Why do you seek the living among the dead?
That is the question asked of the women in Luke 24:5 as they stood before the borrowed tomb (belonging to Joseph of Arimathea) where the body of Christ had been placed after His public execution. They knew Jesus was dead, that was indisputable. Yes, their hearts were tattered — their souls devastated by the tragic events of the past few days, and now they came to the place were His body had been laid … behind a wax-sealed rolling stone … guarded by Roman centurions.
They came to honor their teacher and friend, Jesus Christ, by finishing the appropriate and customary preparation so His body could be permanently interred. A dead Jesus, a cold shredded corpse was all they hoped for and expected to find. In reality, they came seeking the dead in the place of the dead (among the dead, as in a cemetery) while bringing along all the supplies and spices needed to complete their arduous and undeniably emotional task. Surely they weren’t looking for, or even possessing an ounce of hope for discovering anything different.
According to the scripture (Luke 24:2-3), when they arrived, the tomb was open (obviously not for Christ to escape, but for His faithful followers to observe/witness), and the body of Jesus Christ somehow missing. Nonetheless, for whatever reason, the ladies, “Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women” (Luke 24:10) still don’t get it! It’s interesting for us to note that even His enemies, while in total disbelief, fully understood and acknowledged Christ’s well-known teachings and impassioned declarations … that death and the grave could not – in fact – would not be able hold Him! (Matthew 16:21; 17:9,23; 20:19; 26:32; 27:63; 28:6, Mark 8:31; 9:9,31; 10:34; 14:28, Luke 9:22; 18:33; 24:7,46, etc.)
Every believer should carefully note how easy it was to forget the powerful, plentiful, and inexhaustible promises of our Lord. In this case, it took the frightful appearance of two men in “dazzling clothing,” to successfully jog our sisters’ memories as the men started accurately proclaiming Christ’s exact teachings concerning His own death and victorious resurrection. It seems the disciples had the same mental block and spiritual lapse according to Luke 24:11 where the testimony of these women was considered “nonsense” and “they would not believe them.”
What’s the problem/issue? One might wonder, “How are the words of Jesus Christ so easily forgotten, quickly ignored, or discounted by His followers?” At least, according to the biblical text (Luke 24:12), Peter gets up, runs to Christ’s tomb — stoops down — looks in, and sees the linen wrappings that were once upon the body of Jesus. What was He expecting? What does He find/witness/observe? NO DEAD JESUS — NO CORPSE OF CHRIST’S SHREADED FLESH, but even then there is no clear statement or testimony of faith as the disciple, “went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.”
Perhaps as we approach Resurrection Sunday, we should ponder the question of how or why the words of Jesus are so easily forgotten, misunderstood, or discounted in our own everyday lives. The truth of life in Christ Jesus, including all His powerful, plentiful, and inexhaustible promises, is that life can never be found among the dead … in/from unbelievers … in/from relationships with those that seek after all the world has to offer … in/from those that attempt to join themselves to the world … in/from a convenient faith in Christ, nor in/from the things of world themselves. Even if one has the opportunity to pursue and gain everything our world offers, will it actually bring life? Mark 8:36 asks this question:
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?
Life is not found from the world, nor is it found in the dead fleshly works of religious law, which in essence is lifeless legalism. Brothers and sisters, why would one seek to find anything living among the dead? Life abundant (John 10:10) is only found, and is only available, in and through the living words of our living, risen Savior, Jesus Christ!
Jesus said,
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
John 6:63
Therefore, will we, as Christ’s followers, seek to find the living among the dead, or seek and turn to the living from the dead/world to find life, life abundant?
Here’s my prayer for all of us at WOF throughout the next few months:
1) If one does not know the words of Christ, come and learn, become a student of His Word, allowing us, in cooperation with His Holy Spirit, to teach you the words of life.
2) If one already knows His Word, let us help you apply it to your daily life, making it a truly “Living Word” for your spiritual journey and sojourn on earth. (See Hebrews 4:12)
3) May we, His people/church, never become forgetful, allowing His words to be void. Instead let them be the very backbone and essence of the faith-based lives we breathe with our eyes fixed upon Jesus Christ!
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you!
Colossians 3:16
For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
I Thessalonians 2:13-14
His & Yours, by GRACE (God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense),
Pastor Frank