We just celebrated Resurrection Sunday yesterday. In past years, I had written posts on my professional blog about this Holiest of weekends, but I didn’t this year – I had already said a lot of the things rolling around in the brain (and it is interesting going back to watch my journey of understanding certain Theological points and where I have matured in my beliefs from those earlier posts through now). This morning, though, a rather simple thought hit me – hence a post.

It’s a question. A question for myself. A question for you. A question for any of us. And, as with any posts where it sounds like I’m being preachy – I give my huge disclaimer – this is to myself first. I’ve not arrived, I’m not even on approach.

The question, though:

Jesus was crucified for our sins, he died, he was buried and he rose again and appeared to man. (1 Corinthians 15:3-10) . How is your life different because of that historical truth? What are you doing differently? What’s changed? What’s changing?

Look to the disciples to see what I’m getting at…

Before The Cross

Let’s face it, before the cross the disciples make good comedic relief in “churchy skits”. They were doubtful. A little dense. They had moments where they finally “got it” but they would then sometimes lose the moment with a selfish question or taking their eye off the prize.

We like to sit here in our “modern” age with the comfort of hindsight and knowing how the story unfolded and mock or scoff at those actions. Like we scoff at the times Israel let God down through the wilderness or during the times of the judges or the divided Kingdom. (Of course, when we do that, we’re failing to see ourselves in what we’re reading!!) But this post isn’t about that.

I think we can agree – Before the cross, the disciples were a little rough around the edges and not always the best followers. Especially Peter, but they all had their moments. In fairness, they hadn’t yet read the completed Bible that they were helping to write. They were being taught very hard to comprehend things and these things were hidden from their fuller understanding until the moment was right (We’re getting there!).

We are all different before the cross. If you look back to the things you were before you were hit by Grace, you can see a hardness of heart towards God. Some harder than others. I scoffed mercilessly at those who would share the gospel. I laughed in the face of street preachers in Boston and said horrendous things about Christ just to get a reaction out of Christians. I didn’t understand the Gospel message. Sure I heard all that stuff about somehow Jesus died for me – and sort of always assumed the rest of that story was “so be good and try harder” (That’s not the Gospel, at all, for the record). But I was different.

At the Cross

At the cross? The disciples were a bit of a mess. They didn’t fully comprehend what was happening. Even after being immersed in His teaching, they thought that their own hope was going away. He was letting himself lose. And now they feared some attacks on themselves. Peter denied even knowing  Christ when they were arresting him – that’s how fearful he was “Who? Don’t even know the guy!!”, as he was running and hiding (Just as Christ had earlier told him he would!)

After His limp, and quite dead body was taken down from the cross and buried in a borrowed tomb (as prophesied), the disciples went into this depressed moment. Was it real? Were we lied to? What just happened?! He’s gone! He’s. He’s. He told us. But. He’s gone! What will happen to us?!

There was great sorrow, confusion, and it sure looked like the Pharisees and political leaders were right – this was a flash in the pan. That rabble-rouser, Jesus, was the heat. They got to the seat of the fire and extinguished it. And in a public and humiliating way. Enough so that the ideas that man planted would soon drift away. He’d just be another flash pan troublemaker taken care of that history would never remember.

After the Resurrection

The women were tending the tomb. What else was there to do? At least go down and change out flowers and remember their friend fondly. They noticed the stone rolled, the body gone, the burial linens still there. Hope started to fill them. They ran back to tell the disciples – who ran over to see if it was true. What was going on?

On the road to Emmaus and at a little bread breaking after – all the answers came to two of the disciples (From Luke 24:13-35 ESV) :

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

And when they went and spoke of these appearances – and the disciples and followers realized the truths behind the things Jesus taught them? everything changed.

The resurrection he told them about was real. The truths he imparted to them were real. The claims of divinity were proven. It all changed. 

How much did it change? According to most historical accounts and piecing together their history, all but one of the first disciples died for their beliefs. They didn’t die for being a follower of some dead guy but for holding onto his claims. Many have died carrying out an act after they were deluded – no one dies for a lie they believe. They died. Because they would rather die than deny the truth. They left it all and traveled the world carrying out the Great Commission Christ gave them in the time between his resurrection appearances and his ascension. They gave it all up. They let go of worldly possessions and claims and title and their own safety and they went. They taught. They made disciples. They preached. At great personal risk.

And His church took root. His church spread in a way that would make the milkweed or multiflora rose littering our pasture jealous.

Many since have had lives changed by the Gospel. By the truth and power of the resurrection. I’m here some 2,000 years later attending a church which would not have started had Christ not been the planter and had His disciples not been equipped to carry the Gospel and see over its spread.

So What about You?

What about me? What about us?

Do I believe that I am Christ’s? Yes. I believe that I am a great sinner, who fails and falls short far too often. I believe that my sins separate me from God and on my own render me incapable of saving myself or even entering His Holy presence. I couldn’t even look upon Him! I believe that that sin debt had to be paid. I believe that Jesus Christ – the God-Man – came to earth to reconcile me to God. Not because of anything I did or could do or would do to deserve it. But for no other cause than Grace and Mercy. I couldn’t even accept that gift had grace not first opened my eyes. I believe God made the first move toward me in grace and opened my eyes and shattered my sinful heart of stone and caused me to see His truth. And I am justified – not because I’ve done anything good – but because He offered me grace and saved me for His own glory. I believe I am a Christian. I know I am a Christian.

I pray that you are also.

But if you were to ask me a harder question, “Is your life? Your actions. Your priorities. Is your life that different? Are you changed by the truth and promise of what God accomplished on the cross and what Christ proved when He left that tomb?”

I’d have to give a long “ummmm” first. And then come up with a qualified answer. I’d give myself some grace, sure, but if I were to be honest and use Luke 9:23 as a yardstick, I’d have to either say “Not entirely”.

What about you? Look at the disciples change. Complete. 100% From sort of laying about shocked, confused, sort of effective before but not really – to faithful servants willing to give whatever up for Christ and His Church being established and His Gospel going to all ears and eyes and changing lives.

Since then so many missionaries have given their lives in mission fields they knew would likely end with their blood being shed. They didn’t care. They did it for the Lamb who was slain for them. So many have established churches where they just weren’t allowed to by the laws of the land. Witnessed to officials who could imprison them just for believing. This world has been turned upside down by people who lived differently in light of a resurrected Christ.

Contemplate that this week.  Pray about that. Resurrection Sunday isn’t a day to celebrate and tick off on the calendar and step over as you go about your way. Maybe it’s a small thing you need to do  – Open that stiff Bible daily. Be in prayer for your spouse and family more. Ask God “how can you use me?”. Share boldly knowing that nothing else is even in the same category of importance. I don’t know what yours is, but I’m sure you have some. I know I do.

I’ll leave us with Luke 9:23 (and a reminder that the only way we could even begin to do that is because what we celebrated yesterday happened. We cannot deny ourself and take up our cross daily and follow him on our own, we can’t even truly want to want to do that on our own!):

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.