A Strange Kind of Glory Easter 2006
Introduction
Last Sunday early in the morning I was walking the dogs on Horsenden Hill. The early morning sun shone brightly in a clear blue sky. As I walked first in one direction then another I reflected on how different it felt walking towards the sun with shadows behind me and walking with the sun warming my back but casting deep shadows in front.
As I was dwelling on this I was also thinking about Holy Week and that fateful journey of Jesus into Jerusalem. From reading the gospels we have a sense of the resolute way in which Jesus journeyed. Almost a sense of grim determination to see the whole horrific events through to the bitter end. We also gain a sense, especially from John’s gospel, that Jesus saw beyond the agony and seeming defeat of the cross to the triumph that lies beyond. John refers to the whole Easter event from crucifixion to Ascension in terms of glory: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” John 12:23 , “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in Him” John.13:31 and “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you” John 17:1. How can we view the cross in terms of glory?
In most of my imagining of that awe -full scene on Golgotha, such light as there is shines from behind the cross casting a deep shadow. How different might it appear if the light of resurrection hope and the Father’s affirming, agonising love shone into the face of Jesus. The head which ultimately sags as the Spirit of life deserts Him, held high in anticipation of glory
It seems strange to us to speak of death in terms of glory, this is because we see things so much from a physical, human perspective. For Jesus death was painful, agonising and deeply distressing but in the end it wasn’t terminal. Make no mistake Jesus was a real flesh and blood man who died a real death, whatever else you may say about the film “The Passion of Christ” this much was clear.
It is equally clear that death was not the end. Something happened that first Easter morning. In Mark’s gospel we have but a tantalising glimpse of what happened. The women coming early to the tomb find that the stone has been rolled away and they encounter an angel who tells them “He has risen. He is not here!”
Not surprisingly they flee in a state of bewilderment. What could this mean – He has risen? Now the disciples had witnessed Jesus raising people from the dead on at least three occasions outlined in the gospels – was this a similar thing? Was this the answer to the taunts of the Jewish authorities “He saved others why doesn’t he save himself?” Whilst those raisings from the dead give a foretaste of whtat would happen to Jesus hose people all went on to die again – Jairus’ daughter, the son of the widow of Nain and Lazarus – whereas Jesus didn’t.
What Jesus experienced was not simply a restoring to the same life that he had before but resurrection to a new life with a new, resurrection body. There was recognisable continuity but radical transformation. Paul uses the analogy of seed – planting 1Cor 15: 35-49
Application
Here then is the glory of Easter. God has raised Jesus from the dead and because He conquered death we too can share in that victory. Allelujah!