SYDNEY,AUSTRALIA– You and I are most wanted in Heaven. For God so loved the world that He sent His Son to die on the Cross to save us from our wayward and rebellious selves. The Father in Heaven cares. Jesus saves. The Holy Spirit empowers. What is man? The Trinity is so mindful of him!
What is the mystery? What is the new covenant? What is the bond?
Happy Easter my brothers and sisters in Christ. Peace be with you in a world gone crazy. Like an eagle tilting its wings to enable the majestic bird to ride and soar over a raging storm. More like living in Christ in the peace and quiet of the eye of the storm. Living like Jesus who was born Y2K11 ago who stilled the waters and calmed the storm while sailing on a boat across the Sea of Galilee. A picture of serenity. Jesus soundly sleeping. A picture in contrast. The disciples feeling confused and anxious as the big waves tossed the boat as an insignificant flotsam.
The Sea of Galilee is a timely and relevant reminder for all followers of Jesus Christ as we celebrate Holy Week. Like the Dead Sea, it gets its water source from the River Jordan. Two seas with the same source which are manifestly opposite. One manifests life, the other death. The Sea of Galilee keeps its water current flowing. It is teeming with fishes as it holds life in its bosom. The Dead Sea hoards and keeps its water to full capacity. It remains stagnant as it becomes salty and repugnant to any form of life. One nourishes, the other deprives life.
As all Christians know John baptized Jesus in the River Jordan. It was a point in time, according to the Bible, when the three persons in the Trinity were on the same page. God the Father declared, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” At the same time, the Holy Spirit as a dove alighted on Jesus as He prayed. John baptized Jesus with water. Later Jesus baptized the disciples with fire.
Here and now, the Christian world is observing Holy Week. I daresay, better to celebrate than observe. To observe is to run the risk of being ritualistic like some religious practices which replicate crucifixion on the cross for a day and lead ungodly lives for the rest of the year. Mortification of the flesh has no redeeming value if there is no change, no inner transformation of the heart. Just like the Dead Sea. To celebrate is to give thanks. It is to feel the spontaneity of the moment. It is to refresh what Jesus did for us, His love, ministry of healing, and sacrifice which is telescoped in the last 7 days of his life.
Here is where we need the power of our imagination in making a total recall of that fateful week. A British 19th century philosopher John Ruskin said the noblest use of the imagination is not to plan for the future but to run back through the corridors of time and call up the scenes of Jesus’ life, to be present as if in the body, at every event of the history of the Redeemer. Travelling back in time, we may jostle with the disciples as they walked tall and abreast with the Saviour making a triumphal entry into Jerusalem on what is called a Palm Sunday now.
Being 21st century human beings, we may feel amused that the people’s acclaimed King of the Jews and and Israel’s would-be Saviour from the Roman occupation and oppression was riding only a donkey followed by his throng of unarmed supporters. But there we are back in time, living witnesses to the Biblical truth that God’s way is not man’s ways. From glory of the triumphant entry, to the machinations of the Pharisees and Sadduces to sacrifice the life of one man to save the many from the wrath of the Roman Empire. From Judas’ betrayal to Peter’s denial. From Pilate’s washing of the hands to the Pharisees’ induced mob shouts of “Cruficy, Jesus!” The way of the cross comes alive to our very own eyes.
From the 40 lashes minus one to the punishing walk to Mt. Golgotha. From His nailing and death on the cross on Good Friday to His resurrection on Easter Sunday by the power of our imagination, they all come now painfully real and sorrowfully alive. As witnesses back in time, we are sure now that the tomb was empty and Jesus is alive. Jesus’ resurrection is real as our lives after death are real.
The Word from the Bible pages becomes Flesh to show us the way, the truth and life. That in our pain, we lean on Him as our Healer as He Himself underwent our suffering.
In Christ, we overcome our trials. In Christ, our brokenness is made whole again. In Christ, to through the fire is to become pure. In Christ, we are justified, sanctified, and glorified before the Father in Heaven.
From glory to glory. A week in the life of Jesus, the name above all names. From His triumphal entry to Jerusalem to the resurrection on Easter Sunday. From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. A week-long and hugely awesome story of love ablaze over excruciating pain. He was born for love. He died for love. For all His life, he loves and heals. He teaches us love as the new covenant. The new bond is the loving relationship with God and fellowmen i.e. to embrace women. God is always on line for us ever-since the Fall when God came calling Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In Christ, God is always on line for us all the time.