Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Monday, 21 April 2014 "He isn't here, but has been raised"Reflection Questions:
Two men "in gleaming bright clothing" asked, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He isn't here, but has been raised." (verses 5-6) Repeat those words as you ponder this photo of one site (empty) in Jerusalem that might have been Jesus' tomb. In what ways does the fact that "he is not [in the tomb]" shape your life?
"Peter ran to the tomb….he saw only the linen cloth. Then he returned home, wondering what had happened." Surely if Luke invented this, it would say something like, "Peter saw the linen cloth and cried, ‘Yes—Jesus is risen!'" (And it would make no sense for grave robbers to take time to unwrap the body, leaving the cloth behind.) Luke showed clearly that not one disciple expected Jesus to rise, though Jesus had told them just that (cf. Luke 9:22). How vital to your faith are the eyewitness reports that Jesus told his disciples in advance what would happen, as well as the eyewitnesses who saw Jesus alive?
Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, the disciples didn't believe the women, and they couldn't recall your own words enough to believe them, either. Give me a heart that is attentive to your words, and willing to believe them. Amen.
Daily Scripture: Luke 24:1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 They entered in, and didn’t find the Lord Jesus’ body. 4 While they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling clothing. 5 Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth.
They said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He isn’t here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again?”
8 They remembered his words, 9 returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 Now they were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them told these things to the apostles. 11 These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn’t believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering what had happened.
Insight from Celicia Hiatt
Celicia Hiatt is a Coordinating Assistant in the Guest Services Ministry at The Church of the Resurrection, serving as a crucial member of the team that helps visitors and members of the church get plugged into the life of the church.
I grew up in a non-religious household and can honestly tell you that I did not begin to understand the true significance of the resurrection until I was in my twenties. I did not fully comprehend the hope that the resurrection brings with it until I was 25. Until this defining moment in my life, I thought Easter paled in comparison to Christmas and really was the lesser of the two major holidays (I mean you can’t fit those big gifts you get under the tree into an Easter basket). How wrong I was. I cannot imagine what my life would be like today if I did not have the promise of the resurrection.
Almost six years ago, I found out that I was expecting my first child, Adam. I can’t explain the excitement and joy that surrounded his arrival and how in love I was with this baby I didn’t even know yet. Sadly, halfway through my pregnancy, I found out that he had a birth defect that made life unsustainable outside the womb. When I was given the news of my son I felt like someone had knocked the wind out of me; I was devastated.
I can honestly tell you, though, that the feelings of fear and sadness that came with this life experience are not the feelings I remember most when I look back on my memories of Adam. I was very blessed to spend five hours with him on this earth, and I look at those hours as a miracle and gift. Because of my faith in God and knowing that this is not the end sadness and sorrow are not the overarching themes of my loss. Because of the resurrection the overarching themes are pride, joy, thankfulness, love and most of all hope. The worst thing was not the last thing in this moment; I leaned hard into my faith and found that I believe more in the resurrection today than I did the day he was born. I was free to enjoy and really live those moments with my son because I knew they would not be the last.
Thursday, as I sat down and processed the interfaith service at the Jewish Community Center with a co-worker I remember her saying “I can’t imagine I would ever survive something like this because I am such an emotional person.” To which I replied, “You don’t know that. You never know what God will do with you in those moments.” I am an extremely emotional person and will be a blubbering mess if I catch a Hallmark commercial in the wrong moment, but you know what? Faith is a funny thing…when you lean into it, I mean REALLY lean into it, it dulls the sting of sadness and blankets you with peace. I saw this in another mother’s eyes this week as she spoke about her son and her father.
I have to imagine this is what happened when the women went to the tomb and found that Jesus was no longer there. Suddenly their world would have shifted and a story that was once defined by sadness and grief was defined by hope and joy. He is risen! At this moment, the resurrection became that breath that you desperately fight for after having the wind knocked out of you. It’s what made possible taking the next step or getting out of bed the next day. Resurrection gives us a guarantee that this is not the end and that darkness and sin will never have the last word.
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