When I was growing up, our family on occasion would pack up in the family car and travel to Ruidoso, New Mexico. The drive from West Texas to Ruidoso is not the most beautiful or exciting drive to say the least, especially when six people are crammed into a car along with luggage. Thankfully, we were a loving family, and we were able to bear with one another as we were smashed like sardines in our little car.

In order to keep our sanity, we would make frequent stops. On one occasion, we stopped in the town of Roswell, New Mexico. I remember getting out in the downtown area and gazing across the street at one of the most interesting and intriguing store fronts I have ever seen. Yes, I was looking at the Roswell museum of UFO sightings. I then began to look around at the city and everywhere I looked, I saw something related to UFO’s.
 
I admit I am fascinated with the idea of UFO’s and aliens. I grew up watching ET, how bad could the aliens be? While I am fascinated, I also am very skeptical. I will not argue with someone who says they have encountered an unexplained experience, but I will have to have an experience myself if I am to believe that this universe is inhabited by oddly shaped life other than us humans. I have no doubt that something happened many years ago in Roswell, New Mexico, but the theories and conjecture I have heard are not enough to make me believe. I have to see to believe.

We have somewhat unfairly labeled Thomas as “doubting” Thomas. Granted, Thomas did doubt the resurrection, but the title we have given him seems demeaning and critical of the fact that Thomas would not just take the disciples’ word that Jesus was alive.

The reality may be that Thomas was just like the other disciples. He was scared and confused about what was happening, and for whatever reason, he was not with the disciples when Jesus appeared to them the first time. He may have just gone out for coffee, and now we chastise him for his doubt.  

Thomas wanted to believe Jesus was alive, but everything rational within him was telling him Jesus had been crucified, and there was no way he could have survived. In spite of his skepticism, Thomas continued to gather with the disciples even though he was not sure Jesus was alive. Thomas wanted the impossible to be true.

The next week, Thomas was with the disciples when Jesus appeared, and the scene had to have been powerful. Thomas demanded to see the nail marks in Jesus’ hands and put his own hand in Jesus’ side, but when he saw the risen Lord, he could only respond by proclaiming “my Lord and my God.”  

Jesus specifically addressed Thomas’ doubts and offered Thomas the chance to feel his wounds. Thomas needed no more proof to overcome his doubt than to encounter the risen Lord. Tradition says Thomas took the gospel to India and told the people there about his relationship with the risen Christ and eventually was martyred. Thomas went from doubting the resurrection to being willing to give his life for the one who he knew overcame death. When Thomas encountered the risen Christ, his life never was the same.
    
Whether we have been Christians for many years or still are searching for what to believe, there will be some measure of doubt in regard to the resurrection. Everything in us says coming back to life after death is impossible. This doubt is not bad; in fact, our doubt can motivate us to find the truth. Thomas doubted, but he was motivated to find out the truth for himself. When we encounter the risen Christ, our doubts will be cast away and filled with an undeniable confidence in our Lord and Savior.

I know there are many people who struggle with believing in something they cannot see, and Jesus understands this as well. Jesus acknowledges there will be those like Thomas who need to encounter him in order to believe. He even says those who have not seen are blessed. I think the blessing Jesus is talking about is the fact that we can believe in what we do not see. Just as Jesus overcame Thomas’ doubt, he will overcome ours. The question becomes, how will we respond?
    
Will we respond by taking for granted what Jesus has done for us? Will we keep the truth of the risen Christ to ourselves, or will we share with the world the victory we have in Christ? Will we respond by giving our whole life to Christ and following him no matter what that may mean?

I tend to be a skeptical person, and there are many things I will have to see to believe, including extraterrestrials. I cannot see Jesus, but I have encountered the risen Christ in a way more powerful than if I saw the nail marks in his hands. He has changed my life. Have you allowed him to change yours?

The present passage provides an example of the point that doctrinal statements have personal implications for the believer. Doctrinal statements are not given merely for knowing. In this passage, revealed truth helps one to understand God’s work in one’s life. Furthermore, Paul’s understanding of this truth guided him in his ministry among the Colossians.

Verses 14 and 20 give Paul’s powerful declarations in Colossians 1:15-20 concerning the superiority of Christ Jesus a redemptive context. Verse 14 refers to redemption and verse 20 speaks of “peace through his blood,” describing redemption. Verses 14 and 20 therefore are “brackets” or “book ends” describing the focus of Christ’s supremacy.

The material for this lesson describes the successful redemptive work of the Supreme Redeeming Creator in the lives of Paul’s readers. Evidence of God’s redeeming work abounded in their lives. Paul ministered tirelessly for the Colossians, laboring to present them as mature works of Christ’s redemption.

Unending trust in him (Colossians 1:21-23)

Verses 21-23 summarize the spiritual biography of Paul’s readers. Verse 21 provides a “before” picture of their lives: they were alienated from God, enemies of God, and were filled with evil behavior.

Many see the human tendency to err as a matter that is wrongfully handled by religion because of its view of a judgmental God. The truth, however, is that evil operates within humanity. Evil is opposition to God and his purposes. It is deeply rooted into the human heart (Jeremiah 17:9). Evil’s presence in human hearts alienates people from God and transforms them into enemies of God.

Human sin is not merely a mistake, but an expression of opposition to God. This understanding is lost on those alienated from God, but those who have been transformed by God’s redemption can see how they once opposed God.

Verse 22 provides an “after” picture: Paul’s readers were reconciled through Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross. Sacrificial language describes the transformation in their lives. Christ’s atoning work makes believers holy in God’s sight. They become blemish free, no longer bearing the guilt of sin. Christ’s sacrifice presents believer’s blameless before God. Furthermore, in Christ, believers are free from accusation.

The three-fold declaration—holy, without blemish, free from accusation—strongly asserts the complete success of Christ’s atoning work. Thus believers in Christ receive a confident standing before God.

Verse 23 conveys Pauls’ concern that his readers continue pursuing their faith. Their “saved” status before God was purchased by Christ, not themselves, but the reality of this status must be seen in their lives. If they have truly been transformed, they will continue in their faith.

