Easter Day, April 20, 2003
Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9; Psalm 118:14-29 or 118:14-17, 22-24; Col. 3:1-4 or Acts 10:34-43; Mark 16:1-8.
The Easter story raises for us questions about our focus. What do we focus on? How do we see the world? Does the story of the resurrection of Jesus in any way affect the way we perceive reality? If we focus on the resurrection as a central truth, does it change our perspective?
We live in a culture that tends to be of two minds about the resurrection. First, we tend to discount the story because we believe that we are too educated and enlightened to maintain what we are sure are primitive beliefs. Yet at the same time we long to know that resurrection to eternal life is certain and that it is our destiny as God’s children to love and worship him in eternity.
The idea of bodily resurrection was probably no less believable in the time of Christ. The women who went to the grave early that Sunday morning were certainly expecting to find a body and the disciples hiding in fear seemed to have no anticipation of a resurrection. This in spite of Jesus clearly telling them in advance what would happen (Mark 8:31-32; 10:32-34). Everyone in the story flees in fear and astonishment at what they discover. It sounds very much like the reactions any one of us might have 2,100 years later.
Perhaps the reason that Paul exhorts the Colossians to seek the things that are above is because the improbability of the resurrection was as much a stumbling block then as it is now. In this passage, however, Paul points the church to a reality that is bigger than an earthy experience. If we belong to the risen Christ, if we’ve been raised with him to a new life, we must see things differently, from a heavenly perspective the way our Lord did.
This new perspective is otherworldly, heavenly, Godly, and therefore not bound by the rules dictated by nature. Rather it is bound by the rules of the One who created nature. But it must be our focus. Our world view is affected by what we focus on and what we choose to see. If we choose to see the world through the lens of the resurrection, it will look more full of joy, peace, and hope than we could imagine.
A number of years ago Sports Illustrated did a profile on Bill Cowher, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The author was commenting on the coach’s tremendous focus and how it affected his world view. Knowing that he could not focus on everything at once, he selected two priorities: His football team and his family. He didn’t do endorsements or commercials or talk shows. It was all football and family. This choice to be focused meant that he had a different perspective on the world. Once, at a community lunch, he was seated next to a woman and he asked her what she did for living. She replied, “I’m the mayor of Pittsburgh!”
Being focused on the resurrection means that some of the things the world says are important will not be visible to us. Seeking the things that are above means seeing the things that are below from a different perspective.
Look It Up
How does 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 illuminate the idea of seeing the world differently because of the resurrection ?
Think About It
What in my life keeps me from focusing on what is truly important?
Next Sunday
Second Sunday of Easter, April 27, 2003
Acts 3:12a, 13-15, 17-26 or Isaiah 26:2-9, 19; Psalm 111 or 118:19-24; 1 John 5:1-6 or Acts 3:12a, 13-15, 17-26; John 20:19-31.
