A Different Kind of Easter Lesson

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (Luke 24:36-39)

Easter was very different for me this year.

As I blogged previously, I entered this week desperately wanting, needing to fully experience the cross and the resurrection. I needed the perspective of realizing that God has provided in Christ the answer to all my questions about the evil I see in the world.

I proceeded through the week in my usual manner, following through the Gospel accounts on each day of our Lord's last week before the crucifixion. I expected amazing insights each day - wonderful times on the mountaintop, and words I could share with you. After all, that's what happened before; you can read those thoughts under March 2008.

But God had a different kind of Easter lesson for me this year. Because of circumstances my quiet times this week were fragmented. I was tired. I felt like I was desperate to hear from God - not for ministry, but for ME.

And, I did hear from Him. What He impressed upon me more than anything was the realityof the cross, the reality of the resurrection. Let me explain.

Some people in western Christianity today are spiritualizing the cross and resurrection. The cross becomes not a place for Jesus to take our place in death and to die as the lamb of God, but a place of symbolic sacrifice and self-centered "suffering" when our rights are violated. Similarly, in their false teaching the resurrection becomes not the central point of our faith, not even necessarily bodily, but just a symbol of our ability to "rise above" such violations. It's liberation theology for our modern psycho-therapy saturated world.

But this week was a lesson to me that if the cross and resurrection aren't literally real, they are meaningless. As I struggled with the realities of life, I didn't need a spiritual lesson. I needed a Savior. In my fatigue and desperation to hear His voice, I didn't cry out to a principle. I cried out to Jesus.

As I watched The Passion of the Christ Friday night with my church family, I sensed God speak to me about true freedom. He died to set me free from sin and self. He died not so that I can indulge the flesh, but so that I can be victorious over it. The doctrine that rejects the reality of the cross doesn't give me power over my flesh. But Jesus does. True freedom comes because the cross is REAL.

Today as I listened to my pastor teach on Luke 24 and the proofs of the resurrection, I was challenged to ask myself again why I believe. He asked a simple question: "Where is His body?" As I pursued the Scriptures, I realized what great lengths the Gospel writers go through to show us proof of the resurrection. Never are we asked to take this most important of doctrines by faith alone. Does it require faith? Sure, especially 2000 years later when the witnesses are long gone. But for those initial audiences of Scripture, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul go to great lengths to authenticate the resurrection. They answer arguments by showing the source of rumors (Matt. 28:11-15). They include multiple eyewitnesses, including some who wouldn't be expected from the point of view of self-defense (women's testimony was inadmissible). Paul even points to the fact that some of the more than 500 were still alive and thus could be questioned (1 Cor. 15:6). Even Jesus Himself in the passage above invites those in the Upper Room to see that He isn't a spirit. He doesn't say "believe because I said so". He says "touch and see."

"Touch and see". That became the heart of the Apostle John's witness. He would later write:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1-3)

You can almost hear his cry: "He's real. I was there. It's all true." I am so grateful that God gives us the gift of faith and enables us to take Him at His Word. But I am also glad that He went to such lengths to undergird the key doctrine of our faith with solid, logical proof. For as Paul points out in 1 Cor. 15, if the resurrection isn't true, our faith is in vain.

The literal reality of His death and resurrection give me hope in a week like this, and every week. On my best days, I might be tempted settle for a spiritualized Savior. But on my weak ones, I know the truth: I need Him to be real.

Praise God, He is. Hallelujah, the Gospel is true!