Christ is risen – Christ is risen indeed –
Hallelujah
Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. This is the most important day
of the Christian year. The resurrection
is the most important – the central tenet of our faith as Christians. In this service as with other worship
services we will join in saying together our statement of faith – today we will
join in the Nicene Creed – “on the third day he rose again according to the
scripture”.
Recently a Roman Catholic priest – Father
Michael - said to me in a conversation that he was continually surprised at how
many Christians misunderstood the resurrection.
There is truth in that but I also sometimes it seems that
there are almost as many ways of looking at the resurrection as there are
Christians. That of course is an overstatement but I believe there is truth in both
statements.
What is it then that we believe when we say
he is risen – Jesus has been resurrected?
Father Michael believes that most Christians believe that Jesus was
magically resuscitated. I believe there
is confusion between resurrection and resuscitation. To be resuscitated means to be brought back
to life – our old life. This is what
happened to Lazarus. Jesus brought him back
to life. Jesus called him and he came
out of his tomb wrapped in his burial cloths.
John’s Gospel calls this one of the signs that Jesus performs – one of
the signs of what the kingdom of God will be like when it is established. In fact it is the seventh and final sign in
John’s Gospel. By implication the resurrection
of Jesus is the ultimate sign – sign of new creation as one source calls
it. But what happened after this
miraculous event?
As I noted the raising of Lazarus is
resuscitation and not a resurrection. From
the Gospel account Lazarus was the same person that was buried in the tomb that
held his body. He came out wrapped in
the burial cloths. They had to be
unwrapped from his body to set it free.
Scripture does not tell us what happened to Lazarus after the act of
Jesus. We are told that some of the Jews
who had seen this miraculous act of Jesus believed in him because of it. Others did not. The Gospel also tells us that the authorities
were plotting to kill him along with Jesus but we are not told if they carried
through with the plan. However, we do
not know anything specifically about Lazarus’ life after this miracle. We know from the description of him coming
out of the tomb he appeared the same as when his body was buried. This is a critical point. To be resuscitated mean to come back the same
as when you were clinically dead – worse for wear but the same.
We know from scripture that Jesus was not
the same after the resurrection. The
accounts are rather confusing. Some
people recognized him while others did not – such as the women at the tomb who
mistook him for the gardener or the believers on the road to Emmaus. Jesus had a physical body – the disciples
could touch the holes in his hands and his feet. Jesus act with the disciples. However, he could seemingly pass through a
closed door into the room where the disciples where cowering in fear. He appeared to many people in many
places. He had what could only be called
a spiritual body which scripture tells us ascended into heaven.
So what are we to make of these accounts
according to scripture as the creed states?
What do we believe? Do you
believe that Jesus was resurrected? Or
perhaps you believe it was resuscitation.
Some Christians I know do not believe in a physical resurrection. My father who was an ordained minister did
not believe in the bodily resurrection.
He believed it was symbolic for the resurrection that occurred to the
disciples. After the crucifixion they
were cowering in the upper room and they found the courage to become apostles
and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.
He also believed it was symbolic of the transformation that is possible
for each of us. I have struggled with
what I believe in many areas including the resurrection. I can say at this point that I do believe in
the resurrection.
What are we as Christians to believe? I think we should cry with the father in the
Gospel of Mark who asked Jesus to heal his son of unclean spirits. Jesus told him all things can be done for the
one who believes. He responded, “I believe,
help my unbelief.” I believe that what
Jesus wants of us is not absolute certain unwavering belief in the resurrection
or anything else. He wants us to be
faithful in our struggles to follow him.
“I believe, help my unbelief.”
He desires us to acknowledge that at times
we may not believe but we still ask ourselves what we believe and what kinds of
lives we should live. If we are honest
with ourselves and with God Jesus will be with us and we will find the new
creation which John points to in his Gospel.
The Lord is Risen – he is risen indeed. Hallelujah.
