6-10-2023

Good Morning All,

        Luke 24:5; “And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? “ 

    When I was a child, my mom used to say I was a “cow’s tail.”  I used to drop stuff right where I was; never look back and never care.  Then the next morning I would frantically search high and low looking for my belt or schoolbook.  I don’t know how my mom kept her sanity.  I am much better today (just don’t ask my wife!).

    One side effect of this type of behavior involves a certain amount of dread.  “Where did I put that?”  When I am desperate, I ask my wife to help.  She does; she doesn’t complain out loud, but I still think she just shakes her head.  But my searches for items needed or wanted cause a certain amount of worry.

    The women going to the tomb must have had worry as well.  Fear must have been great; sadness, hollowness, a feeling of being completely drained was probably common.  You wonder about the tension in the heart they felt as they approached the tomb and saw the rock, which had covered the opening, was gone.  They cautiously look in the tomb and see the empty burial cloths and then the angel as he asked them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

    Why do we seek Jesus among the dead?  Too many Christians want a God that is there when we need him, when it is convenient for us or to give us an excuse to have a party.  We want it to fit into our schedule or life.  We don’t want it to get in the way of what we want.  Yet the truth is it not only gets in the way; it changes our way.  Jesus takes us from the life of death, of hopelessness and total emptiness into a life of grace.  He brings us to the land of hope, the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey.  Yet we can’t keep clinging to the past, we can’t keep living in the land of dead for when we seek Jesus, he is not there for he is alive.

    As we celebrate the wonderful, life-changing event, we are blessed with life, eternal life but also with the gift of a renewed life.  We are given blessing for today to live today in order to deal with today.  The world will challenge us; the world will attack us; it will attack you on all fronts, but God gives us the faith, the strength to face the world.  Only a living God can do this; only a living God can battle for us.  “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”  Jesus lives!!  We do too!!  Christ is risen; he is risen indeed!!!

Dear Lord, we give you thanks for your wonderful grace and mercy.  On this day we see your loving kindness beyond our understanding, we experience it every day in every way to you be all honor and glory and praise.  In your risen holy name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret