Different and Same: Living in the Spiritual Contrasts of Life
The Pause before the Go: Finding the Presence and Faithfulness of God in Hard Times
Lesson 3: Different and Same: Living in the Spiritual Contrasts of Life
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our LORD.”Romans 6:23
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
Read and study the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection for this lesson: Matthew 27:32-28:20; Mark 15:21-16:8; Luke 23:26-24:53; John 19:16-21:25.
One stormy evening 1850; Samuel Trevor Francis, a young British teenager was walking home from work. He stopped on a high bridge over the river Thames and stared down into the turbulent dark waters, his life at a point of utter hopelessness and despair. Samuel contemplated jumping off that bridge and ending it all, letting his body be fully engulfed by the cold and treacherous undertow of the Thames- sinking to rise no more. Yet, at that very moment as he stared into the deep waters thinking how they reflected his despair, God gave him a new and contrasting thought on those waves; not one of despair but one of a future and a hope because of the love of Jesus Christ-and the gift of His death and resurrection on Samuel’s behalf. Samuel hurried home and wrote these words: “Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus- Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free- Rolling as a mighty ocean- In its fullness over me- Underneath me, all around me- Is the current of thy love- Leading onward, leading homeward to thy glorious rest above.” The remembered love of Christ brought by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God transformed Samuel’s thoughts of despair into different and contrasting thoughts of JOY on The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus lifting the young man up and moving him forward. Only the Holy Spirit can reach down to the deep and turbulent waters of the human heart (much of which we don’t understand) and transform us by His glorious power and grace! If you have access to Google, or You Tube find a version of the hymn to listen to and pay attention to the words… (I love Simon Khorolsiky’s version- and his Russian version of Fanny Crosby’s Near the Cross- with English translation).
So, how is this Easter season for you? We can honestly say, we’ve never celebrated one quite like it. Many things about this Easter Sunday are the same, but many are different and some are both different and the same. Take some time and list at least 5 answers to each of the three questions below (there are no “right or wrong” answers- these are for your perception and listening of what the Holy Spirit brings to mind.
1. What about this Easter is different?
2. What about this Easter is the same?
3. What about this Easter is both different and the same? What do you think God wants us to learn and know about Him in that contrast? Spend time in prayer. Write your thoughts down.
For many of us, if we are completely honest like Samuel Trevor Francis, we find ourselves in a sharp and unique contrast. This year we find ourselves between the celebration of the promises, victory and accomplishments of God through the cross of Christ and His resurrection versus our own feelings of loneliness, isolation, and helplessness. We don’t know how to rectify our faith for today with our fears of tomorrow in an ever changing world in which even our most sacred traditions cannot be observed in old and familiar ways. We all face changing times in life but what we just described above is what defines for us hard times today. So where in this contrast can we find the spiritual vision, to keep moving forward and upward? Where can we find the spiritual strength to continue? I believe the answer is found in the centeredness of Christ who defines the contrast between our despair and the living hope we have in Heaven because of His Grace so freely offered, so deeply expressed by His sacrificial love on the cross, and so victoriously revealed by the power of His resurrection.
Many things are different: the “trappings” are gone, our schedules are cleared, the big feast might be a Whataburger this year, we can’t gather physically at our places of worship, and we might feel lonely and afraid… BUT if we know the love of God in Christ Jesus Our LORD if He is our center and we have the free gift of eternal life in His name by the Gospel (cross and resurrection) more important things might be different for us too: our understanding of what it means to have faith, our humility and patience, the way we show love to each other while being apart, our view of material goods, our events becoming less the center of our worship than the Spirit and Truth of God’s accomplishments, there may be less stress and more stillness, less frivolous preoccupations and more focus spiritually on Christ.
Part of coming to know that “God is working all things together for good for those who love Him” (Rom 8:28) is our seeking and finding His goodness at work in the midst of our circumstances and letting the Holy Spirit reveal His goodness to us. My prayer in the midst of this different Easter is that we would be doing precisely that. But not all things are different, many things about this Easter are the same- the things that matter most: the love, grace, mercy, and holiness of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), His Faithfulness, Commands, the Promises of His Word, the Mission and future of the Church, the Perseverance of the Saints, the Calling of Believers, Christ’s return, Salvation, Eternal Life, Heaven and Hell, our Justification, Forgiveness, and finally the message of the cross, and the triumph of an empty grave by a RISEN Savior! The Gospel has not changed!
Yet in the contrast between the same and the different the Gospel message and its call to us is constant. “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ Our LORD.” The contrast Jesus brings is absolute. So what should be different for us this Easter? What should be the same? How will you respond to the angel’s message: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here: He has RISEN just as He said…” I pray all of you will have a blessed Easter in which you may worship freely in Spirit and Truth! Jesus is alive and we are forgiven! We have all the hope in Heaven and Earth because of Faith in His name! Know we will be together soon, and I am looking forward to that day! Happy Easter and love in Christ always! Darrin.