The Body has gone!

The most powerful Being helpless, on a cross, portrayed like a lamb being sacrificed. Another enigma of the Christian faith. Unlimited power relinquished, and like a lamb, allowing himself to be crucified – and all for my benefit, for our benefit.

”I have purposely portrayed myself as a lamb. Held captive and falsely accused, I chose not to retaliate but to submit to the unreasonable, unfair, farce of a trial, so that my purposes would be accomplished. So, whenever you see or think about a lamb – think absolute submission for your personal sake. But don’t stop there, I have also called myself the lion of Judah, a picture of the king of all the animals. I have risen from that grave and taken up my full power again, Lord and King of all creation. And My rule and power is all available to my people. You too, as we build my kingdom together”.

Jesus, the most remarkable man ever to have lived is dead. Was He just a “Super prophet”? Or was He more than that? There have been many prophets in the history of the Israeli nation who died and that was part of their history. What was going to be different here? These questions must have been churning around in the minds of the disciples. Jesus had on several occasions warned them that the Son of Man MUST die and will be raised again after 3 days. Yet hearing, they didn’t hear. Just like we so often do when we read the scriptures or have it taught to us. So Jesus often will go over to action to wake us up to the reality of what He has said.

So today we enter into the new reality of the world after Jesus’ physical death on the cross. I am reading John 20:1- 9. These scenes are so familiar that we need to stop and take stock that we don’t miss the thread of the story, as it unfolds.

According to John the first person to reach the tomb was Mary Magdalene. Interesting. The body had been taken down from the Cross and buried by two respected Jewish elders who had both become believers in Jesus. But what a contrast, the fact that the tomb was empty was discovered by Mary Magdalene. Remember who she was? She was a loose woman (maybe a prostitute) who Jesus had rescued. In that male dominated society no woman had any standing. Yet Jesus chose her, of the lowest caste to be the first to discover the empty tomb. His whole ministry had shown that He had come to rescue the lost and restore them to full shalom in Himself. What a lovely way of showing the extent of His ministry. He has come for the sake of everyone here on earth, especially the lost and hopeless, the poor and destitute. Yet the more affluent and educated were also part of His plan.

After running to tell Peter they return and are astonished to not only find that the tomb was empty, but that the grave clothes were neatly folded up. Such an important detail. Remember the raising of Lazarus? When Jesus called him out of the tomb he was still wrapped in the grave cloths 11:44. Clearly what had happened here was on a different level. A level where everything was carefully under control. Notice that John thinks this detail is important by giving it so much space in his gospel story.

Then in vs 8 “the other disciple”, presumably John himself, arrives. He enters the tomb and there is a remarkable statement: “He believed”. But what did he believe? I think he just believed, at this point that the body was gone. You see ultimate, saving faith seems to have only dawned on all the disciples at the end of this chapter. But whatever is the case virtually every person who comes to a saving faith often goes through steps of belief before full understanding and saving faith comes. And even then we all only see through a glass darkly now and will finally understand when we are face to face with our Saviour.

What is important to us, the reader is that all this, and the following detail should deeply convince us of the truth of the events being described here.

May God bless you all for this coming week

He is really dead.

Singing the precious hymn: “How great thou art”, which has become a favourite since Emily‘s passing from this world. When I come to the final stanza: “When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation and lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart”, I am reminded that those words were being sung when Em took her last breath and answered his call to take her home. Tears flow, tears of sadness and tears of joy; what a privilege it is to know she is now with him in the heavenly Jerusalem.

“That final destination should be the ultimate focus of each one’s hope, who loves Me. Paul quite rightly said: “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men”. What is now unseen to the eye of the ordinary person, is seen by faith by the children of the kingdom, and will become each one’s reality into eternity. You are in this world, but not of it and actually aliens and strangers, but in the “New Heaven and the New Earth” you will have come home and will belong completely.”

