What if there was no Easter: Pastor Rajiv's Mid Week Message

Bible Reading 1 Corinthians 15 verses 12 to 22

If you like to listen to politicians and world leader interviews the journalist interviewing the leader will sometimes ask the leader a question around what he or she would do if faced with a certain situation.

The political leader in most cases dismisses the question with this response ‘that is a hypothetical question and I do not want to answer it’.

That is because the politician does not want to be led into making a public statement that could hold him or her accountable in the future.

But today we are going to consider and seek answers to a hypothetical question a question that is extremely critical to our Christian faith.

Last Sunday we celebrated Easter which is also resurrection Sunday. We celebrate the rising of our Lord from the dead never ever to die again.

The question is:  what if there was no Easter? What if there were no resurrection? 

Most people would refuse to consider that possibility and like the politician, put it down as a hypothetical question.

But even though it may be a hypothetical question it is a question that must be considered and the answers contemplated, because if there were no Easter, we, you and I, will be irrelevant!

This question is critical and was important enough for Paul to have addressed it in our bible passage today.

what if there was no Easter? Where would we be today? What hope would we have had for our own future? If there was no Easter would not the entire word of God be irrelevant? Would not our own faith be in vain?

All these questions may very well be hypothetical, but they are extremely critical for our faith and, most of all, our hope.

So let us look carefully at how Paul dealt with this question in these eleven verses, over the next two days.

God Bless you. 

The Hypocritical Tree

The word hypocrite comes from a Greek word that means “play actor.” A hypocrite is someone pretending to be something that he or she is not in order to receive recognition or gain.

Matthew 21 18 and 19

18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

This passage is a shocker! To anyone who reads the Bible, Jesus, son of God comes across as a meek, non-aggressive, unselfish person who would not be harsh to anyone, especially if they showed harshness to them. After all he said blessed are the meek. That same person who, when beaten, humiliated and crucified did not react and in fact prayed for the forgiveness of His torturers and murderers. Now how is it that such a person curses a tree, simply because He was hungry and the tree had not produced fruit, though it had a foliage of leaves and seemed perfectly healthy? And curses it to the death?

Well for one thing we see a human side where He was hungry, got misled by the trees health into thinking He would be able to eat some fruit, and got angry or maybe frustrated when He could not. On the spiritual side we see an inverted miracle.

We see precisely, the stakes not only of failing to produce fruit, but of giving a fruitful impression and failing to back it up, popularly called "hypocritical". 

Thus, it is with us: as followers if we do not produce the expected fruit, but only a show of it, we will bear the outcome of such a hypocrisy just as the scribes did.

Jesus condemns hypocrites (as He did the tree). Read Matthew chapter 33 to understand the damning result of being a hypocrite. All in all, it's a very serious offence: 

Hypocrisy deceives the hypocrite, damages unbelievers, and dishonors God. The Biblical yardstick is to judge others, not the hypocrite himself. While we are all guilty of this at times, one must recognize it's seriousness as a fault and consciously overcome it as a weakness to be overcome. 

“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." Luke 12:1

The Red Sea Experience

One often wonders why God took the Israelites to the "land of milk and honey" or the Promised Land, through such a circuitous route for 40 years when a shorter route was available?

In our modern minds it is difficult to grasp this as it is difficult for us to accept the wait for deliverance when we are struck by our own problems, or our own red sea. But God had His reasons then as He does now.

An analyses of the red sea experience throws the light on this and we quote from the Messianic Bible.com for a wonderful and thought provoking article, helping each one of us to go through our own waiting period and our own Red Sea. 

We urge our readers to do read this HERE

OR

click to read below. 

https://free.messianicbible.com/holiday/crossing-red-sea-god-brings-us-long-way/

Holidaying from Easter

Easter Monday may not be the first thing you think of when you remember the Easter calendar, but it highlights an important part of the Easter story: what happened after Jesus got out of the tomb?

(Today we will refer to Jenna Brooke Carlsons article in Christianity.com)

While Easter Monday is really not a mandated celebration, it's importance and practice started somewhere in the 15th century. Christ had risen, Easter was celebrated, and now what? If easter was the resurrection of Christ and a new life for us, then Easter Monday is the first day of our new life. Easter eggs signify that new life. 

Christ was active pretty active during the 40 days but more than that, Easter Monday is a continuum of Easter itself. What happened on Easter does not remain in Easter but to be continued in our lives.

Easter Monday has different names, including Bright Monday, Renewal Monday, Wet Monday, and Dyngus Day, but why Easter Monday at all? Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He took our place as the perfect, blameless sacrifice. Anyone who believes in him can receive this gift of salvation and be with him forever. This is a continuing sacrifice, and does not stop on Easter. Monday underscores the conviction that Christ is alive today and every day.