The word “if” does not cast doubt upon Christ’s work nor its application by God to the readers’ lives, but indicates one’s reconciled status before God must be seen in one’s life. Paul brings forward the word “hope” to explain his meaning. Continuing in faith means not moving from hope in the gospel. If one has trusted in God, hope should bloom and continuing in faith should characterize one’s life.

Serving through his power (Colossians 1:24-29)

Verse 23 describes Paul as a servant of the gospel. Verse 24 states he suffered for his readers. The specific nature of his suffering goes unstated. Paul was consistently hounded by legalistic detractors who succeeded in causing Paul’s imprisonment. From prison, Paul wrote to the Colossians.

His opponents vocalized two main accusations: he was not a real apostle and taught an incomplete gospel. Paul saw his imprisonment as contending for his apostleship and his gospel. He gladly suffered for his readers who were being transformed by the gospel he preached.

The word “mystery” appears three times in the present passage. A “mystery” is a wondrous work by God that was once not understood but now has been revealed. The mystery here is God’s saving work among the Gentiles.

Formerly the prophets (see Isaiah 60:3) prophesied the nations would come to the Lord. How God would accomplish this was a mystery. Now the mystery has been resolved through the gospel of Jesus. Paul described this mystery as “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (v. 27).

Verses 28-29 state that Paul’s energetically proclaimed the gospel, admonishing and teaching everyone so he could present them fully mature in Christ. Thus Paul worked alongside his Redeemer, serving the work of the gospel in the lives of the Colossians.

Having confidence about him (Colossians 2:1-3)

Verse 1 describes Paul’s service as “contending” for his readers. One should note the several strong words Paul used from 1:24 through 2:1 to describe his service.

Verse 2 states Paul’s four-fold goal for the Colossians: to be encouraged, united in love, have complete understanding, and know God’s mystery. Christ himself is God’s mystery revealed, in that he became flesh and taught people personally about God. In Christ are found wisdom and knowledge (v. 3) to keep the readers from deceptive arguments of those who oppose the gospel. Verse 5 expresses Paul’s delight at the Colossians’ spiritual discipline and strength of faith. Thus Paul contended for those who exhibited continued confidence (i.e., faith) in Christ.

Growing commitment to him (Colossians 2:4-7)

Having commended his readers regarding their steadfast faith, Paul exhorted them to continue in their faith. A six-fold picture of a true believer’s life is outlined in verses 6-7: one receives Christ, continues to live in him, is rooted in him, is built in him, is strengthened and then overflows with thankfulness. Believers can use this six-fold picture to examine their lives. For those truly committed to the Lord, the truth of their commitment will be lived out in their lives.

I believe one of the most common problems we have as humans is a lack of self-confidence. This is evidenced by the hundreds of self-help books and theories on ways to increase your self-esteem. Even those people who will tell you how confident they are, as demonstrated by many pro athletes, probably are overcompensating for the reality that they too struggle with self-confidence.

I understand why we struggle with this issue; life is difficult. Most of us have experienced failures in life, and we realize even doing our best sometimes does not equal success based on society’s standards. In order to hold on to the slim amount of self-confidence we have, we tend to stick  with doing what we are comfortable with, and we avoid taking on challenges that may lead to failure which would remove the little bit of confidence we have left.
    
I found myself in this position during college. My dreams of playing college sports had died, and I was simply going through the motions of normal college life. I did not know what I wanted to do with my life, and my confidence was not high. Honestly, I just wanted someone to tell me what to do so I did not have to make a meaningful decision.

Around this time in my life, I received a phone call from a pastor named Shane Barnes, who was serving at my home church. He had come to our church after I graduated, but I had met him and knew a little about him. He asked me a question that would ultimately change the direction of my life: “Would you be our youth pastor for the summer?”

I was completely unprepared for that question. I never had thought about being a minister in any sense. What really surprised me was the confidence Shane had in me. He told me he saw something in me, and he knew I would do a good job with the youth.

I will never forget the confidence Shane showed in me when I did not have confidence in myself. The support Shane gave me helped me to find God’s calling in my life and I have now been in ministry for about 13 years. All this began with someone showing confidence in me.

In John 20:19-23, we find the disciples experiencing the risen Christ for the first time. They had seen the empty tomb and heard the report from Mary, but they still were not certain what was happening, and they were scared.

I have to think that none of the disciples were too confident about their future. They were so insecure about what was happening in their lives, they were hiding behind locked doors as if those doors would protect them from the uncertainty that surrounded them. At this trying moment in the disciples’ lives, Jesus appears unexpectedly before them and immediately offers them his peace. He knew their hearts were not at peace, in fact they were terrified, but Jesus gives them what they needed—assurance of his presence.  

Jesus then overcomes their doubts by showing them his hands and his side. As the disciples see the truth of the risen Christ, they are overjoyed. Then Jesus does something amazing—he calls the disciples to serve him. These are the same men who were just huddling together in fear and doubt, and now Jesus is sending them just as God had sent him into the world.

The confidence Jesus showed in those disciples was incredible. They all had fled in fear when he was arrested, and now Jesus was entrusting them with telling the world who he was and what he had done. The disciples must have been humbled and amazed at the confidence the Messiah was showing in them.
    
Jesus did not stop there, he continued by equipping the disciples with all they would need to fulfill his calling on their lives. He gave them the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them as they went into the world. No longer would they need to huddle in fear, because God was with them always. They never needed to suffer from insecurity again because their strength now come from the fact that Jesus had confidence in them. Jesus had given them everything they needed to change the world for Christ.

I wonder how many of us live our lives behind locked doors, afraid to venture out into the unknown world. Maybe we need to open our eyes to the one who is standing right beside us giving us peace. Jesus wants you to experience peace in knowing that he loves you and is there with you. Jesus is also showing great confidence in you; he is calling you to serve him.

When I look in the mirror, I do not know why he called me, but I am confident in his calling because he was confident enough in me to ask me to serve him. Not only is Jesus confident in you, but he also has equipped you with everything you will need to continue to impact the kingdom of God. His presence will guide you if you will allow him.

This week, step out and live the calling Jesus has so confidently given you. Is there a friend you have been avoiding talking to about your relationship with Christ? Is there a family God has laid on your heart to minister to? Does your church need you to step up and serve? Are you being a minister in your workplace? Your home? Is there someone who needs to hear the confidence you have in them? Be confident, God is confident in you.

