A Finished Work – John 20:1-7 – Part III

 

A Finished Work – John 20:1-7 – Part III

(Easter Sermon 2004)

 

Existential death can be extremely costly. Humankind lost the last poem that Paul Laurence Dunbar composed. The venerable African American poet whose brief life spanned the last quarter of the nineteenth century and the opening years of the twentieth century, 1872-1906. Legendarily, the first major African American poet born less than twenty years after the end of slavery, Dunbar succumbed to tuberculosis at an early age. Yet, he left an incalculable and enduring body of work and legacy with works consistently included in anthologies of American poetry. Following his untimely death, Dunbar’s mother turned his room into a shrine to memorialize her son’s poetic and literary contributions. She insisted that the furnishings and other items remain intact just as they were on the day of Dunbar’s death. She would not allow anything to be moved or altered in any way. Incidentally, Dunbar’s framed last poem was placed on his desk at an angle that eventually resulted in the sun bleaching it. Therein, his final composition was lost to posterity and us. Mrs. Dunbar’s grief over the loss of her beloved son led to an existential death which indirectly created an even greater loss to humankind.

 

Many people live in the graveyards of past sins, failures, defeats and mistakes. We essentially are existentially dead. The odor and stench of death surround us. We suffer from “stinking thinking” as doubt, cynicism, toxicity, negativity, gloom and doom permeate our minds and penetrate our hearts. We ask the pivotal question of faith in difficult and inexplicable times. “Where is God?”

 

 

I.              Fulfillment of the Earthly and Eternal Destiny of the Lord Jesus Christ

 

In John 19:30. as he dies on the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ says, “It is finished.” The evangelist further records, “Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” With His atoning death which is the sacrifice of His life as the propitiatory “Lamb of God without blemish or defect,” Jesus finishes the work of salvation. He fills the chasm between Creator and creatures. He reverses the curses, condemnations and separation of Eden. He restores the relationship between God and humankind to its status before sin, infidelity and rebellion of the Fall of humankind.

 

In so doing, Jesus becomes the “Second Adam” who begins a new life for any who believes in His salvific work (1 Corinthians 15:21-23). He inaugurates a totally new creation. Thereby, Jesus offers a fresh start to everyone who believes in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Essentially, Jesus cries, “It is finished!” to assure us that every detail of both His earthly and eternal destiny is now complete.

 

 

II.           Rejoice Over the Folded Burial Cloth

 

Today, we rejoice over the folded burial cloth. It assures us that death does not possess any lasting power over us. We share the hope of the resurrection from the dead. Hallelujah! The Lord Jesus is “the first fruits” of those raised from the dead. As the “Second Adam” of a new creation, Jesus finishes building an eternal home for all believers (John 14:2-3). We have a reserved place in the heavenly realms. Death cannot prevent us from arriving there safely. There is enough space for everyone. In a sense, Jesus builds and completes a new ark on which all of God’s children can board enroute to the New Jerusalem.

 

Practically speaking, this revelation of the folded burial cloth liberates us to pursue any dream or goal that accords with God’s “good, pleasing and perfect” will. In the end, failure, disappointment, defeat and even death itself cannot conquer us. The folded burial cloth reminds us that we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us eternally (Romans 8:28-29). We need not live in fear or loss. We will win no matter what happens! The folded burial cloth is the surest sign that victory is always embedded in effort. Therefore, we freely pursue our visions and ambitions with the blessed assurance of God’s gracious bestowal of triumph in all things.

 

I hope that the revelation of this embedded detail in the resurrection account gives you a new appreciation for Easter.  I hope that we cease and desist with the perennial fashion parade in the Church.  Also, I trust that we will forsake the tradition of ritual, repetition and religion this Sunday.  Instead, I pray that we will realize that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us.  Accordingly, the folded cloth enables us to live to the fullest.  It empowers us to realize the potential of our talents, abilities, natural endowments and personal application.  Easter is more than a religious celebration that follows a weekend of sales and pagan customs.  It is the annual reminder to the believer that God in Christ conquers death.  Thereby, He eliminates the fear that so easily entangles and the sin that so easily burdens us.  This Easter let us worship in this blessed assurance.

 

 

Grace for Us

 

Personalize the resurrection. The Lord Jesus Christ calls all of us forth from the dead as He  called Lazarus from the grave. He calls us to a process of growth. Christian discipleship is journey that begins with personal transformation. A person sheds self-seeking and self-centered living and progresses toward a life of Christian integrity wherein the Lord’s teachings and principles cohere with your daily actions and practical choices. Resurrection unfolds in everyday life as disciples commit to personal development and spiritual growth.

 

The resurrection is the supreme act of divine redemption and renewal. Almighty God raises Jesus from the dead and redeems His life. In the crucifixion, the Roman government discarded Jesus of Nazareth as a common insurrectionist whose life held no intrinsic value. They deemed him to be a gadfly of political irritation without whom the world would be a better place. They exchange him for a known insurrectionist, Barabbas. Nonetheless, God, the Father Almighty, resurrects Jesus from the dead. This foundational theme of Christianity translates into cumulative and complex challenges that disciples face daily. Regardless of how formidable any personal adversity may be, Almighty God can redeem any situation. In the idiom of the Black Church in which I was reared and taught the Christian faith, “God will make a way.” The resurrection reminds us that God can redeem and renew any human situation.

 

Fortuitously, the resurrection is the answer to human fear which plagues and paralyzes disciples. Grounded in irrationality and ignorance, fear corrodes any possibility of enjoying a happy, joyous and free life that God offers. Penetrating and paralyzing fear robs countless people of enjoying the unique gift of life that God gives to everyone. Each person receives the incalculable gift of a unique and unparalleled life from the Creator. The dawn of each day begins another twenty-four cycle of an unfolding miracle wherein each person participates in experiences, mysteries and joys of being alive. However, fear especially the fear of death prevents people from discerning their destiny and attaining self-realization in which they unconditionally accept themselves as God does and willingly strive to live authentically. The foundational belief in the resurrection of Christ liberates disciples from the fear of physical death and fear of existential death. Resurrection means redemption, reframing, reimaging and renewal are always possible. These are effective responses to chaos, disorganization and lack of equilibrium in daily challenges.

 

Resurrection empowers disciples to surmount any baggage of the past. Retention of unconfessed sins, accompanying guilt and regret, failure to repent and an inability to persevere despite past experiences whether misguided decisions or unfortunate circumstances culminate in a herculean weight impedes personal and spiritual growth. Toxic emotions and cumulative formative trauma combine to entomb anyone who harbors or nurtures these emotions and relive these experiences. Fortunately, resurrection empowers disciples and recalls them to new life. As the Lord instructs the observers of Lazarus’ resurrection, “take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (John 11:44) Jesus issues that directive after telling them to take away the stone that held Lazarus in the tomb. Applying the Christian concept of resurrection equips disciples to distill these emotions and experiences thereby utilizing them as a means of character development and spiritual maturity. This empowering concept necessitates acceptance of any past or present circumstances. Coupled with humility, gratitude and genuine reliance upon God’s faithfulness, acceptance allows disciples to receive wisdom, discernment and revelation from the Holy Spirit and mentoring from elder disciples as practical means of redeeming challenging experiences. This affirmation and support greatly assist disciples as they commit to further growth and new life.