It's Not Over
Luke 24: 36-48
Two Sundays ago, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. For many of us, it capped off what is without doubt a period that holds great significance for Christians. Starting with Ash Wednesday, we journeyed through lent with its call for reflection, introspection, and preparation; right through to Good Friday, when we solemnly and soberly remembered the pain, suffering and death of Jesus for all of humanity. Then there was Easter with its message of joy and renewed hope, as we were reminded that Jesus “stands among us in his risen power”. We felt good and hopeful.
Now what? That is always the inescapable question – the urgent question. Now what? Is that the end of the story? It is easy and indeed tempting for us to think that it is, if for no other reason than that it is a good ending, and don’t we all love good endings. Jesus died and rose again for us! Resurrection is real! Resurrection is possible! What better ending can there be?
I have no doubt that Jesus wanted his followers to know that resurrection is real and possible; that’s why he showed himself to them in personal, intimate and familiar ways, so that they can see and believe. He brought recognition to Mary by calling her by name; he eased Thomas’ doubt through the power of touch; on the road to Damascus he made himself known by the breaking of bread; he lifted the cloud of fear and doubt over others by sharing a common meal of broiled fish with them.
They saw, they touched, they shared and they believed - it was all real. They were happy, they were relieved. Now what? Was that the end of their brief but amazing journey? Do they now return to their old life? Now what?
Jesus made it clear to his followers that that was not the end of the story. And he did not leave it up to them to decide what to do with what they had come to experience, he told them what was expected of them. He said to them:
"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.” (Luke 24: 46, 47).
It’s not yet over! Part one is finished; the Messiah has suffered and has risen from the dead, but there is still part two to pursue: repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name! And that task is entrusted to those who follow him.
The resurrection is not simply a feel good story that we should just sit and revel in; it is our marching orders: “Repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in Jesus’ name.”
Repentance and forgiveness. It is highly significant that Jesus specifically mentions those two; one is a necessary action on our part, the other is a gracious offer on God’s part, and if the resurrection is to become more than just a feel good story that is celebrated annually; if it is to become something that is real and experienced in the midst of our fears and doubts, our insecurities and disbeliefs, we have to be open to both the action that is required and the offer that is extended.
To be forgiven is to be accepted and set free: set free from that which keeps us looking back to what was with pain and regret; rather than looking forward to what can be with hope and anticipation. Forgiveness is to be set free unto life and love. God offers us forgiveness, with the ultimate goal of reconciliation – the chance to be made whole.
Forgiveness presents us with a range of exciting possibilities: the possibility to start over after we have messed up, the possibility of fixing that which is broken, the possibility of doing better than we did before, the possibility of newness – the possibility of resurrection.
Forgiveness is offered, but it will not be realized if we continue along the path that leads to brokenness and alienation, hence the need for repentance.
To repent is to change course, to go in a different direction, it is to choose to reorient our lives towards God and what is good - with the help of the Holy Spirit. As theologian Marcus Borg puts it, “To repent is to embark on a journey of return to God, and to see things in a new way - a way shaped by God”. And that way shaped by God is the way of love.
Forgiveness and repentance is what we are called to embrace and to proclaim, and that includes all of us. You and I and the people we encounter will never aspire and strive to be better if we don’t believe that we can be better. The offer of forgiveness is God’s way of saying that there is good in us and that we can be better. That we can break free of the pain and guilt and failings of the past, and step into a life of freedom, hope and newness.
But we will not arrive at that place in our lives where we can be our better selves, if we continue along the same old path that led us to we are now, the path that has left us feeling that we have come short, that we have missed the mark. We have to change course, take a different path. We have to repent.
Resurrection is about God’s offer of forgiveness and renewal as well as God’s call to repentance. It is God’s gracious embrace of us, as well as God’s marching orders to us. We have to claim and proclaim resurrection. We claim it by faith and we proclaim it in faith, and that includes all of us; doubtful and indecisive as we might be; fearful and inadequate as we might feel. It does not matter if, like the disciples of Jesus, we are not particularly clear and articulate about what we are experiencing, we don’t have to have it all put together; God invites us to bring our true selves - our whole selves with our joys, doubts, fears, hopes and expectations. God will gather them all up, and use them to bless us and others.
Jesus showed himself to his followers not in spectacular and mind blowing ways, but in ordinary ways and everyday encounters - calling them by name, inviting them to come close and touch, engaging in conversation along the road, sharing a meal. In so doing he has shown us that we can proclaim repentance and forgiveness in his name through ordinary and everyday encounters too.
When we extend friendship and forgiveness to those who have reasons to believe that they are underserving of such, we are proclaiming the forgiveness of God and pointing them to a new way. When we reach out and embrace those who are hurting or fearful or doubtful, when we show patience and understanding, and encouragement, as we walk alongside others in their pain and uncertainty, we help them to see things in a new way, and keep on the path of renewal.
God meets us where we are, is present in all our experiences, and works through all of them for our renewal and the renewal of others, when we make that choice to set our minds and our hearts toward God. That’s what God does. And that is what God asks us to claim and proclaim. And it’s in doing so, that we find new joy, new purpose, new life.
Easter is not over, and it never will be.
