Living in the Light of Easter
We have this great English expression "in the light of." We use this to emphasize the importance, or implication, of a particular fact on a decision or interpretation. You often hear this phrase in a courtroom setting. “In the light of the DNA evidence, the subject in question is clearly not guilty…” (or is clearly guilty… of being the father). The light that is shed, often changes the decision or interpretation, decidedly. In the light of evidence, several innocently convicted people have been removed from death row. That is truly glorious light to be shed!
Christians, at their best, are living in the light of Easter. This means that in the light of the fact that we don’t serve a dead teacher but a living Savior, we must come to a different judgment about life. Living in the light of a living Savior, means that life isn’t a long slog through endless decisions until a final moment of unconsciousness. Living in the light of Easter means that we live with a sense of being directed toward that ultimate hope… the hope that hope never dies, that death is but a transition, that grace will ultimately prevail in this world of hate, and that light will ultimately outshine the overpowering darkness.
It is, of course, possible to close the shades to the light which shines. It has happened that a prosecutor hid evidence, which would shed light on a person’s innocence. It is possible for us to close our eyes to the implications of Easter. We can live as if Easter never happened, as if there is no hope, as if we have no one to pray to, as if we are alone. But to do so is to condemn a pardoned person (you) to an imprisoned life of second-rate hopes. To do so, is to miss out on that great gift of joy… knowing the hope of his resurrection.
It must be beautiful when a wrongly convicted person gets word that clearing evidence has “come to light.” But what he does with that evidence, the way he lives in light of that evidence, is as important.
Let’s live in the Light of a Risen Christ, for we have been pardoned and we have been given hope.
Christians, at their best, are living in the light of Easter. This means that in the light of the fact that we don’t serve a dead teacher but a living Savior, we must come to a different judgment about life. Living in the light of a living Savior, means that life isn’t a long slog through endless decisions until a final moment of unconsciousness. Living in the light of Easter means that we live with a sense of being directed toward that ultimate hope… the hope that hope never dies, that death is but a transition, that grace will ultimately prevail in this world of hate, and that light will ultimately outshine the overpowering darkness.
It is, of course, possible to close the shades to the light which shines. It has happened that a prosecutor hid evidence, which would shed light on a person’s innocence. It is possible for us to close our eyes to the implications of Easter. We can live as if Easter never happened, as if there is no hope, as if we have no one to pray to, as if we are alone. But to do so is to condemn a pardoned person (you) to an imprisoned life of second-rate hopes. To do so, is to miss out on that great gift of joy… knowing the hope of his resurrection.
It must be beautiful when a wrongly convicted person gets word that clearing evidence has “come to light.” But what he does with that evidence, the way he lives in light of that evidence, is as important.
Let’s live in the Light of a Risen Christ, for we have been pardoned and we have been given hope.
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