Death a Two Way Street

We often make people and animals the target of our jokes. I read one the other day that is a prime example. It goes like this, “Why did the chicken cross the road? To prove to the possum that it could be done!” Regardless of our assumptions the truth is, possums are smart animals. You wouldn’t think so because you hardly ever see one except when it’s dead on the road. But possums, it turns out, are smart. They won’t enter a hole if there’s just one set of tracks going into it. They know there’s something in there and it can’t be good. But if there are two sets of tracks, the possum will enter and not be afraid. The message of Easter is that we can enter the grave and we don’t have to fear death because there are tracks leading out of the tomb. Jesus made sure of that. Paul confirms it further in his proclamation: "Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?" In essence the message we need to hear on Easter is that Jesus has risen! This gives us great hope. As Phillip Brooks states, “Let every man and woman count himself immortal. Let him catch the revelation of Jesus in his resurrection. Let him say not merely, "Christ is risen," but "I shall rise." Christ’s exit from the grave is our greatest prospect for the future. Although there may be those who choose to believe that He is still being held captive by death in a tomb somewhere, we know He is very much alive. If not, then we have no hope for He has nothing to offer us. If He remains dead we have as much provision as He does. However, I choose to believe that He is alive and because of that truth, He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above what I ask or think.” The great spiritual warrior, Andrew Murray offers his own defense by declaring, “A dead Christ I must do everything for; a living Christ does everything for me. “ His ability far exceeds that of mortal man. In the words of John Stott there is a great paradox related to humanity and our Redeemer, “We live and die; Christ died and lived!” Yet in life and death He made it possible for every believer to face their own physical demise with the assurance that the grave is not the end but only an entrance into a greater life because the resurrection assures us that death is a two way street.