For the Christian, that's not a true statement.
God has the power to resurrect anyone and anything. In the final judgement, God will indeed resurrect everyone who has ever walked the earth. Some will pass into eternal glory and everlasting life while sadly, many others will be condemned to eternal punishment and separation from their Creator - whether they believe in Him or not.
But I'm getting way ahead of myself.
The Easter season is my favorite. Easter doesn't have the hoopla of Christmas, and I guess that's one of the reasons why I like it so much. There's less busyness; less preparation. As I think and write about the Easter season in general and Resurrection Sunday in particular, my mind is always drawn to the fact that it is not just a single day holiday. It's a holiday celebrated over a long weekend: Good Friday to Easter Sunday. Three days of remembrance; the solemnity of Good Friday, the Saturday of anticipation and the joy of Sunday.
Let's spend some time looking at these three days as pictures or at least portions of our lives. Each of us comes upon or is brought upon very difficult aspects of living whether it be financial or professional or relational, we often have to face an "Easter weekend" of that portion of life. And this is where we can come to the understanding that Jesus really did know and could relate to the trials and tribulations we face.
In fact, the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews put it this way about Jesus and why we can depend upon His being sympathetic to our daily living and its trials:
"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrew 4:14-16
Jesus knows and cares. More importantly, He cares so much and loves you and me so much that He came to earth, to live as a human being and then willingly suffered and died for your sins and my sins so that we may once again have fellowship with God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
Good Friday. Sadness and death.
Jesus knew for a very long time (since the creation of the world) that He would suffer and die a horrible death for the penalty of mankind; and He would willingly do it out of love. From the beginning of His life to the beginning of His ministry, Jesus saw in His mind's eye the Cross of Calvary and the accompanying suffering. Each day of His life, it drew closer...and closer...and closer. And He stayed the course; He didn't waiver.
As humans we cannot begin to comprehend the ever increasing anxiety of that day. Imagine knowing the day and the hour of the worst circumstance of your life and not being able to change or avoid it. That's impossible to fathom - but Jesus did. Palm Sunday and His triumphal entry to Jerusalem was a great highlight, but within five short days, Jesus knew that He would be bloody and hanging on a cruel Roman cross, mocked by many, lonely and even separated from God the Father.
How about our "good Friday" experiences?
Maybe it's a divorce. The person that you've loved and the life that you made together is coming to an end. You've tried counseling, talking, possibly even coercion, but the marriage is going to die.
Perhaps it's a job that you've loved but because of a change in management or a change in the economy, you're suddenly faced with two weeks notice or less and then you're out. Let's make it worse and say that you're 60 years old and don't have the skills that are in demand with today's business world.
How about if you're a business owner? You've toiled for decades and although you've seen the end of the line for several years, you keep plugging because that's all you know how to do. Yet the economy has changed. The buggy whip business is non existent, but you want to keep producing buggy whips. Your business and your livelihood are dying and will die.
There's someone out there like me who grew a business and had property but because of circumstances beyond your control you have to turn it over to the creditors and walk away with nothing to show for your toil and love for your work. When that final day comes - a Friday - and you put the key in the door for the last time and get in your car to drive away for the last time, there seems to be a certain finality to it all.
When Jesus died, He died. His death was final. His friends and family took His lifeless body away from Golgotha, wrapped it in linen and laid it in a tomb. As the stone rolled shut and thudded into place, I'm sure those friends and family felt a profound sense of grief and sadness... and there was nothing they could do about the situation. Nothing, but walk away.
But we remember that Jesus did what He did willingly. That was the Father's Plan and Jesus knew His part in that Plan.
Dear brother or sister, remember that you and I are playing a special part in God's overall Plan too. When we say or sing, "I give you my heart, I give you my life, take it all, take it all" do we really mean it? Do we - do I - understand the depth of that proclamation?
As I've been in that place over the past couple of years with several personal and business issues, I have wept and still uttered those words of surrender to my God because I have come to know, whether I agree or not, that He has a far better plan for me and my life because He is realigning me to His Kingdom and purposes. But often times, well maybe all of the time, I can't see that on my "good" Friday.
Instead, I experience a day of sorrow and death and even confusion because I'm not privy to the details of the Plan. I may be numb with pain, but I choose to trust my God, knowing that no matter what, He loves me.
Saturday - the day after the death.
Saturday is a day of searching and experiencing the unknown...An unknown that is hopefully sprinkled with hope.
Imagine the day after the crucifixion and being one of Jesus' disciples and followers. Friday was bad enough, but now they would come together after a restless sleep, look each other in the eye and ask something like, "what happened yesterday? Did it really happen?"
Then the anger and confusion comes out: "We gave up everything to follow Jesus. And now what? He's dead. The authorities are looking for us. We look like fools. I don't get it. This sucks."
