Easter Sunday is always a joyful time at Tapton and Sunday afternoon’s worship was no exception. The Cross took centre stage and it was adorned with a lovely floral display thanks to Jean and Keith Bradley. There were three readings: Psalm 118: 1-2, 18-24; Mark16:1-8; and 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. The hymns were as follows: Christ the Lord is Risen Today, The Strife is O’er the Battle Done, This is the Day that the Lord has Made, I know that my Redeemer Lives and Thine be the Glory.
I spoke about the difficulty the modern world has believing in the resurrection, remembering that from the beginning there were those who doubted: not just ‘Doubting’ Thomas but also those in the church at Corinth that Paul admonishes for denying the resurrection. To most people today the resurrection doesn’t satisfy the requirements of science and of historical research. But God is the creator of heaven and earth, or in other words his creation contains a realm that is conceivable to humans (earth) and one that is inconceivable to us (heaven). The resurrection happens according to the laws of heaven, a realm that is entirely beyond the reach of humanity, even its most brilliant scientists.
When historians analyse events from the past they compare the event with dozens of other events that are of a similar kind. So, for example, when studying an uprising or revolution they will compare the event with what they know from other revolutions or uprisings. But the resurrection is an utterly unique historical event, and so is inaccessible to the normal methods of historians. The only available context is the Biblical one, and this has always been a matter of faith, and also of doubt.
While it’s good to have a day when we are supposed to reflect on the resurrection, we must be careful that we don’t fall into the trap of thinking we needn’t think about it for the rest of the year. The resurrection should run right through the life of a church like the wording in a stick of rock. I find it strange when churches hold Sunday worship without referring to the resurrection at all. The resurrection runs right through the New Testament as well, and it’s also evident in part of the Old Testament. Once we grasp the fact that the New Testament was written by people who had either met the risen Jesus, or knew people who had, then it makes a lot more sense. For example, when we consider the gospels being written by witnesses to the Resurrection, it doesn’t seem so strange that Jesus’ ancestry should be written about the way that it is, or that his birth should be described in such miraculous terms.
Christianity, the faith of each church, and all our futures rest in the belief that Jesus died and was raised from the dead. This wasn’t just a display of God’s power. The witnesses to the resurrection did not just see a man who was supposed to be dead: they saw the Kingdom of God, they saw a glimpse of heaven. This is why the Resurrection gives us such hope, because it is a revelation of the future, not just ours but all of creation. And while we live with this real hope for the future we find that our present is transformed into one of purpose, energy, love and peace as we look for ways to produce parables of the Kingdom to come in our present day situation. The resurrection shows us the Kingdom of Heaven, and enables us to start living in it right away. Happy Easter everyone!
Frank