Most of us usually think of Bible characters who stand out as great leaders and more than ordinary. On the other hand, we see ourselves as ordinary. So, we excuse ourselves from taking the role of leadership and leave it to “special” people. However, those “great” biblical leaders were ordinary people just like us who were willing to serve an extraordinary God. What does it take to become a great leader? Let’s take some time and reconsider.

Accept responsibility (Joshua 1:1-5)
    
If we look back on our lives, we will discover God has been preparing us to become leaders. That’s right, he has been preparing us by  developing our character and allowing us life experiences. Thus, when the time comes, we can lead.

Leadership in the true spiritual sense is not a title or position but a sense of what God is doing in the life of his people and helping others to see it and lead them to actively cooperate with what God is doing. Every leader will grow old and eventually die including the” great” Moses. In every generation leaders will have to rise up and fill the gap.  Joshua didn’t just step into the role of the leadership of God’s people. He had been Moses assistant; he was prepared by God.

We, too, have been prepared to lead. Maybe we haven’t been prepared to lead a great number of people across a flooding river, but we have been prepared and, therefore, have a responsibility to lead someone to the place God wants them to be. This could be our family as we lead them to follow Jesus.

It could be our coworkers as we introduce them to the peace only Jesus can give. Or it could be in the context of our own church when we bring glory to God by attempting something that only can be accomplished by his doing it through us.

Somewhere in your life, you have a responsibility to lead. Whatever that might be, God has been and will continue to be with you. He will supply all you need to accomplish his purposes.

Hear God’s command (Joshua 1:6-9)

If God truly has been preparing, then he must be planning to use us. However, God’s plans don’t always agree with what we anticipate. God often takes people out of their comfort zones and puts them in situations where they feel inadequate. It is in those situations that fear can cause us to ignore God’s call to lead.

Just ask Moses, one of the Old Testament prophets, or the disciples of Jesus. They all would tell you the same story. God doesn’t always ask us to do things we could do on our own. Therefore, what he asks often requires a dependence on him. But, if we would remember that those who led before us often experienced the same emotions and yet obeyed and were successful, we would be encouraged.

We, as they did, also need to hear God clearly about what he wants us to do. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). The call of God for us to lead will sound familiar because we will have heard similar stories before in our previous encounters with his word. His voice, as he calls us in the present day, will be recognizable, because it will agree with what we already have heard from him in our study of his word. There is a certain confidence that becomes ours when we hear and read the word of God, especially when we study it, and that confidence will enable us to face our fears.

Act courageously (Joshua 1:10-11, 16-18)
    
Often, it is not only what we think, but what we think others are thinking that causes us to doubt ourselves as leaders. How many times have we thought “Who am I to lead”?

That is not such a bad question to ask, especially if it comes from a position of humility and not inferiority. In fact, it may indicate you are just the person to lead.  Jesus did say the greatest leaders among us would be those who were humble. Yet, we must remember that God is the one who ultimately qualifies us for leadership.

If he calls, then without question you are qualified. It is not what you or anyone else thinks that matters. If God has called us to lead, then he expects us to trust him and “Just Do It” as a famous shoe company might say.

The circumstances we are called to lead in or through, no matter how difficult or chronic, do not ultimately determine our victory or failure, God does. Our attitude should be that the God who can do all things is right there beside us—we are not alone. With that attitude, we can’t help but be courageous.

Think about it. Joshua was able to do what Moses never did: lead God’s people across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Isn’t that what our leadership will be about too? Aren’t we to help people get past all the obstacles that prevent them from realizing the promises of God?

Questions for reflection

• What fears keep you from following God’s call to lead others to him?

• How might God be preparing you to lead in your church?

• How do you rely on God’s presence and power to follow his call?

It almost goes without saying that believing “the truth” is vital to the Christian faith. Nevertheless, belief often is taken for granted and its importance downplayed. The stakes are high because at the heart of belief is commitment—an important self-directed commitment to live according to a system of truth.

In John 14:6, Jesus calls himself “the way and the truth and the life.” Christian faith depends on Jesus as its source for truth. Paul taught in Romans 10:9 that those who focus their faith on the risen Jesus are saved. The touch point for our lesson is Paul’s statement that belief in Jesus’ resurrection is significant for salvation.

This week’s lesson treats John’s resurrection story. The concept of belief is central to the Gospel of John. The matter rises to a climax in chapter 20. This chapter could be titled, “Belief in the Context of Jesus’ Resurrection.” The key observation is that “Believing in the truth” has faith in Jesus’ resurrection at its core. In this lesson, we see the belief of Mary Magdalene and John energized by Jesus’ resurrection.

I don’t know (John 20:1-2)

Verse 1 describes Mary Magdalene’s movement in the early morning darkness to tend to her Lord’s tomb. At this time of day, households were rising for a work day. Mary, however, slipped away to Jesus’ tomb. This provides a great picture of devotion for believers to emulate.

Mary found the stone removed from the tomb. This was the first sign of Jesus’ resurrection. Mary was alarmed and ran to find Peter. Verse 2 states Mary had investigated the tomb enough to know that Jesus’ body was missing.

The Gospel of John has a feature whereby the writer repeatedly calls himself the “the beloved disciple.” Careful study reveals this disciple as John. John did not elevate himself as beloved, as if the others weren’t. He adopted this humble method of self-reference to downplay his presence.

I don’t understand (John 20:3-7)

Mary’s news compelled two prominent witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection to race to Jesus’ tomb. John and Peter’s flight to the tomb set in motion human reflection on Jesus’ resurrection that continues to this day.

Of note is that no one witnessed the moment of Jesus’ resurrection. The stone already was rolled away when Mary arrived. The other Gospels differ slightly regarding moving the stone and how many women were present, but all state Jesus’ body was missing. The timing of Jesus’ resurrection is unknown, but the fact of his resurrection is certain, due to the number of witnesses.

The discovery of the risen Lord began with the empty tomb. Jesus’ associates had known him for years and witnessed his death. They could personally identify Jesus. They also could state he was alive because they saw him die. Jesus’ companions became strong witnesses to his resurrection.

