"No Longer Needed"

 

“No Longer Needed”

 

In 2017 Karen and I were privileged to go on a tour of Israel with a Connecticut church group. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing and entering the Garden Tomb which many believe was the one from which Jesus emerged alive on that first Resurrection morning. We were struck with awe as we viewed the place His body had been but no longer was because, in the words of our Savior Himself, “,,,I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!” (Revelation 1:18).

As my mind went back to that great building block of our faith I wondered about the tomb. The gospels describe it as “…a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.” (John 19:41). Not long before Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower of Jesus, had bought it but we don’t know for sure if it was to provide a final resting place for him and his family or in anticipation of his seeing to it that Jesus had a respectful burial. In any event, after Jesus rose He no longer needed it. But we don’t know if it was ever used again by Joseph or anyone else.

Many people, including Karen and me, have made funeral arrangements according to our wishes so our families would be relieved of this responsibility. Whether these plans are for burial or cremation one thing is certain: there’s a generation of Christians who won’t need them because, in the words of the Apostle Paul, “…we who are still alive will be caught up with (those who have died in Christ) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). To quote songwriter Jim Hill, “What a day, glorious day, that will be.”

In a “what to do now” question at the close of a message Pastor Brian Stowe asked, “What can you say ‘I don’t need any more’ because Jesus lives in you?” Maybe it’s to worry about the future, meeting others’ expectations and demands or something more personal. Jesus’ use of the tomb ended when He “…was raised from the dead to make us right with God.” (Romans 4:25, NLT). Karen noted “PTL” next to this verse in her Bible—have you said this because Jesus is alive in and for you?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"The Folded Napkin"

 

“The Folded Napkin”

 

John 20 tells of Mary Magdalene’s going to Jesus’ tomb, finding it empty, informing Peter and John who went there and found it as Mary had reported with the linens in which His body had been wrapped visible and the napkin for His head singled out. (This scene shows Jesus’ body couldn’t have been stolen as the Jewish leaders’ spin said—see Matthew 28:11-15—because the grave robbers wouldn’t have left the burial clothes behind.) The closing chapters of all four gospels and Acts 1 relate the events of His resurrection appearances and, forty days later, His return to Heaven.

I’ve read John’s account throughout my life and often wondered about the seemingly insignificant detail that “…the napkin which had been round his head was folded up by itself, instead of lying beside the other bandages.” (John 20:7, Moffatt). But nothing recorded in God’s Word is unimportant—“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful….” (2 Timothy 3:16, emphasis added) and “Every word of God proves true.” (Proverbs 30:5, NLT, emphasis added). But why would a small piece of cloth be highlighted so prominently?

My life-long question was answered about two years ago when a friend in our Sunday School class distributed a brief article on the folded napkin. (I’ve been unable to find its original source.) In the Jewish practice of that period, if the master of the house got up from the table and wadded his napkin it meant he was finished and the servants could clear the table. However, if he folded the napkin and placed it on the table he was saying he’d be back so don’t touch anything.

When Jesus came back to life sometime early on that first Resurrection morning He left His burial attire but carefully folded the napkin which had covered His face and head. By this simple yet profound act He was saying, “I’ll be back!” We can see this in two ways from our Savior’s words that He’d rise from the tomb (“…After I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”—Mark 14:28) and He’d return a second time (“…I will come back and take you to be with me….”—John 14:3). So His eternal purpose wasn’t finished because the napkin was folded, not crumpled. In between His two returns Jesus is "...at the right hand of God…interceding for us,” (Romans 8:34).

Jesus came back and will come back for His people. Will you be part of this great company? Read Romans 10:9,13 and settle this question forever.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"The Great Resurrection Question"

 

“The Great Resurrection Question”

 

In my years as a pastor I preached during 35-40 Thanksgiving, Christmas and Resurrection seasons. One year I did a series on the significance of questions raised during these celebratory times. “The Great Thanksgiving Question” is found in Psalm 116:12: “How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?” and we see “The Great Christmas Question” in Matthew 2:2: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Lord wiling, these will be the subjects of postings this coming November and December.) But for this month marking Jesus’ emergence alive from the tomb the subject is “The Great Resurrection Question” from Luke 24:5: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

“The Great Resurrection Question” was posed by angels to the women who, thinking Jesus was dead, went to the tomb to care for His body. The angels gave them the welcome news that “He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:6). Thus began the exciting events of that day when Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18), the women who’d come to His tomb (Matthew 28:9-10), the two men on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32), Peter (Luke 24:33-34) and ten of His disciples (John 20:19-25). Over the next forty days Scripture records six additional times He was seen and “…gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.” (Acts 1:3). It’s important to note that Jesus never showed Himself in His resurrection body to anyone who’d not followed Him before His death (Acts 10:41), reminding us of His earlier statement that “…they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:31).

Over the centuries people have looked for Jesus in the cemetery (but the tomb was empty), in writings seeking to explain away His resurrection (but these theories always present more questions than they answer) and in churches that deny the truth of God’s Word. He’s not to be found in any of these places because He’s alive and “…seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1) from which someday, maybe sooner than we might think or want, He’ll return for (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) and with (1 Thessalonians 3:13) His people.

Jesus is alive today in Heaven, the world, His church and His people. Is He alive in you?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Life's Saturdays"

 

“Life’s Saturdays”

 

(This and the following three articles reflect some thoughts on the Resurrection season.)

 

Many years ago I heard of a preacher whose Resurrection Day message was called “It’s Friday, Sunday’s Coming”. Had I used this title I’d rightly have emphasized Christ’s crucifixion on Friday and His emerging from the tomb on Sunday. But what about Saturday, the day in between? Granted, it was the Jewish Sabbath so activity was limited, but how does it fit into the overall account? A couple of years back Pastor Wayne Blackburn observed that Friday was a time of failures, struggling and suffering; Saturday was marked by grief, confusion and hopelessness; but Sunday was a day of victory, deliverance and joy. So each of the days of that awesome weekend had a purpose in the redemption story as Jesus’ followers dealt with the events and their significance.

Sometimes life seems to be a series of Saturdays. Now that might sound good if we’re working five days a week but what if we’re dealing with the failures, struggles and hurts of life’s Fridays? Our Saturdays then become times of grief, confusion and feeling there’s no way out of the messes we, others or circumstances have made. But we can’t turn the clock back to Friday so there’s only one place we can look: ahead to Sunday. And there, because of Christ’s triumph over the devil, deception, disillusionment and ultimately death (“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?...thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”—1 Corinthians 15:55,57) we by faith experience new life, hope, joy and love. Jesus summed it up best when He said, “Because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19).

Guy Penrod, formerly of the Bill Gaither Vocal Band, put this truth into a great resurrection song:

“Then came the morning, night turned into day,

The stone was rolled away, hope rose with the dawn.

Then came the morning, shadows vanished before the sun,

Death had lost and life had won, for morning had come.”

Has Sunday morning come for you?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan