Tag Archives: Understanding

The Bodily Resurrection of Christ

Resurrected ChristEastertide April 18, 2015

Scripture Reading: Luke 24:36b-48 Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. –Luke 36b-42

What does bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to you? We in the 21st century are scientifically removed markedly from the thinking of the first century. We live in a world where people are routinely resuscitated. Most of us have been trained to provide this help if necessary. I just watched on the news recently a report of a multi-kidney swap among various donors from families of various recipients all combined so that those who needed a kidney got one even if it was not a match within their family. It is amazing the amount of information contained on a small stick drive that can spill out and compare in a moment’s time matches of complex details that could bring these strangers together and extend the lives of the ones they love. Yet in spite of that knowledge or perhaps because of that knowledge many struggle with the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

On the other hand, it is easy to say all things are possible through God, but in reading the stories of God’s work in our world, God seems to function most often through people. The opening of the waters to allow the Israelites’ escape from the Egyptians comes to mind as a supernatural event. The story in 1 Kings 17:16 of the flour and the oil never running out is another. This God we worship is more often than not just outside the grasp of our understanding in the midst of our life struggles but we somehow know the Lord is there when we need God the most. In many instances in my life I have realized God’s acts in retrospect.

In the first century, it was apparently important that the followers of Christ encounter his resurrected body in real time, in real flesh with real wounds. We probably would not know his story today had this meeting and others like it not occurred and that makes the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ very important to me.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for having the patience with us to address us in the most appropriate way at the most important time for our meager understandings. Help us always to be open to what we need to know to further your kingdom on earth. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Eyes that do not See

Self RighteousnessEastertide
April 14, 2015

Scripture Reading: Acts 3:12-19

‘And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, Acts 3:17-19

In the first part of this scripture, Peter did not mince words. He told his listeners straight that they had missed the whole message of the ministry of Christ. And now he tells them that they are ignorant; they did not understand. It is a common theme among the prophets of the Hebrew Bible. Jeremiah 5:21 says Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but do not see, who have ears, but do not hear. Isaiah 44:18 says: They do not know, nor do they comprehend; for their eyes are shut, so that they cannot see, and their minds as well, so that they cannot understand.  And Jesus continued this theme in Mark 8:18: Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?

Sometimes our brains have a way of interfering with both our sight and our vision when we confront things we just do not what to believe, for example, infidelity or emotional abuse. I think what the prophets and Jesus are describing here is different. It is a part of the process of not being willing to be in full communion with God. It is an obstinacy of our souls wanting to hold on to something we cherish so badly we deny God’s truth and thus the warnings of God’s prophets. It is a form of idolatry, wanting to have our cake and eat it too. It is what paved the way for Israel and later Judah to be taken into exile. It is what hung Jesus on that cross.

What makes the resurrection of Jesus so very special is the depth of love God has for all of God’s children. Jesus came to free us from our own demons as well as the oppression caused by others. He invites us to turn around, trust in him, and he will heal our souls of searching for things that will never satisfy.

Prayer: Hear our prayer, O Lord, open our ears to your teachings and our eyes to your works, help us to comprehend as fully as were are able the breadth and depth of your love and to understand that there is nothing in the world that can match it. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.