In the tomb, the two disciples saw Jesus’ grave clothes. Though we don’t have the forensics on the burial cloths, their presence in the tomb is hard to explain if someone had removed Jesus’ dead body.

Curiously, John waited outside the tomb, while Peter entered the tomb. Perhaps John saw the empty cloths and waited to discuss matters with Peter. Perhaps Peter’s loyalty to his Lord drove him to investigate.

I do believe (John 20:8-9, 14-16)

From our perspective, no apparent conclusions can be made from the evidence. Verse 8 indicates this evidence was sufficient for John to believe. How he processed the information is unknown. John, who knew his Lord personally, sized up the situation and the evidence and believed.

Verse 8 seems to indicate John believed his Lord had risen. Verse 9 indicates John based his faith on the evidence because at this point, the disciples did not understand the Scripture’s teachings about Jesus’ resurrection. John’s faith in the Lord soon be rewarded by seeing his risen Lord. Here is the first instance of a faith that has survived the experience of Jesus’ death. Jesus is alive and so is faith in him.

Verses 10-13 state Mary returned to Jesus’ tomb. She had not moved as far forward as John in her post-resurrection faith. At first, she did not recognize him. It is unexplained why Mary, a devout follower of Jesus, did not realize she was talking to her Lord. Nevertheless, her words express her faithfulness to her Lord.

Recognition came when Jesus spoke her name. The impetus for Mary’s recognition of Jesus was her relationship with him, not the empty tomb, nor the cursory conversation to this point. This insight speaks strongly regarding the level of assurance a relationship with the Lord can attain.

I can tell (John 20:17-18)

Jesus’ reference to ascension in verse 17 is puzzling for many. It appears as if Mary interrupted Jesus’ ascension. Mary embraced him with great joy and relief. Perhaps the moment lengthened to the point that Jesus reminded her that he would not always have a physical presence in the world. Verse 18 shows she fully understood as she exclaimed to the disciples that she has seen the Lord.

Thus two persons come to belief in Jesus, as a result of his resurrection. These are strong testimonies for people today. These two witnesses show a credible and satisfying relationship with the living and reigning Lord can be experienced by all who believe in Jesus.

There is no way to describe the feeling I get when one of my girls surprises me by running toward me and giving me an unexpected hug. Of course, as they are getting older, the feeling I get is sometimes fear of being knocked over, but my heart always is warmed when they show me this type of affection.
After worship service on Sundays, my nearly 2-year-old loves to run up the aisle toward me as I am returning from saying goodbye to everyone. She will jump into my open arms or crash into my legs if I am not paying attention. Either way, she just wants to give me a hug. These hugs come as a result of her being excited and happy to see me, but they also happen on occasions when she is unsecure or fearful.

On one occasion after Sunday morning worship, a group of men and I were talking while my youngest daughter was playing a short distance away. For some reason, she began to feel uneasy and wanted her dad. Without thinking, she turned and ran toward a pair of legs and grabbed hold as she has done so many times before to me; however, this time the legs were not mine.

When she looked up and saw she had the wrong dad, panic came across her face for a moment. She quickly backed off and began scanning the group of men until she came across the face in which she found her security. She then ran to me. I picked her up and she gave the biggest hug and smile possible.
    
In John 20:1-18, Mary Magdalene has gone to the tomb to pay her respects to Jesus. No doubt she still is distressed and grieving the events of the Friday before. What an emotional week for her and all the followers of Jesus. They had experienced the excitement and motivation of entering Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna,” and now they were experiencing the lowest of lows. If ever Mary needed Jesus, this was the time; but he was dead. She had seen him die with her own eyes; there was nothing that could be done now. Everything she hoped for was buried in a tomb behind a boulder.

When she reached the tomb, Mary saw that the stone had been rolled away, and she immediately thought things had become even worse—now even Jesus’ dead body had been stolen. Peter and another disciple ran to the tomb and confirmed Mary’s fear that the body had been taken away. Even the sight of two angels did not ease Mary’s pain.

In my mind, I see her hunched over on her knees weeping when she hears someone behind her and turns to see who could be standing there. Through her tears and distress she simply glances at the figure behind her and assumes the man to be the gardener; of course she would not expect to see Jesus, he is dead. She resumes her position of mourning at the feet of this gardener and pleads with him to help her make sense of this unthinkable situation. Then Jesus calls her name and Mary looks up from her weeping and through the tears she looks into the eyes of the last person she expected to see, but the person she needed to see the most.

As we read this story, we have the advantage of knowing the whole story. What Mary did not know was that the victory already had been won even before she saw the empty tomb. But Mary needed to see Jesus to be assured of the victory.  

We really are not much different when we are going through the dark times of our lives. We tend to forget that God already has won the victory and that he will carry us through these difficult and burdensome times of life. Sometimes the darkness becomes so dark that we feel like Mary and just want to fall to the ground and weep. Only when we look up and fix our eyes on Jesus will the darkness surrounding our life begin to fade into the light of Jesus’ victory.

During the trying times of our lives, we need to act like my little girl and run to where our security and encouragement resides. We need to run to Jesus and allow him to comfort us, cry with us, encourage us and strengthen us.  

You may find yourself in a dark place right now, and there seems to be no light anywhere. Remember that this darkness is only part of the story; the full story ends with an empty tomb and the light of Christ filling all the dark corners of our lives.

There always  will be dark and difficult times until Christ comes again, but even in the midst of this darkness we know the victory already is won. Jesus told Mary to go and announce his victory over death. In a world so consumed by death, violence, immorality and hopelessness, there needs to be a message of hope. Jesus is that message.

We need to go and proclaim that darkness has not prevailed, that there is light to be found in the midst of the darkness and that the light of Christ will extinguish all remnant of darkness. Let us live in the light and share the light with those still lost in darkness.

Grief, as we have talked about this month, can only be truly healed by the resurrection of Jesus.

The power found in the resurrection gives us the assurance that death and loss have been defeated. Only when we acquaint ourselves with the resurrection can we truly experience the peace that is actually greater than any loss.

Jesus had been executed two days before, while the disciples watched from a distance. One of them had betrayed him, and another had rejected him three times before a crowd of people. His body was placed in the tomb of a friend, and it had been done hastily so the devote Jews would not violate the Sabbath.

