Buddhist monk and author Jack Cornfield famously wrote in his book A Path with Heart, “Life is a test – it is only a test. If it had been an actual life, you would have received further instructions on where to go and what to do. Remember, this life is only a test.” I am not an expert in Buddhism, so I will not be too critical of a statement like that. However, I will use it as a stepping stone to help us understand our gospel reading for today.
It seems that in
the minds of many Christians life is indeed a test by God. If you pass the test then you get to go to
heaven where there is eternal joy and bliss.
If you fail the test then you go to hell where there is extreme torment
for all of eternity. Some passages in
the Bible can be used to support such ideas, so I will not say they are
completely unfounded in Christianity.
However, overall that is not Christian teaching. If it were, then God would be a cruel being
who liked to play games with helpless subjects.
If life is a test that bears such severe consequences, then we
definitely need God to give us further instructions on where to go and what to
do.
It also has
another impact that is far more subtle.
Many people seem to think that God gives us subtle nudges and clues as
to where to go and what to do. That idea
is hardly better. Why would God make
life into a game to see how well we could follow subtleties? What if we missed something? What if we misinterpreted something? And if God truly loves us, then why make
getting life right so difficult? And
also, maybe the nudges and subtle clues idea works for humanity’s smartest
people, but if we’re somewhere below average in intellectual ability how are we
supposed to then recognize God’s instructions?
That whole collection
of ideas don’t fit though. God is not a
cruel being who lies to play games with helpless subjects. God does not do things in a way that favors
the intelligent or the inciteful. The
wider truth revealed throughout the Bible is that God created the world, and
its rich and diverse life, because God is creative. God loves variety. God loves dynamic things. And in human beings, God has created a
creature which has been endowed with the power to respond to God’s love. God wants the authentic relationship of trust
that comes from that.
Life is not a
test. Life is not a series of clues to
be solved. Life is a generous gift from
God, with the invitation to live it in loving trust with the God who created
you.
I think we’d all
like to have more proof from God, and we’d like to have more clear instructions
about what to do with life’s difficult decisions. Those desires are understandable. However, think of it this way. If God gives you a clear and unmistakable
instructions then you’d better follow them!
When God does not give you clear and unmistakable instructions, then God
is giving you the freedom to respond in whatever loving way you feel like
doing; and what is best. God gives you
not only life and creativity, but also forgiveness for those unavoidable times
when your decisions go wrong.
In our gospel
reading we see Jesus giving the disciples several things. They are given forgiveness for their recent
failings, they are given clear proof of the resurrection, they are given
understanding to strengthen their relationship with God, and they are given
clear instructions about what to do next.
Let’s briefly touch on each.
The forgiveness
comes at the beginning when Jesus says, “Peace to you.” They were startled and terrified at the
sudden presence of the resurrected Jesus.
Remember that in the midst of their wonder and confusion about it all
there was also a great sense of guilt.
They had all failed Jesus just a few days before. All of them -every last one of them- fled
when Jesus was arrested. I’m not just
talking about the twelve male disciples but also the women. Even Peter, who had directly promised that he
would never deny Jesus, shortly afterward did that very thing three times. If they all fled and forsook Jesus, then
seeing him alive and back again was a troubling prospect. What punishment were they going to receive
for their failure?
So Jesus starts
off with, “Peace to you.” They’re not in
trouble at all. They don’t need to
worry.
If you call to
mind the birth story of Jesus at Christmas you’ll remember the angels said a
similar thing to the shepherds, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on
earth peace among those whom he favors.”
God knows that any
relationship with his creation has to be built upon peace – not fear, not
warfare, …not playing games to see if the humans can manage to figure it out.
With peace
proclaimed to his followers Jesus goes on to the next step – giving them proof
of his bodily resurrection. He invites
them to see him and touch him. He eats a
piece of fish in their presence as additional proof.
This is finally
the kind of thing we want to have with the resurrection stories. You’ll remember that on Easter Sunday two
weeks ago we had the story of Easter morning; the empty tomb. The followers of Jesus discovered that the
tomb was open, the body was gone, two men in dazzling apparel said he had been
resurrected, and yet the resurrected Jesus never makes an appearance. Last week we read a story from early Easter
evening. There the resurrected Jesus met
two followers who were walking to Emmaus.
We were told that their eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus until the
very end when he broke bread with them.
Then as soon as they recognized him he disappeared from their
sight. It felt like a cruel tease. Why couldn’t they have spend joyous time
knowing they were with the resurrected Jesus?
Now this week we
read later in the evening when the resurrected Jesus does appear to his
followers for an extended time. They
felt joy and ongoing disbelief, but it least it was a real and meaningful
encounter. It is what they needed.
It is what we need
too. If life is to be a relationship
with God, then God knows we need real interaction. If this life and this whole universe are not
just some sort of test, then we need God to show that God does indeed value
it. God shows he values it by coming to
live a lifetime as Jesus. And God shows
the promise of eternal life with Jesus’ actual real physical resurrection. Jesus may come and go suddenly. He may not be bound by normal physical
limitations, but he is still real. So
the disciples get this proof.
With the disciples
getting peace and then proof, they are ready to receive greater understanding
about what has been going on all along.
Jesus opens their minds so that they can see God’s big plan has been at
work all along, and everything continues to go according to it:
God created.
God revealed
things through Moses and the prophets.
The Messiah had to
suffer because it reveals the nature of God’s love, which is the foundation we
need for relationship with God.
The resurrection
had to be real to prove that death is not the end, and to reveal that God does
indeed have the power to make good on his promises.
Finaly, the
disciples are given clear instructions about what to do next. This is the kind of thing we think we want
from God. But their instructions are to
stay put and wait for further empowerment.
That’s not the kind of instructions we want to get! These instructions were not long-term,
however. We know the stories. Fifty days later the Holy Spirit comes upon
them dramatically and they are sent out into the world.
The disciples are
given instructions for what to do. We
are given the same instructions. We are
to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations. That means that the good news is not to be
limited to just our friends and families.
It is not a limited commodity to be hoarded. It is something good to be shared widely.
It is a sad thing
that so few want to hear it and live it in our land today. People would rather indulge in cheap
temporary thrills rather than have the deep lasting relationship that comes
with diligence and commitment. That is
their loss. We, however, are inspired by
the truth, and can live meaningful lives in confidence.
God wants us to
live in confidence and freedom, being in a genuine relationship with him, and
then mutual relationships with each other.
Ultimately we are called forward towards God’s promise of eternal life,
which is a promise that gives us enduring joy.
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