The Death of Life

In him was LIFE, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)

For thousands of years, since the fateful fruit was consumed death held a tight rein on the earth and darkness shrouded its inhabitants.   All creation lived in slavery to the darkness, working relentlessly toward death, yet crying out for light, and hanging on to life.  The birds and animals preyed unnaturally upon each other, as they were preyed upon by mankind.  The atmosphere clashed and raged in storms, winds, and fires.  The earth itself groaned like a beast, burdened to the breaking point.  The men and women of this creation, so accustomed to the gloomy, darkness, stumbled and clawed forward, thinking this was normal.  They had long since forgotten the light, and what it meant to walk in it.  Even the stories so carefully passed down had dimmed and grayed so that the promises described were mere shadows of the intended gifts.

Yet, throughout all this time, there was a thin line of promises, and a carried cord of hope:  anticipation of Messiah.

Until, unbeknownst to most people alive, the redemption was in their midst. The prophesies were quietly being marked off as “done”.  In a small, humble village, the man who came into the world unbelievably, miraculously began to speak words to reverse the curse.  He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the LIFE.”   He said, “I am the resurrection and the LIFE.”

“What does this mean?” the people asked.  “Is he mad?”  “Are we not alive already?”

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

“What is life more abundantly?  Is there life that is more life than life?”

He also said, “”I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

So, as the people wandered through the darkness, they pondered.  Some believed and followed the LIFE.   The LIFE healed, and more believed.  The LIFE forgave, and many were changed.  The LIFE even gave new resurrecting life to some who had been dead!  There did seem to be something more to this LIFE than what the people had seen before.

Meanwhile, in this tiny part the the dying world where LIFE resided, the ongoing, eternal battle to squash LIFE accelerated.  As LIFE grew in popularity, death gathered forces.  When LIFE healed and forgave, death subverted and plotted.  Even when LIFE was paraded with palms,  lauded with blessings, and exalted as king, death slithered behind and treacherously prepared.

The victory that heralded LIFE was quickly shattered.  Money changed hands; arrests were made; charges were brought; beatings ensued.  One who cared to preserve his good standing with the people and with his superiors sought to give the LIFE back to the people.  But, the crowds, so influenced by darkness, so used to death cried out for MURDER instead.  Their blind eyes saw inky destruction, and they knew no better.  They asked for death.

With that, the slithering, stalking death rose up, swayed it’s evil cobra head back and forth, gleamed it’s slit-eyes into the murky world, and stuck its fatal fang-blow into the foot of LIFE.  The poisonous venom seeped and weakened.  LIFE said, “It is finished.”  So, death coiled around this town that had been blessed for a time with light and LIFE, and sucked the LIFE down into the tomb, hissing as the great stone sealed death’s stamp on the plan– the death of LIFE.

When LIFE died, the earth shook and trembled in utter astonishment at the turn of events that left it groaning still for its redemption.  The sky darkened also, as if to say to the people “You have betrayed true light–  have only darkness.”

Then, everything was still.  And the earth continued.  And death was satisfied.

A small group of men, followers of the LIFE–– one week ago they were planning their futures in the new kingdom of LIFE— hid behind locked doors in despair.  They saw no future, no hope, no LIFE.

And the dark shadows crept around the dial as the day passed into night.

In another part of town, a small group of women gathered– weeping and mourning. Surely they hadn’t been wrong about this LIFE.  They had seen him give life to the dying and even bring back the dead.  Only the one who truly was LIFE could accomplish this!

And the dark shadows crept around the dial as another day passed into another night.

On the morning of the third day, some of the women gathered together spices.  They made a journey in the pre-dawn gloom to the tomb.  Even if LIFE had died, he still deserved the honor of a proper burial.  He still was the best, most honorable, most loving person they had ever known.  He had offered forgiveness when others had offered scorn.  He gave hope when others gave condemnation.  So, they left their fears and carried their mourning with them and walked to the tomb.  Even then, they didn’t understand all of the teachings, but they each knew that they were no longer the woman of their past.  They at least had a start of a new life within them.

Ahead in the mists of the graying morn, they saw the boulder that marked the tomb.  But, it had been moved!  What was this?  They knew this was the correct tomb, but it was empty!  And as they stood, two dazzling beings appeared and explained… the living is not with the dead.  The men were told and some of them also observed the opened tomb, the missing corpse.  Later, they all, the men and the women, saw LIFE!    He spoke to them, he walked with them.   LIFE was not dead!  Death did not win!

While it is a great mystery what monumental, other-worldly tasks LIFE  accomplished during the dark  time of the tomb– what captives were freed, what ransoms were paid– with the stone rolled away and the grave vacated, it became clear that LIFE was truth.  LIFE was the way.  LIFE was alive.  Death could not kill LIFE, since death was merely the absence of LIFE.  When LIFE came, death was overcome.  And, slowly, the coils of death slackened just a bit, and the raised head of death drooped.

Today, the creation still labors under the strain of the curse.  Mankind still will choose death: addiction,  abortion, hatred, disease.  Yet, the words of LIFE are available for those who would read and believe. The spirit of LIFE is sent to the ones who choose life.  And LIFE is on the eternal throne with his fang scarred heel poised above the serpent head of death.

Rejoice, He is Risen!  

Verses:  John 14:6         John 11:25       John 8:12    John 10:10

Death and Resurrection passages:  Matthew 27-28,  Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, John 18-20

With Joy!!

Kathleen

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