Life Beyond the Cross
An Easter Monday Reflection
Yesterday was Easter Sunday, the third day on which Jesus was resurrected, leaving his tomb empty. As I was reflecting on this event my mind returned to a short story I have written about a young shoplifting girl called Evie Smith (to be posted here on this Blog soon). Though maybe even Evie herself doesn’t recognise it, she is on a journey to find Jesus as her Saviour – and then her Lord! One night she has a vision. Here is a short excerpt from the story where she sees herself climbing a steep hill with a cross at its top:
Evie takes up the story: “At the very top of the hill I could just make out a wooden cross. Empty. I knew deep within me that I needed to be there, at the top. I started walking up the rough path. It was hard work. I looked down and saw that in my hands were plastic bags full of stuff – everything I had ever shoplifted was there in those heavy bags. I thought about putting them down, but somehow I knew they needed to be taken to the top.
The bags were heavy and the handles bit into my hands as I struggled up the hill with them. I had only managed a short way up the hill when I realised I could hear someone singing. There, by the side of the path sat a figure all in white. Even I knew that was an angel.
As I got close, he stood up and took one of the heavy bags from me. Then he followed me up the mountain. The two of us carried on up the steep slope until the same thing happened again. I was joined by another angel. He took another bag from me and joined the other one.
This happened four more times until, well close to the Cross, I had lost all my bags. I watched the angels put them all at the foot of the Cross. And then even as I looked, the bags and the angels disappeared. And I somehow knew that the Cross of Jesus had swept away the contents of those bags and the sinfulness that went with them. Sorted, dealt with! Gone forever. I just knew it! Awesome!
In that vision, standing by the empty Cross, I felt emptied of guilt. Somehow I had been set free to start again. No more guilt or shame. I felt light and free. But not only from the shame of shoplifting. I was free from the shame of a dad in prison. I was free from the shame of speaking badly about people around me. I was there at the foot of the Cross, alone. I looked around me. Yes, I was alone. I decided to sit at the foot of the Cross.”
For those of us who have given their lives to Christ it is easy to treat the Cross as a finishing line. We find forgiveness for our past failures and know we have been made right with God by all Jesus accomplished on the Cross. But if we stay there and don’t move on we fail to receive all the possibilities that are ours because of the Cross but also because of the resurrection. The empty cross and the empty tomb together bring with them a power to lead a new life. Jesus said “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10).
In Evie’s story her vision takes her beyond the Cross and into the promise of a life of fullness, of abundance. Her walk continues, she finds new meaning, new relationships and new power to walk with Jesus along his Way.
The Cross offers payment for sin, which is of fundamental importance. But Jesus wants to be our Lord as well as our Saviour. It is His resurrection that offers us the power to lead the life of abundance that He promises those that follow Him as His disciples.
This abundant life offers a deep and continuing relationship with God. It also offers a transformed life marked by the acquiring of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) including love, peace, patience, and kindness. This abundant life is not about material wealth but leading a satisfied and meaningful life, regardless of circumstances. It is an overcoming life. The full, abundant life Jesus promises gives us the ability to live an “overflowing” life, a victorious life, beyond even our greatest expectations. And it is also a peaceful life of resilience, hope and a deep inner peace, despite the trials that will come our way.
We can and must pause there at the foot of the Cross to understand, reflect and acknowledge everything Christ’s death has provided. Then we must movie on beyond it into the resurrected and abundant life Jesus promises us in John 10:10:
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” That’s the third day promise of the Resurrection.
All references are from the NKJV unless specified otherwise.
John Partis
bearing-kingdom-fruit.com
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