On the first day of the week, a woman, Mary Magdalene, got up before the sun and went to the graveyard where the stone was rolled away from the entrance.  She went back, but returned quickly with two of the disciples to explore an empty tomb.

Jesus had risen from the grave on this morning, but the people still were confused. They believed his body had been taken, and they were in despair because they did not know where to look. First, they had watched him die; now, they had to find his body. If the story were to end here, it would be embarrassment on top of grief.  

Mary was left alone at the tomb when the two disciples went back to tell the others, and it was then that she saw not only two angels sitting where the body had been,  but Jesus himself appeared to her.

At first, she confused him for the gardener. Perhaps it was her experience of grief that temporarily blinded her, but when he called her by name, she was awakened to who was standing in front of her. This is the place where hope rose from the grave to present the final victory over what had always been the final defeat. Death was no longer the end of life. Grief fled instantly, the moment Mary recognized her Savior standing with her.

It is the hope embodied in that moment at the tomb that gives all of us the ability to overcome grief. Only hope can overcome the grief of loss. We see it in the way Mary turns from weeping to gladness at recognizing the teacher. And without that hope given to us, we would be left in our own grief everytime the pain of loss came to visit itself upon our lives.

If it were not for the resurrection, death would be the end of all our discussions. The assurance we have for eternal life would cease, and we would be left standing in the graveyard beside Mary Magdalene, staring at a stone-covered tomb.

As Paul was with the Corinthians in the previous lesson, we must not allow anyone to be uninformed. Grieving still occurs. Even at the death of Jesus, they grieved his passing, as we see in the tears of Mary Magdalene and the distress of the disciples.

We still lose people in our lives, and things change in ways we cannot plan for. The hope we have is that loss, of both people close to us and control of our circumstances, is not the final end of things.  

Jesus’ resurrection brings the ultimate hope. We are given hope in the resurrection that we can be reconciled with God to those who we lose. When our lives begin to spin out of our control, we have hope that God has the final say in how things will be.

The resurrection is the only thing that can give hope to everyone in every situation. It comes from the God who makes the blind see and the lame walk. The healing seen in the miracles of Jesus to those who were sick is made full in the way his death and resurrection heal our grief.
    
It is all part of one movement that is finished, not on the cross of Friday, but truly completed in the resurrection of Sunday. That garden, when it seemed hope truly had vanished with the missing body of Jesus, is ground zero for the hope of the nations. The Prince of Peace, the Wonderful Healer, has brought peace and healing to all of us.  

Without experiencing the resurrection, we cannot experience peace and healing; and without peace and healing, we cannot overcome our own grief. The previous weeks of talking about grief have no meaning without the events of the garden after the stone had been rolled away.

It is here we must begin our search. It is odd that this should be the final lesson of this month, but not inappropriate. With grief looming in front of us, how can we summit this mountain without the resurrection?

Questions for reflection

• In verse 8 of this week’s passage, we read that the other disciple saw and believed, but verse 9 says they still did not understand that Jesus had to rise from the dead.  What did the other disciple understand?

• Who is a better model of our response to an empty tomb; the disciples who leave, or Mary Magdalene who stays? Why?

• When grief looks to be too large for us to overcome, how does the remembrance of the resurrection give you hope?

The movie scene is intense and has the audience sitting on the edge of their seats in anticipation of what will transpire during this tension-filled press conference.

Harvey Dent, Gotham City’s District Attorney in the movie “The Dark Knight,” is addressing reporters and the city in a live interview in which everyone anticipates that the true identity of Batman will be revealed.  The city has been gripped by fear due to the psychotic actions of the Joker.  

The Joker has terrorized the citizens of Gotham, and now has assured the city that if Batman turns himself in, he will stop his murderous ways.  The city is paralyzed with fear and is willing to sacrifice someone who stands for justice in order to ease their apprehension.

Harvey Dent knows giving in to the demands of evil, personified in the Joker, will only weaken the city and lead them down a path of uncertainty and chaos.  Dent knows the difficulty of standing up for what is right.  Criminals already have tried to take his life, but that has not stopped this intrepid District Attorney.  

Dent appeals to the city not to sacrifice Batman, but remain strong and determined as they endure the evil of the Joker together.  As he nears the end of his plea, he makes this statement; “The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming.”

I believe the crucifixion and death of Jesus is by far his darkest time on earth. Jesus has spent the last three years of his life impacting the lives of everyone he came in contact with.

He transformed people’s lives by healing them of all sorts of diseases and physical limitations. Jesus offered people a new life through believing in him. He brought hope to the hopeless and proclaimed freedom to the captives. Jesus gave all he was and all he had for the very people who now were crying out, “Crucify him, crucify him.”  

Evil has responded powerfully to Jesus’ message of hope and new life, and now evil is celebrating as the loving and compassionate Christ is hanging on a cross. As Jesus hangs on this cross, he is enduring more than he has ever experienced before. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, is taking upon himself the sin of the world.

Not only is he taking our sin, but also the punishment for our sin. Jesus feels the pain our sin inflicts on us and the world.  He is now riddled with the guilt and shame that always accompany sin.  The full fury of darkness has descended upon Jesus, and he must endure all the pain and suffering the darkness brings.  

Finally, Jesus raises his voice one last time and speaks to the heart of the darkness saying, “It is finished.”  

At these words evil must have rejoiced as never before. The darkness had succeeded in extinguishing the light of Christ in one 24-hour period. While darkness and evil are ecstatic, the followers of Jesus are crushed when they hear his last words. Is it really finished? Were the last three years for nothing? At this point, darkness seems to have won the victory, and even the reader of the gospel must acknowledge defeat if she or he does not already know the ultimate ending. Truly the night must have seemed so dark and the dawn was nowhere in sight.

The darkness was unbelievably so as Jesus was uttering his last words, but was there a ray of light shining on this day?

John specifically mentions two unlikely individuals who are there for Jesus on his darkest day. Joseph of Arimathea is part of the religious structure that has sent Jesus to the cross. This whole ordeal must have been unbearable for Joseph. When he sees an opportunity to do something for Jesus, he offers to provide the burial site for our Lord, even though he would no longer be a secret follower of Jesus.  Joseph was willing to stand up to the darkness even though I am sure he believed the ministry of Jesus was finished.  He could no longer keep his love for Christ a secret and he shows us a tiny ray of light.

