Opinion column

Why the resurrection of Jesus gives us hope

Philip Young has been rejoicing in the Easter celebrations because he believes that the resurrection of Jesus is of importance to all people.

The Easter Anthems, used every day at Morning Prayer during the Easter season for fifty days, sum it up well.
 
“Christ has been raised from the dead: The first fruits of those who sleep.
For as by man came death: By man has come also the resurrection of the dead;
For as in Adam die: Even so in Christ shall all be made alive”
 
The thinking behind this is that when Adam, the first man, gives into temptation in the Garden of Eden, then the corruption of man is made clear as it messes up a good creation. The story is reflecting the truth that we are all beings capable of choosing evil. All people are made with free choice. So Adam becomes the symbol of fallen humanity.
 
In the same way Jesus is the symbol of a new humanity. In his resurrection we see that life overcomes death. We see that love overcomes hatred. So Jesus shows that all of us are capable of a goodness that overcomes evil and that we are part of the community of the resurrection. So Jesus becomes the symbol of humanity restored.
 
I believe that in Christ all of us are made alive. Our need as human beings is to realise that we all are capable of great goodness and to freely choose to use that goodness for the common good. Jesus sets us free to be truly who we are which is sons and daughters of our living and loving God. In order to help us he sends his Holy Spirit.
 
“In your resurrection O Christ, let heaven and earth rejoice”
 
So the big story, that the Bible tells so well, is that God is our creator who made all things well. However we have a fallen nature, and we choose to do bad things. We desperately need help. God makes an agreement with the men and women of Israel and gives them good laws to follow. Again and again we fail to live up to those laws. God is faithful and loves his people despite their ignorance and failure.
 
So a Messiah is promised who will bring in a new beginning. Jesus comes to love us and to offer God’s forgiveness. The light of the world lives amongst us but is rejected and he is put to death on a cross. Then on the third day he rises from the dead and love triumphs over hate, life triumphs over death. Then Jesus ascends to heaven, but promises that the Holy Spirit will be poured out on all flesh. The Spirit makes God’s presence and love real to us. Jesus will be with us to the end of time and then all things will be transformed. There will be a new heaven and a new earth.
 
The resurrection of Jesus gives hope to all human beings because it is a sign of all that is to come. The first fruits of a new heaven and a new earth. The first fruits of a new humanity.

The image above is courtesy of pixabay.com.

Philip is an Anglican, Quaker, and a member of the Third Order of Franciscans, and lives in Felixstowe. Until July 2014 he was the Diocesan Environmental Officer for the Norwich Diocese, and stood as an independent candidate in the June 2017 general election. He is now Associate Priest at St. John and St. Edmund in Felixstowe and a freelance writer on spiritual and political matters. He is available to run Quiet Days, give talks, presentations or to preach and is willing to speak up against the present war being waged by Russia and would welcome invitations from radio, television, or any other interested group. He can be contacted at philipyoung@btinternet.com. Visit Philip’s website at www.revolutionoflovenow.com.