Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9
Reflection by Jeff Koch
The Lord is truly risen, Alleluia.
To Him be glory and power for all ages of eternity, alleluia, alleluia!
I don’t know about you, but I have always hoped that if I was a follower of Jesus during the time of his visitation to this world; that I would have done better at listening and learning from Jesus. So often, in many ways, He told them about what was going to happen. It usually went something like this, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” (Matthew 20:17-19) And I would hope that on that third day when Jesus came out of the tomb, there I would be waiting for him. Has anybody else ever wondered why they just didn’t get it? Once even when He told them, Peter rebuked Jesus. (Matthew 16:21,22) Even when Jesus was raised, they didn’t really understand or believe. (Exception: from our Gospel reading, John saw the empty tomb and believed.) Why? Why didn’t they, like John, I would have! I would have been there excited to see it all take place? I would have . . . I, . . . I, . . .I; Eh, I probably wouldn’t have either, because I would have been too scared that the Romans would come for me next and I would probably be hiding in fear, just like they were.
The reality was that they really thought Jesus would be a conquering king and would, at the garden, start the revolution that would defeat the Roman army, and Israel would be the ruler of the world under His leadership. Many believe that is what Judas was trying to do, to jump start the revolution, even one of the disciples took a sword and cut of a servant’s ear . . . “let’s get it started . . .yeah!” But that was not the way of Jesus. Their misunderstood perspective on the mission and ministry of Jesus nearly caused them to miss the greatest thing that has ever happened in history. Their fear of the Romans gathering up all the followers of Jesus to put them thought what Jesus had just gone through, was weighing on them, as they were locked in a room away from things. Plus, the shear trauma they had been through watching their friend and rabbi being killed in that way. The ultimate discouragement that they experienced because all their dreams and hopes had been killed on that cross and now, he was put in the tomb. So much for them in those few seemingly long days. But then Mary of Magdala came and said he was not in the tomb, they had taken him. Peter and John ran to the tomb, they heard from a couple of angels, “why do you seek the living among the dead?” Their world was about to change dramatically.
Then He started appearing to them, to the Mary, then the disciples, then Peter, the others. He was Alive! Jesus has been raised and he is alive forever more. Alleluia! Now the good news needs to spread. When God appeared to Cornelus in Acts 10, He sent for Peter to hear the gospel. Peter was told to go and share the good news with this family. As Peter closes his sharing of this gospel, he says, “everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” To those who believe. While we will look at Jesus discussion with Thomas next week in depth I will simply say there is a blessing for those who have not seen and yet believe, not as a condemnation for Thomas, but a grace filled place of us to rest in. Because of what Jesus has done for us, our sins are forgiven, because of what Jesus has done for us, we no longer fear death, because of what Jesus has done for us, we can be adopted as a child of God.
If it all happened again and I had the chance to be waiting at that tomb for him to rise on the third day, would I be there? Probably not. Would I too have missed all the comments that Jesus made about his resurrection? Probably. But I can now say this one thing for sure . . . “He is alive! I believe He has risen from the dead! I believe He has conquered the enemy; he has forgiven my sin, he has set me free from the fear of death. I believe!” And as Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24) Paul said, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. . .. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4) Right now, I am seated with him in heavenly places. Right now, my life is hidden with Christ, and one day my faith will become sight, and I will see him face to face! So, as I live now, I will set my mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.
O God, who on this day, through your Only Begotten Son, have conquered death and unlocked for us the path to eternity, grant, we pray that we who keep this solemnity of the Lord’s resurrections may, through the renewal brought by your Spirit, rise up in the light of life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reign with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever, Amen.