“I have to SEE it in order to BELIEVE it”. Have you ever had someone tell you something that inside you're really doubting? We all know the adage, “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is” – promises that have been made, commitments that have been broken, expectations, maybe hopes and dreams that evaporated. Life and experience have taught many of us to be skeptical.
Skepticism seems to be basic human nature. We do need to be careful. Otherwise we might be responding to that email from the African debutant whose husband has died and has left 2 million dollars in a Swiss bank account and she needs your help. She’s afraid that it’s going to fall into the wrong hands. If only she could find someone whom she could trust to use the money for good just like her husband wanted. If you can send her your bank account number, she’ll transfer the money to you, so you can be that person. Some things are hard to believe.
Let’s go back to that day in the Garden beside the tomb when Mary is weeping because someone has stolen the body of Jesus.
She and the disciples had believed in and loved Jesus. That love continued even in these moments of crisis. There is not anger in “He lied to us”, “He set us up”, “He deceived us”. For Mary and the disciples it was a deep grief – disbelief that this had happened – confusion – a complete sense of loss and bewilderment. There is a panic about ‘what do we do now’, ‘we’re next’.
Think about what that must have been like for them. For Mary Magdalene, Jesus had done amazing work. She was transformed. Mark in his gospel ( 16:9) reminds us that this was the Mary that seven demons had been cast out of. Some historians believe that Mary Magdalene was the one who came up behind Jesus and washed his feet with her tears and hair.
In these moments some life altering was occurring, that they were unable to see. They themselves were transitioning from a spiritual death to eternal life even though they didn’t realize it. The world they knew, everything they had believed was about to forever change. Presently they were in the ‘in between’ state. That place between what was, and what will be.
Are you like the disciples immediately following the cross? They had made the decision to follow Him but had not experienced the “new life” yet. In many ways this is more difficult than being before the Cross. Here you find yourself in crisis of faith and belief. You know you can’t go back to where your life was. You believe there is more, yet you haven’t realized it yet. You’ve experienced significant times of worship and glimpses of Truth. There is often more fear in this state of 'knowing' yet not fully engaging. You know that you can never be content to let your life stay in the world. You have seen and know that sin that resides within the our human hearts that you want to be rid of.
Sins of selfishness, arrogance, uncleanness, pride. Sins of bigotry, adultery, lying and unbelief.
They are faced with a critical question. Jesus asks in John 20:15 – “Whom are you seeking?”
There’s the question that we must ask– it is the question that each one of us must answer, “Whom are you seeking?” Kind of a curious question. Isn’t it obvious they’re looking for Jesus? Why does he ask that? I think he’s asking, are you looking for the man, or are you looking for God?
I guess the question could be asked are we seeking Him? To find Him means there must be a response.
Jesus is complete Lord and Saviour of all things, every moment in our life, every attitude, every behavior, every thought.
Whom are you seeking? That answer to that question will, must, bring us to a crisis of faith, and to a total death of self-will – of self-esteem, of self-identity. It must be replaced, and will be replaced with something far greater – God Will, God esteem, God identity.
Mary saw and told the disciples. :18 “I have seen the Lord” yet, the disciples were not ready for it. This is Peter, whom Jesus asked “Who do you say I am” – It is John who laid his head on the Lord’s chest in devotion, “It is Matthew whose life Jesus transformed from a tax collector”. They had heard and walked with Jesus, yet, it was their fear of others and their inability to see beyond the world that was right in front of them that kept them behind the locked doors.
Then it says that Jesus came and ‘stood’ in their midst
What a great picture. Fear, disbelief, doubt, confusion, these things don’t lock Jesus out – He comes and stands in the midst of it. In the middle of all that stuff in your life that keeps you at bay, that keeps you stuck in the middle zone of the empty tomb and seeing Jesus the gentle shepherd who comes and speaks words of peace.
Hear that word. Whatever your state of being this day, whatever your status of belief, whatever your crisis, doubt, fear --- Jesus says “Peace be with you”.
He opens his hands to the disciples and they see the wounds in his hands and his sides.
He repeats the words “Peace be with you” - and they, we begin to comprehend the transformation from one world to another.
Firstly, where are you in your journey. Are you before the cross? Hearing and attracted? Or are you after the cross, but in crisis of faith because you have not fully realized the resurrected Christ into your life. Do you feel out of control and manipulated by fear and doubt? Have you fully answered the question of who you are seeking and echoed with Thomas after he saw Jesus, “My Lord and My God”.
