Are You Running With Jesus?
Good Morning Friends,
We live in uncertain times. And it is amazing how quickly our priorities change when a crisis or accident occurs. Instead of all the striving for success we are suddenly interested in the simple things. Things like toilet paper take on new meaning. Things like standing and walking can become of critical interest. Our survival instincts kick in as our way of life is threatened. Yet those reading this are undoubtedly privileged with benefits outweighing those who are in survival mode on a daily basis for most of their lives. But perhaps you have had to face such a life changing event that was more personal. Back in the 1970’s I met a man at church who I began thinking about in the writing of this devotional. He had been part of horrific airplane accident which included him being cut up by an airplane prop. He did not die but after they had reattached his severed body parts back together, he had to learn to walk again. He found Jesus in the experience and when the movie Chariots of Fire came out, he bought tickets and gave them away to anyone who was interested. And with so many people racing to the empty tomb in this resurrection text and in preparation for a celebration of joy, I thought I would ask, Are You Running With Jesus?
Scripture: Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ‘ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
John 20:1-18 (NRSV)
Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.
1 Corinthians 9:24 (NRSV)
No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well.
Isaiah 65:20-23 (NRSV)
Message: Today I had been scheduled to lead a class on John 20: 1-18. It was going to be a preparation for the upcoming celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and the sermon text for Easter Sunday. The class has been cancelled but the celebration in our hearts is very much on. For the event of the resurrection, in its retelling and experiencing is filled with meaning worth study. The women are the first to the tomb. And this is important for we see them in the process of unpacking what they have experienced. And they are confused not because they are women but because they are experiencing something that they did not expect. Rather shockingly, the tomb is empty, so they go and tell Peter and John what they have concluded has happened. Peter and John rush to see for themselves. But regardless of what they could believe at that moment, there is a deeper question about vision and faith we are to ponder today prompted by the events they confronted. Christ is to live in us as a tremendous treasure revealing to us the glory of God from within our being. In the reality of seeing we are to share with others the miracle that helps us to live the abundant life in Christ. We are to experience Jesus making a home in our hearts and lives each time we extend love through acts of faith. And we are to realize that this will enrich our experience and enjoyment of Christ in a practical, daily way. It is not just to live in a Christ-like way or to glorify Christ through our behavior but to experience and share that Christ lives in those who believe. Friends, the Christian life is not a just matter of behaving like Christ, but of allowing Christ Himself to live in and through us. For the thing is that even though we are born again we still have a sin nature. Our worthiness does not come from our actions but the actions of Christ. By the grace of God through faith we are to see Jesus living in our lives. That is the Way of salvation. That is a walk with Jesus that can turn into a race to be won. Between John (most likely the other disciple), Peter, and Mary Magdalene— all of whom were at the empty tomb on that first Easter morning— only John seems to have had faith in the Physical Resurrection of Jesus. Everything Jesus had taught John about his death and resurrection seems to have come together in a flash of insight. And I think it is helpful for John that he was at the crucifixion. For we are to see the resurrection through the lens of cross. And if you are an intuitive thinker like John, you might understand how all this is connected. But I wonder if he had as much impact on Peter and Mary Magdalene. Yes, John seems to have had faith in the physical resurrection of Jesus but the impact on others came from those who had yet to grasp the meaning of the moment. John sees and believes even though he does not fully understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead. The others were slower to grasp what was going on. And that is helpful for us to know in sharing the Gospel, for there are those who are incredulous of the thought of the resurrection of Jesus. The whole idea bounces off the minds of many people. But the cluelessness of Peter and Mary, I think, honors the cluelessness in others by helping people realize that they are not alone in having difficulty in processing this event. John’s Gospel shares Mary Magdalene’s misunderstanding and this has more impact as a teaching moment than a lecture on doctrine or John’s intuitive thinking. It is clear the women went to the tomb not believing. Perhaps the news of the empty tomb, the resurrection, of Jesus’ victory over death was simply too overwhelming for them to believe, too difficult to assimilate all at once. Perhaps any anticipation of the resulting challenge to their reality was just too great. But what is laid out here for others is a process of gradually understanding and gradually believing and sharing in the hidden things of Jesus. Not all will grasp what John grasps. Not all are as fast as John to process that the tomb is empty…the grave clothes are all laid out nicely and that means Jesus is alive…Jesus is in a glorified state…Jesus has been resurrected from the dead. And so, our job now is to seek and find Jesus. Our job is to learn how to see Jesus in our own lives as a witness to the light of the resurrection as we to run the race of faith.
And So, one of the great movie clips of all time is the scene of Eric Liddle running his 1924 Olympic race in Chariots of Fire. He wins the gold medal, finishing way ahead of everyone else. And as he runs, he is clutching a piece of paper with a message from the Bible, looking up into the heavens, and laughing with joy! His whole body is exuberant, arms flailing freely while running, as he exclaims, “When I run I feel God’s pleasure!” Most people endure the race to get to the finish line. They pursue their goals in the same way, grinding the work out to achieve success. I have lived much of my life that way. But look at how Eric Liddle runs! Look at how John runs. More important than a gold medal victory or a race with a friend are is the way they run. The race is to be run with Jesus, for he runs it with joy!
Pray we realize that God is living in the Good News of a new creation, that the garden and the gardener in today’s text is part of an unfolding spiritual creation of something new. Pray Christ takes charge of our lives manifesting the promise of health and sustainable livelihood and meaningful work that Isaiah prophesied. Pray we share the enthusiasm and faith of the Apostle John. Pray we come alive in Christ. Pray we have eyes to see Jesus in those we consider the least of these. Pray our self-centeredness is crucified with Christ. Pray we believe in the transcendence of the resurrection. Pray we believe that Christ is alive right now. Pray we share what we believe in a way to make the greatest impact. Pray we remember Jesus. Pray Jesus remembers us. Pray we remember that we have been blessed despite our failings, for Christ has risen in us. Pray we run the race as a Christian motivated to share the good news. Pray we run with a goal in mind and that goal being Christ and doing His will. Pray we run leaving the past behind. Pray we run on the right path.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 