Wednesday, April 2

RESURRECTION : Lodestar of our Christian existence. 

From the historical event to daily occurrence.

Without the Resurrection, no early Christian community, 

No Church ... and a very different Western World. 

So did it actually happen? 

New terminology invigorates our experience.

“This Jesus whom you crucified ... 

God has raised from the dead ... 

Of which we are witnesses.“

The Garden, Galilee, Emmaus, Jerusalem - 

Not just sightings; interaction, contact.

GOD,

Source and Giver of life, Lifeforce and Energizer, Raised Jesus into recognizable, interactive bodily form. God is no Impersonal Force. Through Jesus’ life, God made ‘himself’ known as healer, teacher and revealer of truth, empowerer and dispenser of grace to all. God’s creative power and life force raised Jesus to a new level of being, recognizable and interactive to disciples, friends and family. More precise details remain a mystery!*

THE WITNESSES

of the Resurrection encountered and interacted with Jesus in his risen form.  Jesus Risen radiated the same Lifeforce,

transforming energy, ‘the Spirit ‘ to the Witnesses themselves. Through the coming, ‘descent,’ of the Spirit when they were all together in Jerusalem, the experience of the Witnesses spread among all the followers of Jesus. Like Jesus, the disciples, family and friends, did wonderful things. They were empowered to act and speak beyond their customary capabilities and transform lives around them.

JESUS LIVES

The Witnesses became a community; a common bond, the energizing Spirit of Jesus Risen, joined them together. As the ‘ Body’ of Christ, they celebrated Jesus’ life, teaching , death and resurrection, encouraging those they encountered to participate in the same transforming experience.

Lively Christian communities, ecclesia, continued to spread the news of the Gospel, good tidings, to those around and to those beyond - westward across the north and south Mediterranean and eastward via the caravan routes.

Jesus, the Risen Christ, revealer of God, continued to be dynamically present among all the followers – and has down through the Ages. Through Christian communities, known collectively as the Church, the Body of Christ, Jesus lives today in us, through us and thus present in the world.

The Lifeforce, transforming energy of the Resurrection empowers us today!

*(At present we do not have a scientific description or model of this. But science has developed a range of concepts to approach

definition.)

Lilias Morrison