Where is Your Galilee?
Good Morning Friends,
After celebrating Easter many people take their foot off the gas pedal and coast their faith, and if they have enough momentum they make it all the way to the next big religious holiday, which for many unfortunately is not until Christmas. No wonder why so many do not make it to the finish line. There is too much time to doubt. What a shame next Sunday is called “Low Sunday.” Friends, too much space between worship experiences is not a good thing. But what a true Christian, a real disciple of Christ does is that after Easter they make the effort to worship again with Jesus. The disciples had been on an emotional rollercoaster and they needed to go to the one place where they could get their spiritual batteries recharged…their emotional gas tank refilled. After Easter, Christians get a mental tune up for the victory vehicle at the one significant place of water and with the one significant person the water of life, Jesus. So, Where is Your Galilee?
19Scripture:The Resurrection of Jesus 28After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he* lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead,* and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ 8So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’
Matthew 28:1-10 (NRSV)
Message: In the book of Matthew after the resurrection the angel told Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to tell the disciples again to meet Jesus in Galilee. A few verses later in Matthew 28:10 the risen Jesus Himself meets these same women and again tells them to tell the disciples to meet Him in Galilee.
The early disciples thought Jesus’ death meant the end of Christianity. They needed to go back to the beginning and remember the whole mission journey experience in the light of the Resurrection… in the light God’s love to see the possibilities. Emotionally they had a long distance to cover. John 20:19 records them hiding from the Jews in fear of their lives. The joy and happiness they once knew was replaced with mourning and weeping (Mark 6:10). But the Gospel of Easter is to continue. Friends, to properly experience Easter, we need to experience life from the perspective of a Jesus risen… Easter continues. We are to return to our first love, in order to receive the fuel which Jesus has kindled in the world and to bring that energy as a baptism of fire to all people, to the very ends of the earth. Friends, for each of us there is an origin of our journey with Jesus. To go to Galilee means to rediscover the source of our faith and help it to grow.
Pray our fears are relieved. Pray we return to worship and wash away our doubts. Pray we have not forgotten our calling. Pray we revive the memory of that moment when we first met Jesus. Pray we return to that blazing light with which God’s grace baptized us. Pray we return to our first love. Pray we know a joy that will last to the end of time. Pray we feel the earth move in our trembling hearts. Pray we not forget the instructions of Jesus.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 