What Would Jesus Do?
Resurrection Sunday is the Super Bowl of Christianity. It is the basis of the Christian faith. While there are some who focus on the crucifixion of Christ, I choose to focus on the resurrection. This is where true faith is required, and power can be received. I’m sure most of you reading this article know the Easter story, so I will not retell it here. However, you can read the story in all four of the Gospels. This article focuses on a few things Jesus did during the Easter story that are great lessons for us today.
First lesson: Jesus understood who opposed him. In John 19: 11, Jesus told Pilate, “The one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” We need to understand where our true opposition lies. Brothers and sisters are being placed on opposing sides for the color of our skin, our political party, and our religious beliefs, when the true opposition is those who capitalize off our division. (Let that sink in).
Second lesson: Jesus questioned God. In Matthew 27:45, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some people think we are not to question God, but that is exactly what Jesus did. I believe his questioning God was a testament to the relationship Jesus had with God. We need relationship, not religion. We should talk to God about everything. There is nothing off-limits. Stop carrying those burdens in secret and silence and take them to God. Scream out if you need to.
Third lesson: Jesus forgave those who crucified him. Yes, I believe he could have come down from the cross. However, that doesn’t negate the fact that Jesus was arrested without cause, disrespected, humiliated, tormented, and murdered. And yet, in Luke 23:34, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” No matter what anyone has done to you, you must learn to forgive them, especially if that person is you. The best quote I have ever heard about forgiveness is from Anne Lamott “Not forgiving somebody is like drinking rat poison and then waiting for the rat to die.
Fourth lesson: Jesus got up! My favorite Easter song is Oh What Love by Vickie Winans. Here are the lyrics of the vamp.
They hung Him high; they stretched Him wide
He hung His head for me He died
That’s love, that’s love
That’s not how the story ends
For in three days, He rose again
That’s love, that’s love.
This may be controversial, but I feel led to write it anyway. Jesus never taught that He was different from you and me. I haven’t read that Jesus started His sermons by saying, Giving Honor to God, I am Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit and the ONLY begotten son of God.” We all have the same Christ consciousness within us. We all have access to that same power. Don’t just think of resurrection as coming back from a physical death (even though I know there are people who have). Use that resurrection power to come back from a broken heart, bankruptcy, foreclosure, unemployment, the death of a loved one, and anything else that has you wanting to give up on life. I know life can be difficult and that adulting is hard, but the power of God that works inside of us is greater than anything that we will face.
Happy Resurrection Day to you and your family!