“Only after disaster can we be resurrected.” – Chuck Palahniuk
Death is a disaster. It is an intrusion, an interruption, the enemy. Resurrection happens on the heels of disaster. If you think about it, you can’t have resurrection without death, for resurrection is the undoing of death. If death doesn’t happen, there can be no resurrection.
Imagine Jesus’ disciples, huddled in the dark, fearing they were next, wondering where it all went wrong. Truly, disaster had befallen them and their hopes were nailed to the cross along with Jesus’ body. By the time Jesus was dead, they had all run away. Only Joseph of Arimathea and some of the women were left to care for the deceased, apparently, defeated Messiah.
Then Sunday morning came and the utterly unexpected happened. Jesus woke up, stood up, and walked out of the tomb with a resurrection body, one that was no longer susceptible to suffering and death because God, in Jesus, had overcome the enemy and undone the curse of Adam. Disaster not averted, but defeated.
In order for you and me to experience the power of resurrection, we must first experience death: the death of the false, sinful self. Jesus says that if we are to follow him we must deny the self and take up our cross. He says that unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies it cannot produce life, real life, resurrection life.
Resurrection is the pivot. It is the pivot point of all of human history and of our faith. What do you need to die to in order to truly live? Your self-made dreams, your rebellious spirit, your destructive egocentric decisions? Give it all to Jesus and let him give you resurrection life.
This past few weeks have brought a whole new depth of meaning to death and resurrection for me. I am so thankful for the prayers and support I have received, and continue to receive from many of you. The depth of the pain of the disaster of death has come home in a very real and personal way. At the same time, the power of the Resurrection has been manifested in how I have seen the love of Christ in so many, from the care of my children, who have lost their grandfather and yet have found the energy and love to comfort me, my wife who has prayed for me and held me and loved me, to so many of you and your loving embraces and comforting words. I am buoyed by the knowledge that my earthly father serves our Heavenly Father, and has been sold out to that service for nearly fifty years. He is in the loving embrace of our God and looking forward to the day when we will all be resurrected and received into the fullness of Christ’s Kingdom.
“‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:54-57 (ESV)
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