Easter 2025

Reflection

The fact of the Resurrection of Christ Jesus is an historical truth. So let’s consider what it means for all who believe in Christ Jesus.

Firstly it reminds us of death. Now, some say death is a finality. You are born and you are, you die and you are not. But the resurrection shows us that we continue to be after we die. Death is not a final ending.

There were two others crucified with Jesus. One asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus blessed him with a great promise:

I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise.

But not everyone will be with Christ in Paradise. The other one sneered at Jesus and mocked Him. God is a God of invitation not compulsion. If people don’t want to live with Christ Jesus now, God will not force them to do so after they die.

Paradise is a place of Sabbath-rest. In Matthew c11 Jesus invites all people to the Gospel: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.’ Ultimately that rest is fully realised in Paradise, rest from our burdens, our weariness, our work.

But wonderful as Paradise will be, it is only a halfway house. There is a life after the life of Paradise. For, while our soul and spirit is in Paradise our flesh and blood bodies are still suffering death in their graves. Summarising Paul's thought: our bodies of perishable flesh and blood cannot inherit the imperishable. Rather our bodies sown in death will be raised up, reunited with our soul and spirit, in a new imperishable, spiritual body made in the likeness of Christ Jesus.

Christ’s resurrection is a promise of our resurrection into new life in God’s new creation. In a new heaven and a new earth, joined in one. God will dwell with us and we will be His people. We will no longer suffer death or mourning or crying or pain – aches and arthritis, colds and covids, feebleness and falls, wars and worries. Instead we will flourish in fullness of life, love, joy and peace.

Did you ever drive to visit a friend at night on a way you were not sure off? A way that brought you to a cross-roads where you were unsure which way to turn. One way led to your friends home and a wonderful time. But the other would not, leaving you with an evening of loss and sorrow. How good it would have been if you had had someone with you who knew the way.

As with drives so with our lives. Death takes us to a cross-roads, but the way of life we enter after death life depends on the way we live before death. All who live with Jesus before death will enter Paradise and then resurrection life in the new creation. That's the Gospel Good News. Now is the day to rejoice in that promise. But this is also the Day of Negative News: Those who will not put their trust in Jesus will perish. [see John's Gospel chapter 3 verse 16 and after.] Challenged by that; upset by that? Don't take it up with me, take it up with Jesus.

Yet, there the Good News Hope is that it’s never too late to receive that promise. Think again of the two others crucified with Jesus. One is now in Paradise. In the last hours of his life he entrusted his life to Jesus. Anyone can be like him. Now is the day you can turn to Him. Now you can receive the promise of eternal life in Paradise rest and resurrection blessing in the New Creation. Amen.