The Living Christ: Part 3

John 20:11-18

“11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.”

Mary Magdalene was heartbroken.   She thought someone had stolen Jesus’ body from the tomb.  The angels inside the tomb asked her why she was weeping.  Behind Mary, stood Jesus, and I suppose the angels could see Him.  Then Jesus asked her why she was crying.  

Mary turned and, not recognizing Jesus, assumed that He was the gardener.  But, as soon as He called her name, she knew Him and reached out to hold Him.

There is a familiar way that the people you love speak to you or say your name.  Many times it is the way we know they are in the house, or near us in a dark or crowded place.  We know their way of saying our name.

Even though Mary was deep in shock and grief, even though she thought Jesus’ body had been stolen, even though she did not recognize Him in his risen form, when Jesus spoke her name, she knew it was him.

In the world of today, there are many voices calling our names.  But we have the assurance that if we love Him, we will know the voice of Jesus.   

When Jesus speaks our names, wherever we are, whatever our circumstances…

we will know Him.

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” (John 10:14)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Living Christ: Part 2

John 20: 1-10

“1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.”

Everyone in these verses is described as running; first Mary Magdalene ran from the tomb to Simon Peter.  Then, Simon Peter and John ran to the tomb (actually raced) to see things for themselves.  

Mary Magdalene told the two disciples that Jesus’ body had been removed from the tomb.  Peter and John, entering the tomb saw the linen wrappings and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head.  This cloth had been rolled up and placed separate from the linen wrappings.

From this evidence, Peter and John were able to surmise that Jesus had risen, that his body had not been stolen.  Someone stealing his body would not have taken the time to unwrap it from the linen wrappings, and take the face covering, roll it, and place it gently in a corner.

Because of the resurrection, the disciples were taken from their despair and given hope.  Their Savior, their Lord, their Messiah had conquered death.

This same hope is offered to us today.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Living Christ: Part 1

Luke 24:1-7

“1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again?” 

The women who followed Jesus, followed Joseph of Arithmathea to the tomb where he placed the body of Jesus after he had taken Him down from the cross.  They had followed Joseph so that they would know where to go to anoint the body with spices.  They had waited until the day after Passover to do this.

What they found when they arrived was the stone of the tomb rolled away, an empty tomb, and angels who told them that Jesus had risen.  

The women of the tomb were looking among the dead for the living Christ.  They had gone to the tomb to visit and anoint  the dead body of Christ.  Their minds were on the things of death, not on the things of life.

The women had been present throughout Christ’s crucifixion and seen his brutal death.  How could anyone survive such a death?  And they had seen His dead body; they had seen Him entombed. 

It is wonderful to know that as we read scripture today and study the teachings of Christ, that we do not look among the dead for our faith.

We read the living word, we drink the living water, we worship the living Christ, and through our living faith in the living Christ, our lives are everlasting.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

It is Finished

John 19:30, Luke 23:46

30 When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” …

46 Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last.

The Greek word used for our English word “finished” is a word that indicates a debt has been paid, an obligation has been fulfilled, or accomplished.  

At that point, then, Christ’s mission on earth was fulfilled; the atonement for the sins of humankind was accomplished.

Though Jesus' body suffered great injury, His physical death was entirely an act of His own will.  Christ commended or gave up His spirit to God the Father—it  was not taken from Him by human hands.

Through the cross, God’s plan of redemption for all of humanity was fulfilled.

Because of Christ’s sacrifice, all of humanity now has a pathway to salvation and eternal life.

All we have to do is believe.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Why Have You Forsaken Me

Matthew 27:45-47

“45 From noon on, darkness came over the whole land[p] until three in the afternoon. 46 And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.”

Jesus, at this point, was covered in the sins of the world, sins that did not belong to Him, sins that He did not commit.  At this moment he felt alone and deserted, as if no one cared.  

At that time, he felt as we feel when we are weighed down by our own sins.  He cried out as we cry out when we feel isolated by our sins,  “God, don’t you care about me?”  

On that day, during that dark time, Christ experienced the pain and suffering and loneliness of the sins of the world.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

I am Thirsty

John 19:28-29

“28 After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” 29  A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth.”

Jesus knew that the suffering required of Him was over.  The act of sacrifice and redemption were complete and he told the guards that he was thirsty.  

Earlier in Jesus’ ministry, he met a Samaritan woman at a well and he said to her, “Will you give me a drink of water?” The woman replied, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?”  Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

The Roman soldiers did not know who they had crucified.  They did not know who asked for water. 

They gave him sour wine, 

the cheapest of all wines.

They did not know the gift of God.

 May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Woman, Here is Your Son

John 19:25-27

“25 Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.”

Can you imagine standing in front of the cross, watching your child endure crucifixion?   The emotions we may feel while imagining this are nothing compared to those Mary endured on that day.  

Mary had been told by Simeon the Prophet after Christ’s birth that a sword would pierce her own soul (Luke 2:34-35), but I am sure she never imagined anything like this.

Jesus, looking down from the cross, saw His mother and felt compassion for her suffering.  The words that he spoke ensured her that she would not be left alone in her time of need.

Through His suffering on the cross, even with the weight of the sins of humanity on His shoulders, Christ reached out in love. 

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)