Sunday Message: He is Risen

Yesterday on SM, I had a bit of a dust up with a group of allegedly like-minded people That led to my dispensing with all the political-minded follows I had on Twitter.  More than one of these that I disagreed with were Christians (at some level), but were either convinced the quarantine was little more than a leftist plot, or else it was 'overblown', or they just plain felt like "putting my life over your fear".

I don't really want to go through the text of it all here, but whatever they cloaked it in, it devolves down to this:  They wanted to but their own needs and desires above the safety and health of others less fortunate:  "I've looked at the numbers and I like my chances" was one such comment.  I was "wimpy", 'full of fear', and "talking like the Dems" when I put compassion for the at-risk population first.  And it made me sad, because the ringleader of this proclaims Christ often, but couldn't see why she should lay aside her political views in this debate.

Now, let's look at a Resurrection story, and see what Jesus would do:

Joh 20:11  But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 
Joh 20:12  And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 
Joh 20:13  They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." 
Joh 20:14  Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 
Joh 20:15  Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." 
Joh 20:16  Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). 
Joh 20:17  Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" 

You will note 3 things in this story.  FIRST, you have a woman in utter despair and confusion; SECOND, you have a newly-arisen Savior who has something else He must attend to:

 "...Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father;"

And THIRD, He stopped to comfort her, and heal her pain.  He STOPPED what He was doing- get it?

So before liking and sharing that post that proclaims how unfair you think the quarantine is, how political it is, pathway to tyranny, et al....  Take off that WWJD wristband and ask yourself what Jesus DID.

Happy Resurrection Sunday, everyone!