Joseph of Arimathea is helped by a very interesting and profound character in the Gospel of John.  Nicodemus is the man who approached Jesus at night and asked how he could enter the kingdom of God.  Jesus responds by telling Nicodemus to be born again.  As far as the reader is concerned, Nicodemus leaves Jesus just as confused and wrapped in darkness as when he first approached Jesus; however, clearly this was not the case. At some point, Nicodemus appears to have understood the message Jesus because he is now stepping out of the darkness and serving Jesus when all others have abandoned him.  

As a reader of the Gospel of John, I must ask; if Jesus was able to overcome the darkness in Nicodemus’ life, could he overcome this darkness that has now consumed him?

The crucifixion and death of Jesus undoubtedly is a dark day, but this is not the last of Jesus.  

When Jesus said “it is finished,” he meant for sin, death, darkness and evil.  Even in this dark hour, Jesus knew light was coming.  No matter how dark our lives become, maybe we should remember that the night is darkest just before the dawn, and Jesus has promised the dawn is coming and the darkness will have no place to hide.

On Friday of Passion Week, Pontius Pilate asked Jesus if he was a king. Jesus replied, he was indeed a king, but his kingdom was not of this world. Jesus had come to declare the truth about is kingdom. To this Pilate cynically replied, “What is truth?” (John 18:36-38). Jesus claimed to be “the truth” (John 14:6), but Pilate did not recognize him.

This story sadly parallels many lives today. People often seek truth but do not acknowledge Jesus as truth. Such a decision has important spiritual implications for people’s lives. The stakes are more acute for Christians. If a believer can be turned away from Jesus’ truth, their life can be turned away from God. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians to address this exact issue.

The epistle to the Colossians refuted a faith threatening heretical teaching. Paul described the heresy in 2:8 as a human tradition characterized by philosophy and empty deceit. The deception was based on elemental spiritual principles of this world, not the correct teaching of Christ. The offending heresy seems to have had a Jewish connection (2:11, 16).

Paul’s answer presents a remarkable doctrinal portrait of Christ. The Lord is far more authoritative than the deviant system that opposes him. Conforming to the invading heresy means more than complying with a powerful religious teaching. It also involves abandoning truth found only in Christ.

This lesson builds on a word meaning “to know experientially” (vv. 6 & 10). Knowing Jesus involves more than knowing things about him. Jesus can be known personally. To know him is to experience him personally.

Our Lord, by faith (Colossians 1:3-8)

After a short greeting, Paul thanked God for the results of the true gospel in the lives of the Colossians. The gospel had produced faith, love and hope (vv. 4-5).

Faith and love spring from the hope for “heaven” that flourishes in those who respond to the true gospel (v. 5). Faith, love and hope are high level qualities of life enjoyed only by those who have a right standing with God. The true gospel teaches how to attain this right standing. These three qualities provide a “litmus test” for a true walk with God. Those who stand right before God, will find faith, love and hope in their life. These three famously are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:13 (also 1 Thessalonians 1:3 and 5:8).

Since Paul desires to refute heresy, he indicates how the real gospel works by pointing to the Colossians’ lives. Only the true gospel produces faith, love and hope. Heretical gospels add performance qualifications to Christ’s sacrifice. These requirements douse hope by shifting focus to individual religious performance. In such cases, hope is directly proportional to the attainment of human performance. With the true gospel, hope is directly proportional to the level of Christ’s performance. Confidence in Christ awakens strong hope, which provides fertile ground for faith and love to blossom.

Lord in Our Living (Colossians 1:9-14)

Verses 9-14 present Paul’s prayer for the Colossians. The prayer has two parts: the request and its result. Paul requests that his readers be filled with knowledge of God’s will (v. 9). Such knowledge comes through wisdom and spiritual understanding—resources only available through God.

Verses 10-14 spell out six actions that result from knowing God’s will: walking worthily of the Lord; desiring to please him in all things; bearing fruit; increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with his power; and joyously giving thanks to the Father.

Lord over the universe (Colossians 1:15-17)

The next three verses provide four statements that unequivocally declare Christ’s supremacy above all things. First, as God’s Son, Christ is the image of the invisible God (v. 15). Humans alone are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Coming in human form, Christ visibly revealed God so humans could understand him  (John 1:1-18).

Second, v. 15 declares Christ as the firstborn of all creation, echoing Psalm 89:27. The terminology points to Christ’s preexistence before creation and his preeminence above creation. Taking on human form, Jesus entered creation, but he entered creation first and took first position among all creation.

Verse 16 pronounces Christ as the Creator of all things. He created all earthly things and all ruling authorities on earth and in heaven. His creation of authority structures places Christ above all authorities.

A summary statement arrives in verse 17. Christ’s preeminence signifies his absolute authority. Furthermore, creation owes its continued existence to Christ’s exercise of authority. Christ’s role as Creator continues as he maintains all creation.

Lord of his church (Colossians 1:18-20)

Verses 18-20 spell out Christ’s significance for the Church. He is the church’s head. The supreme authority over all creation is the leader of the church. Furthermore, Christ is the first born of the dead—a striking parallel to the statement in v. 15. Christ leads the way through resurrection into eternal life.

As the Creator is the first born of creation, the Redeemer is the first born of the dead. This knowledge generates great hope for the believer who understands the capable Creator and Sustainer also is the victorious Redeemer.

God’s purpose in Christ was to reconcile all things to himself. Thus Christ is supreme in all things, being authoritative in all aspects of creation and redemption.

Knowing these remarkable teachings, we should serve Christ in every way. We should examine our lives for faith, love, and hope and respond to Christ’s supremacy with complete, undivided devotion and commitment to service. Knowing the truth has its responsibilities!

As members of the body of Christ, we experience suffering. When one member of our body suffers, we share in that suffering as we try to aid them and comfort the individual or family through loss and grief.  

Ministering to others who are suffering can be one of the most difficult things we do as Christians. We can be tempted to try and answer all the questions of life, when sometimes there are no clear answers.  

