"But go, tell His disciples - and Peter - that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
Mark 16: 7 NKJV
I can't imagine how Peter must have felt in that moment. Here he was, only days removed from what I'm sure Peter saw as his betrayal of his friend, teacher and Lord. However, this is also exactly why the angel mentioned Peter by name that resurrection morning. It was never His intent to allow Peter to keep his own failure in his heart. This was Peters redemption day. No matter how strong your faith or belief, across the world this morning millions of people will celebrate what can only best be described as a miracle. A man put to death on a cross. That same man buried in a tomb. Then, as the sun rose on the third day...death became life. I've been told that Easter brings about new beginnings. That it is a good example of reconciliation. I agree. However, once again on this Easter Sunday, my thoughts turn to something far less than redemption. See, for me Easter represents something completely different than it might for many people. I agree that the scriptures are correct, that Jesus walked out of that tomb that morning, defeating death once and for all {Romans 6:9}. I also agree that those who came to His tomb that morning were not expecting what they ultimately found there. One thing that Easter represents for me is failure. Failure? Yes, failure. For it was on Easter morning in 2010 that I walked through the doors of a church for the last time. For those who have been reading these pages for awhile, you know the story of my Easter revelation and how it put me on the road to knowing who Jesus really is. It was on Easter morning that I sat and listened to another pulpit pounder give his sermon on the wonders of the risen Christ. How Jesus had bled and died to free us of our sins. Then...it happened. At the end of his sermon, the pastor invited anyone who felt that they had unconfessed sin in their lives to come forward for prayer. Believe me, I had been feeling pretty good up until that point. Feeling confident in my heart that Jesus forgave me. Yet, now this man was telling me that might not be true? I wasn't confused at all. For I knew that Jesus died for me. However, I was upset that the good news of the resurrection of Christ had been hijacked. I walked out never to return.
Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' " And they remembered His words.
Luke 24: 5 - 8 NKJV
There have been many times where I have felt like Peter must have felt that morning. Rejected and alone. Indeed, I used to think that people who gave up coming to church had given up on God. I hadn't given up on God, just on how He was being taught. I guess that I could remember that Sunday morning as my own redemption morning. It wasn't long until I began to hear whispers of conversations. Conversations on how we had the wrong view of who Jesus is. Yes, He died on the cross and was raised on the third day, I get that. But what about after that? Well, we're told that after His resurrection that Jesus was seen by a multitude of over 500 people including His disciples. For over 40 days prior to His ascension, Jesus was seen and talked to a multitude of people. My point being...Jesus is NOT dead! This was the Jesus I wanted to know. Eventually, a dear friend and brother introduced me to the Jesus that He knew. The Jesus whom the apostle Paul claimed lived in him {Galatians 2:20}. This was the Jesus I wanted to know. Not the guy who ascended to heaven and stayed there, apart from the rest of us. I believe that to be bogus teaching. The Jesus I now know is a Jesus of love, compassion and redemption. I now know how Peter must have felt on that redemption morning.
~Scott~
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