Sunday
April 28th 2019 2nd Sunday of Easter (Cycle C)
Two Sides of Jesus
The tie in
between today’s readings: Fear and Love
Today’s readings show two different sides of
Jesus. It demonstrates the healthy tension that we need in approaching our God.
He loves us and we love Him. This close relationship makes it easy to slip too
far into the familiar when we approach our Father. From there, we think that He
is just like us and we proceed to remake Him in our Mr. Rogers’ image. Contempt
creeps in and discipline from the Lord follows to remind us that He is God, not
our Bud. On the other hand, how can I even relate to a Being that is so totally
other? He doesn’t think like me. I don’t act like Him. He searches all thoughts
and judges with consequences. I ask myself, “Who is this Person that I am
commanded to fear and draw close to at the same time?" I think that C.S.Lewis
had it right in the Chronicle of Narnia, where
Aslan represents Jesus.
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“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion."
"Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I
shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said
Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But
he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”
In John 20:19-31, the
disciples are hunkered down, afraid for their collective lives, and confused
about all the fantastic happenings of this first Resurrection Sunday. Then, through the door-yes, through the door-comes Easter Jesus, the comfortably
mysterious Messiah they’ve all come to know and love. For their fear, Jesus
gives them His peace. For doubt, He offers them proof. He commissions them to go
out into the world with the gospel’s sin remedy message and gives them the Holy
Spirit’s power. His patience shines through when He comes back eight days later
to prove Himself to Thomas, who apparently was picking up the pizzas the time
before and missed out. And what happened?
In Acts 5:12-16, they are out preaching the gospel
and establishing their street creds. Peter had just finished his apostolic
prerogative of retaining sin with a drop dead judgment of Ananias and Sapphira. As a result the Bible records, “So great fear fell upon the church and all who heard it” (Acts 5:11). Do you
think? The Apostles healed so many people so dramatically that just having
Peter’s shadow fall on them was enough! Unclean spirits were exorcised. Their
reputation was spreading throughout the area and multitudes were being saved.
Churches were being established and there was a whole lotta love! Aaah, the
good old days!
The Apostle John was a young man then. Now he is
old and exiled on the Island of Patmos by the decree of Rome for of all things:
atheism. It has been a long hard road of perseverance and tribulation since the
Acts Chapter Five days. He had poured out his life testifying and preaching
God’s word around the Mediterranean region. Tired and ready to meet his Maker,
he is surprised when Jesus pays him a visit. But it’s not Last Supper Jesus,
the guy who let him lay on His bosom (John 13:23). It’s Glorified God
Jesus...Scary Jesus! It’s the Lord, the operations manager of His churches (Revelations Chapters 2 & 3). He is the Ancient of Days and the Son
of Man, in orhter words: God Almighty. He wears the white priestly robe
of righteousness. His all seeing eyes scrutinize everything. Nothing escapes
His gaze. His powerful voice speaks the sword sharp words of God, cutting
though soul and spirit as well as thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews
4:12). His face radiates with the glory that cannot be contained. Scared out of
his mind, the apostle couldn’t hit the deck fast enough; he falls at His feet
like a dead man. What does Jesus say?
“Don’t be afraid. I Am the first and the last, the One who has the keys
to death and Hades, I’m the One who died and Am alive forevermore...and because
I live you will live also.” Beloved, John, I have a job for you.
As believers, we need to keep the balance between
God our Father and God our Master. The Lord is both kind and severe (Romans
11:22, Psalm 118).Yes, He loves us. At the Last Supper, Jesus became the Lamb
of God who takes away the sins of the world. He died for us on Good Friday and
rose again on Easter Sunday, so that we may become children of God in Him by
faith. That’s not the end of it. God expects you to grow up and reflect who He
is in this world. He wants you to be like a little Jesus through the power of
the Holy Spirit. This takes: discipline, prayer, perseverance, faith, and yes,
suffering. Take up your cross. Let God your Master produce a return on His
investment in you, for the praise and glory of His name.
If you are not a believer, if you don’t know Last
Supper and Easter Jesus, if you have never come to Christ by faith for
forgiveness of your sins, then now is the time. The love of God is offered to
you today, through the sacrifice of Christ. Come now. Confess and be forgiven.
Otherwise, your sins will keep you marked as an enemy of God. That only leaves
you with Scary Jesus. Don’t go there!
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