This month, we look at grief.  That in itself can be a trial as typically talking about grief can be something of a depressing topic.  It becomes taxing to find hope when in the midst of describing the context of the grieving. The discussion is easier when we are talking about our own grieving and the specific instances around it, than when the topic shifts to how to help our friends and family who are experiencing grief, but it is necessary as grief comes to all of us.  

Grieving is a form of suffering. Life comes down hard on all of us, and we all will suffer; the witness of the New Testament frequently illuminates the inevitable suffering everyone who calls themselves a Christian will experience. Paul definitely was no stranger to suffering and grief.  The accounts of his stoning and shipwreck in Acts are a small sample of the suffering he endured for the sake of his ministry.

When he writes to the Corinthians the second time, Paul begins his letter by talking about the meaning of suffering for himself and how that suffering can strengthen others. Prayer is the focus of the response Paul gives to suffering, and how prayer will give comfort to those who are suffering.

For Paul and those who travel with him, suffering is a shared experience that extends beyond his group and to the churches that have decided to support them in their work. “For as we share in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ” (v. 5). This movement of suffering and comfort is not just for our benefit.  

From this passage, we can gather that past experiences of suffering allow us to comfort others who  currently are suffering. This can take many forms, whether it be in sharing wisdom or being available as a source of quiet comfort. Both the wisdom gained through suffering and the comfort that can be provided are gifts from God for the benefit of the community at large. Paul expresses a great hope to the readers because of the sharing of sufferings and comforts that comes through the community.

One of the shortcomings of many expressions of Christianity today can be in how we inform young Christians of the inevitable suffering that affects all of us.

Maybe the greatest hindrance to the gospel message can be failing to adequately communicate that we will all suffer. The misconception can arise that because we have chosen a life devoted to Jesus, we will be spared from the pain that is a part of life.

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters…” (v. 8). Paul points out specific instances where following Christ has brought about suffering.  This suffering caused him to “despair of life itself” (v. 8).  

Grief over loss and pain is such a part of life as a Christian, it cannot be overlooked, and it  shouldn’t be forgotten. It would be naive of us to think we are immune to pain and loss when our lives are built on relationships.

If we do fall into such a misguided understanding, it can be quite a shock when the realities of loss make a vivid appearance in our lives. We can be caught more than just off-guard, but completely unaware of how to respond.  Grief can paralyze us when it strikes in such an unexpected way, and leave us immobile and ineffective.
    As Paul recounts his story from the province of Asia, he reminds the reader that all of these things happened so that he might be reminded to rely on God.  “He has delivered us from such a deadly peril and he will deliver us again.” (v. 10).  Deliverance from suffering is one of the promises of God, and here we are reminded of such a promise.  
    As well we are reminded that the prayers of the community for the suffering reinforce these promises.  The prayers of the many support those who suffer grief.  That is a ministry in and of its self outside of being the person who suffers.  We can pray for the deliverance of God as a role of support to the body of Christ.  This prayer can be just as strong to hasten the coming deliverance of God as the pain of suffering itself.

Questions for reflection

• In Job 2:11-13, we read about Job’s friends trying to fix Job’s problems with “pat” religious answers. How do we often do the same thing?

• How can silence be an aid and offer comfort to those who suffer?

• Verse 6 in our passage today shows how the Corinthians benefit from the sufferings of Paul’s group.  How is that possible? How does their comfort engender endurance for future suffering?

The last chapter of Philippians, the climax to Paul’s message to his beloved people, delivers a number of exhortations regarding how to continue living one’s faith. Life-long commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ has tremendous benefits.

Paul’s readers are “never to let up” in their faith. The health of one’s faith effects many other lives as well, so Paul finished his epistle with several exhortations regarding how to continue in faith. In the process, Paul composed several highly cherished sayings that have encouraged many through the years.

In getting along (Philippians 4:1-7)

Getting along with one another always has been important in congregational life. Thus in verse 1, Paul repeats and applies his command of 1:27: that the Philippians stand firm in unity. Standing firm is a strong military command worth repeating. In 1:27, the Philippians were exhorted to stand firm “in the one Spirit.” Here they must stand firm “in the Lord.” Standing firm in unity in the Lord is crucial for all congregations. No matter what issues may rise, every participant must work together for unity in the Lord.

Despite using this strong command, the unity in Philippi was likely not horribly threatened. The point is that the best time to prepare for difficulties is during relative peace and ease.

We have two hints that the situation in Philippi was far from dire. First, Paul flanks the command to stand firm with six pet names for his people: brothers, beloved (twice), ones longed for, joy and crown. Thus Paul coaxed his readers to fulfill their most-serious duty with warm terms of affection.

Second, Paul exhorted Euodia and Syntyche to be of “one mind.” In 2:5, Paul says “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” Similar wording is found in 4:2. Paul encouraged these two ladies to be unified in their thinking.

Many see these women as propelling the church on a dangerous and destructive course. This was likely not the case. Paul rarely named detractors. Paul was not “calling out” these women for detrimental conduct. Instead, he personally knew these women, their abilities to move the people, and their tendencies to get crossways in purpose. Paul may have sorted out matters between them in the past. Here Paul reminded two esteemed coworkers (v. 3) to stand firm in unity because they had considerable influence in the congregation.

This was all the appeal to unity and standing firm Paul needed to make. He then penned a widely cherished paragraph of encouragement (vv. 4-7) in which he exhorted his readers to rejoice in the Lord at all times (v. 4). Joy characterizes relations between the Lord and his people (Nehemiah 8:10). Joy in the Lord should pervade all of life for followers of Christ. Joy derives from confidence in the Lord, delight in his activities, and pleasure in his personal presence (see Psalm 118:23).

Verse 5 commends being gentle. Gentleness is a fruit of Spirit (Galatians 5:23) and is motivated by the One in whom we rejoice. The Lord, too, is gentle (Isaiah 42:3). Gentleness with one another is the way to stand firm in unity.

Verse 6 encourages us not to be anxious but to petition the Lord in all situations. The Lord takes great interest in his people and willingly responds to their prayers.

Verse 7, cherished widely, gives the result of the grand process Paul outlined in verses 1-6. The Lord responds to the actions of standing firm in unity, rejoicing in him, being gentle with others and being not anxious but forwarding requests to him. The Lord answers with peace, a peace transcending human understanding. This peace cannot be explained except that it derives from the Lord who is pleased with his people when they follow him and imitate his character.

