Fourth Sunday of Easter [C]

 


FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER [C]


You’ve gone back in time. You’re no longer a twenty-first century Christian; suddenly, you’re a first century Christian. Everything is fresh, everything is new. Jesus has ascended into Heaven, but he has left behind a series of glorious promises. You cherish each and every one of these promises. And yet, you find yourself struggling with the promise outlined in the Gospel of John, chapter ten: You are not going to perish, if you belong to Jesus (10:28). The air seems to be going out of this promise……as you witness people around you dying off—whether through old age, through illness, or through the effects of persecution. 


Jesus himself assured us that we would not perish!! Was he misleading us? You tell yourself that it was a sincere message, even if not a completely reliable message. It parallels a message that will be delivered later on, by way of folk tale. Chicken Little really believes that the sky is in the process of falling. The word spreads, along with the sense of panic. However, it soon becomes clear that the sky is not falling. By modern day standards, it’s the kind of message that would rank as “fake news.”  And perhaps the same could be said about that promise featured in John chapter ten. It’s fake news. 


Resuming our twenty-first century perspective, you can see how the early Christians MIGHT have come to such a conclusion. But they didn’t come to that conclusion. There is no evidence they ever even considered that type of conclusion. They held fast to their faith. In fact, they attracted more and more members to the cause. If there was something unreliable about Jesus and his message, then you would expect the church to decrease in size. It would decrease and finally just simply disappear. Instead, the church continues to expand. By the time we reach the year 380 AD, Christianity has been named the official religion of the Empire!


So how does a passage like John 10:28 not qualify as fake news? Why did those early Christians refuse to dismiss it as fake news? It all has to do with the grave. Through his mission, Jesus transforms the grave; it becomes a passageway, a stage within a wider journey, a chapter within a larger story. Yes, death remains a part of the picture. But it needs to be understood that you’re not “perishing” when you experience the phenomenon of death. It’s you, continuing your journey. You’re alive—more alive than you’ve ever been before. It’s about being alive in a new and different way. 


It’s not that you’re gone; you’ve rather “gone ahead”. You’re part of what’s being described in the Book of Revelation, chapter seven. You’re among those being refreshed, comforted, and satisfied in the hereafter (see Rev. 7:13-17). You’re keeping company with figures like St. Paul and St. Barnabas. We hear about their labors, in the Book of Acts (13:44-52). Now, they are enjoying a well-deserved rest. Indeed, they do labor. They do suffer the pains of death. But they most certainly do not perish. What is being said about them can likewise be said about you, and your loved ones. It can be your story—but here’s the requirement: be serious about following Jesus, and furthermore be serious about securing a place within his flock. 

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