|
What does it mean? What does it mean that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, rose from the dead on Easter Sunday? It means that death is defeated.
Because my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has defeated death, once and for all, it means that I need not fear death-neither my own death, nor the deaths of those I love. In 2007, at the age of 43, I am learning what it means not to fear death. I grieve death, for death brings loss, but I do not fear death.
Barely a month ago, I found myself standing beside the grave of one of the dearest friends of my journey through life. I wore my robe and my stole that day, because I was her pastor as well as her friend, and it fell to me to commit her ashes to the ground. After the final prayer, I stood quietly for awhile, as friends and family did what they needed to do. After everyone else had wandered into the nearby church to remember and to comfort one another, I stayed by the grave for awhile. It was time for me to stop being her pastor and just be her friend. I crumbled some dirt over the hole in the ground, and I said goodbye.
Tears flowed, for my friend was no more. Her journey on this earth had ended. I will no longer call her to come to my aid with her wisdom and insight when parenting my foster daughter has left me worn out and bereft of ideas. She will no longer call me in the middle of the night to come pray with her because the pain of past decisions-her own and others'-is sometimes too much to bear alone.
As I stood alone by her grave, tears flowed without shame. Even Jesus wept as he approached the tomb that held the decaying body of his friend Lazarus. My loss was real, and so I wept. But, because Jesus lives, and because my friend belongs to Jesus, I know that she will live also, and my goodbye is not final. Because Jesus lives, and because my friend belongs to Jesus, I can weep for my loss and still rejoice in her gain. For my friend, the pains of past decisions and of recent illness are both washed away, and she is, even now, singing praise to the Lord in the light of his glory.
Wrapped in the love and mercy of God, my friend faced death without fear. Even at the end, she was my teacher.
This afternoon I head for Minnesota to see my father on this earth for the last time and to be with my family as we say goodbye. I will leave my robe and my stole at home, for in Minnesota I am simply a daughter and a sister.
My brothers and sister and mother and I will hold one another and grieve without shame, for our loss will be real. We will no longer laugh until we ache at my father's self-deprecating stories, and we will no longer need to search our hearts for the compassion to be patient with him when he obsesses with worry over something trivial.
We will stand together as my father leaves us, and tears will flow without shame. Even Jesus wept as he received the news of the death of one that he loved. Our loss is real, and so we will weep. But because Jesus lives, and because my father belongs to Jesus, I know that he will live also, and our goodbyes are not final. Because Jesus lives, and because my father belongs to Jesus, we can weep for our loss and still rejoice in his gain. For my father, the pains of an emotionally abusive childhood and of the slow descent into the fog of Alzheimer's will soon both be washed away, and he will sing praise to the Lord in the light of his glory.
Wrapped in the love and mercy of God, my father has been given an incredible gift here at the end-he is in his right mind. In his right mind, he is facing death without fear. Even at the end, he is my guide.
Wrapped in the love and mercy of God, I need not fear death-not my own death, and not the deaths of those I love, because my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has defeated death, once and for all.
Wrapped in the love and mercy of God, you need not fear death-not your own death, and not the deaths of those you love, because your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has defeated death, once and for all.
What does it mean? What does it mean that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, rose from the dead on Easter Sunday? It means that death is defeated. And it means even more.
It means that life can be transformed, not only at the time of death, but all throughout the journey on this earth.
It means that all the evil of this dark and broken world threw everything it could at Jesus, and he bore it all without thought for himself. It means that, rising from the dead, Jesus destroyed the power of evil in this dark and broken world. It means that, wounded and deceived as we are by the evil of this dark and broken world, we are no longer in its grip. It means that, in Jesus, all of the chains that hold us in bondage to sin and brokenness are shattered and we are set free.
It means that no sin is too great to be forgiven. It means that no guilt is too overwhelming to be washed clean. It means that no shame is too profound to be wiped away. It means that no wound is too deep to be healed.
It means that no darkness is so intense that it is not defeated by his light. It means that no deception is so total that it will not give way before his truth.
It means that death is defeated. And it means even more.
It means that life can be transformed, not only at the time of death, but all throughout the journey on this earth.
Scarred by a childhood of constant emotional battering, my father entered adulthood convinced of his own worthlessness. He considered himself incapable of accomplishing anything good. He knew himself to be unlovable.