"On Easter Monday and each day that follows, Christians can celebrate the new life in Jesus. Jesus ascended into heaven, where he still sits. He sent the Holy Spirit, who still comes. After the miraculous events of Easter Sunday, Easter Monday reminds us that joy continues in our everyday life. The celebration isn’t over after Easter. Jesus’s invitation to follow him is available to anyone who believes, today and everyday." 

The point is, we all may have had some best practices during Easter and what we need to ensure is that there is no backsliding. One is not talking about fasting from food, but fasting from negative habits, talking to God everyday, inviting His participation in our daily lives, respecting and loving others, service to mankind and so on. All that we read, studied and experienced during lent and Easter, needs to be practiced after Easter as well. 

Therefore, Easter Monday is that comma, with which we continue Christ's resurrection in our lives. Every day. Remember, Easter Monday is not a holiday from Easter. 

The Silent Saturday

Easter weekend acrivities mostly dont include Saturdays. Friday and Sunday get the press. The crucifixion and resurrection command our thoughts. But don’t ignore Saturday. You have them, too.

Much happened on Friday. Man rejected God. A d God He made himself heard on Friday. He tore the curtains of the temple, opened the graves of the dead, rocked the earth, blocked the sun of the sky, and sacrificed the Son of Heaven. Earth heard much of God on Friday.

But what about the silent Saturday "the day between the struggle and the solution? God knows Jesus is in the tomb, why doesn’t He do something?

Think about this: if God had resurrected Jesus in 15 minutes after His death, would you have believed in resurrection? Or would you doubt He ever died? Saturday underscores the full conviction of death and underscores the resurrection.

Or, in your case God knows your career is in the tank, your finances are in the pit, your marriage is in a mess. Why doesn’t He act? What are you supposed to do until He does?

In the words of Max Lucado,
You do what Jesus did. Lie still. Stay silent. Trust God. Jesus died with this conviction: “You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay” (Acts 2:27 NIV).

Jesus knew God would not leave him alone in the grave. You need to know, God will not leave you alone with your struggles. His silence is not his absence, inactivity is never apathy. Saturdays have their purpose

The Mandatum

Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter, believed to be the day when Jesus celebrated his final Passover with His disciples. Most notably, that Passover meal was when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples in an extraordinary display of humility. He then commanded them to do the same for each other.

Christ's "mandate" is commemorated on Maundy Thursday---"maundy" being a shortened form of mandatum (Latin), which means "command." It was on the Thursday of Christ's final week before being crucified and resurrected that He said this last commandment to His disciples. Jesus and his disciples had just shared what was known as the Last Supper and he was washing their feet when he stated:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13:34).

Many people and churches observe Maundy Thursday with a Communion service and a foot-washing ceremony. These traditions help Christians reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus and his commandment for us to love and serve others.

Every time we participate in communion, we recognize what happened during the events of Maundy Thursday. That our Lord Jesus was betrayed, to be tried and crucified the next day on Good Friday.

Equally importantly, we must remember that last commandment and His personal example of the highest level of humility, when He stooped to wash the disciples feet.

While Scripture doesn't talk about celebrating or forbid us to commemorate days like Maundy Thursday, the main question is are we observing Christ's new command to love---especially those who deserve it least? Are we building humility?

The Battle of Lent

Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Lent is nearly over, and different people have practiced different forms of sacrifice through this time. Fasting, giving up some things, making a change for the better are some. Bringing in change, overcome negative or bad habits, reviving faith and sacrificing self for renewal in God are some outcomes which we try and achieve during this time. For some, it ends at the end of the period, for a few it continues to the next lent when we further renew ourselves.

It seems, every lent is Gods battle to renew us. For us, it is a battle between self-seeking motivation, self-will and folly on the one hand and God's expectation on the other. The human mentality which tells us to enjoy the day with physical pleasures as against our aspiration to enjoy the day with Gods peace. This has been depicted so well in the painting by Peter Bregel the Elder in his painting titles the Fight between Carnival and Lent, which is the cover photo. 

THE sadness is that while we become or try to become an ideal follower of Gods way, after lent we sort of backslide and revert back to our old self. This seems to be a self-defeating purpose to observe lent sacrifices and then backslide. Did Jesus, whose death and resurrection we celebrate, backslide? If He had, we would not be writing or reading this blog, there would be no churches and there would be no such thing as the Christian.

Who are you?

Read John 1 19-28 Here

If someone asked you today, who are you, what would your reply be? Most of us would give our name, profession and maybe address.

John the Baptist was asked the same question, repeatedly, and his answer can become a standard for us.