Anyway I was just thinking.
Neil Cudney
Skepticism seems to be basic human nature. We do need to be careful. Otherwise we might be responding to that email from the African debutant whose husband has died and has left 2 million dollars in a Swiss bank account and she needs your help. She’s afraid that it’s going to fall into the wrong hands. If only she could find someone whom she could trust to use the money for good just like her husband wanted. If you can send her your bank account number, she’ll transfer the money to you, so you can be that person. Some things are hard to believe.
Let’s go back to that day in the Garden beside the tomb when Mary is weeping because someone has stolen the body of Jesus.
She and the disciples had believed in and loved Jesus. That love continued even in these moments of crisis. There is not anger in “He lied to us”, “He set us up”, “He deceived us”. For Mary and the disciples it was a deep grief – disbelief that this had happened – confusion – a complete sense of loss and bewilderment. There is a panic about ‘what do we do now’, ‘we’re next’.
Think about what that must have been like for them. For Mary Magdalene, Jesus had done amazing work. She was transformed. Mark in his gospel ( 16:9) reminds us that this was the Mary that seven demons had been cast out of. Some historians believe that Mary Magdalene was the one who came up behind Jesus and washed his feet with her tears and hair.
In these moments some life altering was occurring, that they were unable to see. They themselves were transitioning from a spiritual death to eternal life even though they didn’t realize it. The world they knew, everything they had believed was about to forever change. Presently they were in the ‘in between’ state. That place between what was, and what will be.
Are you like the disciples immediately following the cross? They had made the decision to follow Him but had not experienced the “new life” yet. In many ways this is more difficult than being before the Cross. Here you find yourself in crisis of faith and belief. You know you can’t go back to where your life was. You believe there is more, yet you haven’t realized it yet. You’ve experienced significant times of worship and glimpses of Truth. There is often more fear in this state of 'knowing' yet not fully engaging. You know that you can never be content to let your life stay in the world. You have seen and know that sin that resides within the our human hearts that you want to be rid of.
Sins of selfishness, arrogance, uncleanness, pride. Sins of bigotry, adultery, lying and unbelief.
They are faced with a critical question. Jesus asks in John 20:15 – “Whom are you seeking?”
There’s the question that we must ask– it is the question that each one of us must answer, “Whom are you seeking?” Kind of a curious question. Isn’t it obvious they’re looking for Jesus? Why does he ask that? I think he’s asking, are you looking for the man, or are you looking for God?
I guess the question could be asked are we seeking Him? To find Him means there must be a response.
Jesus is complete Lord and Saviour of all things, every moment in our life, every attitude, every behavior, every thought.
Whom are you seeking? That answer to that question will, must, bring us to a crisis of faith, and to a total death of self-will – of self-esteem, of self-identity. It must be replaced, and will be replaced with something far greater – God Will, God esteem, God identity.
Mary saw and told the disciples. :18 “I have seen the Lord” yet, the disciples were not ready for it. This is Peter, whom Jesus asked “Who do you say I am” – It is John who laid his head on the Lord’s chest in devotion, “It is Matthew whose life Jesus transformed from a tax collector”. They had heard and walked with Jesus, yet, it was their fear of others and their inability to see beyond the world that was right in front of them that kept them behind the locked doors.
Then it says that Jesus came and ‘stood’ in their midst
What a great picture. Fear, disbelief, doubt, confusion, these things don’t lock Jesus out – He comes and stands in the midst of it. In the middle of all that stuff in your life that keeps you at bay, that keeps you stuck in the middle zone of the empty tomb and seeing Jesus the gentle shepherd who comes and speaks words of peace.
Hear that word. Whatever your state of being this day, whatever your status of belief, whatever your crisis, doubt, fear --- Jesus says “Peace be with you”.
He opens his hands to the disciples and they see the wounds in his hands and his sides.
He repeats the words “Peace be with you” - and they, we begin to comprehend the transformation from one world to another.
Firstly, where are you in your journey. Are you before the cross? Hearing and attracted? Or are you after the cross, but in crisis of faith because you have not fully realized the resurrected Christ into your life. Do you feel out of control and manipulated by fear and doubt? Have you fully answered the question of who you are seeking and echoed with Thomas after he saw Jesus, “My Lord and My God”.
Anyway I was just thinking.
Neil Cudney
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