Jesus, Dead or Alive?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

In a war, a ceasefire usually only means time to reload.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,
All space and places belong to you, but some places and spaces we dedicate to you. Our minds have trouble recognizing that because you made it, all space is sacred.
Likewise, all time belongs to you, but we only dedicate some time to you. Our minds cannot seem to fathom that all time is holy.
Wherever and whenever you are, that is sacred. We just imagine something called profane.
Amen

C. Unquoting Jesus:

“A room for 13 in the Jerusalem Holiday Inn for the week of Passover, please.”

[No. Maybe the Motel 6, where they leave the Light on for you...?]

D. Blog: “He Died” or “He Lives”?

Of course, both statements are true. But which one gets the emphasis makes a huge difference. To the millions of Christians who emphasize Jesus’ death, I want to say “Get over it already. Don’t you know He’s alive?” To them I want to say “The cross is not the central theme to the Jesus event. The center is the resurrection.”

What is this morbid fascination/obsession with His death? The obsession extends to how we interpret communion. Mostly we say it is a matter of remembering His death until He comes. Ugh! I say “Remember, He’s alive!” In communion, we re-member His body, then carry His life into the world.

Properly understood, His death is instructive regarding the way the world’s powers react to threats from the divine dominion. But it is the resurrection that reveals which dominion is stronger.

Jesus’ willingness to die that awful death in the interest of that dominion inspires us with its example. His rising inspires us with a hope to serve in the dominion of God, which cannot be defeated. Even if we die in that service, we know our death, like His, can further the dominion, can have transforming power in the world. Death is not the end, just a transition to a different life.

For Jesus, that meant a rising that made His presence known in, among and through His followers. For them, He lived. They had become His new body in the world. They participated in it and acted in His name to make God’s dominion more present on Earth.