Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Mar/82

Contributor - Rev Bill Vanden Berg

Title - The Resurrection Experience Of The First Christians

Topic - Resurrection

It is almost Easter again! 0, Glorious time! Magnificent Splendor! Awesome Experience! HALLELUJAH: JESUS LIVES FOR EVER MORE!

It has been quite a few years now since I met these two very special friends that have meant so much to me ever since I first came to know them, and they become more significant to me as the days move rapidly to the return of Jesus my Lord.

I should introduce them to you first, so that you will at least know their names, they are Xaris and Alytheia. One of the main reasons why these two friends have become so meaningful to me, is that when they began to tell some of their own history, it brought us all the way back to the very beginnings of the Christian Church and the earth-shaking experience of these early days and weeks and months around that very first RESURRECTION DAY.

Things have moved along so fast, that it was hard for the disciples of Jesus to keep up with it all. They were so sure of their Master and Teacher, and then, when they shared in the excitement of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, they were so full of happiness, and a beautiful peace had filled their souls. Then came the next four days, full of the final teaching of Jesus, completed by that Passover meal that they shared in the upper room. The same celebration as they were used to, but the atmosphere was so different! Electrifying, peaceful, and yet full of tension. Beautiful, and still it had something final about it. But after that there had come these terrible blows: Jesus taken prisoner, the false accusations before the high priest, the hopeless appearances before Pontius Pilate and King Herod, and then the ugly crucifixion, which is the most cruel and most humiliating punishment that the perverted mind of man could have though of in those days! 0, the sadness and heartache of that day would always be remembered by everyone!

And they came the first day of the next week, and in an even more rapid succession they were swept along in the history-changing events of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world! 0, yes. they remembered so well the first announcements by Mary and Peter and John, followed by the intensely exciting discussions they had about that unexplainable event: Jesus had risen from the dead! Resurrected? Back from the grave? Alive again? No longer dead? He was killed, and now He lives again!!?? His broken body restored!?! How was a person to take all that? That was not normal or usual! No other religion in the world had ever reported, experienced or even pretended anything like that! So hat do you do with such a unique experience? They just did not know, and so, when one of them suggested to go and pray, they all agreed and joined in prayer for the next almost 6 weeks. Every day they came together as soon as they could finish their daily work and discussed and prayed most fervently for God to explain to them how they were to take this all, and what they should do with it. But no answer came, and six weeks is a long time when you are waiting. But then, Jesus did come to be with them on several occasions, yet somehow HE never did explain the resurrection. to them in detail. At the same time, these prayer-meetings strongly established their unity and love for each other and it built them up in their trust in God. Then finally Jesus called them together on the 40th day and when they had walked to the Olive Garden (Mount of Olives or Olivet) then suddenly Jesus was taken up into heaven. Yes, it was a peaceful experience, and they well remembered the words of the two angels, that Jesus would come again! It took another 10 days, however, before some of these things became a little more clear in their relationship of trust with God. On the 15th day after Jesus' death and resurrection God saw how much they were prepared through prayer and fellowship and eager anticipation, and then HE poured out His Spirit on them, so that what they knew and had trusted all along, they now received as grace and truth. And empowered by God's Spirit they reached out to the world and all men everywhere in showing and giving and announcing what had become theirs as a marvelous gift from God.

Yes, I am eternally thankful to these two friends of mine: Xatis and alytheia, not only for reminding me of the greatest of all events in history: Resurrection Day, but also for sustaining for me-the Peace and Joy and faithfulness that I received in Jesus Christ!

As for you, my reading friend, when just this very moment you stop and pray, ask our Lord that you may receive the same sustaining Grace and Truth, for that is who these two friends of mine are:

GRACE and TRUTH!

I do hope that you will have the most marvelous Resurrection Peace and Assurance from now on.

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