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The Resurrection
9 April 2009
We may not like it, but for the majority of folk this weekend won't hold much spiritual significance. Even the old joke that 'C of E' stands for 'Christmas and Easter' church attendance doesn't quite work, as the thoughts of most will centre on stopping the kids eating too much chocolate, worrying about family gatherings and wondering how to avoid the holiday traffic.
Given this, it's perhaps not surprising that the Archbishop of Westminster's attack on the Premier League for holding football fixtures on Easter Sunday hasn't met with much sympathy. As one Guardian commentator put it, this is "church leaders intent on trying to impose the observance of the festival on others who frankly would rather watch the footie." No doubt, we'll all know people who share these sentiments.
Isn't this, though, a fantastic opportunity to explain to people precisely why Easter is infinitely more significant than the football? Imagine if Christians up and down the country could get as excited and enthused about the story of the resurrection as the football fans cheering and screaming on Sunday. And even if football is not your thing, no doubt there are other interests that you can't stop talking about. The resurrection, though, is surely the most remarkable story - and there's so much we can say. It's the story of the impossible - a dead man rises.
It's the story of the ultimate triumph over evil, as God demonstrates his victory over Satan, and it's the ultimate story of love and forgiveness. And the resurrection isn't just a story that sits 2,000 years ago in history. It has meaning, power and hope for us today: meaning that should radically change the way we live our lives, power to transform the darkest situations, hope for even the most broken lives.
We're called to proclaim the resurrection, but we're also called to model it on a daily basis. The actions Jesus displayed at the crucifixion were radically counter-cultural: humility, service, sacrifice, gentleness, meekness and faithfulness to God in the face of extreme persecution - actions that caused those around him to discover who he was. When displayed in us, they can cause others to seek to find out why we follow Him. Such actions are often costly - they were for Jesus and we should expect them to be for us too. But ultimately, whatever the cost, because of Christ's resurrection "in all these things we are more than conquerors," (Romans 8:37) as the resurrection defeats evil and reveals God's power. And it's that same power that raised Jesus from the dead that is at work in us today. Now that is surely something worth sharing - and something that is worth getting far more excited about, even than the football.
Susannah Clark, Public Theology Researcher
Attention all bloggers: in light of our special Easter Slipstream edition, we're asking you to blog about Jesus' resurrection as part of a synchronised blogging day on April the 9th, which is Maundy Thursday. There are no parameters, but if you decide to participate please email us with your blog address at slipstream@eauk.org.
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(The views below are the authors', and not necessarily those of the Evangelical Alliance.)
| Written by David Young on 15 April 2009 at 14.23 |
| Phil C, he has long since decomposed. Where, only a time machine could show, but Gehenna (or the 'Valley of Hinnom') would not be too risky a bet. |
| Written by richard pickles on 15 April 2009 at 09.07 |
| Hi Susannah, Thanks for responding - that makes alot of sense. And thankyou Micha, I would value hearing more of what you mean by morally hazardous actions - I like the sound of that. Scripture seems to both critique any easy understanding of morality and make all actions plagued with meaning . I guess that for me that aspect of awe is something very much core to who I am in my faith. But in terms of how that is expressed, I suppose that the same faith compells me to seek out ways in which I may be being manipulative, coersive, using what power I have to force others to believe what I believe - and to break down such things. I think that I am strugling to understand the way Evangelicals want to engage in society (I seem to ask that question most weeks in various ways in responce to what Justin writes - I honestly just dont understand). For Christians to be upset that people are watching football on one of their religious holidays makes no sense to me? Why wouldnt they watch football - the day is not religiously important to them. As a Christian I agree with the Gaurdian commentator completely on this one. And what I fear is that deep down if Evangelicals could force religious observence, they would (in terms of Sunday shopping, stricter rules on sexual activity, school curriculams, how money is spent in aid giving etc etc). The ArchBishops statement brings out that fear. A sort of, 'this is a Christian country' type mentality (a Daily Mail view with Jesus tagged on). The history of Christians and power is a horrific one, I wouldnt want to return to that. And when I reflect on my own motives and desires I see that I desire to control and have power. For me part of the Christian walk is to keep repenting of such things. And yes, I totaly seek to express my faith to others, but it is a faith that needs to be broken of its need to control what others do - I thought? |
| Written by Bill Smith on 14 April 2009 at 15.44 |
| Yes, the chanting football fans!!! lost in adulation of their team. Convinced optimists no matter what the position of the team. fanatically loyal despite setbacks. Oh for a church which would even palely reflect that!!! Jesus rose from the dead. The most amazing and important event ever ion the history of life. The power that raised Him resident in those who know and love Him. Now that is worth shouting about!!!!! What is wrong with the church shouting out its praises?? we have something to shout about!!! Nobody else has such a reason to shout and celebrate. Perhaps if we shook off our stoic religiosity and embraced the reality of resurrection life we would see a different world. It has always puzzled me that if Jesus was not raised to life why the authorities did not produce the body and end the undermining preaching of the small group of "trouble makers" who began turning the world right way up!!! When you have met someone you know they are real. Not a character in a novel, no matter how novel the novel may be. Encountering Jesus is just such an experience. Not a thought. Not a philosophy. Not a religion, but a living relationship. You cannot have one of them with a dead carcass!! He certainly defeated evil in my heart and life. He has certainly revealed God's power in my life, and all on planet earth. That is something to shout about!!! Hallelu Yah. |
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