We have come through the Good Friday of grief at the cross, but today still live in darkness, awaiting the joy of Easter morning. This lull causes us to pause, invites us to ponder on the meaning and significance of the crucifixion, the willingness of Christ to go the way in suffering, so that he can open up a way for new life.
The mystery of it all is intriguing. So often Christian thought limits the outcome of Christ’s suffering to redemption of our sins. While that is true, I also wonder if there’s so much more. Is it possible the creation would not even exist if it wasn’t for Jesus’ death on the cross, his releasing of his Spirit to his Father to create a whole new universe? Jesus was never limited to our time zones, or our calendars.
Jesus is the Lamb slain before the foundations of the world. Jesus himself told the Jews, “Before Abraham was, I am.” The gospel of John begins with the poignantly beautiful creation story, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made.”
The apostle Paul, in addressing the Athenians, stated, “ For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”
At some level, humans have intuited that life is only possible through a sacrificial cost of blood. Myths abound, some of the stories so similar to the Christian gospel. The story of Odin, hung on the world tree, his side pierced. The story of the creation of Eve, taken from the side of Adam. Christ pierced by spear of the Roman centurion as his body hung from the cross, blood and water running to the ground. Was it for the creation of his bride, the church?
Like Mary, I ponder all these things in my heart, marveling at the scale and scope of the presence of Jesus, what it all meant for our world. But there is also a deep comfort in knowing that I belong, body and soul, to my faithful Saviour, Jesus Christ. There is no height or depth, or any force in all creation that can separate me from this reality, and so here I find eternal love, eternal belonging, eternal peace.
Easter Story
From the beginning, it was God’s plan
Through His Son, to create on earth a place
The Garden of Eden, beautiful and grand,
His very good gift to the human race.
Though they rebelled and fell into sin,
God’s promise long ago was given to Eve.
Her seed would triumph, and He would win.
He carries our suffering, our pain to relieve.
On the cross, our beloved Saviour hung,
Betrayed and beaten, then nailed to the tree.
Paid for the sins of those he lived among,
Paid the full price so we are set free.
Fulfilling ancient prophecy, He died
And so healed the wounds of all our sin
For the joy beyond the cross, our tears to dry
To open the gate so abundant life could begin.
And on the third day, at rise of sun
At the tomb, the earth is shaken.
Come join his disciples as they run,
The tomb is empty! He has risen!
– Trudy Prins
Christ’s redeeming work is done, alleluia!
(From the hymn, Christ the Lord is Risen Today)
