Mystery and new creation - the Easter story

Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: "He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory."

- 1 Timothy 3:16

When you think about it the Christian faith is pretty weird. If you've grown up within it you may never have seriously considered how 'out there' it all is. We believe that God fully revealed Himself in flesh through Jesus. We believe that although he died that he was bodily raised. This was not merely a 'spiritual' reality but a fully physical one. Indeed it was more physical than anything we have ever seen. We then believe that he ascended to be with the Father, taking up the place that always belonged to him, as Lord of everything that he had made in the first place.

God come to earth, living, dying and rising for us. Weird. Crazy, unless true.

This Easter we are confronted once again with a decision to make. Firstly, will we believe in these events? Will we believe that they happened and that they show us something deeply true about the world that we are in? Namely, that it contains mystery, that which is infinitely explainable, but which always escapes mere doctrinal assent. That which always provokes wonder and faith. Can we allow these Easter events to leave us in awe this year? Will we embrace reality and faith that goes beyond the checklist?

And secondly will we also choose, once more, to let these events that can't ever be fully explained away but yet which are rooted in historical fact to shape the way that we actually live in the 'here and now'? Will we choose this year to become resurrection people, who hope not only in Jesus' resurrection but in our own which is to come and in the resurrection and renewal of everything God ever made?

Will we begin working for that future reality right now, because that is what is demanded by the resurrection of Jesus. The fact that the greatest event in eternity happens within human history means that we must begin building the new heavens and the new earth right now. Let's get to work!