Most of us, when questioned, focus on the creation rather than the creator. We would say our name, our occupation, or position and so on. But John introduced himself by his mission. He was clear on what it was and what he was committed to do.

In our case our mission defines our focus. Is our mission to become a CEO or a political leader etc. Or is our mission to become an instrument of Gods work. And if so what exactly can I do in His kingdom? What is our role?

The answer to that question will tell us whether we are "creation focused" or "creator focused". Whether we have made idols in our lives or not.

Today, as an exercise can we craft an answer like John's which we can answer people with when asked "who are you". For example, say a doctor is asked. He could give an interesting reply - "I am Dr. John Deo and I am Gods assistant in healing the sick". Or say a teacher - "I am Jane Doe and I teach people through God given wisdom, to learn to live in this world". A mother could say I help God create life. A Gardner could say I help God propagate the nature He made.

So let's craft an answer for ourselves today, giving God the glory for what we do and the skills we have to do it. Let us proudly say how we help God in His work here on Earth. 

Force Majeure

Every time I think about life and all the numerous small and big miracles I have experienced, I recall Romans 5:5 where it says -

"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us".

it follows then that if we want God's wonderous participation in our lives, through the Holy Spirit we need to relinquish control. But we confine the Holy Spirit, muzzle Him, constrain Him, all to remain in control.

One thing is for sure: That Miracles are not the "normal" of today. They are acts of God - The Force Majeure. Even the law recognizes that.

Miracles are always within the grand design of God the Creator and fall within the category of prophetic symbolism intended to draw attention to something beyond themselves that confirms the word of God. They are not isolated gestures on the part of God but play an important part in the execution of the grand design of the Creator for the redemption of His creatures.

However, they are beyond the natural forces. Stanford university defines a miracle as something beyond the productive powers of nature. They violate natural laws as we know them. The dead, in nature, remain dead. The living, in nature, have to die. A river will naturally flow, you cannot stop it. For any of these examples to reverse, they need an intervention, beyond nature. And that intervention is God, as the creator of nature.

But. Miracles happen everyday. The sun rises and sets each day; small seeds grow into mighty trees; the many components of our body work together, enabling us to breathe, run, dream, and eat. Inspired advances in medicine and technology are happening every day, and we can now communicate with almost anyone anywhere. God’s power can be seen in every detail of our lives. His power is seen, yet not His participation.

Often, a miracle doesn’t prevent suffering or tragedy at all. God performs miracles for two basic reasons: to strengthen faith and to accomplish good.

But if we seek miracles for the wrong reasons, we can run into trouble. The most common problem comes if we seek signs as proof of God’s existence. If we don’t add any faith to the equation, these miracles and signs won’t ever lead to real, lasting conversion.

4 Steps to wisdom

As we get older, we become wiser and we gradually realize that a $30 watch and a $300 watch show the same time...Whether we wear $30 or $300 purses, the same amount of money can fit in both.. Whether we drive a $150,000 car or a $30,000 car, the journey and the distance are the same, we always reach the same destination..

Wisdom is what we all want and need. It helps us to make the right choices, to make the right decisions, to know right from wrong. It gives us discernment. But wisdom is not easy to find nor get. It is a challenging process, requiring us to rise above our own selves. While wisdom is a keen desire of all, it requires us to work towards it. It is a process in steps. So what are they? 

1. Desire - the first step is to have a consistent desire to get wisdom, throughout the process. Consistent because, frequently we will find that wisdom tells us to do something while not doing it is more attractive. Not to desire something, while that desire is so pleasurable. And so we frequently over-ride wisdom. This is detrimental to gaining it because it does not allow us to experience the pleasure of a wise decision.

2. The second step is to search wisdom. Fortunately for us, we have the Bible as the world's best reference, guide and textbook. We need to be committed to read and learn.

3. Thirdly, we should talk to the Author of the Bible, pray for wisdom; for Gods word to speak to us. As James tell us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5).

4. Finally, we need to fear the Lord. Solomon says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (see Proverbs 9:10). But how should we fear God? 

Philipp Melanchthon, a collaborator of Martin Luther, discussed what it means to fear God by contrasting filial fear with servile fear. Filial fear is the type of respect and love a child has for a parent, a fear of offending the one they most adore and trust. In contrast, servile fear is the kind of fear that a prisoner has for his jailer or executioner. Guess what? Contrary to the image of the word "fear" God expects Filial fear and NOT "servile' fear. 

Age by itself does not give us wisdom. But it does give us time to take those 4 steps to be wise. To start with dedicate 1 day a week to be truly wise, not deciding things based on your emotions or gut feel but on the word of God, His counsel through prayer and patiently wait for Him to guide.

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