It is the day after Easter Sunday. It is the day after Mary Magdalene waits in the garden and is the first to see the risen Savior. It is the day after Jesus appears to the disciples…it is the day after Jesus through his resurrection has broken the bonds of sin and death. And on this day after, a good question to ask ourselves is what’s next?
What is next? Jesus takes a walk to Emmaus. He fixes breakfast for his disciples who had been fishing all night and caught nothing. Jesus ask “How’s fishing today?” and then suggests they try casting their net on the other side of the boat. And in following his suggestion, they catch so many fish they need help hauling them all in. Jesus asks Peter: “Do you love me?” three times as he redeems the three denials. Jesus commissions the disciples to go to the ends of the earth sharing the gospel message…the good news that Jesus gave to us all.
So, what’s next for us? Do we continue to live life as if nothing happened? Do we continue to go about doing all we did prior to Easter? Do we stay the same as we were before? I hope not. Because what Jesus did for each one of us and for people of all time, in all places, is to show us a better way to live and then did what no one else could do as he reconciled the world back to God. As Paul teaches in I Corinthians 15:20 – 22: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.” This is really good news! Even better…it is news we can count on.
So…what’s next? My hope and my fervent prayer is that we all try to live according to Jesus’ example. We all try to be people who are kind, loving, helpful, peace-filled, good, forgiving and well…like Jesus in a world thirsting for Jesus.
And here’s the thing: I can’t help but wonder if we all were just a little kinder, loving, etc…toward all people, what a wonderful world this could be.
Peace,
Pastor Beth
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