My father knew something of God. He attended church and he tried his best to be a moral and charitable person. He didn't know that there was more to relationship with Jesus than that. No one had ever told him that there was more to relationship with Jesus than that, at least not in a way that he could hear.
In the boundless mercy and providence of God, my father met and married my mother, a woman who needed to be needed as much as my father needed to be loved.
My mother, too, knew something of God. She attended church and she tried her best to be a moral and charitable person. She didn't know that there was more to relationship with Jesus than that. No one had ever told her that there was more to relationship with Jesus than that, at least not in a way that she could hear.
My parents have journeyed life on this earth together for more than 57 years. They raised five children, taking them to church and teaching them to do their best to be moral and charitable persons. They have 16 grandchildren now, and 14+ great-grandchildren. They have learned that, in Jesus, life can be transformed.
Jesus claimed my middle brother first, entering his life when he was in high school. The Holy Spirit showed my brother that there is more to relationship with Jesus, that relationship with Jesus is life-changing and life-giving, that relationship with Jesus demands not only good intention and effort, but surrender and commitment. For decades now, the Holy Spirit has been showing my brother that surrender and commitment to Jesus lead to freedom and hope and joy and the ability to love and be loved.
Then Jesus claimed my oldest brother, changing his life and giving him life. The Holy Spirit showed my oldest brother that relationship with Jesus demands not only good intention and effort, but surrender and commitment. For decades now, the Holy Spirit has been showing my oldest brother that surrender and commitment to Jesus lead to freedom and hope and joy and the ability to love and be loved.
Then, a few decades later, as to one slow to learn and stubbornly resistant to giving up independence, Jesus claimed me, changing my life and giving me life. The Holy Spirit showed even me that relationship with Jesus demands not only good intention and effort, but surrender and commitment. For a while now, the Holy Spirit has been re-shaping my heart and mind to learn that surrender and commitment to Jesus lead to freedom and hope and joy and the ability to love and be loved.
In all of this, the Holy Spirit has also been at work in my parents, changing their lives and giving them life. The Holy Spirit has been showing my parents that surrender and commitment to Jesus lead to freedom and hope and joy and ability to love and be loved.
In recent years, my father has experienced the ravages of Alzheimer's. Several weeks ago, as the dementia accelerated, my father fell victim once again to the terrors of his childhood. He grew paranoid and insecure. Last month, when I was home, my father was confused and incoherent. He barely recognized family members who came to visit, but he clung desperately to our presence, longing for some reassurance, even in the fog of dementia, that he was not as worthless and unlovable as his parents had taught him so long ago.
In all of this, the Holy Spirit has been at work, changing lives and giving life. The Holy Spirit has been showing my dad and my mom and my siblings and me that surrender and commitment to Jesus lead to freedom and hope and joy and ability to love and be loved.
In the last several days, as my father's physical body has grown weaker and weaker, God has granted him and my family a wonderful gift. My father's dementia has cleared just enough that he is aware and coherent, able to recognize and to communicate. The terror has been swept away. He is able to enjoy visits from his children and grandchildren and celebrate the recent births of three new great-grandchildren. Here at the end, he knows that his life has not been worthless and he is well-loved. He is at peace and ready to go Home. Wrapped in the love and mercy of God, my father has been set free.
What does it mean that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, rose from the dead on Easter Sunday?
It means that death is defeated. And it means even more.
It means that life can be transformed, not only at the time of death, but all throughout the journey on this earth.
It means that all the evil of this dark and broken world threw everything it could at Jesus, and he bore it all without thought for himself. It means that, rising from the dead, Jesus destroyed the power of evil in this dark and broken world. It means that, wounded and deceived as we are by the evil of this dark and broken world, we are no longer in its grip. It means that, in Jesus, all of the chains that hold us in bondage to evil and brokenness are shattered and we are set free.
It means that no sin is too great to be forgiven. It means that no guilt is too overwhelming to be washed clean. It means that no shame is too profound to be wiped away. It means that no wound is too deep to be healed.
It means that no darkness is so intense that it is not defeated by his light. It means that no deception is so total that it will not give way before his truth.
It means that surrender and commitment to Jesus lead to freedom and hope and joy and ability to love and be loved.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
|
|
