A couple weeks have now passed since Easter. Eventually, we get around to asking the question, “What now?” The news of Christ’s victory over death is fantastic! So how does that news translate to today? Do we go back to life as usual with jobs, soccer games, lawn mowing and Facebook? What is the day of Resurrection saying to us?
The risen Jesus met up with two travelers on the way to Emmaus. They didn’t recognize Jesus until he broke bread with them. Then he disappeared. The two travelers ran to the disciples and told the news of seeing the risen Jesus. All of a sudden, Jesus stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” They thought he was a ghost.
The idea of an existence after death was nothing new. A common philosophy then (as well as today) was the body was limited and bad. The soul was eternal and good. Death meant the soul being set free from its bondage. A resurrected body would have seemed rather disgusting to such a philosophy. So when Jesus appeared, he made it clear he wasn’t a ghost. Ghosts don’t have bones, flesh and scars. He ate some food to prove his physical nature. Jesus went on to explain that his risen presence before them was a fulfillment of what had been written in the Law of Moses, Prophets and Psalms.
We state that Jesus’ life, death and resurrection was the result his great love for us – this is absolutely true. His resurrection also declares that creation (declared good by God) would not be left to rot under the weight of our sin. The resurrection means that creation is being made new and restored to its goodness, no longer subject to decay and death.
After a couple thousand years, the opening question returns “What now?” Jesus said this to the disciples,
“Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
Luke 24:46-48
Repentance and forgiveness are necessary for relationships to flourish. We all know this from personal experience. Yes, it is important to hear it announced that our sins are forgiven and of our relationship with God. Yet, the risen Jesus had a physical body. Creation has not been abandoned. Everyday we learn of another mass shooting…Everyday the debasing of those from a different political perspective or race is heard…Everyday creation is subject to pollution and decay for no other reason than profit margin… Everyday we need to repent of our complicity of all the above so that forgiveness and relationships may once again be restored to goodness. This is what we do in light of the resurrection. This is the “What now?” as we wait for the work of resurrection to be completed in Christ.
Peace
What does it all mean... 
YES!
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