Acts 2:24 But
God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it
was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
In the beautiful days when my two
daughters were children, I used to read to them at night time from different
books. Their favorites were the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis. From an early
age, they learned of the wonderful tales about the Pevensey children and the
giant lion Aslan. They fell in love with the faun Mr. Tumnus and marveled at
the courage of Mr. & Mrs. Beaver.
The stories captivated their hearts and spurred on their imagination. Even
today, as Masters Graduates and professional adults, they still love those
stories and talk about them from time to time. I hope that one day they get the
opportunity to share those stories with their own children.
In the book, “The Lion, the Witch, and
the Wardrobe,’ the great heroic lion Aslan is slain by the forces of evil. The
children in the book are distraught when this occurs, and all of their hopes
are dashed to pieces. It appears as though the White Queen is going to overcome
the whole land of Narnia and keep it in winter forever, when a new dawn breaks
and Aslan is brought back to life. CS Lewis later explains this as ‘death
working backwards,’ when the lion’s heroic and courageous sacrifice overcomes
death itself. It’s a remarkable moment in the book. In my mind’s eye, I can
still see the absolute wonder and delight on the faces of my own daughters when
I read this part of the story to them for the very first time.
When Peter preaches to the gathered
crowd on the streets of Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, he tells them that
Christ, who was crucified by the very same people, had risen from the agony of
death by God, and that death itself could not hold on to Christ. Death was
working backwards and Jesus was made alive again through the infinite power of
God. It was an amazing moment in the history of all Creation and one which has
captivated the hearts, minds, and souls of billions of people on Earth for
almost two thousand years.
We all face a time of death in each of
our lives. We cannot stop the clock from moving forward, nor can we hold back
the years. However, with our faith in Jesus, we can experience the split-second
after we die the wonderful blessing of death working backwards and being raised
into the glorious, never-ending Kingdom of our Creator God. It is a delightful
mystery to ponder and, at the same time, a magnificent gift to gratefully await.
Questions for personal reflection
What will death
mean to me? Am I ready to place all of my faith in Christ’s ability to
resurrect me into God’s Kingdom?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Holy One of
God who has been raised from death. You have conquered sin, evil, and death by
Your perfect sacrifice. We are honored by Your work and blessed eternally
through Your Grace. Thank You, Lord, for bringing this wonderful heavenly gift
to our earthly lives. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If
you would like to comment on today’s message or ask a question, please send him
an email to traqair@aol.com
Today’s
image is one of John’s Narnian drawings. It’s called “Enter Lucy,” and shows
the lamp-post where young Lucy and Mr. Tumnus meet for the first time in
Narnia. If you would like to see a larger version, please click on the
following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8067/8204650448_f00fceaffa_b.jpg
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