The hope of the resurrection and eternal life is integral to our faith. The way we understand the resurrection directly impacts the way we live life and the way we die.
Our belief in the resurrection of Jesus is both comforting and confronting. Comforting because death is not the end; there is life in Christ who triumphed over death. We enter fully into eternal life as Jesus promised - “I am the way the truth and the life”. Jesus used many stories from the natural world and life cycles to help people understand his passion and resurrection. We see the imprint of death and new life in the natural world – the seasons, the cycles of life, birth, growth, death and new life.
However, the resurrection is also confronting because Life erupts in the midst of trauma, dying, death and grief. There are many different responses to the encounters with the risen Jesus in the scriptures; joy, shock, amazement, unbelief, indifference, grief, guilt and fear to mention a few. If we fast forward to today, these responses are still evident when we talk about the Risen Jesus. Ultimately, it is with the eyes of faith that we recognise the risen Jesus. The social and political reality that the first disciples of Jesus faced was not changed immediately by the historical reality of the Risen Lord. The Roman Empire and forces within the religious politics were still looking for followers of Jesus fearful of an uprising. But everything had changed in the disciples who encountered the Risen Lord personally or believed the testimony of others. Fear turned to bold conviction and proclamation of the resurrection and the Lordship of Jesus. There were miracles, hearts being changed, genuine repentance and conversion to the Lordship of Jesus.
A personal encounter with the risen Jesus changes everything from the inside out. We will still face trials, sickness, suffering and death but with the sure and certain hope that Jesus will be with us and help us through. The promise of the Holy Spirit was the guarantee of the presence and power of Jesus with us. The Holy Spirit enables every person and every created thing to encounter the risen Jesus. The presence of the Holy Spirit affects our story, our family, our finances, our suffering, our conflict and our hostilities. It is the promise of hope and life bursting forth in the midst of the mess of the world and our lives enabling us to personally encounter and experience Jesus as Lord. Blessings, Fr Steve Fletcher MGL Moderator
Blessings,
Fr Steve Fletcher MGL
Moderator