RESURRECTION HOPE

I’ve been noticing crosses like the one pictured here in recent years. It’s an old tradition called “Flowering the Cross.” It beautifully marries the new life of Easter and the new life of spring together. A barren cross stands outside the church for 40 days during Lent and is shrouded in black on Good Friday. But, on Easter it blossoms into life. It’s a nice image.

The resurrection of Jesus is new life entering the world. It is the core of Christian belief. But, what sort of effects does it really have in my present life? Does the resurrection simply mean that at the final judgement I will be raised with Christ? What does that even mean?

Christians since the beginning of the church have seen the resurrection as a present reality that changes life today. We’re going to spend the weeks between Easter and Pentecost (April 12-May31) looking at the various resurrection passages in John and looking for signs of resurrection life in our present reality.

Some reading recommendations on the resurrection during this season:

The Great Divorce, CS Lewis. Lewis calls this book a “recounting of a dream”. He imagines what it would be like to take a trip from hell to the gates of heaven. How might the conversations go? What might the terrain look like? It is a book that will capture your imagination and make you long for the presence of God that is promised for those who believe.

Surprised By Hope, NT Wright. This is the best modern book on the resurrection of Jesus, by far. In it, Wright seeks to answer two questions: 1. what happens when we die? and 2. what does the answer to that have to do with how we live now? It is one of the most beautiful and inspiring books I’ve ever read, especially the final few chapters.

This is a popularized version of his massive book, The Resurrection of the Son of God. And, even at a popular level, Surprised by Hope can still be intimidating. Wright is interacting with philosophy and in-depth theology. I’ve known some readers who have skipped chapters that went over their head. That’s fine! You should try this book, it will be a challenge but won’t disappoint you. I should also say, that while I take issue with some of Wright’s theology (especially about justification), that is a minor focus of this book, so you can feel confident in Wright’s biblical knowledge and theology.

May 3 - John 20:27

Jesus of the Scars

This is a beautiful poem by Edward Shilito (1872-1948). He was a Free Church minister in England during World War I. This poem was his way of grappling with how the power of Jesus, the suffering Savior, comforts us in depth of our suffering.

If we have never sought, we seek Thee now;
Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars;
We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow,
We must have Thee, O Jesus of the Scars.

The heavens frighten us; they are too calm;
In all the universe we have no place.
Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm?
Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars, we claim Thy grace.

If, when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near,
Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine;
We know to-day what wounds are, have no fear,
Show us Thy Scars, we know the countersign.

The other gods were strong; but Thou wast weak;
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.

May 10 - John 20:31

In today’s sermon, I mentioned Lesslie Newbigin. He was a wonderful Anglican theologian and someone you should get to know. In particular, his book Proper Confidence would be a real help for people struggling to work through how they can believe in Jesus in a world that demands certainty and skepticism.

May 24 - John 21:15-19

Today, I mentioned the various ways that people interpret the word choice in this passage. CS Lewis in is famous book, The Four Loves, uses this passage partially as justification for making a big deal of the nuances between words like agape and phileo. Many Evangelicals grew up with that understanding. Unfortunately, modern interpreters think that might be making too much of the nuances of the words and distracting us from the main point of this passage - the three-fold forgiveness and restoration of Peter. The point is God’s overwhelming grace for the biggest failures. The Four Loves is still a great book! That just isn’t the pint of this passage.

Here’s a short article that is really helpful by Michael Barber - Agape isn’t a magical word.