An Easter Reflection

 An Easter Reflection ...

A brief look at two journeys and an amazing sequel. There are a few Bible passages to read if you want to and a couple of songs to listen too, grab a coffee, Tea or whatever and spend a few moments reflecting on what Easter is all about.

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem seems like the pinnacle in his mission and ministry. Hailed, welcomed, palm branches laid before him as he walked in with his followers. Yet only a few days later he was to take another walk, with many of the same people baying for his death.

 Matthew 21:1-11 The triumph

Palm Sunday and Jesus entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. In these few verses a lot is happening, and there are some clues there about what was going on. I wonder what Jesus was thinking at the time. What were his disciples thinking? What would we have been thinking if we were them?

Jesus asked some of his disciples to go and fetch a donkey. It is unlikely that the owner would have lightly let go an animal which was valuable to them and yet, that’s exactly what Jesus expected to happen. If you were those disciples, what would you have thought? The disciples did as Jesus asked, any fears they had of trouble getting the donkey went and the donkey was taken to Jesus. Why a donkey, why ride and not walk as he had done previously?

All questions that disciples may have been pondering. But as the prophet Zechariah had said – the king would come riding on a donkey. This was how the kings of Israel travelled, it marked the coming of a king – in humility and peace. As we travel with Jesus, we know that he had given up his position and adopted that of a man. Paul reminds as of this in Philippians 2:6-7

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Imagine the excitement as the disciples took all of this on board – Jesus, their teacher, prophet. The one that they had stated was the son of God, the Messiah – now arriving in Jerusalem on a donkey and being hailed by crowds. Palm branches and cloaks were laid on the road for Jesus to ride over. A sign of homage and respect for this man. It was all happening as they had hoped.

 And then to top it all shouts of acclamation. Hosanna! “Save now” a plea from an oppressed people to their saviour for deliverance. A call to acclaim Jesus as Messiah? The shout proclaiming Jesus as the Son of David. The one who like David the people expected God to send and restore them, remove them from the yolk of Roman occupation and make them great again. I wonder how much the disciples were caught up in this, how much would we have been caught up in it? Yet Jesus had told his close disciples that he must die and rise again and that was why he was going to Jerusalem.

All was not as it seemed. Yes, he was going to save. But not in the manner that they expected and not just saving them but providing salvation for all humanity.

 Mark 15:12-22 The Tragedy

Now lets us jump forwards some days to the end of the week. The atmosphere was so different. Jesus had been arrested, tried after a fashion and the religious authorities had convinced the Roman governor to execute Jesus.

We pick up the account with the disciples nowhere to be seen, the crowd shouting to make the governor do what they wanted – they could not execute Jesus, but the governor could. Just as fear had caused the disciples to vanish at Gethsemane, fear of the crowd overrode Pilates desire to free Jesus.

The one acclaimed as Messiah, King of the Jews, son of David, the one who would save them, now treated as a common criminal. How would you have felt watching this?

Watching, the disciples and followers of Jesus would have seen his mistreatment, flogged by the Romans, often done to weaken the victim before crucifixion. The road of suffering. (I like this song as a reflection on this - Via dolorosa)

He was Jeered, mocked, spat on and abused, prepared for the walk of shame. 

Half a mile or so, from the Praetorium to the hill where Jesus would be killed. Half a mile in which in his weakened state, the disciples would have seen that someone else had to carry the wood that Jesus was to be nailed to. Half a mile walking through a crowd in which many wanted him dead, others, maybe some his disciples wondering what was going on. All their hopes, expectations, dying with Jesus. Couldn’t he save himself from this? Jesus took it all, walking that road, knowing what he had come to earth to do and was bringing to its conclusion.

Imaging watching Jesus Walk or possibly stagger as if carrying an immense weight, that half mile to Golgotha, bearing the crown of his tormentors, made of thorns to mock him and further injure him. And at the end of the road, the place where it would be finished. Again, all was not as it seemed.

 Where would we be in the narrative? Carried by the crowd? Finding it hard to take on board? Excited? Fearful? Questioning?

Matthew 28:1-6 A New Beginning ( A Song to reflect with)

He has risen! These words may mean something to you or they mean seem like fantasy.

If they are fantasy or  just wrong as far as you can understand, I hope that reading this will have given you something to consider. Things are not always what we think. Maybe explore a bit further with a local church group - Alpha, Christianity Explored or one of the many other ways to look deeper. Or read one of the bible accounts - Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

If "He has Risen" means something let me ask, can you remember the first time that those words meant something to you? For some of us that was a long time back, for others not so far back. Why do I ask? Well consider for a moment the women who went to the tomb, their expectation was to find the stone in place that covered it, their expectation was to finish preparing Jesus for lying permanently in the tomb. But their expectations went out of the window as they arrived.

Earthquake, the stone rolled away, the guards terrified, what was going on? Who were this heavenly being before them, where was Jesus? Then they heard these amazing words “He is not here, He has risen”! What did they think, feel?

So, what did you feel when those words first held significance for you, when you first believed the truth of them. That this man Jesus, who had been brutally killed, crucified and certified dead, then buried, was no longer dead, but alive?

When you say those words does a little tingle go down your spine? Does your heart leap with joy? Do you want to go and shout it to the world at large? “He has risen”.

For me, it meant the many of my life’s reference points had been in the wrong place. I was amazed and overjoyed that this had been done for me. I still am. I hope that feeling of joy and amazement will never leave me.

Jesus resurrection cemented God’s promise that all who believe in Jesus will also rise to glory one day. Death overcome, sin defeated and humanity offered freedom and relationship with God, through Jesus.

He is risen our watch phrase, our encouragement, our spur to do as the disciples did in those early days – light a fire in the world fuelled by God’s love, a fire that will burn brightly and draw many to salvation, because He is Risen!.

Have a Happy and Blessed Easter.