Eric's Beijing Diary

This morning, as I was riding through the narrow streets and back alleys of Beihai in a bicycle cab, sipping my McDonald's tea, I was trying to put myself in the place of Peter and John as they ran to the sepulcher that first Easter morning. In one sense, it is more than a bit presumptuous for we who have been brought up hearing the story of Easter, with the benefit of so many infallible proofs, to think we can quite imagine what it would be like to be the disciples of Jesus--how it felt to them. As I entered the church, I could hear the strains of Wesley's old Easter anthem, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today."

On a simply human level, the story is poignant enough. Their dear friend was returned to them. Jesus, who had always seemed to have the right answers, who always put the needs of others before His own. Jesus, the altogether lovely friend and guide. He was back! He was alive!

But far more important for us is the fact that his resurrection was a triumph over death itself. It had never happened before. Lazarus was raised from the dead, of course. But that was not resurrection. Lazarus still died a natural death. He was raised from the dead, but eventually, he, too, went the way of all flesh. The resurrection of Jesus was far different. It was not only a triumph over the power of death for Him personally. It was a massive defeat for the power of death for all who place their faith in Him. This is why Jesus said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." (John 11:25).

I hate death. I will never forget the overwhelming feeling of anger that I felt at Uncle Otto's funeral. As I sat that casket lying there, I knew that death was something I could never, never be at peace with. But Ecclesiastes says, "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of everyone, and the living will lay it to heart." (Ecclesiastes 7:2) So the process of thinking through these things is good for us. Some time ago, I was talking with a bunch of young people at the English corner. I said, "Everyone of us is going to die." Of course they did not argue. Then I said, "There is no way you can convince me that it was supposed to be that way." When we contemplate questions of life and death, it is clear that sometime, somehow, something went terribly wrong. This wrong is called sin. And with sin came death. The power, the majesty of Easter is the power over this terrible cancer that has caused so much heartache in this dark world.

Up from the grave he arose,
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes!

And finally, the resurrection was confirmation that Jesus was, in fact, exactly who he said he was. The Bible tells us that Easter was a bold declaration that Jesus was the Son of God. He was "declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness by resurrection from the dead." There have been many throughout history who have claimed some special connection with God. They came from different backgrounds, and they started different religions with different dogmas. But they all have one thing in common. They are dead. Jesus and only Jesus was able to conquer death. But the beauty, the wonder, the hope, the glory of Easter is that in conquering death, he not only conquered death for Himself, he conquered death for all who love his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8). So now we have peace, not because we have somehow managed to resign ourselves to death as something which, though undesirable, is unavoidable, and therefore something we must accept. We have peace because we know that in dying we live. The great evangelist, D.L. Moody, used to say, "Sometime you will pick up a paper and will read of D.L. Moody's death; don't believe a word of it; I may be asleep, but I shall not be dead; death has no terror to me." When he sensed that death was approaching, he said, "This is my triumph; this is my coronation day! I have been looking forward to it for years." As he climbed the stairs to the room where he would die, it was with a sense of anticipation. And as he passed from this life, he said, "I see earth receding; Heaven is opening; God is calling me." This is a perfect picture of what death is for those who walk with Jesus. This is the power, the victory, the triumph of Easter.

Labels: Beihai