The last paragraph of ch 19 in John’s gospel, ch (19:38-42) may appear to be a passing remark to complete the story of the crucifixion, but it is actually a very important detail. Notice how much detail is given here compared to the bare “Here they crucified Him” (19:18), which describes the act that is the focal point of God’s whole story.

So why is it so important? It is to complete and emphasise the statement in vs 30: “With that He gave up His Spirit”. Although it was on the cross that Jesus did His huge work of redemption, this would not have been proved real without His resurrection. Throughout the book of Acts, the early Christian’s testified to the one central fact, that changed their lives that Christ had risen from the dead. Over time many people have tried to suggest and prove that Jesus did not really die. That He was merely in a sort of swoon or coma when they took Him down off the cross.

As we look at the detail in this section we also see God’s complete control in the preparation for this act. Two prominent Jewish figures, with sufficient stature, were prepared by God to take Jesus’s body to a new grave. They would have had to have sufficient authority to approach Pilate for permission and to override the objections of all the other senior Pharisees and scribes.

The preparations of the body, described in detail, wrapped in strips of cloth and embalmed with 75 pounds of myrrh and aloe. It is inconceivable that Jesus could still have survived this even if He was alive when He was taken down. We already have the description of the soldier piercing His side and water and blood running out. Now we have this pierced body, bruised and torn by repeated beatings, with His hands and feet pierced by huge nails, wrapped up like a mummy. Was He alive all the time? Did He have the strength to wriggle His way out? I think we all agree the evidence shouts that He was actually dead.

To the first time reader of this gospel, the night was dark, everything seemed lost, yet the world was poised for the greatest, most supernatural miracle of all time when the new dawn would burst forth and a new era would begin – the gospel era. The era where the New Covenant of God with His people started.

Before we close, let us take a step back and look at the bigger picture. The bible story starts in Genesis with the greatest catastrophe of all time, Adam’s failure to fulfil his role, on behalf of all mankind to have a relationship with God. It happened in a garden. Here, at great cost the betrayal is reversed, also in a garden. The fully obedient One, with the perfect relationship with the Father is laid, the “First Fruit” of all those who will have a relationship with the Father into the future. Great Symbolism, since relationship seems to be the goal of Jehovah.

My heart is filled with thankfulness as I consider this great sacrifice, for me personally, but for each one of you also individually and personally. God bless till next week.

Death, but not the end.

I feel totally encompassed by your love. Completely safe knowing your faithfulness and purpose that you are working in all things. Both in my life and those around me towards an ultimate goal which is focused ultimately on Your glory.

”As you have been singing Psalm 139, you know My eyes, My hand, My heart are focused on you, the one I created to be exactly as you are. I have led you along a path specifically designed for you all these years. When you have wandered I have lovingly wooed you back to Me. Now, as the years gather, I am taking you forward where you will meet Me and experience My glory and My glory will be revealed in you. Bathe in that knowledge and feel completely secure – nothing can separate you from My love”

The end of the suffering of His earthly life is now imminent. What does John want us to learn about these last moments. Let’s read John 28-37.

Once again what is happening here is clearly linked to the Old Testament. Firstly the small detail about Jesus being offered a drink when He says He is thirsty. It is easy to miss the symbolism of the wine vinegar being offered to Him on a stalk of Hyssop. Hyssop plays quite a varied and interconnected role in the OT. Here the link is with the Passover. Moses instructed the Israelites to paint the blood of the lambs on the doorframes using a bunch of hyssop. Hyssop symbolises purification for instance in Psalm 51:7 where David asks for purging with Hyssop. So this little act, mentioned here connects Jesus’ death to the protection from judgement symbolised in the Passover story as well as His role in the purification of those who will trust in Him.

Then, His well-known statement in vs 30,”It is finished”. The Greek word “teleo” is perhaps better translated “it has been completed or accomplished”. This denotes the firm statement that the whole purpose of Jesus’ mission to earth has reached completion with His death on the cross. As passive as Jesus has appeared, we see Him actively giving up His life in the end (vs 30), showing that even here at the end He is in control.

