Weekly Reflection

 

April 5th to 11th

Easter Day

 

Readings: Matthew 28.1–10; Acts 10:34-43

 

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.  5 The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.” Now I have told you.’

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Greetings,’ he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’

 

34 Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

39 ‘We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen – by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

 

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

 

On the most amazing and most wonderful day of the year, Jesus is risen from the dead!

 

All our suffering, striving and general malaise have been worth while as our Lord and Saviour bursts forth from the grave in New Life.  Of course, when Mary the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene first encounter the risen Christ they are baffled, perplexed, utterly overwhelmed and incredulous; what is this?  What trick is now being played on them?  After all, this is totally outside and beyond anything they have ever experienced in their lives before; this is impossible, isn’t it?

 

But as countless millions have discovered since that day. this is exactly what happened.  Jesus was executed but was raised again to life by the all-surpassing Power of God the Holy Spirit.  And by the same Power of the same Holy Spirit, every Christian can now live Life to the Full.

 

What exactly does this mean?

 

Sadly it isn’t as simple as saying that all our ills and diseases will be instantly cured.  We most certainly believe, and we know from our personal experience, that God heals many individuals, physically, mentally and spiritually.  But God is Sovereign; He knows why in this life many are healed and many are not, but actually that is only part of the problem.  The most important thing each of us can do in life is to accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour, the One who alone accepts each of us as we are and forgives all the wrong things in our past lives; He will forgive them, if we simply go to Him with humble, repentant hearts and ask Him.

 

Because He died, and lives for ever with God the Father, He is able to reconcile the broken relationship we have with the Father.

 

This is not some airy-fairy thinking (“Pie in the sky when you die”), it’s a real and solid relationship we can have here and now; we can talk to God (and listen to Him) in prayer, we can be aware of His Holy Spirit living in us constantly (but more of that at Pentecost, in May).  For example, I am in my 80s, I have cancer, I have severely restricted eyesight and I am what used to be classified as Registered Blind, my hearing leaves a lot to be desired and my mobility (although better than many like me) is far from perfect; in fact in general I am not a well man.  But although I constantly make mistakes and operate in bull-in-a-china-shop mode (my dear cousin has sometimes told me that I wasn’t called Peter for nothing!) nonetheless I am generally very happy – I have God in ny life, wht more can I need?

 

He is Risen undeed! Hallelujah!

 

Prayer

Though the fig tree does not bud

    and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

    and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

    and no cattle in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

    I will be joyful in God my Saviour.

(Habakkuk 3:17-18)

 

Peter Sebborn

Christian.Footsoldier@gmail.com