Being Like Him - a 40 Day Lenten Devotionalনমুনা

Resurrection

A conversation with a college friend of mine over social media led up to a discussion about “life after death”. He very plainly said none of these theories about ‘after-life’ propagated by various religions were true. He commented that the moment of death was the end of life and there was no such thing as heaven or hell. A resurrected life beyond the cemetery seemed nonsensical to him.

What surprises me, even more, is the reaction of the disciples about Jesus’ resurrection when shared by the women who visited the tomb. The women’s statement sounded nonsensical to them despite witnessing the resurrection power of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus. For them, this was too good to be true as these disciples witnessed Jesus hanging on the cross utterly weak and helpless. His final words on the cross and his delegation of the responsibility to care for his mother to a disciple was etched on their mind as the end of a good life. They seemingly listed Jesus in the list of good people and prophets who died. On the other hand, the women who went to the tomb, were asked by the angels, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5). Nevertheless, the disciples could not grasp the resurrected Christ until they physically saw Him and experienced Him. The Bible records more than 500 eyewitnesses who experienced the resurrected Savior. Isn’t this so true of many who merely consider Jesus as a good man/prophet who died? They are unable to see Him as their hope for eternal life.

So how can the hope of resurrection be made evident to those who need it? The resurrected power of Christ is the power that helps us to deal with the “deadness” of life within us and around us. The disciples considered their lives’ purpose ‘dead’ until they saw their resurrected Christ. Jesus gave new hope and life to those who were afraid and hopeless. He surprised those women who came with spices that they had prepared for a “dead Jesus”. He went after dejected disciples on the road to Emmaus. Interestingly, He never went after those who crucified him or called out for a sign to prove his power on the cross. He went after those who needed Him. Jesus was not being punitive or dismissive, Instead He was gracious and kind to give hope through His resurrection.

To become like Him in His resurrection, calls us to be His witness to those who feel dead without His love, His hope and His salvation. There are many like my friend who believe that the grave is the end of life. Only in Jesus can we have this assurance of life after death. Jesus was not merely imparting a theory of some sort but was demonstrating that resurrection is true and is a reality to be trusted.

Paul rightly recounts, if there was no resurrection then can one say “Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.”(I Cor 15:32). Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and life, the one who believes in me will live even though they die and whoever believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25, 26). Do we truly believe these words of Jesus? The world needs this hope now, more desperately than ever before.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank you for the hope that we have in the power of Christ’s resurrection. Fill us with your resurrected power to experience hope and healing. In Jesus name, Amen.