“We need the Resurrection to be a reference point in our lives rather than one Sunday on our calendars." This is a quote from Bishop Tom Berlin’s Book, The Third Day.
As I gave this some thought, it occurred to me that the crucifixion shows what we are capable of doing. The Resurrection focuses on what God is capable of doing. The crucifixion teaches me that God is willing to stay the course--even through my
wickedness, my shame, my guilt. Not only will God stay the course, but God will also take the cursing, the denial, the betrayals, the anger, the wickedness, the backbiting--whatever my shameful fear produces--and God will say, “It is finished.”
It is finished. Jesus’s words moments before he draws his last breath. It is finished.
Jesus didn’t say, “I am finished.” Jesus did not say, “You are finished.” Jesus said, “It is finished.”
The Resurrection of Jesus will always call us to something more. And maybe that’s why we’d rather stay at the foot of the cross instead of making our way to the empty tomb. At the foot of the cross we can confess our anger, our wretchedness, our fear, our sin, our shame—and we’re not asked to do anything. But at the empty tomb? We’re asked to name our “Why?" We’re called to name our grief. We’re confronted with the shame that is no longer there. It is where we face the confusion of how we see Jesus. It is where we hear him call our name. It is where we are asked to go and tell others what we’ve experienced.
For surely, Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Christ has risen above our guilt, above our sin, and above our shame. Through his saving grace, Christ invites us to do the same.
We’re going to dig deep into this beautiful story as we journey together through the Sundays of Easter that will guide us to Pentecost. Join us! For surely our journey continues.
Pastor Jo
April 1, 2024
