“We see in the Risen Christ the end for which man was made and the assurance that the end is within reach. Christ rose from the grave changed and yet the same; and in Him we have the pledge and type of our rising.”
– anonymous (Leaves of Gold, pg. 95)
The fifteenth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church is the most extensive single discussion by the apostle on the matter of the resurrection. When he says in verse 51, “behold, I tell you a mystery,” he wasn’t kidding. Paul takes great effort in trying to help us understand the difference between the “natural and spiritual,” the “perishable and imperishable.” Like a seed the body is sown, only to be raised in a form that is like the seed and yet different. As someone deeply constrained by the limits of human understanding, I can’t think of a more appropriate word than “mystery.”
Still, there is a basic truth to which we should cling. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:20, “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” First fruits? You know what that means, don’t you? Fruits aren’t first fruits unless there will be second fruits, and third, and so on. In the pages of the Bible, the idea of first fruits is that they are God’s pledge of a greater harvest yet to come. This is precisely what Paul has in mind. Sometimes we say that our offerings to God should be the first fruits of our labor. Those in the Bible who obeyed that principle literally were bringing the produce of the earth, the first of the harvest. Why the first? It was an expression of faith, a way of saying, “God, I bring this to you because I take you at your word that you will bring the rest of the harvest.”
This is part of the message of Easter. It is not just that Christ rose from the dead, but also the pledge that we will also. Like a seed, the body of Jesus was sown into death, only to spring forth into new life. Jesus physically rose from the dead, different, and yet in some manner the same. One of his closest followers saw him just outside the tomb, but did not recognize him until she heard her name from his lips (see John 20:14-16). Can I describe in detail what his resurrected body was like, in what ways it was different or the same as his earthly body? Not even close, and I would not pretend to try. I’m okay with that. I don’t have to understand it. All I need to do is take it as a promise that God intends to do the same mysterious work with me someday.
When you celebrate Easter, remember that it is not just an historical look back on something that happened to Jesus. It is a glimpse forward to the same victory that God will accomplish for those who are in Christ by faith.
See you on Resurrection Day!
The Winding Path 