Remember

Luke 24:1-12

I decided that I no longer believed in God about the time I entered middle school. Science textbooks had, in my opinion, done a very good job explaining how the universe had been formed and how all life had come to exist. My Christian friends tried to get me to read the Bible; however, I figured, “What’s the point?” Why waste time reading some ancient book of mythology when modern science explained everything so perfectly?! What could some guy who died two thousand years ago say that could have any meaning to me? On top of it all, I was supposed to believe that this man, Jesus, didn’t stay dead. I may not have been a great scholar, but even I knew that “dead is dead!” But what if I was wrong? What if there was more than what science could explain? What would that mean for my life?

This week's scripture takes place on the first Easter morning. Several women, followers of Jesus, have come to pay their last respects by completing the Jewish burial rites of anointing the deceased's body with oil and spices. This would be one last act of love for their master, teacher, and friend. They didn’t expect to find the tomb empty and Jesus' body nowhere to be found! Suddenly, two angels appear and ask these women a profound question, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” Then the angels give the women a command, “Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” Scripture then tells us that, “And they remembered his words.” The women returned to share the news but the apostles, perhaps too deep in their own grief to hope, refused to believe them. After all, as simple as they are, they know that “dead is dead. However, Peter, who always seemed to lead with his emotions, immediately runs to the tomb to see for himself, perhaps wondering, “What if it’s true?”

Many people around the world will attend worship services this Easter for many different reasons. Some will attend to be with their families; some will come to fulfill a yearly sense of tradition. Some will come like the women at the tomb, as a way to honor someone who was a “good man,” but not God incarnate, raised from the dead. Some will come like those apostles who refused to believe that Jesus was alive, because, as nice as resurrection sounds, no one comes back from the dead. However, many will come and take the angel’s advice and remember. They will hear the Easter story and remember all that Christ has done and is doing in their lives and in the world! When we hear the story of Easter, will we respond like the scoffers and believe the story is too good to be true? Or will we be like the women and tell others the good news! May we all react like Peter and feel our hearts race as our hope is reborn.

Remembering with you,

Mike