Easter Sunday 2009

Today is the day of celebration, the day that death has finally died, for Christ has risen. Death has done it's worst, has flexed its' strongest muscle but the homeless teacher from Nazareth has overcome. With Christ, all crucified people step out from their tombs, out from the sweatshops of LA, out from the rubble of torn Iraqi neighborhoods, out from starvation, out from warfare, out from chemical gasses, out from government dependence, out from oppression and into a garden of glorious peace. The stone has been rolled away and nevermore shall stones of tombs stand a threat to those who have been crucified with Christ. Never again shall death keep God's people from life. As we walk with Christ to the cross, nevermore must we fear failure... even as we walk toward failure and death, nevermore must we fear its' sting for Christ has risen and been vindicated from failure. The tomb of death has been opened to a garden of life. The light of the world has shone and the darkness cannot overcome it. It is the first day of new creation, the first day of the week, the first day of first days. We now know that wherever death tries to proclaim itself as lord, the Lord of all has already made it his subject. Wherever death tries to do its' worst again, we can reveal it as a sham and we can put it away under the banner of resurrection as we implement Christ's reign, God's kingdom, and as we herald the persistent and saving love of God for his creation.

Christ the Lord is risen today, hallelujah!

"...and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:11)