Resurrection Sunday, also known as Easter, is a sacred day of celebration. When we consider why Jesus rose, it helps us realize that resurrection happens daily. We are invited by him to rise every day.
Consider this passage from the 24th chapter of Luke, when two disciples were walking to the village of Emmaus.
“They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’"
We’re all on the road to Emmaus. We are all in a place where Jesus joins us, listens to us, cares about us and encourages us, even when we don’t recognize him. This experience is a model and an invitation to all of us.
As strangers, we can join someone on their journey of struggles, loss and sadness and show interest, support and compassion. Like Jesus, we can walk with them, talk with them, listen to them and encourage them. This could mean being vulnerable to opening ourselves up to another’s pain.
Jesus rose so that he can dwell and walk with us in spirit and shine a light in our darkest moments. He rose so that in those moments of fear, sorrow and exhaustion, we have someone we can call on who loves us unconditionally. His presence attends to us as a friend, coworker, neighbor, outsider and stranger. The spirit of accompaniment reminds us that whatever we are going through, we are not alone.
When Jesus rose, he defeated death. We too can defeat death — the death of hope, dreams, aspirations, peace and joy. Some naysayers, critics and pundits have seen our potential, competence, love, passion and humanitarianism and decided they were going to extinguish it. Perhaps we may have even believed their narrative and given up.
However, a resurrected Jesus promises that all things are possible and that, as he says in the Gospel of John, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Regardless of the situation, there is a promise from a risen savior.
Jesus rose to save us from our sins. He rose so that the grave or urn is not our final resting place and we can be with him after death.
Jesus rose so that each of us can be a living witness of his goodness and grace. He wants people to believe and have hope beyond their circumstances. He does not have physical hands and feet on this Earth, but we do. Jesus deposits himself into us so that we can be his hands and feet as we pour ourselves into others, invest in them, help them.
Who are the others? The ones we pass or read about every day. They are the ones on the margin, hiding in plain sight, barely hanging on, fighting back tears, putting on a strong face, holding their breath, bandaging their wounds, pretending yet suffering, whispering prayers, processing their pain out loud, scared, shivering, hungry, unhoused, clinging and waiting.
Jesus rose so that he could use us as a vessel and a vehicle to bring peace, usher healing and encourage others with expressions of hope — a smile, greeting, phone call, text, conversation, kindness, patience, comfort, forgiveness, testimony and prayer.
Remember John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.” This prophetic message is for all of us — believers, nonbelievers, sinners and the saved.
We have been given a magnificent gift from a living Lord. That gift is a life to fulfill a purpose. Opportunities, summons and promptings are presented to us so we can fulfill our purpose and rise like Jesus did — rise to the occasion, rise above negativity, help others rise from the ashes.
Jesus rose to fulfill a prophecy, and we are part of that prophecy. Let him use us.