|
These
Weird Easter People |
A
genuine criticism of this page could be that it is so often negative
about our world, but the truth is that it is so easy! Living in what
theologians call ‘this fallen World', so much goes wrong, and most of
it starts in the minds of men and women who have decided to be godless.
That's just how it is. But today is Easter Sunday, so I want to focus
on something completely different. Yes, I will say nothing about the
goings on of the world this week and its failings; let's put all that
aside for just this one week. What I'd like to ponder on are these weird
Easter people who call themselves Christians.
Now
I call them (us) Easter people because we are what we are entirely
because of what happened to Jesus Christ at this time that we call
Easter. Now I've covered some of the facets of the reality of what
took place at Easter in last year's article entitled, “Three Amazing
things about Easter”, so I won't retread that ground. Let's just take
the basics of the theory of why it happened and what effect it has.
The
teaching of the Bible is actually remarkably simple. Its starting place
is that all of us (without exception) are tainted by this self-centred,
godless and unrighteous life mentality called sin. This sin leads us
to do wrong, and we know it's wrong and we feel guilty. On a clear moment
we feel we deserve punishing, and when it comes to God, we want to do
a runner! But then the Bible tells us that Jesus, who was God's Son
in the flesh, died on the Cross at Calvary
outside Jerusalem
at this time we call Easter nearly
two thousand years ago. Furthermore it wasn't an accidental death, but
a purposeful one. It was God's Son stepping into your place and mine
and taking that punishment that we (at least subconsciously) feel is
due to us. Now according to the Bible all we have to do is accept that
as truth and ask God for that to apply to us. When we do that He forgives
us and empowers us and gives us a new life, as one of His children.
Now that is what the Bible teaches. No arguing, no trying to convince,
that is what it says, take it or leave it!
Now
what millions upon millions of people have found, ever since that
first Easter, is that when you turn to God and state your belief in
Jesus, and ask for His forgiveness, you find that your life is utterly
transformed. Now there is just one problem for the observer: the individual
can still remain a quirky individual and that transformation does
not make them instantly perfect, at least as far as day to day living
is concerned, and it is this that provokes some to shout “Hypocrites!”
and others to declare, “Well if that's what Christians are like, I
don't want to be one,” which is really just a sad lack of understanding.
But
it's worth looking a bit more carefully at some of these things, not
to make excuses, but to bring understanding. Why do so many of these
‘Easter people' seem so weird? Well there are two answers necessary
here. The first is that some of us are weird! Perhaps we should
say, are weird depending on your perspective. The reality is that because
every single human being is tainted with this sin thing, there is something
a bit twisted or distorted or weird about all of us. We never see it
of course. We just think we are normal because we've always been like
that, but the truth is that if God waved a magic wand over us and made
us perfect specimens of humanity, we would suddenly be different and
the characteristics or things we might identify as slightly ‘off beam',
would all be gone.
However
there is a truth in the midst of this that needs airing, and it is
that those of us who are more acutely like this, are actually aware
of it and more aware of our need than the rest whose oddness is not
quite so obvious. Thus it is that a number of people who turn to Christ
are actually people who had bigger problems than the rest of us –
and it showed. Now because God works very carefully and very slowly,
it may be quite some time before these people showed clearly observable
changes but the great truth is that God loves each one of us while
we are changing, however slow the change is.
Now
there is a second reason why these ‘Easter people' seem weird to the
rest of the population, and it is very simple: they have changed and
they now have values and likes that are completely different to the
rest of the world. Let's take their likes first. These people like meeting
together, singing together, worshipping together, praying together and
reading the Bible together – and everyone else doesn't! But then there
are their values and indeed their characteristics that reflect these
values. Suddenly they are concerned with honesty and integrity – even
though sometimes they still get it wrong – and they start exhibiting
concern for others in ways they hadn't done before. That is weird! But
its gets worse! If you really start watching them you will start observing
the growth within them of what the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit
– love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
and self control. They may be slow in coming, but they will be observable
if you can get beyond your prejudice that these people are ‘weird'!
Sometimes the change is clearly dramatic. Here was a man or woman on
the edge of a nervous breakdown, on the verge of alcoholism, abusive,
violent, with no moral standards whatsoever and then, suddenly, something
happens and they are transformed. It's like they have been transformed,
it's like their old life died and they've been resurrected with a completely
new life. It's difficult to see though if you are stuck with the dark
glasses of prejudice that these people are ‘weird'.
When
you gaze back at history, if you have the courage to be honest and
lay down those dark glasses for a moment, you'll see that most of
the great social changes were brought about by these ‘Easter people'
who formed unions, started schools or hospitals, worked against slavery,
campaigned in a whole variety of ways for the needy in society. Even
today the government recognises that the vast majority of voluntary
help in society is done by the ‘Easter people'.
Now
here's a point to ponder. Suppose you were an alien and you visited
this planet and assessed two people. Person number one has a stress
filled, self-centred life, is constantly worrying, argues with their
partner, flares up at the kids, has extra marital relationships demonstrating
unfaithfulness, abuses others with their language at work, and has a
life of self-concern and self pleasure. Person number two used to be
like that but is now obviously on a process of change where they are
clearly seeking to be a caring and compassionate partner and parent,
are changing to exhibit that fruit of the spirit we talked about, and
show a concern for others which involves them giving time and energy
for others. Which of the two is the weird one?
If
you are one of the ‘Easter people', don't be ashamed of it! If you
are not, why do you want to remain so weird? Be honest and think these
things through. Read again what we've said above. This could be your
time to receive a resurrection life. Have a good week, have a great
life!
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