This week, known as the Passion Week, will be celebrated and observed by billions of people around the world. It is culminated on Sunday with Resurrection Day… the day Jesus rose from the dead. There will be thousands upon thousands of reenactments of the scene of a stone being rolled away from a tomb that is empty, except for the grave clothes that had once wrapped His body. Hence, we proclaim that “He Has Risen” and the traditional response is “He Has Risen Indeed!” These reenactments are nice, but they fail to capture the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice. You see, reenactments lack the real significance of the day. Reenactments never include real death. Nobody goes hungry during reenactments. The grief during reenactments are ‘dramatic show,’ but seldom real. The story needs to be told, but the real issue is that what happened two thousand years ago has implications for each of us today.
The powerful truth of His resurrection has profound implications for us today. One implication is connected to Good Friday, which is only “good” in retrospection. At the time, it was anything but good. That Friday was full of pain and regret for everyone, except for Jesus. Jesus suffered throughout that day because He knew the purpose of His suffering. Everyone else could hardly believe the tragic events that unfolded, ending with His death on a Roman concoction for pain and execution. This looked like the worst of days for everyone involved. Then… three days later… early on a Sunday morning… it was discovered that the tomb was empty! What had looked like utter defeat had become the confusion of uncertainty, and uncertainty became the excitement of life – defeating death simply by taking the regrets of Friday and turning them into forgiveness and life.
We face uncertain times today. We live in a mixed up world with hate and division defining the daily broadcasts. Life and love seem far from the headlines. However, the implications of the Passion Week move us to be people of hope and purpose. Jesus Christ is the one who loves us and gave Himself for us, so that we can be people who love and give ourselves for the good of people and the glory of God.
Kevin