Easter Present
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but in the age to come.
Ephesians 1:18-22
All four of the gospel accounts record the resurrection of Jesus. Like a multifaceted diamond, each of them highlights different aspects of it. One of my favorite versions is that which is found in Matthew.
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified, He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.” Now I have told you.’
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him.”
Matthew 28:1-9
Easter Past
Is it just me or does Jesus’ response seem a little understated here? In the past hours, these women have watched their Master die a horrible death and be buried in a borrowed tomb. Now they’ve come back to that tomb expecting to anoint His body but, amazingly the stone has been moved up and away.
Then an angel appears and explains what has happened: “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.” If that’s not reason enough to shake a person, all of a sudden, this One who they saw die and who they saw buried now stands before them in resurrection glory.
You wonder, “What will be His first words to these dumbfounded women? What sort of profound proclamation will He make? But all Jesus says is, "Greetings.”
The Greek word that is used there is just like you would speak matter-of-factly to someone you came upon: “Hey there! How you doing? Nice day, isn't it?”
Jesus’ total lack of grandiosity would suggest that He’s saying in effect, “What did you expect? You shouldn’t be at all surprised. Didn't I tell you?”
New Testament scholar Dale Bruner writes about trying to tell this story in a children's sermon one time. He asks these kids the question, “What were Jesus' first words to the disciples after He was raised from the dead?”
A little girl waved her hand. “I know,” she said. “Ta-da!”
That's pretty good. You don't need to say much more than that: “Greetings. Ta-da!”
Here’s the thing: Simple as that proclamation may have been, the fact behind it not only changed the course of history, it changed the trajectory of the lives of those women and has done the same for countless others.
Easter Future
The Apostle Paul references this dramatic impact in one of the most profound passages in all the New Testament. It’s noted above. You might want to reread it… slowly.
To be sure Paul is referencing the fact that we who have come to faith have a future that’s literally out of this world (“…the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints.”) As surely Jesus conquered the grave so shall we who have embraced Him by faith do the same.
The promise of life after death is ours…it is! But, friends, so is the promise of life before death!
That’s another key point he’s making here (“…and His incomparably great power for us who believe”). It’s as if he was saying, “I want you to know… how I long for you to understand… if only you could imagine…that the resurrection is not only a picture of what God did in the past and a promise of what He’s going to do in the future…but it holds a power for what you can be in the present.
The resurrection is not only a picture of what God did in the past and a promise of what He’s going to do in the future. It holds a power for what you can be in the present.
Easter Present
Easter is symbolic of life coming out of death. So, what is it in your present circumstance that seems dead or like a dead-end?
Is it the sense that you never will get over your grief and loss?
Is it the futility of your addiction or depression?
Is it the hopelessness you sense regarding your marriage?
Is it the helplessness you feel about the trajectory of your child?
To all of that and more, Paul writes, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead…”
That is to say, “If God’s power can raise Christ from the dead, it can certainly change your circumstance – dead end as it may seem.”
So, let the reality of Easter present become for you an Easter present. God is still in the resurrection business. And that wasn’t just for Jesus – it’s for you.
God is still in the resurrection business.
PRAYER
Lord, I celebrate the hope that is mine because of Your resurrection. Indeed, You are Life-giver. Please help me to see all the implications of that – not only in the past and in the future, but in the present. And help me to live in light of it.
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