The Living Christ
Musings from the Garden
By Peggy Wyar
Luke 24:1-5 “On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”’
This month we are commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus, our Savior and the cornerstone of our faith. The Scripture in Luke 24:1-5 tells the story of the women who went to the tomb of Jesus after the Sabbath to anoint His Body for burial. They found the tomb empty. They were perplexed, but two messengers from God told them that Jesus had risen. The angels then asked the women this question, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?’
This is a question I have been considering for awhile. Where would we find the dead? - In a cemetery or a crypt. Where do we find the living? - amongst other ones who are living. Our God is alive and His presence is evident in His Body, the Church. If we look to other religions and ask their followers the question “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”, the answers would be varied.
Buddha was cremated at Ramabhar Stupa and his ashes distributed to various places in India. He is not considered a god because Buddhism is atheistic. People follows his teachings to gain enlightenment, but still depend on their own efforts to achieve this.
Krishna was shot by an arrow and died in Bhalka Tirth in Gujarat, India. His followers are Hindu and have many other dead gods that they honor.
The prophet Mohammed died in 632 AD and was buried in Medina, Saudi Arabia. He is honored by Muslims as the greatest prophet of allah. Their religious text was supposedly delivered to men by Mohammed, and their followers strive to adhere to the principals found in it.
As Christians we worship a Holy God who is still very much alive. He is the unlimited, all knowing, almighty Creator of everything, and He has chosen to make Himself known to us through His Word and through Jesus. We needed an advocate, and Jesus is that for us. He took our sin, received the just punishment for it and became our High Priest so we could be reconciled with God. Our salvation is a gift, not one that we could ever earn on our own.
Hebrew 7:24-25 “but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
Because of His resurrection we are given new life. Death is no longer “the end” for us. In this Revelation of John, Jesus declares his victory and authority over death and over the devil:
Revelations 1:17-18 “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”’
Jesus lives forever. He has always been and always will be the Eternal God. We can be secure in our hope for eternal life, if we believe and receive His most gracious gift of redemption from sin and new life with Him. Let’s remember this as we celebrate this Easter season.
Hebrew 10:19-23 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
Rejoice, Jesus is alive!