(A)We...
Illustration
(A)
We modern day Christians, for whom the resurrection is a central part of our faith, who have the history of nearly 2,000 years of teaching about that resurrection, probably have virtually no appreciation for the total shock the resurrected Christ must have occasioned in those disciples. Certainly Jesus had spoken about his resurrection, but mostly in rather cryptic terms. The point is - the discioples were not sitting around waiting for the risen Christ to come among them; they were simply clinging together in their sorrow, depression, and sense of failure. Into this total gloom steps Jesus Christ to proclaim not defeat but victory, to give power to these powerless disciples, to turn their tears into joy.
So often in our lives Christ must come this same way. We've heard all the words, participated in all the rituals, and studied all the texts - but it is only as Christ suddenly breaks through our despair and gives us power and joy, that we really believe. The personal experience of resurrection is an important part of the growth of every Christian.
- Shearburn
We modern day Christians, for whom the resurrection is a central part of our faith, who have the history of nearly 2,000 years of teaching about that resurrection, probably have virtually no appreciation for the total shock the resurrected Christ must have occasioned in those disciples. Certainly Jesus had spoken about his resurrection, but mostly in rather cryptic terms. The point is - the discioples were not sitting around waiting for the risen Christ to come among them; they were simply clinging together in their sorrow, depression, and sense of failure. Into this total gloom steps Jesus Christ to proclaim not defeat but victory, to give power to these powerless disciples, to turn their tears into joy.
So often in our lives Christ must come this same way. We've heard all the words, participated in all the rituals, and studied all the texts - but it is only as Christ suddenly breaks through our despair and gives us power and joy, that we really believe. The personal experience of resurrection is an important part of the growth of every Christian.
- Shearburn
