Christ is Risen - He Is Risen Indeed

I'm meditating on this little liturgical bit that is commonly said at Easter in church services. I know my own church included it five or six times during the service today. I like it, and I'm trying to figure out why. I think it has something to do with the fact that one person initiates it, and then the masses affirm what the first person has said. How encouraging it must be to say something like "Christ is risen" and to hear a thousand people say, "He is risen indeed." In a lot of ways, this is a picture of the body to me. Jude tells us to be merciful to the doubting. What's more merciful than affirming truth a person has spoken?

I think Jesus knew this too. I think He deliberately ushered in a system, following His death, in which the church would have to tell the truth to its own in His absence. On the morning of His resurrection, three women walk to His tomb. My pastor, Tim Keller, pointed out how odd it is that none of them said anything like, "You know, He said He was going to rise on the third day. I wonder if He did!" There doesn't seem to be even the slightest glimmer of hope or remembrance in them. All they're concerned about is dressing the body. When they get to the tomb, there's no lecture. No talking-to. The angel sitting on the stone doesn't reprimand them for doubting Jesus or for forgetting what He said. Instead, he can barely contain his joy as he tells them that Jesus has risen, and they're to go tell the disciples.

There are a lot of interesting elements to this scenario, but the one that sticks out to me the most is that Jesus left a message with these women for His followers. Matthew tells us that He appeared to them Himself as they left the tomb, reaffirming what the angel had said and again sending them out to the disciples. He appears to the disciples multiple times later on. So since He obviously could, and did, why didn't He then? Why did He send these women to tell the disciples what had happened? I think He did it because He was ushering in an age when His face would not be visible and His voice would not be audible. He intended for us to need each other to remember His words.

A lot of people want some kind of physical sign that Jesus is real. Sometimes people get that. And I do have a few friends who seem to hear regularly and specifically from God. But most people will get no visible or audible sign. Instead, we're expected to rely on Scripture, faith, and yes, each other. I forget this way too easily. When my prayers have seemed fruitless, I start to question whether God has heard at all. I'm starting to realize that I need to include affirmations and words of wisdom from members of the body when I consider whether my prayers are being answered. This week I had a very one-sided conversation with God that was ongoing and dealt with some serious issues regarding money, social class, and sacrifice that I'm struggling with. I didn't come across any Scriptures or necessarily get any kind of inspiration as I prayed. Instead, I was completely challenged and convicted by what I heard friends say as I discussed these things with them all week. I don't have answers yet, but I was reminded of a lot of things I'd forgotten by faithful members of the body. Both Mark and Luke tell us that the disciples didn't believe the women when they reported what they'd seen and heard. I think about all the times I brush off the words of fellow believers ("they don't understand my situation," "I already know that; why are they telling me again?" "I really just wanted someone to listen; I wasn't interested in advice"), when what they're telling me is in essence a word from the Lord.

Jesus is alive. That's the message of Easter. It's one that we need to remind each other of. Just like Jesus sent the message to His disciples via some women, He sends it to us via each other.

P.S. It snowed today. What's the deal with snow on Easter? I'm so ready for spring.

Song In My Head - "In Christ Alone" - "There in the ground His body lay/Light of the world by darkness slain/Then bursting forth in glorious day/Up from the grave He rose again/And as He stands in victory/Sin's curse has lost its grip on me/For I am His and He is mine/Bought with the precious blood of Christ"