A Very Holy Weekend

I'm going to take this opportunity, while it's calm before the storm, to post some little reflections on the cross and the empty tomb. I don't know yet if there will be any "practical application" (I don't see the necessity of that anyway), but I hope to paint a picture of why this weekend is holy.

Jesus spoke often of his dying at the hands of his own people and the Gentiles. The Jewish leadership was his accuser; the Roman Empire was his executioner. From the perspective of Rome it was probably just "another day at the office". From the Jewish leadership perspective it was more than likely a relief that they got rid of a troublemaker.

I can't speak for God and His perspective, but from what I can tell from what Scripture says, everything was going according to His plan. When I say that, I don't mean that God pulled a few puppet strings and forced things to happen. What I do mean is God knows the hearts of people. He sent Jesus. Jesus said and did what he said and did. People became disturbed by the implications of what Jesus was saying and doing. People did away with Jesus. This all looks to me like a natural flow of events that God would use for His own redemptive purposes.

So, what did Jesus do that was so bad and disturbing? He told the truth. He spoke God's Word and people did what they did. He didn't force anyone by supernatural might to do anything. He did what he did and said what he said, and then let things take their natural course. He ended up on a Roman cross.

This is why I'm not a big fan of "personal application" of the Scriptures, as if the Bible is just a collection of rules to follow or quaint lessons on morality. I think that when pastors or churches give step-by-step lists on how to do this or that or tell people what's supposed to be done for the sake of the Kingdom, they are unwittingly (and perhaps unknowingly) trying force things out of people through manipulative means. This flies in the face of the Biblical witness.

The Scriptures confront us with the reality of God and His Son. And it continually begs the question, "What do you think of Jesus?" Perhaps every sermon should continually ask this question and let the answers be what they are. In any event, God rose Jesus from the dead! This was not dependent on the reactions of people or how they felt about Jesus. It was solely the work of God. Those who had eyes to see and ears to hear what God was up to were then compelled, not forced, to tell about the truth that was Jesus and about what God was doing through Jesus. They were treated the same way Jesus was treated. Go figure!

They spoke. People either listened or they didn't. Perhaps the church can learn something from this when it devises programs and schemes to get people to act a certain way. Perhaps sermons should be compelling instead of persuasive. What I believe the church needs today is people who have been moved by the Scriptural narrative to tell that narrative over and over again. God's Word always accomplishes its purposes, whether people climb on board or not.

This Easter Sunday, I'm going to ask those who are lax in their church attendance to start coming back more regularly instead of just on Christmas and Easter by telling them that the Scriptures are spoken here. People need to hear God speak. I'm going to promise them that I'm not going to pepper them week in a week out with my own opinions on how they should act or react. Whether people do or don't come back to a regular church attendance is out of my hands. I'll just say what I say and let things take their natural course. People will either listen or they won't. I may even end up getting nailed, as it were. But it isn't up to me, and God will continue to do what He does anyway. He will continue to raise the dead!