Eternity is closer than you think

We’ve been tracking through this Easter season – from the resurrection to Pentecost – 50 days of looking at the implications of the resurrection and our rally cry has been Sunday is only the beginning.

That Sunday morning when they found Jesus alive was only the beginning of the story of God’s plan for his people: 

It was only the beginning of how he was showing us mercy – Peter could attest to that. 

It was only the beginning of him obliterating our unbelief with his awesome truth – Thomas could attest to that. 

It was only the beginning of him changing the way we value and treat each other – Mary Magdalene could attest to that. 

It was only the beginning of all people from all places being welcomed into his family – the gentiles could attest to that. 

It was only the beginning of his love relationship with his people – the church can attest to that.

I’ve recently been embroiled in a home renovation project. And by I’ve recently been embroiled I mean that a wonderfully generous friend has done 95% of the work for me while I followed behind him and picked up supplies, got him drinks and did a little bit of electrical wiring. We were moving around some walls in the basement and expanding one room to make space for Joanna’s music studio. I remember the first Day that James showed up to begin the demolition. I thought that it would only take an evening and then we’d be onto a few days of construction. That night there were lots of noisy sounds and lots of banging happening as James tore down the room; the next day it continued, and the day after it. Eventually he came upstairs and told us that he was done. I went down to take a look at his handiwork. And before my eyes in the basement was a huge new space – all the work that James had done had become apparent. Everything was just as it was supposed to be, all the surfaces were clean the basement was now remarkably open concept – it was totally transformed from what it was before – but there no walls.

James had finished the demolition. But the room was not yet built. There was nothing lacking, or incomplete or undone about that job. That one task had been completed perfectly – but there was much left to do. James gave me a list of supplies he would need me to order for him to build what we had asked for in that new space and the next day construction began.

Resurrection Sunday was a lot like the end of demolition. The decks were cleared, the obstacles removed. A place was made for us to come and build our lives with Jesus. But it was only really the beginning. Sunday was not Jesus standing on an aircraft carrier with a mission accomplished banner behind him proclaiming that everything was finished – it was Jesus standing with a hard hat on, in an empty lot saying – let’s build something together.

Hear the rest this Sunday at our Pentecost celebration service.  Free breakfast begins at 9:00am followed by an outdoor celebration service in the parking lot at 10:30! Wear sunscreen and bring a friend!