| “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.”
I will bet you’ve heard this one when you were a kid from a parent. “I’ve told you this a hundred times!” As a kid we were quite confident that they never said such a thing. If God blesses you with, or has blessed you with little kids under your care, you will absolutely attest to the fact that you HAVE said it at LEAST a hundred times.
So we ask in exasperation, “what will it take for them to remember??”
As I’ve gotten older it has become evident to me that what I focus on, is what I pursue and remember. The other things happening around me… I tend to forget. When I’m building my resume, my house, my family, I tend to forget anything that isn’t important to those outcomes I’m pursuing. How about you?
What we focus on, we remember.
It’s interesting to read this resurrection account as the women come to the tomb. Their focus is on honoring Jesus by perfuming his dead body. They went out early Sunday to buy spices, went to the tomb and realized they likely couldn’t get in. Their wondering and focus was on how to make their plans come to fruition. Get to the tomb. Move the stone. Add spices to his body. Close the tomb. Go back home and mourn. That was their focus and so they forgot what Jesus said.
It was the angels that jabbed at them to shake them out of their all consuming plans to anoint his body with the sarcastic jibe “Do you look for the living among the dead?” The angels straightforward follow up was direct and to the point “He is not here. He is risen!”
In an instant, the angel changed their focus and then connected the dots for them. “REMEMBER how he told you…” and THEN they remembered Jesus words. THEN their plans to embalm the dead, changed to going and telling. THEN their sorrow turned to wonder and joy. THEN their vision aligned with God’s vision as they remembered the words of Jesus and lived like they were true!
So what about you and me? When we long for peace… when we are afraid of being alone… when the relationship isn’t working out… when everything is going GREAT… for now… What will it take to remember Jesus?
May we learn the discipline of reading the Bible. May we commit to making time for Christian community and worship. May we trade in our little kingdoms for building God’s kingdom, by sharing this hope of life from the dead, forgiveness for sins, no fear or shame for those who find their identity in Jesus.
When we focus on Jesus, THEN… we will find the peace we long for. He’s only been telling us a hundred times 😉
Happy Easter friend! Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
Mike [Westendorf]
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