Pastor's Column

Noted preacher/Biblical scholar Fred Craddock points out about Easter, “Trite as it may seem, we need to remind ourselves that the New Testament offers no account of the resurrection of Jesus. What we do have are reports about the empty tomb and appearances of the risen Christ.”* To put it another way, the gospels do not give us first-hand accounts from persons who were stationed just outside of the tomb on Easter morning and who witnessed Jesus emerging from it. Instead we hear from those who met Jesus first in a garden (Mary), then in an upper room (the eleven remaining disciples), then on the road to Emmaeus (two others), then back in Galilee, on the road to Damascus (Saul), and even on the island of Patmos (John).

For us this pattern of appearances is worth noting because this means that the Easter event was not just a one-time occurrence whose shocking reality was limited to only a handful of persons who happened to have been in the right place at the right time on Easter morning. If so, we would be left celebrating something which we could only admire from a 2,000 year distance in a far away country.

Instead, the wide-spread testimonies of those who encountered the risen Christ affirm for us that appearances of the risen Christ can and will continue to take place wherever and whenever his disciples are attentive to his presence. He reminds us that “whenever two or three of you are gathered in my name, I am in your midst” (Matthew 18:20). Jesus even reminds us (Matthew 25) that when we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked and visit those who are in prison, we do so unto him. This means that the joyous event we celebrate on Easter morning and on every Sunday morning is both a historic and an ongoing reality.

This also means that our own encounters with the risen Christ are not only authentic but worthy of sharing with others. Of course, I know that most of us regard religious experiences as private matters best kept to oneself. Thankfully, the others before us who encountered the risen Christ refused to be quiet about it. Despite a few bad examples of persons who are obnoxious about their faith (including some Christians), I still believe that in our families, our friendships, working relationships, in our communities, civic interactions, as well as in the halls of power and commerce, we can and ought to be prepared to share, without apology, our own stories about our encounters with the risen Christ. In doing so, we ensure that the Easter reality was not just an history-altering event 2,000 years ago, but a present hope that continues to burn in our hearts.

I’ll see you in church.
Bryan Mickle

(*Fred Craddock, Knox Preaching Guides: John, John Knox Press, 1982, p. 140)

North Lakeland Presbyterian Church
6725 N. Socrum Loop Road, Lakeland, FL 33809
863-853-9541
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this website,please contact the Web Master at webmaster@nlpchurch.org
© 2005 North Lakeland Presbyterian Church