substitutes a generic ‘Good’ in place of You, the unique and glorious God who gave his only beloved Son?

Holy Saturday – On Saturday of Passion week, we remember the time Jesus spent in the tomb. Theologically, Jesus, the Son of God, experienced death, the full penalty for sin, so those who believe could receive eternal life.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to our own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV).

Prayerful Reflection: “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all,” says the hymn, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. Lord, how do you want me to live each day differently because I believe Jesus died for me?

Then comes Easter—but more about that in my next blog.

A Prayer to Make Easter Real in Our Lives Now

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Garden Tomb
The traditional Garden Tomb in Jerusalem

For Jesus’ followers, Easter is the defining moment in the history of the world and in our personal history. But it is so easy to lose sight of the Easter Reality. Scottish preacher James Stewart spoke truth when he said we too often live on the wrong side of Easter.

Too often in our churches we are still on the wrong side of Easter. We are like the groping, fumbling disciples between Good Friday and the Resurrection. How our congregations would worship, with what joy and eagerness and abandon the sacrifice of praise would rise to God, if all worshipers knew themselves in very truth to be sons and daughters of the Resurrection! (from his book Heralds of God, pp.92-93).

An Easter spirituality means living in the unwavering confidence that Life, not death (in all its manifestations), has the last word.  The Apostle Paul calls us to see life through what I call “resurrection eyes.”

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6 NLT).

To help me live into the right side of Easter and to see life with “resurrection eyes,” I have written a number of prayers in my journal. Here’s one that I’ve written and am praying daily now. (By the way, this prayer is titled to reflect the new life we have in Christ now as we await the consummation of history and the bodily resurrection from death promised to all who believe. The best is yet to be!).

AN EASTER PRAYER: We are risen!

Lord, I believe you are risen!
Make me alive in you!
Strike down the guards of this world who try to keep me in the grave of lifeless worldliness.
Lift me up from the stone slab of this world’s false comforts and deceptive promises.
Unwrap me from the grave clothes of my past failures,
from the bondage of regret,
from all that keeps me from you.
Roll away the stone others have put over my life,
sealing me in the darkness of loneliness.
Lord, set me free, and let me shout, ‘Hallelujah!’
Christ is risen!
He is risen Indeed!
Christ is risen,
and I am risen with Him — Today!