Spring has sprung here in Chicago and I couldn’t be more delighted. The daffodils are in bloom and the tulip bulbs that were faithfully planted last fall are beginning to make their presence known. The dying of the fall and winter has been swallowed up by the new life of spring and I couldn’t be more thrilled. What a blessing to live in a climate where we physically experience the earth coming back to life at the same time that we celebrate and proclaim the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
On Easter Sunday I heard the message of resurrection in which the pastor boldly proclaimed “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has risen!” Even though I have heard it dozens of times, it always comes as such good news. Life has won the battle over death and because the biggest threat to life has been conquered we can now stand with our chins up and shoulders back confident that with God all things are possible. It is such good news and it is not proclaimed nearly enough for me. Personally, I need to hear the promise of the resurrection more than once a year, for it is in the resurrection of Jesus that I can fully claim the promise of an actual new life in this life.
According to the scriptures a new way of living is now possible because Jesus didn’t remain dead. “…just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4) “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) Ephesians 4:22-24, “put off your old self…and put on the new self.” 2 Corinthians 5:17, “…the old has gone, the new has come!”
We follow a living God who says from the throne, “I am making everything new!” We have been given new names, we have new tongues to speak in, new commands to follow and we have been given a new covenant to live by. We serve in the new way of the Spirit and we are to tell all the people the full message of this new life, a new life that is possible because our God is more powerful than death. Our chins are up and our shoulders are back because the tomb was empty and now all things are possible. This is good news worth preaching more than once a year.
Several years ago I found myself struggling to be made new. There were things in my life that constantly encroached upon the new life in Christ that I was seeking. More often than not I felt defeated by the battles I faced and after struggling by myself for some time I finally shared this frustration with my husband. The first words out of his mouth were, “Stick your elbows out and make a little space for yourself.” I didn’t get it at first and so my husband who has been a basketball player all of his life explained the basics of zone defense to me. “When the coach gives you a place on the floor it is yours to defend. You have to stick your elbows out and claim the space and defend it from those who are trying to take it from you.”
As we enter into this next season of living I invite you to “Stick your elbows out and make a little space for the resurrection in your actual life.” There will always be people and problems, past events and future worries that will try to encroach upon this truth. The world will tell you that new life isn’t actually possible and so you and I will have to fight for our space on the floor. But we claim our space in full view of the God who resurrected Jesus from the dead and by doing so declared the possibility that all things can be made new.
This morning we have the privilege of having Nikki Toyama-Szeto with us. Director of Programs for the Urbana Student Missions Convention and author of the book, “More that Serving Tea,” Nikki joins us this morning to proclaim God’s promise of new life to us. This morning we also come to the Lord’s table to celebrate the new covenant that was given through Jesus death and resurrection. We have the added privilege this morning of being led in worship by North Park’s Chamber Singers and the Women’s Chorale.
Come and make some space in your life for the resurrection.
