The tomb, once inhabited and thought properly sealed, is now empty. Nicodemus' declaration in burial is finding another layer of meaning. I intended to bury Him with a King's burial because that is what He is... Now, however, with the tomb empty I must consider precisely what this Man stood for.
THE SCENE
Mary Magdalene is up early (along with a few other women) to go anoint Jesus' body, but makes an alarming discovery; the tomb is empty and the stone rolled away! In an effort to rouse the fearful and cautious disciples, she comes back screaming the news, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." This leads to flurry of activity and something of a footrace between Peter and John. John's foot speed is noted as he arrives at the tomb far ahead of Peter. What unfolds next captures the heart of God for all the despairing, fearful and doubting individuals who will come to follow Him after His resurrection.
Mary... (John 20:11-18) DESPAIR
Mary stands weeping at the tomb. The chill of the morning air makes her breath materialize in little clouds of smoke from her nostrils while her eyes shed tears, warm on the cheek, as they glide quickly down. Despairing that her Master is not only dead, but now missing, she begins a conversation with angels (take that in for a moment - despair is no respecter of spirit or flesh, it will talk to whomever). The angst is growing. She whirls around to see the gardener is speaking to her and, perhaps dismissively, retorts, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me..." Next Jesus is unveiled to her grief stricken eyes, "MARY," He says. Thats it. Just one word. Just one name. "Mary." He let her cry at the tomb's opening and approaches her with a personal encounter. Mary is UNDONE. You know, the ugly cry kind of undone. Suddenly her despair is swallowed up in resurrection JOY. Despair is swallowed up by being seen and heard. Jesus came to Mary...
A few hours pass and it is evening now. Mary, still reeling from her encounter, can hardly keep still.
The Disciples... (John 20:19-23) FEAR
The disciples are gathered inside a room with the doors locked. Those pesky, self-righteous Jewish leaders have infiltrated even the Roman guards so that none of Jesus' followers can truly feel safe. Instead, they are holed up in fear of their lives. The discussion is racing toward a fiery conclusion. Who would have taken the body? I heard that Joseph, the rich guy, and Nicodemus actually buried Jesus. Perhaps they are in on it. If anyone had resources it would be those two... Suddenly, a hush falls over everyone in the room. One by one, and with no words spoken, only gaping stares and jaws wider than ever take in the sight that seems other-worldly; Jesus. He is right there next to the disciples in the room, but NO ONE has unlocked the door. I wonder, who acknowledged His presence first? Oh to be a fly on the wall of that room! Dumfounded and stammering for words Jesus breaks the awkward silence by saying, “Peace be with you.”
How does He say the most outlandish things at the most perfect times? Well, lets rewind just a few chapters in the account and a few days in real time to John 14:15-18 and 25-27. Here Jesus is telling the disciples about how His Spirit will inhabit them, thus always being present with them. Having no context at the time the disciples did not grasp the magnitude of this Spiritual truth. It truly is better for Him to return to His Father in heaven so that His Spirit may reside in each of His children of Faith. This is the comfort (II Corinthians 3:3-11) and inseparable love (Romans 8:38-39) everyone longs for but NONE outside of Christ has! Fear is swallowed up by inseparable love. Jesus came to the disciples...
Thomas... (John 20:24-29) DOUBT
Thomas must have been grabbing some fresh air the first time the disciples experienced Jesus appear behind locked doors because he wasn't present. He was, however, unmistakably THERE for the second encounter of Jesus defying locks and the physical limitations we are governed by. This time Jesus comes straight to Thomas to initiate a discussion. The others had already seen this, they knew better than to ask questions or doubt what was happening. They simply sat, stunned in silence and eager with anticipation for what he was going to do. I liken the anticipation to how I felt watching Michael Jordan as a young lad whenever the game was on the line and the ball in his hands; what will he do? Thomas gets a bad reputation often as the "doubter." Mind you, he was still hanging with the disciples when he could have defected. He was just struggling.
Jesus approaches him after greeting everyone with peace, because you need peace when doors are locked and someone "appears." Peering into the heart of Thomas he offers physical evidence for the doubts he is wrestling. "My Lord and My God" is the reply. The strongest declaration in the entire book of John. When Jesus called Thomas, as well as the others, He did not have a body of evidence (literally) to show them. He called them to faith. The evidence followed. This is how Thomas first came to Jesus. Now, later, Jesus honors the struggle for faith in him. He does this in Mark 9:34 also where we hear a man cry out, "I believe, help my unbelief."
I do not need to have belief in full measure. Honestly, my mustard seed (faith) may be planted in the garden of sporadic doubt and harvest a greater revelation of Jesus I could have ever known! The question is whether I am honest with Jesus about my doubt. Doubt is swallowed up by a personal encounter. Jesus came to Thomas...
Charles Spurgeon once said:
“I think, when a man says, ‘I never doubt,’ it is quite time for us to doubt him, it is quite time for us to begin to say, ‘Ah, poor soul, I am afraid you are not on the road at all, for if you were, you would see so many things in yourself, and so much glory in Christ.’”What about US...
We have just journeyed through a Holy Week worth remembering. Do you despair of life itself because you wander along in hopelessness? Do you fear the worst because power, joy and peace are far from you? Do you think doubt is the mark of someone who is unwelcome as a follower of Jesus?
Good news - You have come to the ONLY Savior whose life, death and resurrection overwhelm our despair, fear and doubt. You, like Nicodemus, can KNOW what this Man stood for. However, it is a personal choice you must make!
If you would like to know how, please email me (ncfpastordoug@me.com) OR message me on Facebook.
No comments:
Post a Comment