DE Ponderings
I made my way to the church in the early twilight of Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018. It was a clear, crisp morning. The stars were shining. The sun shone brightly through the stained-glass windows during the Sunrise Service and Easter Worship. By the time I made my way back home later in the morning, clouds had filled the sky. About noon, or thereabouts, when I went outside to assist a guest who had arrived at our home for Easter dinner, I noticed in the air a few snowflakes floating gently toward the ground. The cloud cover was light so I assumed a few flurries would be the extent of the snowfall. Well...was I wrong. By evening nearly 3” of the fluffy white ice crystals had accumulated. Was this Mother Nature’s April fool’s joke? The wintery-look the earth was wearing certainly didn’t seem very spring-like.
Mother Nature may play a joke on us occasionally, but the wonder of Easter offers us much more than a foolin’. Easter offers us hope. Easter offers us confidence. Easter offers us courage. Easter offers us strength. No foolin’!
Understand the power of Easter in this way. When Jesus came into this world, he came as Immanuel, God with us. In all of Jesus’ life, as an itinerant preacher and teacher, as one who mentored followers, as one who touched and healed many, he was God with us. Jesus practiced in his living the promise of always being present. When crucifixion occurred, that promise seemed to come to an end. But on the third day, what seemed distant and gone was once again close and present. Not even death could keep Jesus from being with us.
Matthew, in the gospel given his name, concludes the book with these words from Jesus: “And surely I am with you, to the very end of the age.” Jesus is with us always.
But this continual presence is not, in my view, a security blanket that we snuggle under for constant protection and comfort. No, the presence of Jesus is there to give us hope, confidence, courage, and strength to continue the anointed purposes for which Christ came in the first place.
Remember the words of the prophet Isaiah Jesus read in the synagogue?
That Jesus was anointed speaks of the power and presence of God with him to accomplish these purposes. These anointed works are continued through us with the power and presence of Jesus increasing our treasur e of personal resources. We, then, have the hope, confidence, courage, and strength to carry on and out what Jesus Christ came to accomplish.
Easter opens us up to this promise. Easter IS this promise. No foolin’!
Mother Nature may play a joke on us occasionally, but the wonder of Easter offers us much more than a foolin’. Easter offers us hope. Easter offers us confidence. Easter offers us courage. Easter offers us strength. No foolin’!
Understand the power of Easter in this way. When Jesus came into this world, he came as Immanuel, God with us. In all of Jesus’ life, as an itinerant preacher and teacher, as one who mentored followers, as one who touched and healed many, he was God with us. Jesus practiced in his living the promise of always being present. When crucifixion occurred, that promise seemed to come to an end. But on the third day, what seemed distant and gone was once again close and present. Not even death could keep Jesus from being with us.
Matthew, in the gospel given his name, concludes the book with these words from Jesus: “And surely I am with you, to the very end of the age.” Jesus is with us always.
But this continual presence is not, in my view, a security blanket that we snuggle under for constant protection and comfort. No, the presence of Jesus is there to give us hope, confidence, courage, and strength to continue the anointed purposes for which Christ came in the first place.
Remember the words of the prophet Isaiah Jesus read in the synagogue?
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,These are not words indicating a life of luxury and ease. This is an indication of hard work and the need for additional hope, confidence, courage, and strength beyond one’s own treasure of these resources.
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
(Luke 4:18-19)
That Jesus was anointed speaks of the power and presence of God with him to accomplish these purposes. These anointed works are continued through us with the power and presence of Jesus increasing our treasur e of personal resources. We, then, have the hope, confidence, courage, and strength to carry on and out what Jesus Christ came to accomplish.
Easter opens us up to this promise. Easter IS this promise. No foolin’!
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