Kedo Peseyie
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the single most important event recorded in the Gospels. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, that if Christ is not raised from the dead, then Christians are to be pitied more than anyone else. For if Christ is not raised, our preaching is useless, our faith is futile, we are false witnesses about God, and we are still in our sins. If Christ did not resurrect from the dead, there is nothing more to be said. “Let’s eat, drink and be merry”, for there is no hope, there is no eternal future to work for, and tomorrow we die. But what is the use of merrymakings too, nothing would have meaning. It would be like waking up in a world where nothing happens, nothing matters, where people just stare at you blankly and all you can do is stare back blankly. Christ rose again from the dead. It was a historical event which took place at a specific time of the day, in a certain month and in a certain year of the calendar, and in a specific place in the world map. Because the resurrection of Jesus matters in history, all other events that happens in history matters. And that’s why we matter too. We mean a lot to God.
The resurrection of Christ was the highest point in Christ’s ministry. But before enjoying the glories of the resurrection, Jesus went through the agonies of the Human condition. He suffered the Cross. The movie “The passion of the Christ” captures the sufferings of Christ in horrible and heartbreaking details.
On Good Friday 2005, I was in Meluri town with a group of young people. The camp we were supposed to attend was postponed because a young girl in the town was shot dead the other day by a gunman. On Good Friday morning we all gathered in a room to read the bible, reflect on the sufferings of Christ, and pray together. As we meditated on the Cross and the suffering of Christ, all of us were in tears. Portions from Isaiah 53 were read; sections talking about the trials, torture and crucifixion of Christ from the Gospels were read out; some were kneeling on the floor, some were crying uncontrollable, everyone was visibly moved. It was an experience not easily forgettable.
But the sufferings of Christ would have made very little sense to us if we have also not experienced the hope that his resurrection has brought us. Like Paul we can also say (carefully with deep reverence) that the sufferings of Jesus Christ would have been wasted and inconsequential if there was not resurrection. If there was no resurrection, He would have been a figure to be pitied the most because he suffered without any cause. Seen from this light, Christ ought to be the most tragic figure in history. But today, there is no doubt in our hearts about his heroic deeds and this glorious story of the Gospel. There is no doubt that he is the most heroic figure in history. The resurrection made all the difference.
Today when we look back at the sufferings of Christ, we don’t say, “Oh what a sad and tragic character. I wonder why they made him suffer so much?” But we look back and every time we do so we are moved to say, “I should have suffered instead of Christ, what a sad and tragic character I am. But I have hope because he rose again from the dead. What a hero he is!”
Latter after our prayer meeting, we moved down to attend the funeral of the young girl who was shot by the gunman. The girl seemed too young to die. The parents were inconsolable. It made very little sense why a beautiful young life should be taken away so suddenly and so cruelly. Where was God when it happened? Has God forsaken his people? We asked. Strangely we remembered it was Good Friday, 2005. 2000 years back in history, Jesus hung on the Cross and asked a similar question before he died. Hebrews tells us 4:15-16, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.”
We don’t claim to have all the answers. But there are a few things we do know for sure. And for the moment, knowing those things are enough to nurture enough faith in our lives. Most of these answers are found in the fact of the resurrection of Christ. It may not give a satisfactory answer to why bad things happen to us. But it does tell us how we can overcome it and why we have the power to overcome it.
After the considering the whole life of Jesus on earth, suffering makes more sense because there is more hope and joy waiting at the end. There is a life awaiting us in glory where we will see no more tears, pain or sorrow, where everything will be a pleasure. I am sure there will be work to do too. But even that would be a pleasure.
The old classis song “Because He lives” is still the favorite of many today. Who can forget the missionary lady and her daughter who sang this song in the funeral of her husband and two sons who were burnt alive by people opposed to the faith.
“Because He lives,” they sang,
I can face tomorrow,
Because he lives all fear if gone
Because I know who holds the future
Life is worth the living
Just because he lives.”
Or who can easily forget the face of the young girl with HIV who sang confidently “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow”, in a function some days back. And who can claim that she is deceiving herself by singing about some imaginary hope! Christ is our hope. He is the only really real reality.
Some years back one of my favorite cousins died. For a whole week the doctors tried their best to save him. But alcohol had already done enough damage. I prayed earnestly that God would extend his life. But after a week this cousin passed away. I held his hand when he died. As I held his hand, I remember I was reciting Psalms 23 in my heart. And as I read, some of the phrases there seemed to stand out: “He restoreth my soul.” “Ye though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil”. “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me”. “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me, all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”. Why do these phrases have special meaning? — only because He lives.
Yes in this life we cry. But these are not tears of hopelessness. They are tears of hope. Though we may cry for a while, though we may be separated for awhile, one day we will find that all of these have meaning, because he lives. Because He lives, we have the courage to look back, and we have the hope and confidence to look forward.
Let me end with one last assertion. Because he lives, the great commission takes on more urgency. Years back some theologians came up with this idea of the “Christ of faith”, proposing that Christ comes alive when we preach Him and when we read His word. But the simple fact is: Jesus is alive and He is the Christ whether we preach him or not. We don’t preach Christ to make him Christ. We preach Christ so that people can hear his word and come to receive Him. Because He lives, we have a tremendous responsibility to perform. Because He lives, His command to us is more pertinent and urgent, “Go into all the world and make disciples of all men…”
