The love that called Jesus out of the grip of death and into life, out of the back of the tomb, out of the darkness into eternal light.......
that is the same love that God expressed when God created all that exists. It is a love so powerful that its expression is life, its goal is life, its being is life. The same love that broke the bonds of this earth will break those bonds again when it calls each and everyone one created by God out of the tomb of fear and into the new life which is life in God.
Jesus was certain God's love was sufficient to call him out of the tomb and into resurrection. Jesus was certain it could and it would. Jesus' presence among us is to remind us and to make us certain it can and it will. This is resurrection love: it is powerful and it is life giving.
That isn't to say that it is easy. Loving another into resurrection is demanding work.
It's not just that the tomb is dark and deep, but we cling to its walls, refusing to let go of the very things that hold us captive. We see the light and dismiss it as a figment of someone's imagination, a false hope, a dead end.....without ever seeing the irony of our own image of 'dead end.'
We wrestle with the gift of life. In order to pick up the life offered by God we must put down the weight of all that burdens us, wounds us, wounds others, drains the goodness out of us and leaves us without the energy to claim the life that is offered.
We argue with the gift of life. When we look around us we can see no sensible order; seems some folks are way ahead on the 'light of life' game. We get angry when the wounds of others crash into us and we are wounded as well. We get so angry we pickup our weapon of choice: jealousy or revenge or even building higher walls so we can 'protect' ourselves....when in fact we are locking ourselves away.We reject the gift of life because it is offered to folks we think are unworthy with words like immoral. We slap at the hands of those who offer to lead us into the light.
Jesus is God's concrete call to all of creation to come out of the tomb and live in the light. "Follow me," Jesus said as he offers to lead us to a better place, an eternal place.
Oh yes, and bring your friends. Tell them the story. Tell them your story. Invite them to walk with you on this journey called faith - not a journey into darkness but a journey into revealing light. Work with them, walk with them, hold fast to them, cajole them when necessary. Bring food for the journey and good hiking shoes because this is a stoney path.
Along the way you will begin to experience the very resurrection you seek. You will slough off that which kills and strive towards the love that Jesus incarnated. You will become love yourself and be the guide for others to Jesus' side.
That's what we're talking about. Resurrection love. Manifest in Jesus. Given to you. For you to share with others. It's so powerful that death will flee and only God will remain.
Like I said at the beginning, we're not talking about fairy dust and unicorns here. We're talking resurrection.
"Love one another. As I have loved you, love one another."
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