The Lord is truly risen, Alleluia! This Easter day we are filled with joy that Jesus has overcome the worst that this world can dish out. He has conquered sin and death which is even more difficult than paying property tax or dealing with a balky computer. Those who had walked with Jesus for the three years of his public ministry were overjoyed at his Resurrection. It diminished the hold of all the heartbreak and sorrow in life. Instead, hope for something new, something better is planted in the hearts of the followers of Jesus. It is somewhat curious, therefore, that those ecstatic disciples were not able to describe what the Risen Lord was like. The twelve did not recognize him. Mary Magdalene thought he was the gardener. Cleopas and companion on the road to Emmaus had a long chat with him before they saw his identity. It’s almost as if the Bible wants us to understand that Jesus after the Resurrection is beyond our poor ability to understand. We get glimpses of what Easter life is like – a life of love, peace and joy – but exactly what that will look like is beyond us. We can peek within the wrapped up box and catch a glimpse of what’s inside but not really know what it is.
What we can describe, what we do see is the impact that the Risen Jesus had on those who knew him. Peter during his time with Jesus proved himself to be boastful, rash, pushy, and, in the end, cowardly. Getting to know the Risen Jesus transformed Peter into a powerful preacher who was able to lead a whole generation of people into the faith. During Jesus’ lifetime, Mary Magdalene was the docile follower who worked in the background never putting herself forward. Meeting the Risen Jesus transformed Mary Magdalene into becoming the apostle to the apostles, the one who first brought good news to those who were lost and in despair. John the Apostle was hot-headed and ambitious, wanting the best seat at the table. The Risen Jesus transformed him so that he didn’t put himself forward but was known for repeating often, “Little Children love one another.” After his encounter with the Risen Jesus Paul moved from being the arrogant, self-righteous, know-it-all to one who said “it is now no longer I that live but Christ lives in me.” The encounter with the Risen Lord changed them.
What changed? They stopped being afraid. If Jesus was not bound even by death, what was there to fear! No doubt those first followers of Jesus, like all of us, were almost defined by their fears. They were afraid they weren’t good enough or smart enough or pretty enough or loved enough. They were afraid for their families, for their health, for their finances. They were afraid of a distant government, a clueless religious establishment, a society divided into separate tribes. All those fears the encounter with Christ erased from their lives. They could be themselves without the usual defenses and postures because the Risen Lord showed them that there was no power that can rob us from being the person God made us to be, destined for glory.
What about us today? How does our encounter with Christ change us? Does living in a frightening world where gun fire explodes right around the corner from the church cause us to fear? Are we afraid of war spreading and our young people being sent to fight? Are we afraid that the economy will collapse and we’ll be reduced to eating cat food? (Come to think of it, cat food isn’t all that cheap anymore.) Are we afraid that human caused climate change will make life on earth untenable? Have you noticed that in the Bible whenever an angel shows up the first words are almost always, “Do not be afraid.” Are we people of fear or, because of Easter, people of joy!
Joy is ours when we come to understand that all that Jesus has been teaching us is not an onerous chore that we have to accomplish but an invitation to joy. For example, forgiveness. When Jesus tells us to forgive seventy-times seven times we grit our teeth as if going to the dentist. But at Easter we see that forgiveness gives us joy as it liberates us from resentment and grudges. Or take the lesson to do to the least as we would for him. Joy comes when we give to others instead of clutching our little nest egg as if it would fly away. When we are charitable we find joy as in the adage it is more blessed to give than to receive. Then there is the joy that comes to us when we heed the word of Jesus to ‘stop judging.’ When we judge we are trying to figure who’s in or who’s out, who’s right or who’s wrong, who’s up or who’s down. How stressful is that! When we stop judging we experience the joy of accepting people as they are and not worrying about what others think. We simply find joy in the people woven into our lives.
Remember that one of the words of Jesus was to accept the kingdom of God as a little child. What characterizes a little child more than joy! We have to learn how to fear. Joy is our natural state. This Easter rejoice in the good news that God has already won, that no matter how things seem to be going now, the ending is assured and we will live happily ever after. Victory is mine, Happiness is mine, Joy is mine. That is what the Risen Jesus gives us at Easter. No wonder alleluia is our song.
