Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. [1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (NLT)]
Found in almost every Roman Catholic church (and some Protestant and Orthodox ones), are the Stations of the Cross—a series of fourteen icons or carvings on the walls—each of which depict a moment in the Passion of Christ. Created to help people contemplate the events leading up to Christ’s crucifixion, they start with His death sentence from Pilate and end with His dead and battered body being laid in the tomb. Because Good Friday and Jesus’ death aren’t the end of the story, some churches have begun adding the resurrected Christ as a 15th station.
More recently, the idea of “Stations of the Resurrection” has taken hold in both Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions. While the Stations of the Cross depict just one day in the life of Christ, the Stations of the Resurrection illustrate the 50 days of Eastertide. There is no official list of “stations” but they usually begin with the angel speaking to the women at the empty tomb. They continue through the days Jesus remained on earth showing events like Jesus on the road to Emmaus and His appearance to the disciples on Easter, as well as His appearances to Thomas, the disciples on the shore, and the 500 mentioned by Paul. After portraying Jesus’ Ascension on the 40th day, the “stations” conclude either with the Holy Spirit’s descent on the 50th day (Pentecost) or Jesus’ appearance to Paul on the road to Damascus.
Having spent the season of Lent spiritually preparing for Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we shouldn’t need the Stations of the Cross or those of the Resurrection to help us remember Christ’s suffering, death, and rising from the dead. Nevertheless, once we put away the Easter baskets, we may not give Easter another thought until the following year. Easter, however, is more than one day; it is a liturgical season called Eastertide. Lasting for seven weeks, it concludes with Pentecost. Why not spend these weeks reading about and meditating on those 50 days in the gospels and Acts. Imagine the shock of finding an empty tomb. What was it like for Cleopas when he realized the stranger with whom he’d walked, talked, and broken bread was the resurrected Messiah? If you’d been one of His frightened followers hiding in a locked room, how would you react to seeing Jesus miraculously appear? Visualize seeing the scars on His hands and feet. What was it like to have breakfast with Him on the beach and to walk with Him, hear His voice, and witness His miracles once again? Can you imagine watching Jesus ascend into Heaven? Picture what it was like that 50th day on Pentecost when the disciples were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Consider how Peter, the one who denied Christ three times, became the one who boldly proclaimed Him “Lord and Messiah.” The Easter story doesn’t end at Easter, or even at Pentecost; it continues to unfold today!
Christ’s resurrection is the most powerful world-shaping event in history. It is why we are freed from our sins and live in hope not fear! The good news of Easter is so good that we should continue to celebrate Christ’s resurrection long after the rest of the world (having eaten the last of the Peeps and chocolate rabbits) is thinking about the next holiday. Remembering Easter and the events that followed should be an important part of our spiritual lives—not just for the 50 days of Eastertide—but all year long. As Augustine of Hippo said, “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our hymn of praise!” Let us be Easter people all year long. Alleluia!
In my last post, I pondered why Jesus chose the men he did as his apostles. As we enter Holy Week and the events leading to the Lord’s arrest and crucifixion, I wonder specifically about Judas Iscariot. We don’t know what Jesus saw in Judas when he was chosen as one of the twelve or even what was in Judas’ heart in the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. We only know that discontent, ambition, and greed had entered his treacherous heart by the end.
We know Jesus prayed all night before choosing His Apostles. What made Him select those twelve men for His inner circle? Perhaps Andrew and John, having previously been disciples of John the Baptizer, were primed for the arrival of the Messiah but why did Jesus choose Andrew’s brother Simon/Peter and John’s brother James? Jesus called John and James the “Sons of Thunder,” implying they were bold, rash, and quick to anger. Why would Jesus choose them rather than men more even-tempered and less impetuous? For that matter, why four fishermen instead of students of the Torah? You don’t have to know how to cast a net to go fishing for people!
Jeremiah told the exiles to work and pray for their captors. He explained that it was the shalom (well-being, peace, health, success, safety, and welfare) of their captors that they would ensure Judah’s shalom. For a people who’d been torn from their homeland and Temple, I expect it was difficult to understand how seeking Babylon’s prosperity would help them; but, it did!
Jeremiah’s instructions to work and pray for the welfare of Babylon was a unique and completely unprecedented concept in the ancient world. Rather than praying for retaliation and Babylon’s collapse, God commanded them to pray for their Babylonian captors and work for the peace and prosperity of the land! Rather than rebels and a source of trouble and insurrection, the exiles were to become reliable and valuable members of the community. It seems they took God’s command to heart.
Jeremiah 29 consists of two letters written by the prophet to the exiles in Babylon. The first (29:1-28) was sent to the recently deported elders, priests, and prophets as well as to King Jehoiachin, his mother, and the officials, craftsmen, and artisans who’d been taken as Nebuchadnezzar’s captives several years earlier. Countering the message of the false prophets promising a quick return to Jerusalem from Babylon, Jeremiah bluntly told the exiles that Israel’s captivity would last seventy years. This was unwelcome news and, preferring to believe comforting lies rather than the painful truth, people accused Jeremiah of being crazy and a false prophet. The second letter in this chapter addresses one of his accusers.