In practicing virtues (Philippians 4:8-9)

Paul describes the type of things on which one’s mind should be focused. Six “excellent” or “praiseworthy” things are listed. Paul’s command often is rendered as “think on these things.” The core idea means to reason or evaluate. Paul thereby called his readers not merely to “think good thoughts” but to focus their mental energy on the excellent traits he listed. Soon they would discover ways to work such qualities into their conduct.

Above these excellent traits is the Lord himself and his message, which was taught and modeled by Paul. The Philippians had seen an example of persistent upwardly-focused rationale that leads to excellence in conduct. The result of such pursuits is God’s peace, promised in the previous paragraph.

In being contented (Philippians 4:11-13)

The mention of peace brings up the importance of being content whatever one’s situation. Whom is better to speak about contentment than our imprisoned apostle? Paul had long ago learned to be content wherever he found himself. Thus he had been content in his imprisonment.

Paul’s contentment led him to deliver another landmark saying in verse 13. For those who doubt he could be content in all situations, Paul declared the source of his confidence: Christ himself, who strengthens his devoted followers.

In trusting God (Philippians 4:15-19)

Paul finished encouraging his readers with one final affirmation. He was certain the Lord would provide for all their needs (v. 19). God’s kingdom is not impoverished, but is rich beyond any means of measure. God’s kingdom is not enriched by human material wealth, nor dependent upon human willfulness to share. The riches of God’s kingdom derive from God himself who ably takes care of his people. Thus we have the last of several great reasons why God’s people should never let up in their pursuit of their Lord.

Good versus evil and light versus darkness are themes we see throughout our lives. The struggle between good and evil pervades all aspects of society. Sometimes we find ourselves in the midst of darkness, and at other times, the light disperses the darkness and brings hope and security.

The entertainment industry has realized how effectively the struggle between good and evil draws an audience into the story. “The Lord of the Rings,” “Harry Potter” and numerous other books and movies portray the conflict and tension brought about when good and evil collide. In my opinion, the one movie saga that captures the epic nature of the relationship of light and darkness or good and evil is “Star Wars.”  

There may be some who are uncomfortable with “Star Wars” being the favorite movie of a pastor. I assure you I am not converting to the Jedi religion in any way. Of course, I have tried to summon the remote control to my hand only using my mind, but who hasn’t done that?

“Star Wars” actually illustrates the battle between light and darkness very effectively. The original trilogy started out with the movie titled, “A New Hope.” The Galactic Empire, led by the Emperor and Darth Vader, rule the Galaxy with an iron fist and this empire symbolizes evil and darkness.  The light is represented by the small but determined group called the Rebellion.

By the end of the movie, the Rebellion and the Empire have an epic battle, and the Rebellion is able to destroy the Death Star and bring about a new hope to the galaxy; however, just like life, evil still is waiting around the corner.  

In the second movie, “The Empire Strikes Back,” the Empire is able to reorganize and force the Rebellion into hiding. Good and evil battle one another throughout the movie saga just as they do in life. In the final movie, good overcomes evil, but not without difficulty and determination by the Rebellion.

In John 18, we begin to clearly see the power of evil as Jesus is arrested and then taken to trial. Over the past few chapters, Jesus has been talking to the disciples about his goodness and how they have the opportunity to help spread his goodness throughout the world. Darkness will not quietly allow the light of Jesus to drown out the stronghold of evil in the world.

The one person who is the epitome of goodness, love and light in a dark world now is going to be attacked full force and ultimately killed. This must have been an unimaginably difficult time for Jesus and he could have used all the support he could get. The support did not come and darkness descended on the earth as never before.

There are three different responses to Jesus in chapters 18 and 19 and each response allows evil to continue the work that had been started. The first response is that of Peter, a fierce and devoted follower of Jesus. In the heat of the moment during Jesus’ arrest, Peter impulsively cut off the ear of the High Priest’s servant.

Now Peter finds himself with time to think and when the question is posed to him regarding his relationship with Jesus, Peter denies knowing Jesus on three separate occasions. Peter was so scared he would be put through the same thing Jesus was going through, he felt the need to deny and abandon Jesus when Jesus needed him most.

Pilate’s response to Jesus ultimately paved the way for Jesus to be crucified. Pilate acknowledges the fact that Jesus is innocent and even proclaims Jesus is king of the Jews, but in the end, the pressure of the crowd and fear of what others would think prevented Pilate from doing what was right.  

The third response in these two chapters is seen in the religious leaders. These were God-fearing people who desired to follow God and were looking forward to the coming Messiah; however, they were entrenched in the man-made traditions of their religious façade. If God was not going to conform to their understanding and preconceived ideas, then even God would be allowed to be nailed to a tree.

Each of these responses allowed evil to gain a stronghold that would lead to the Messiah being crucified like a common criminal.

I wonder if sometimes our responses to Jesus allow darkness to gain a stronghold today. Jesus has called us to be light bearers in this world, which means we live our lives for Christ each and every day. Sometimes we may respond as Peter. For the most part, we live for Christ and serve him, but when following Jesus will cause personal difficulty, will we deny Jesus as Peter did? Are we still concerned more about our personal comfort and security than following Christ?

 Maybe we respond as Pilate; we know the right thing to do, but we are afraid of what others might think. Does maintaining our social status keep us from ministering to all people no matter who they are? Do we put what others think about us above what God desires for us to do?

Finally, I am afraid that at times we respond the way the religious leaders responded to Jesus. How often do we let tradition keep us from ministering in a new way? Do we only follow Jesus in the areas were we feel comfortable, or are we willing to see Jesus from a different perspective? If we allow anything to keep us from serving Christ, we are allowing darkness to overcome the light.
   
When we are struggling to follow Christ, I hope we will remember that Jesus himself faced evil and overcame the darkness. At our weakest moments, when we are tempted to disregard God’s calling in our life, we must remember to turn our focus on the one who has overcome the darkness.

Jesus faced all evil could throw at him, and he conquered death and darkness with life and light. I hope we will take part in pointing people away from the darkness and into the light that Jesus revealed when he overcame death and radiantly burst forth from the tomb.