“Why do you look for the living among the dead?”
- Luke 24:5
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, three women arrived at Jesus' tomb with burial spices. But when they entered, they did not find the body of Jesus. Suddenly two angels appeared and asked, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?"
This was, of course, a rhetorical question. They were not looking for information. They were trying to push them to understand what was taking place. They were pushing them to realize all of the implications of Jesus' death and resurrection because when we understand and receive the resurrected Christ, everything changes.
living hope vs. deadly cynicism
abundant life vs. dead religion
life-giving presence vs. deadly loneliness
living hope vs. deadly cynicism
None of Jesus' friends or followers were expecting the resurrection. They assumed Jesus Christ was like all the other founders of all other religions. All other major religions, their founders are dead.
Buddha
Confucius
Mohammed
These were all great teachers. They all lived remarkable lives and had incredible insights to share with humanity. But all of them, inevitably died.
Because thats what people do. Even the great ones. To expect anything else but death in this cold and callous world would be nonsense.
"But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense" (Luke 24:11.
From the very beginning, the gospel is good news because it dares to tell us things we didn’t expect,
things we were not inclined to believe
things that seem to good to be true.
things that seem like nonsense.
Because what makes sense in this world is death comes for us all and things that die tend to stay dead.
The second law of thermodynamics tells us all things are running down. Everything is falling apart. All matter and energy deteriorate gradually over time and the process is irreversible.
Death is inevitable and irreversible.
But the risen Christ announces, “Behold, I am making all things new!” (Rev. 21:5).
Death will be no more.
Mourning and crying and pain will not last.
Because Christ is risen, every tear will be wiped away.
Against all odds, the irreversible will be reversed.
This is why we all love stories where against all odds the hero prevails in the end. A small, rag-tag group of rebels prevail against the all powerful empire in Star Wars. The tiny hobbits in Lord of the Rings prevail against the evil Sauron. The young Harry Potter against Voldemort.
If you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, every time you see one of those stories it is going to lift up your heart a little bit. Because you’re going to say, “This will happen. The end of the world will be like this. The stories are all true. There is a knight who will slay all the dragons. There is a superhero who will save the world.”
In the midst of all the darkness and cynicism of our world, there is a living hope!
abundant life vs. dead religion
In Luke 24 the angels are saying, “The reason you don’t understand the resurrection, the reason you didn’t expect the resurrection is you didn’t understand his death. You didn’t understand that he must die.”
In order to be raised in victory, he must die in defeat.
These women knew he had died, but they didn’t know why he had to die. They thought he died as an example of faith and goodness. That in order to be blessed and acceptable we must follow his example and live a life of faith and goodness as well.
But the angels are saying, "Jesus didn’t die as an example, he died for you, as a sacrifice. He didn’t die as your example, he died as your Savior."
Why? Because all of your faith and goodness is not going to be good enough. Until you receive Jesus as your substitute, your Savior, you’re seeking the living among the dead.
Religion and Christianity are two different things.
Religion says, "Do these things, follow my example, live up to the standard, then maybe if you are good enough, you will be blessed."
But Christianity says, "I came to give you life and life abundantly! You are already blessed! You are already accepted! Just open up your heart and receive my life. Let me resurrect your broken heart and restore my spirit within you."
The resurrection gives us abundant life as opposed to dead religion.
life-giving presence vs. deadly loneliness
You may believe in the resurrection, but in terms of your actual relationship with Jesus Christ He might as well be dead. You don’t feel him. You don’t sense him. You don’t know him, you just know about him.
Easter pushes you beyond just believing. Easter says, “He’s a living reality.”
Because Christ is risen; because he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; because he sent his Holy Spirit as a powerful counselor and dynamic friend in our lives you don’t have to just believe he loves you; you can know his love. You don’t have to just believe Jesus is good, you can taste and see that he’s good.
In the midst of all the pain and loneliness in our world the resurrection gives us the life-giving presence of God.