Happy Valentine's Day! Jesus is Risen!

Matthew 28 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. ² And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. ³ And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. ⁴ The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. ⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. ⁷ Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

⁸ And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. ⁹ And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

¹¹ Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. ¹² And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, ¹³ and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.

¹⁶ But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. ¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. ¹⁸ And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

As I meditated on today’s reading, I thought it interesting that this text, the account of the resurrection, falls on the day that the liturgical church begins the season of lent, the six week period of time to prepare for the celebration of the resurrection. Coincidentally it also falls on Valentine’s Day, the day we traditionally set aside to celebrate love. I myself have never been one to fully engage in the Valentine’s Day tradition. I love my wife dearly, but fortunately for me she agrees that to have others set a day and dictate the ways that we should demonstrate our love doesn’t really reflect the love that has built our marriage and relationship these thirty plus years. For us, fortunately today is my day off, so we will spend the day together rather than apart. Real love is not something that is demonstrated one or two days a year, with flowers or food or even jewelry. Real love is to truly enjoy one another’s company, to put the needs and desires of them ahead of yourself 365 days a year.

The greatest demonstration of love the world has ever seen did not come wrapped in a small box, it was not a romantic night out, a beautiful bouquet of flowers, it was not anything that money can buy. The greatest demonstration of love was God’s demonstration of love. Romans 5:8 says:   God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  John 3:16 says:  “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 15:13 says:  “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”  Jesus sacrifice on the cross, for His friends, was and is the greatest demonstration of love the world has ever seen.  In context, what Jesus says is:   “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another.”

In John 3:16, Jesus said that the love of God results in eternal life. We then, should also love as Jesus commands us eternally, not only on designated days, but every day. Jesus says we are His friends if we do what He commands. When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replied:  “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)     Love is something we live, not something we say. It is something we do daily, not on a designated day. Traditions are good. Surely there is no harm and there can even be good in practicing and participating in tradition. Enjoy the day today, with those you love. But, even more today and every day:  love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, and  love others as yourself.

Returning to my original thought; today is the day that the church traditionally begins the six week period of preparation leading up the recognition of Jesus sacrifice of love on the cross and the celebration of His resurrection. The traditions of the church are good. They help us to remember all that God and His Son have done for us and all that they have commanded us. Just like love though, which should not or cannot be demonstrated in just one day, but must be demonstrated and celebrated daily; so too the resurrection of Christ, is not something we should prepare for to celebrate for a day. Like love, the resurrection is something we should live and celebrate daily.  Every day, we should prepare and expect to see the risen Lord.  The text says:  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”   Every day we should see and worship the risen Lord. Some will be doubtful. They will hold instead to the traditions of man or even reject the resurrection completely. We though, His friends, for whom He laid down His life, should celebrate that He is risen, not one day, but every day. We should seek Him. God says:  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you. (Jeremiah 29:13-14)  Finding Him, we should worship Him and we should celebrate the resurrection, hearing and following His words and His commandment: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

May the words of this resurrection song be our daily prayer and declaration:

I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today
I know that He is living, whatever men may say
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer
And just the time I need Him He's always near

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart

In all the world around me I see His loving care
And though my heart grows weary I never will despair
I know that He is leading, through all the stormy blast
The day of His appearing will come at last

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King
The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find
None other is so loving, so good and kind

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart    

Amen.