The next verses, 31-36 are devoted to showing how everything that was happening to Him had been prophesied, carefully explaining how His bones were not broken and His side pierced (Exodus 12:46, Psalm 34:20, Zech. 12:10).

Reading this passage I was again enthralled with the way that God’s story has unfolded from the very beginning of the Bible. It is a reminder of the importance of reading the OT to see how everything unfolds according to God’s plan. Ultimately it is all about God. It is His story. But it does not end with Him. While it starts with Him and focuses on Him, it finally boils down to His interaction with us. His creation, with us in the centre are for His glory and enjoyment, but He is intimately involved with each one of us. Psalm 8 reminds us, “What is man that you are mindful of him?“ and of course the wonderful Psalm 139, I was singing earlier.

This all brings me great comfort, knowing how central we are in His plans and that we are intimately bound up with them and kept secure till we go to be with Him.

Blessings till I see you all next week.

The Key Moment in God’s Plan.

You lead me beside still waters and make me lie down in green pastures, you restore my soul, your tender mercies follow me all the days of my life. I will trust in you alone as I stand before another year of life you have gifted me.

”You have been and still are a precious sheep in my flock of lovers, bound for the eternal home I have prepared for all of you. Your loved ones who have preceded you wait for you to join them so that you all can relish the ultimate pleasure together. Time, not restricted, with Me in My presence. Time to enjoy the best I have for you. Time to enjoy Me who represents the best you could ever inherit and enjoy. Your love is precious and I continue to cultivate it as I woo you into a deeper and deeper relationship with Me.”

As we read today’s passage, John 19:16-27, we should have the sense of entering a holy space, observing and participating in the key moment of God’s entire plan for humanity coming together. The moment when Jesus opened the way for us to the Father in heaven, so momentous that the earth shook.

The story is so familiar to every Christian that we may miss some of the subtle points. So let me make some observations:

The actual act of crucifixion is described in 1 verse, vs 18. Compared to that 4 verses describing the name under which He was condemned: “The King of the Jews”. Then a further 2 verses describing the dividing up of Jesus’s clothing and 3 verses describing the role of the women and His care for His mother.

So what was John wanting us to hear?

Jesus is described as carrying His own cross. No mention of help. Presumably this is to emphasise His loneliness. He is facing this enormous task now without any human support. Then, crucified between two criminal strangers. Have you ever felt you are facing difficulties on your own, no friendly support, only those who seem against you or are indifferent? Jesus has been there.

The fact that He is crucified with criminals and then the detailed description of how His clothes were divided up is clearly emphasised, to link with some of the prophecies in the OT. (Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53) Both those chapters are devoted to the explanation of what is happening here before the eyes of the people who had received these promises and before our eyes. It is John’s way of explaining the whole purpose of that terse statement “Here they crucified Him”.(vs 18)

Beside this purpose, it is also a reminder of how God has planned everything that is happening, down to the last detail. And it is all working out, despite the fact that the people involved were antagonistic towards Him. And as we stand back we need to remind ourselves that if we had been there we would have been among the mob crying “Crucify, crucify!” Because that is the only way we could ultimately be saved.

But standing further back as we view this whole scene, there is a huge comfort. No matter how dire our circumstances are, God IS in control of them. These are not just nice words, this passage again reminds us of that reality.

Then finally the picture of the women. What a beautiful reminder of the role you, my dear sisters, play in our lives and in the unfolding Kingdom. The emotional makeup and faithful love you show is a massive encouragement to how God has balanced the kingdom membership and reminds us of your unmissable role and place in our kingdom lives. The touching words of Jesus to John to look after His mother are a fitting end to the chapter reminding us of His continued, tender compassion.

May this reading be a real encouragement to you all during these cold, grey days as we remind ourselves of God’s intimate care and knowledge of ourselves.