Saturday, April 2, 2005
John 20:17 "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'"
EASTER IS FOR RUNNING AND TELLING
Mary didn't want to lose Jesus again, she wanted to hold Him tight and never let Him go. But this wouldn't be necessary, for unlike Lazarus and Jairus' daughter Jesus wouldn't return again to the father through death.
She wouldn't lose Jesus again, nor will we. For He is seated at the right hand of God the Father to bless us and all who are His -- until that day when He comes again to receive us personally, physically to Himself.
And in the meantime? The Christ returns from death not only to comfort His disciples but to give them work to do for Him. He entrusts Mary with an urgent and blessed work to carry out, a message to deliver in His name.
Mary of Magdala is the first of Jesus' disciples given the life-giving Easter message. This was remarkable. The Lord could have done this Himself. In fact, He did soon appear to the others. But here again we see the love of the Savior; He adds to Mary's joy by directing her to personally tell others the things which were giving her heart such joy. With willing, eager feet she raced off.
Ever wonder why children can't seem to resist the urge to run in church? Could it be this? Our churches are most often used on Sundays. And the primary reason the early Christians chose to use Sunday for weekly worship was that this was the day Christ rose from the dead. Every Sunday is another Easter. Furthermore, when our preaching follows the example of the New Testament the resurrection of Christ is "front and center." And what happens in so many of the Easter accounts when the news of Jesus' resurrection is revealed? Think of Mary Magdalene, and the other women who went to the grave, and Peter and John, and the two from Emmaus. So many of the Easter narratives begin with long faces and end with long strides. Peter and John run to see; all the rest run to tell. Perhaps children run in church because of all the Easter in the air!
So when you tell the children to slow down, don't forget to remind them of the Easter news that is also theirs to tell. "How beautiful . . . are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation" (Isaiah 52:7).
