4/15/07

“To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).

The Lenten Season for 2007 is now complete. Good Friday is over and so is Easter. Passover was done on April 9th, and we won’t see it again until April 20th, 2008. For most, it’s back to “business as usual!” The churches were full at Easter, and the people might come back at Christmas, but in between, where are they? And, where are WE? Where are OUR hearts during the “other” times of the year?

“C-E” or “Christmas-Easter” Christians are an anomaly. Such “Christians” were not God’s intention for this world. It wasn’t that way for the first followers of Jesus and it shouldn’t be that way for you and me. Jesus, our Passover Lamb, died for our sins and then rose from the dead. And He did it in a most interesting, continuing manner.

He didn’t just pop-up and shout, “I’m alive!” and then disappear again. Instead “He… presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). He became part of the fabric of their lives once more. Jesus showed He was alive in many ways and to different groups of people for more than a month, in a variety of situations after He was raised from the dead. He was and is – alive.

Jesus appeared daily to mere human beings like you and me, for a period of forty days (Acts 1:3). His followers could be inside a locked room and He would suddenly be there with them (John 20:19). His wounds were still open and yet were healed, all at the same time (John 20:27). He spoke with them and gave them instructions (Matthew 28:18-20). He could seem to be someone else, but then suddenly reveal Himself and then vanish in an instant (Luke 24:31). He was amazingly changed and yet still had “flesh and bones” and a human-appearing body (Luke 24:39). He ate food with them (Luke 24:43). He knew the future and revealed some of it to His listeners (John 21:18). He was seen by “over five hundred brethren” at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6). And at the end of the forty days, He “was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9).

Can you imagine how His disciples felt at that moment? He was back, He was alive, He was with them once more! The preceding three years, in which they had given up their careers, left their families, and lost their standing in the community, had been vindicated by Jesus’ return from the dead, and now He was gone once more! But He had also given them instructions, clearly indicating what they were to do: They were to “receive power when the Holy Spirit” came upon them, and they were to “be witnesses to (Jesus Christ) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Jesus is alive and that same "Holy Spirit" is offered to us right now. He showed Himself alive many times to His disciples and He is showing Himself alive to you right now. “Good Friday” and “Easter” aren’t mere events to be acknowledged once a year. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are living realities His followers rejoiced in each and every day. And His joy is also available to you right this minute.

In Humanity, we tend to celebrate events without fully understanding the reality behind them. Jesus was baptized (Mark 1:9), but unlike us, He was innocent and had no personal need for baptism. He was baptized for you and me – on our behalf. We are to learn from this – we need to be baptized also. Not only in water, but even more important, we are to die to our own desires in relation to this world and come alive in another. When we are taken under the water, we enter a place where we cannot live (you cannot breathe under water), and then we are brought up out of death into new life!

In communion, as at the Passover meal, we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord. We believe that He died on our behalf, we have forgiveness for our sins, and our life is now His; not our own. We take the matzo cracker and drink the crushed fruit of the grape, acknowledging the ruin of His body and the shedding of His blood, which gave us freedom, healing, redemption and forgiveness of our sins. Our part is to believe.

Jesus washed the feet of His followers (John 13:5) and said that we in turn “ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). Does this mean we are to physically go up to other people feet and ask, “Pardon me, sir, may I wash your feet?” You can if you want to, but it actually means more: we are to truly CARE for others. When you see the homeless person, it may be you are being called to meet that need. And when your neighbor doesn't know the Lord, as shown to you by the Holy Spirit, it may be you will help them. Can any of us do it? Can we meet the needs of those around us? The answer is “no” because we are limited, but the Lord in us CAN meet what is needed and more.

We are to be washed and made clean, as represented by baptism. We are to receive the Lord and share Him with others, as represented by communion. And we are to help others as seen in the washing of feet. And first of all, most important of all, we are to believe the eye-witness testimony of the hundreds of people who saw, touched, ate with and listened to the Risen Christ. EVERY DAY we are to REJOICE that our Lord is ALIVE!

Do you love the Lord? If you do, then Good Friday is for today. His death is for you, every moment, every day of your life. He died for your sins, and every day is a cause for joy – forever. Easter is also yours, today, tomorrow and for all the days of eternity. He is Alive! and because of Him and what He has done, you also can be alive forevermore.

Baptism is an ongoing reality for you because through faith in Christ you have given up your old life and now walk in Him. The Passover, which we celebrate in modified form in Communion (the Lord’s Supper), is a living reality for each and every day. We confess our sins; and we are forgiven and made clean – daily. And let’s go ahead and wash some feet. Believe it or not, there are others out there in humanity who need what you have to give, and the Holy Spirit in you will enable you to MEET those needs. You can be there for them because He is there for you. Place Your faith in the Lord right now, and He will show Himself, His LIFE to you and in you, through “many infallible proofs.”

Lord, thank You that Your death and Your life is for me right now. I receive You and trust in You, now and forever. In Jesus Name. Amen.