As the dust settles

The anticipation of the Resurrection has been fulfilled. We arrived at this glorious reminder on Sunday morning. It is a miraculous sign of Hope in our world filled with darkness and fear. When the followers of Jesus thought that evil and death had won, God revealed his ultimate hand and raised Jesus from the dead. 

This miracle will keep perplexing us, just as it did the first eyewitnesses, but when the dust settles, we will need to live with conviction and belief. Of course, not all of us are like Simon Peter or John - some of us are more inclined to be like Thomas - but we are all given the choice to 'see and believe.' 

For the followers of Jesus, he is not a dead hero, but a living person. It would be very sad to follow someone who had their 5 minutes of fame but then faded into history. The story of Jesus is far more remarkable than that - and we are invited to witness to this miracle. 

For this to take place, I believe we all need an encounter with the Lord - this is where we are moved to faith. This is my prayer for you - may we all experience the Risen Lord.

Matthew 28:6 - He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.

He is Risen indeed!

Living in Grace

D3LM3

A thought for Ascension Day

The world may not stop to remember the significance of Ascension Day, but as Christians, we really should understand the powerful meaning of this day. In Acts 1, we see that Jesus 'ascended' into heaven, as a clear moment of coronation and victory. Jesus did not simply disappear, or stop appearing to his disciples, but rather ascended to the right hand of the Father. 

I know it seems hard to fully comprehend, but I do believe that this was witnessed by his followers and the testimony passed on to others. 

⁹ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” - Acts 1

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, preaching under the shadow of Nazi oppression, once said: “The Ascension is the promise that the world belongs not to chaos but to Christ.”

Question: What does the Ascension mean for you?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The last thing

I came across a very moving quote this week which has added immense depth to my reflections on Easter. It reminds me of the central message of the cross and resurrection.

"Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing." - Frederick Buechner

Paul said the same thing, albeit in a different way:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

May you have a blessed Easter weekend.

He is Risen.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Ending so there can be another beginning

Ascension Day is always marked 40 days after Easter Sunday and this year it is on the 10th May. It has become a somewhat forgotten religious holy-day for many Christians, but in my opinion it should be remembered for it's deep significance. Christ's ascension into heaven marks the ending of his earthly ministry and the fulfilment of his promise to return to the Father. This significant 'ending' also marks the BEGINNING of the age of the Holy Spirit, officially starting at Pentecost.

 

Psalm 47:5 - God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.

 

 Hebrews 4:14 -[ Jesus the Great High Priest ] Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

 

Whether we take Ascension Day as a holiday (holy-day) or not, it is worth reflecting on the image of Jesus seated at the right hand of the Father interceding for us and sending the promised Holy Spirit. As in all Life, there needs to be a significant Ending, in order for there to be a new Beginning.

 

Living in Grace

D3LM3