Life from Death

Mark 16:1-8 is the lectionary Gospel text for next Sunday of the Resurrection.

It seems anti-climactic to me, the resurrection.  People get all hyped up over the empty tomb and the glory, the miracle, supernatural intervention and all.  I am not into that.  It does not turn me on, spiritually.

What is astounding to me is that Jesus died for me, for all of us.  What is remarkable in this first of a genre message is that people heard this story of their hero dying for them.  God is God.  Resurrection for the one who creates all from dust is not a thing.  But God dying for me, for us?  Wow.  This God is not aloof, uncaring or just wholly other.  This God is truly immanent, from being Emmanuel, through death and beyond.

I am not a "pie in the sky when you die" kinda guy.  I am a living what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now person.  I want to follow Jesus.  I believe that doing so in how I live RIGHT HERE AND NOW is faithfulness to God.  Salvation is in God's hands.  I trust and love God.  I'm not going to concern myself with that, but rather whether or not I am pleasing God with my life here and now, in this part of God's Kingdom.  I believe that faithfulness is living Agape Love and Grace with the other children, who are loved by God.  I believe that I am called to follow Jesus in touching the untouchables, including the marginalized, empowering the disenfranchised - feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick and imprisoned and welcoming the stranger in the land.  When I read the Gospel witnesses of Jesus, I see that as Jesus' mission and what Jesus made my mission as His follower.

Even to breaking His body and shedding His blood. 

Even to being lynched by a corrupt government and church.

Even to being abandoned by those who claimed to love Him.

Even to dying.

It is all about Agape Love and Grace - even self-sacrifice for the sake of the other, unconditionally.

Sure, I want to be in heaven.  Heaven to me is the awareness of God's permeating presence of Love, Joy and Shalom (a deep, abiding sense of completeness, wholeness and well-being) for all time.  THAT is the glory beyond the cross for me.  Whether Jesus' body was raised and mine will be raised is a detail I leave up to God.  

I do not look for supernatural interventions.  If God does nothing else for me beyond the Cross and the examples of how to live in the Kingdom from the Gospels, I will continue to thank and praise God for the rest of my days.  I will also for the rest of my days do what I can to advocate for God's children - the marginalized, disenfranchised, occupied, oppressed, downtrodden, abused, poor and exploited people who God loves.  I will give.  I will roll up my sleeves.  I will speak and write, demonstrate, call and vote on their behalf.  I will stand with them as they find their voice and power and I will pledge my life to expose the darkness of empire and eliminate it.  I will live Agape Love and Grace in the world around me.

That is life from death.  That is victory over evil.  That is redemption and salvation, here and now, in THIS PART of God's Kingdom!

Pastor Jamie