| The next full week looks like it will be a 'carry-over' kind of devotion. Alison's material is important as he begins commenting on death, resurrection and sin. So that means I may be simply adding to quotes noted here. So we have a first step in the recasting of God by the demonstration of the impossibility of perceiving God within the frame of reference structured by death. This, if you like, is a step made by the "fact" of the resurrection: that is, in the midst of history, this man who was dead is now alive. The second step is made by the "content" of the resurrection: that this man who was dead is now alive. God loved this man, who was killed in such and such a way as a result of such and such human motivations, thus confirming his teaching and revealing the iniquity of what put him to death. We could come up with a list of reasons why Jesus was put to death. Within those reasons, we would have a whole list of good reasons according to the rules and laws of the day that have a way of letting us know who is good and who is not. Such rules - are good within their limited space. So here is this man who is put to death because according to the rules of empire and the wink-wink, nod-nod of religious authorities, he is not good for the rest of the people. And yet, in the midst of what what is deemed good in the empire and holy in the religious community turns out to be that which is not a part of the love that God sees exemplified in Jesus - God in the flesh. Resurrection is the upfront and bold acclamation that Jesus is beloved - even when the world cannot and will not take his life to be one that is beloved of God. The resurrection is a statement of approval of Jesus' life ("Yes") and an in-your-face "no" to the powers that attempted to put an end to this love in life. Connection: Resurrection brings a life back to life - among us. We are not people who simply listen to a story, we are people who, like this man, become the story of God's love. Lord of the Resurrection, transform us by your loving and eternal embrace. Amen. |
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