Luke 23:33-43
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
They cast lots to divide his clothing.
And the people stood by, and watched.
The leaders scoffed at him, saying,
"He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!"
And the people stood by, and watched.
The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying,
"If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
And the people stood by, and watched.
There was an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Judeans."
And the people stood by, and watched.
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying,
"Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself. Save us!"
And the people stood by, and watched.
But the other [criminal] rebuked him, saying,
"Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
We indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds,
but this man has done nothing wrong."
And the people stood by, and watched.
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
And the people stood by, and watched.
How will we stop standing by and watching crucifixions,
so that we might become resurrections, in the world, today?
Amen.
...I believe in the Resurrection of the Body
Thoughts and sermons on life and faith active in love, by Rev. Tom Gaulke | Author of An Unpromising Hope (Pickwick, 2021) and Everyday Armageddons (Cascade 2023) | www.tomgaulke.com
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ReplyDeleteEver since the time of Peter & Paul, people have encountered various versions of "completely different spiritual understanding of the secrets of the Kingdom of God as taught and demonstrated by Jesus". Gratefully, also since the time of Peter & Paul, one way suggested to us "little ones" for navigating this maze is whether such understanding helps bring forth the Fruit of THE Spirit, that is, of God the HOLY Spirit - "for you shall know the tree by its fruit".
ReplyDeleteThis kind of fruit include "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, humility, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23) or, similarly, "faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and agape love for all" (2Peter 1:5-7). In my view, this way of discernment still is the surest way to follow - even for folks living on the other side of the earth, e.g. Australia =). Why? For I see in the innermost chamber of each human heart resides the unequivocal attestation that, our salvation/deliverance (which is the central concern of all religions) cannot merely be a salvation from transience, but must also be a salvation/deliverance to holiness - which is synonymous to godliness/God, at least within the three monotheistic traditions that Jesus belongs to.
Given that Christianity is a faith which was birthed upon Jesus’ Resurrection/victory-over-death, a faith which professes the Incarnation/en-body-ment and promotes the Kingdom of God WITHIN each of us, both "death" and "body" are recognized with profound roles by the Christian understandings of the Kingdom of God, Who is Spirit & Truth. One comes to mind is the parable of the prodigal son told by Jesus according to the Gospel of Luke, in which a father is overjoyed over the return of his younger son, "for this son of mine was DEAD but is ALIVE again"!
I, too, believe in the resurrection of the body - in the world, today, as well as beyond the world, tomorrow, in the world so also beyond the world, today so also tomorrow...
Merry Christmas & joy to the world!!! =)