IF A SAVIOR RISES FROM THE GRAVE AND NO ONE SEES HIM, DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?
It is comforting to me to read how few people expected Jesus to rise from the dead.
Peter didn’t expect it. Mary didn’t expect it. The religious leaders didn’t expect it. Pilate certainly didn’t expect it!
Even though Jesus had told them explicitly multiple times, it looks as if everyone was caught off guard when it actually happened. I find this comforting – because it lets me know that I’m not alone when I miss out on what God is doing in my life!
It is easy to get caught up in all of the other things of life – doctor’s appointments, paying bills, taking care of family. There are so many things that try to grab our attention. If we don’t deliberately take the time to slow down, something else will certainly fill up our days.
Over Lent we dove into the Five Spiritual Habits – daily PRAYER, daily contact with SCRIPTURE, regular FELLOWSHIP, faithful GIVING, and continual SERVICE. These are not things that happen by accident; we have to choose them. And when we choose to make these five habits a priority in our life, we find that we are more able to see Jesus around us!
Your family around you, your neighbors, our community – all need Jesus. How will they see Him? It will happen in subtle ways – by the kindness we show under pressure, the comfort we give when we ourselves are hurting, the willingness to forgive and bless when we are being cursed. That is how Jesus overcame the world. Jesus knew that the anger and hostility being thrown against Him was actually fear in disguise – and He chose to love.
I pray that our church will show that Jesus really did rise from the grave; that love and hope conquer fear/politics/anger/greed/worldly values. HE IS RISEN!!!
– Rev. Bill