Luke 24:34
"Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon."
Historians tell us that the early Christians used to greet each other with the standard greeting of "He is risen, He is risen indeed". This was an encouragement of the glorious fact that Jesus rose from
the dead and a living hope to them.
What is significant of this passage is the fact that Jesus had appeared to Simon Peter first, before he did to any of the other disciples - even before John the beloved. Simon Peter was one of the first disciple and was in the inner circle of Christ. However, he was also the one who denied Christ and was likely to be in great guilt for all he had done to turn away as Christ was persecuted. So imagine all his feelings when the resurrected Christ appears to him. I can imagine him wanting to run away, yet also being unable to do anything but to crumble before Christ because of the unfailing love that he would have felt.
Shame and guilt are terrible emotions which makes us shrink away from everyone, even those who we know care for us. But such is the loving nature of Christ, who loves us despite His nature to hate sins. He will never shirk away from us and would do His utmost to always reach out to us, even if it needs Him to appear before us to testify of His love.
I can never fully grasp the amazing grace and goodness of God because He always demonstrates the supernatural ability to step forward to us and tell us of His unfailing love for us, even when we think we should be beating ourselves down and hiding away. This, however, is the unmerited grace that God grants because of His agape love for us, His creation.
This easter weekend, may we encounter Christ's appearance in our lives as Simon Peter did, because He loves us too much.
M.
01 April 2013
He is risen indeed
Luke 24:34
"Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon."
Historians tell us that the early Christians used to greet each other with the standard greeting of "He is risen, He is risen indeed". This was an encouragement of the glorious fact that Jesus rose from the dead and a living hope to them.
What is significant of this passage is the fact that Jesus had appeared to Simon Peter first, before he did to any of the other disciples - even before John the beloved. Simon Peter was one of the first disciple and was in the inner circle of Christ. However, he was also the one who denied Christ and was likely to be in great guilt for all he had done to turn away as Christ was persecuted. So imagine all his feelings when the resurrected Christ appears to him. I can imagine him wanting to run away, yet also being unable to do anything but to crumble before Christ because of the unfailing love that he would have felt.
Shame and guilt are terrible emotions which makes us shrink away from everyone, even those who we know care for us. But such is the loving nature of Christ, who loves us despite His nature to hate sins. He will never shirk away from us and would do His utmost to always reach out to us, even if it needs Him to appear before us to testify of His love.
I can never fully grasp the amazing grace and goodness of God because He always demonstrates the supernatural ability to step forward to us and tell us of His unfailing love for us, even when we think we should be beating ourselves down and hiding away. This, however, is the unmerited grace that God grants because of His agape love for us, His creation.
This easter weekend, may we encounter Christ's appearance in our lives as Simon Peter did, because He loves us too much.
M.
"Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon."
Historians tell us that the early Christians used to greet each other with the standard greeting of "He is risen, He is risen indeed". This was an encouragement of the glorious fact that Jesus rose from the dead and a living hope to them.
What is significant of this passage is the fact that Jesus had appeared to Simon Peter first, before he did to any of the other disciples - even before John the beloved. Simon Peter was one of the first disciple and was in the inner circle of Christ. However, he was also the one who denied Christ and was likely to be in great guilt for all he had done to turn away as Christ was persecuted. So imagine all his feelings when the resurrected Christ appears to him. I can imagine him wanting to run away, yet also being unable to do anything but to crumble before Christ because of the unfailing love that he would have felt.
Shame and guilt are terrible emotions which makes us shrink away from everyone, even those who we know care for us. But such is the loving nature of Christ, who loves us despite His nature to hate sins. He will never shirk away from us and would do His utmost to always reach out to us, even if it needs Him to appear before us to testify of His love.
I can never fully grasp the amazing grace and goodness of God because He always demonstrates the supernatural ability to step forward to us and tell us of His unfailing love for us, even when we think we should be beating ourselves down and hiding away. This, however, is the unmerited grace that God grants because of His agape love for us, His creation.
This easter weekend, may we encounter Christ's appearance in our lives as Simon Peter did, because He loves us too much.
M.
