Rachel writes…
Over the past few weeks, I have been thinking a bit about what Jesus’ resurrection means for the world, and for me personally. In my Bible study group at church, we’ve been looking at the start of the book of Luke, and we’ve seen how Jesus turns the expected, ‘ordinary’ way of the world upside down. As Mary says in her song of praise (you might have heard it called the Magnificat):
He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
Luke 1:52–53
Jesus builds on this when he’s teaching his disciples in Luke 6:
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
Luke 6:20–22The rulers are brought down; the humble are lifted up. The hungry are filled and satisfied; the rich are sent away empty. The poor are blessed because God’s kingdom is theirs. Those who weep now are blessed because they will laugh. Those who are hated and excluded because of Jesus find themselves blessed in him.
Luke 6:20–22
These are the hallmarks of God’s kingdom: that which is wrong being made right. I’m borrowing some wisdom from another Rachel (Mander) here, who shared with me a quote from the Swiss theologian Hans Küng: ‘the kingdom is creation healed.’
The resurrection is a prime example of this topsy-turvy, fully restored kingdom. The (seemingly) ultimate defeat and humiliation of Good Friday – the Messiah given a criminal’s death sentence, buried in a tomb, his closest disciples denying him and scattered – is transformed by God into rejoicing on Sunday. He lives! Death has turned to life! Evil into good! And the disciple who denied him became the rock on which the church was built. God’s kingdom is creation healed.
Activism can sometimes be discouraging. We can look at the list of things to do, the things that have gone wrong or the people that have fallen through the gaps, and wonder if things can ever change. But – but! – we who follow the risen Jesus can have hope. We can trust that he who defeated death can transform even the direst circumstance now and certainly will do at the end of all things. We can hope to see God’s topsy-turvy, beautiful, restorative kingdom at work, as we keep on and follow him.
P.S. I love this recording of an old favourite by Celtic Worship: ‘Because He Lives’. I hope you enjoy it too!