No matter how much analysis of the situation or the circumstances, there's nothing you can do. The marriage is over. The property is foreclosed on. Your business has failed. Your job is out. There's nothing. All there is is a pile of life's manure; and it's probably laying on your feet.
Your mind may try to be kind and conjure up the "good old days" or some prior highlights, but the fact remains, Jesus is dead. The marriage is dead. My child overdosed and is dead. My business is bankrupt and is dead. You spend the day just in a fog and stupor, wandering around trying to figure out what to do next.
As you rifle through some papers or memories at the end of the day, when you're a little less emotional (probably because you're physically and mentally exhausted), perhaps there's something positive that comes to mind. Jesus said that He would rebuild the temple in three days. That statement doesn't make any sense, but why did He say that?
What you remember most is that through it all, Jesus loved you for who you are. Jesus did everything He could to keep you and teach you and be a mentor for you. You realize that Jesus is jealous for you; but what does that really mean?
Maybe there is hope in front of you, but you can't see it because the hurt is too deep. The guilt and shame aren't fully dealt with - even within your own heart. Regardless of all of that, you know that Jesus loves you.
As you lay your head down to sleep, you know there's a divine hand still holding you and keeping you and loving you. You still have hope. As the old saying goes, "it's always darkest before the dawn." You sleep fitfully and wake early because your mind - no, your heart - is telling you to get out of bed and get going. It's time to understand that there was and is a purpose for the death. It's not about you, it's about God and His purposes.
Sunday: new days always dawn regardless of weather.
Sometimes we are taken by surprise. Several of Jesus' disciples certainly were when the women showed up early on Sunday morning to minister to His body and the grave. The problem was, there was nothing to minister to! The reality was that Jesus was about to begin His greatest ministry to the disciples then and today.
On Sunday, hope is realized. We look back and begin to understand the prior two days. Jesus said several times to His disciples that He would rise from the dead; that He would rebuild the temple; that He would come again. And Jesus certainly was going to keep His promise, whether we fully understood it or not!
So what is your Easter Sunday? Maybe your child has turned from drugs and alcohol and comes home in repentance and wanting to clean up his or her life while seeking your forgiveness. Maybe it's a spouse who realizes their waywardness and is willing to seek counseling and reconciliation. Perhaps it's a career that you now realize should be focused toward a new or different direction because of your special or unrealized talents. Maybe it's a revitalized business plan that is downsized and streamlined to better fit your customers' needs and the new economic factors. You don't fully understand it, this new life, but there's something about it that seems right and good. And you're suddenly humbled by the gift of a fresh start - a resurrection. In each of these circumstances and situations, something had to die. Maybe a part of you has to die. I know because parts of me had to die as well.
Keep this in mind with resurrections, and I bring this to all of my study groups: If you want or are looking for a resurrection, you have to have a death. Whatever you want resurrected MUST first die. That's how resurrections work. A resurrection is not a resuscitation. We don't like dying because dying is painful and ugly. Furthermore, it's unnatural to die! God originally created us in His image and likeness to have fellowship with and to live eternally but because of that first sinful act back in the Garden, sin, death and dying became a part of the process of "life". But in order to be resurrected, we have to die.
Easter Sunday is also a day that we remember that each of us is on our own Road to Emmaus. We are traveling life and we long for Jesus. In fact we are desperate for Him. As He reveals Himself in Love through His Word and our fellowship with other believers, we begin to experience His resurrection power in our lives. Because of Him and what He has done, we can live, and live victoriously. My sins are washed clean; I may still suffer from their consequences, but I am loved and accepted by my God who is my Creator and my Redeemer. The Holy Spirit is willing to work mightily in our lives if we are willing to first die to ourselves and let Him live.
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20. That's my life verse. As Jesus is working and resurrecting various segments of my life because I am willing to die and give Him my all (although truthfully, it's one piece at a time), He's allowing me to glory in His Resurrection. And like it or not, there's still some further dying that has to take place.
The final Resurrection.
In the end, there will be one final resurrection and God will separate His chosen from the rest who have chosen not to believe in Who He is and what He has done through Jesus. I know He holds my life and my future in His hands as long as I am willing to die.
This is the Easter hope. A new day has dawned. The darkness is driven away. Will clouds linger? Yes! But I am new. God has brought about the impossible, because nothing in all of Creation is impossible with God.
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39.
Lord God, we give you thanks and praise for the finished work of Jesus on the Cross which has removed our sins and restored our fellowship and relationship with you. May you be glorified in the resurrection that You provide. Thank you for loving us first. Amen.
If you're struggling with life and its circumstances and don't know how to pray, I would encourage you to listen to this playlist. In my darkest hours, these were the words that I needed to hear and then to sing to help get me through and ultimately to understand how much God loves me and is working through me. I know you will be humbled and blessed.
Playlist via YouTube: Hope.
Music video: Matter Maher, "Because He Lives"
all Scripture references from the ESV
