There is something special (for me anyway) about this Easter. There is so much turmoil and unrest sweeping the globe, while there is seemingly a shortage of the presence of God on the earth. Jesus tells his disciples in the New Testaments books of the Gospels that people will begin to question his return. The Apostle Peter speaks about people mockingly scoffing at the “supposed” return of Christ. There is a time of darkness and hopelessness over the earth before the coming of Jesus. It is much like the darkness and despair that humanity is experiencing today.
The New Testament story of the first Easter offers hope for the hour in which we find ourselves. Some of Jesus’ disciples—three ladies—headed to the tomb before dawn. They brought spices and fragrances to cover the body with. They hoped the Roman soldiers standing watch over the tomb would remove the stone long enough for them to honor the Lord.
Imagine their surprise when they arrived to see the stone removed, the Roman soldiers were nowhere to be found, and there was no body to honor. One of the ladies, Mary, struck out like a light to tell the other disciples.
Peter and John wasted no time getting to the tomb to see themselves. An old Easter song entitled He’s Alive perfectly sums up Peter’s thoughts about the scene.
“Circumstance and speculation
Couldn’t lift me very high
‘Cause I’d seen them crucify Him
Then I saw Him die.”
Peter was there from the beginning, walking, talking, crying, and laughing with Jesus for over three years. Now, only three days earlier, he watched as Jesus was placed on the timbers, nailed hands and feet, and hoisted up to hang suspended between heaven and earth. He watched as a Roman soldier thrust a spear in his side, pronouncing him dead. The evidence was overwhelming, more convincing than an empty tomb.
Later that day, the disciples gathered in a house, doors locked and bolted for fear of being dragged out by the Roman Soldiers; Jesus, walking through the wall, stands in front of them. Can you imagine the looks on their faces and the fear that ravishes their beings as he asks if there is anything to eat?
It was settled; Jesus is alive!
For the Christ-follower over two-thousand years later, Peter’s experience, emotions, logic, and response to seeing a living, breathing Jesus should offer immense hope. None of us were there, but Peter was. None of us have seen Jesus, but Peter has. None of us have met Peter except through the pages of the Bible. Peter’s life, belief, doubts, and joy are accepted by faith, as is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
Peter’s story is a story of hope in a hopeless situation. Jesus is alive. As the old hymn says,
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because he lives, all fear is gone,
Because I know who holds the future,
life is worth the living just because he lives.
Because He Lives, Bill Gaither