David Bahn - Reflections

I'm not sure I really understand Jesus' bodily resurrection. I confess belief in it each Sunday. "I believe in the resurrection of the body," we say in the Apostle's Creed. That's based on Jesus' bodily resurrection which we also confess in the Creed, "the third day he rose again from the dead." How that's possible, and what it looked like remains a mystery. But just because something is a mystery does not mean it's untrue.

I believe in the resurrection of the body, and look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. It's a mystery. And I believe it.

Jesus' presence itself didn't enlighten the disciples, although surely it did help. It seems, however, that it was as Jesus broke bread with these two disciples the light went on. Maybe it was a flashback to the Upper Room that opened their eyes. Perhaps they hadn't previously recognized Jesus because his appearance was altered from what it had been before. Could be that their sadness and disappointment had clouded their vision. But something changed in that moment. And new excitement, hope, and purpose shaped their hearts and lives from that time on.

Maybe you're ready for a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit. God may be ready to open your eyes to some deeper understanding of his grace and truth. There may be a moment in your future when the disappointment, grief, or discouragement will be replaced with a new vision of God's faithfulness, love, and power. If...or when!...it happens, do what they did: Tell your friends and loved ones. And rejoice in the Good News of God.

One of my great privileges as a pastor is to speak similar words to the people who gather for worship: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. I hope the people who hear these words are happy to hear them not only because they signal the end of the worship service, but because this heartfelt blessing offers a gift from God that calms their hearts and brings them comfort and courage.

The disciples who heard Jesus' greeting of peace certainly did need both comfort and courage. I do too. How about you?

God had in mind the redemption of the whole world. And Jesus was committed to that vision. It cost him his life. It meant that his followers were disappointed. It wasn't his fault, but it was his burden to carry. And so as he joins them on the road, they are deep in conversation. And he begins probing. What are you talking about? Who is this one?

And he will do far more. He will reveal himself to them. He will warm their hearts with the grace and truth that pours from the essence of his being. He will secure their hopes in something far better than they thought they had lost.

Maybe we do that as well. Maybe we sell God short. Maybe we settle for too little. Or worse, maybe we don't recognize the fullness of God's redeeming love in the face of the dark valleys and disappointing turns of events. Maybe we need to check ourselves when our WPD quotients are high, and pause to listen to Jesus. He has something very good to say. Worth every moment of silence it requires of us to hear it.

How silly it was for these two to ask whether Jesus was the only one who did not know. Better we remember the saying by Francis Rossow, a professor at Concordia Seminary, "We know precious little about God. But the little we know is precious."

Some say that the church ought to interpret Scripture. Others say the individual should interpret Scripture. I say let Scripture interpret Scripture. And Jesus as the Word made flesh is certainly best qualified to enlighten our understanding of what God's word actually says. Hint, hint...it points to him!

The central message of the Bible is the love of God shown fully and graciously in Jesus Christ. His death was the proof of that grace. His resurrection was proof of his glory. I don't want to miss that. Jesus does not want us to miss it either.

Right now I’m basking in the Easter joy afterglow. But there will come times of confusion, discouragement, and disappointment. Thank God Jesus shows up. Thank God he’s more faithful than my weak faith. Some difficult things may be necessary. But Jesus reigns. For me, now this is enough.

On this Easter Sunday, I offer Walter Wangerin, Jr's allegory of Christ as a ragman. Wangerin is a gifted author who provides in this allegory a picture of Jesus taking our sorrows, sins, shame, and sickness all upon himself. And giving us his righteousness and life in exchange. We who are baptized into Christ have clothed ourselves in Christ (Galatians 3:27). 

Let's look at the Seven Words of Jesus from the cross on this Good Friday:

Each of these express terrible agony, deep love, and redemptive purpose. The saying I go to more often than the others, is recorded in both Matthew and Mark. It is the only one recorded in both gospels. And it speaks of a pain we do not have to bear because Jesus stood in for us. And, although it is a grave lament, and expresses an unfathomable sense of abandonment, it also expresses faith. For in the hour that God abandoned Jesus, Jesus still calls him, "My God." His God. He has been abandoned. But he will not abandon God.

That's good for us who wish to claim Jesus' righteousness as our own. And that is exactly what we do when we put our faith in Jesus. We claim his righteousness. His robe of righteousness is given to us in baptism (Galatians 3:27).