Empty Tomb Witnesses, Resurrected Jesus
Seekers, Good News Bearers, Faith-Sharers,
The end of this year’s Easter season is
coinciding with a lot of travel for me.
In April I traveled to Portland, Oregon and Denver, Colorado; and in May,
before we get to Pentecost, I’ll be going to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pentecost—which we celebrate on May 19th,
this year, was a celebration that brought Jews back to Jerusalem from
various parts of the world. For Jesus’
disciples, the stories of Jesus’ resurrection appearances include a journey
from Jerusalem to Emmaus; and at least in John’s gospel, the days following
Jesus’ resurrection finds many of the disciples back in Galilee. …So I guess, Easter-done-right, has believers
on the road?
One of my favorite Easter images is that the
meaning of the resurrection is that Jesus is “loosed in the world.” Though Jesus was crucified and died, God
raised Jesus. He is not held by death,
but is given back to life and Jesus feely appears …well, anywhere! And now, like children at an Easter-egg hunt,
believers are put to looking for Jesus …well, everywhere!
Most of the New Testament contains writing and
stories that come AFTER Jesus was raised.
There are a handful of stories about the few weeks following the
crucifixion and resurrection, but most of the New Testament is in the form of
letters and stories that come YEARS after, and much of it, from believers who
are traveling far and wide from Jerusalem.
Whether it’s Paul, racing to set up “outposts” of faithful believers
first in Asia and then in Europe, or Peter who is visiting other communities of
Jewish believers and opening them to the fellowship with Christians, to the
hints of other nameless witnesses who are the readers of these letters and the gospels
as they get written down and distributed.
In fact, we are representatives who have received these same words and
stories and are still looking for Jesus today—separated not only by geography
but also time. We’re still chasing
Jesus.
The gospels share with us that for several
years, a group of believers followed Jesus, traveling from place to place,
witnessing acts of kindness and miracles.
In Galilee, in Samaria, along the Jordan, around the Sea of Tiberias
(the sea of Galilee), to Tyre and Sydon, Nazareth, Bethlehem—all the places
Jesus’ story visits. And then, Jesus is
resurrected—and he’s freed from the usual “confinements” of human life, he
passes through walls and doors, he’s able to move straight to different places
over distance, and it seems clear that Jesus is out in front of us, and we’re
always trying to catch up …finding the places he’s been already and appeared to
people and done thing …as if there were a Jesus trail of good news and good
works. We’re still chasing Jesus!
Pentecost usually marks the time in our culture
when we take to the open road, traveling to and fro to visit family or to
re-create ourselves by way of rest and relaxation. …Don’t forget to look for Jesus! And whether you’re traveling, or you’re in
the same place for a while …don’t forget to look for Jesus! He’s not stuck only in the things we’ve known
him to be, before—he’s loosed! He’s
slipped the bonds of human limitations and finds ways to enliven and
enlighten. So when you see him, make a
note, share the news, tell others!
“Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look! You will see him! …Go …and tell!”
It is my privilege
to remind you that Jesus loves you. So
do I. God wants the best for us and is
inviting us to fulfill our calling. Jesus
dies; but God raised Jesus in the Resurrection, and that changes
everything! Get ready. The tomb was empty. Christ is risen! And so are we! Find Jesus and tell your stories, of all the
places where you’ve seen and heard him.
So we can be amazed and encouraged and transformed together!
